Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Why do the Penguins continually STINK in late-game situations?

Episode Date: March 29, 2023

Another tied game late in the third period and another regulation loss! It's been a theme for the Pittsburgh Penguins over the last week and change, and it came up again on Tuesday night. Hunter starts the show by touching on the turning point, and yes, it's Rust's late penalty. He analyzes why there was no reason for him to even high-stick Seider in that situation and harps on the team for continuing not to play good situational hockey. He even goes back to last week when the same thing happened against the Dallas Stars and the Ottawa Senators and the Penguins didn't come away with any points. Where would they be if they had gotten at least a point in those games and this one? He then slams the team for another poor start in a game that is very important before discussing why Casey DeSmith wasn't good enough when they needed him to be. He also goes into the power play and why both units provided a spark and also discusses why Drew O'Connor has been the secret ingredient to getting the fourth line going over the past week. All that, plus much more is on this episode of Locked On Penguins.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Athletic GreensTo make it easy, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/NHLNETWORKFanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go to FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pittsburgh Penguins continue to show who they really are. And I think you all need to believe them at this point. To start this episode, we're going to get into what the turning point of this game against the Red Wings was. And why yet again, goaltending let them down. That's coming up right after this. You're Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network.

Your team every day. Hello, welcome back to another episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm of course your host, Hunter Hodes. We're going to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes, follow the shows, Twitter, and also, thank you all so much for making this your first listen of the day. We're freeing available on all platforms. Red Wing 7, Penguins forward a game that was, you know, drunk, you're high on weed, you know, whatever other drug you want to say.

Penguins go down three nothing to start the first period, looking like utter crap, they come back, they storm back, in the second period to tie it, give up a goal in the third period, they storm right back to tie it, and everything looks like it's going according to plan, they're getting quality chances, just not putting the puck in the back in the net,

they're getting the goal tending, and then the turning point happened. What I mean by that is, for the third time in basically a week, eight days, I should say eight days, third time in eight days, penguins screwed up either midway through or late in the third period,

and they do not get any points out of the game that they deserve to get. It happened last week against the Ottawa senders. Remember, they scored a 521 left. Choward Riedel takes a really stupid penalty with 305 to go. Penguins go up with the ensuing powerplay goal, they lose. Fast forward that last Wednesday to Dallas. You're playing really well. The game's tied in the third period.

You just killed off a power play. Chad Roodle takes another penalty. Oh, boom. Game is basically over. the Dallas score two goals and not even basically a minute. Fast forward to tonight. It's four to four. Less than four minutes to go.

You're playing well. You're carrying the play. It looks like you are going to get at least a point. You're going to take them to OT, maybe get a late regulation goal to win the game and get the two points that you really need this time of year. Nope. Ryan Russ takes a very stupid high sticking penalty. We score five seconds later with David Perron, who had, you know, basically,

I think Phil Barks said those on the broadcast, three goals. his last 20, 25 games. He's been a ghost. He's a hat-trick tonight because in typical penguin's fashion, a player who is struggling has to go off against them. This team plays really bad situational hockey. And you've been seeing it all season and it's really shown it's ugly, it's reared its ugly head, excuse me, over this last week. Where would they be in the standings right now if we would have at least secured a point against Dallas? Secured at least a point against Ottawa. Secured a point at least tonight. You'd be tied with the islanders right now.

you would be you would be six points up on the Florida Panthers the opportunity to win that game late in the third period during the third period even after they tied it was there it is I have had enough of these stupid late game

situational you know just penalties where the penguins are just they're playing dumb recognize the situation there's less than four minutes to go you're in a fight for your playoff lines you're going to take a really bad penalty there

for no reason at all. There was no reason for Brian Rust to high-stick Mo's idea. None. And, you know, speaking of Rust, man, has he had a brutal season. Last week against the Senators, he had that chance to clear the puck, couldn't. Against the Stars, that has a chance to give the Penguins that lead before they squandered that tie game to third period, shoots it right into Jake Ottinger's pad. Tonight takes the penalty that would have secured them at least a point.

They were going to get a point out of that game. I don't think for a second that the Red Wings were going to score a five on five late, in that third period with the way the penguins were playing they were out shooting them they were almost doubling they were almost doubling them up in shots man he's just hasn't been a good season for him he has double-digit goals sure but he's fighting it out there making too many mistakes I don't know what that thing is on the um I think it's the um my phone that does it does something to my webcam I don't know what the heck that was excuse me um you know just not scoring not putting well defensively and yeah i mean obviously he cares he 100% cares i mean he you know joshio was

talking i was speaking him to the other day you know when we were doing our hockey hop area he was telling me he was in the locker room just hands in his head like this after the auto game because he knew he should have cleared the puck tonight i'm sure a same situation happened where he was probably just putting his hands over his face like what the heck am i doing but this is only year one of that contract in it's not looking good that was probably the one contract that I was a bit you know iffy about more iffy about even than the Rickele one I wasn't even a big fan of that one I've been made to look like a fool there

but that rest one I thought it was going to be at least okay the first couple years I didn't think it would be this bad this quickly he's just not performing at the level that he should be you know with that five year term over you know five million per just not he's not cutting it just been a really disastrous season for And I just cannot take that penalty there. You know, with where you are in this game, it is tied.

Points are so precious this time of year. Play smarter. That's what you got to do, man. And I'll take the time here to talk about the goaltending. Casey DeSmith, not good enough. Not really going to blame him for the goals in the first period. A couple of those were just on deflections. Another one is still a really nice shot.

But, you know, when the game is tied for four, for and you you know the PK is you know it's okay it's nothing like groundbreaking and you give up a goal from you know what was it 15 20 feet out but towards the side of the net put your stick down it went five hole can't allow a goal that's a weak goal I'm sorry a HL goalies make that save in that situation you need your goaltender to make a safe it was a harmless shot that should never go in and it just snowball from there. Perron scores again. That's another weak goal.

I thought, um, just now should I have that one to make it 6'4, and then the Penguins are already out of the game at that point. They're probably out of the game, you know, when Peron made it 5'4. But once again,

bad situational hockey, along with the Penguins just never getting a save when they need one from any of their goaltenders, deems them yet again. This was a big week for that because you're playing team, below you in the standings. You cannot keep dropping points to these bad teams. If they miss the playoffs, circle the games against the Canadians, the Senators, and the Red Wings.

I'm going to tell you why. Right now, I posted this stat on my Twitter account. Right now, they already combined 1 and 3 and 4 against the Canadian senators in Red Wings. They are also a combined 0 and 2 and 3 against the Red Wings. and the Canadians alone. That is unacceptable. How are you not beating those teams? You can't beat those teams,

but yet you can sweep Colorado and you can sweep San-Bet. You can go to a 5-0 combined against those two teams who played in the seminal last year, but you're telling me you can't beat these teams below you in the standings? Just, man.

And you're just, you're leaving points out there. You're asking the Islanders to pull away from you to that seven spot. asking these teams behind you, especially the pandas who are not even playing well, the capitals, the savers, all these other teams, you are asking them, the senators, you are asking them to start catching you in the standings. I just, I don't get it. I really don't get it all. And honestly, from the first period, they weren't even ready to play. Like, what was that? How do you no-show

a game in Game 74 when you are fighting just to get into the dance? That's unacceptable. Players, coaches. You can want to say equipment staff, whatever. But it's mainly just the players and coaches. Wake up! I don't care if you're playing the Chicago Blackhawks. I don't care if you're playing the Arizona Coyotes. I don't care if you're playing the Tampa Lightning.

Show up. You showed up for the game against Washington until you blew it, but then Malkin saved you. How are you not showing up for a game against the Red Wings who were coming in this game? 11 points behind you in the Sandings. You have another one of these trap kind of games on Thursday when the national predators come to town.

How are they going to play against them? Oh, then you have Boston coming to town. That's going to be fun. Yeah, Philadelphia, who's actually surging right now, they're playing their best hockey of this season. What's going on? You've got to be able to play these games. It's just ridiculous.

But, you know, again, such bad situational hockey three times in the last week. And goaltending continues to crush this team. I personally would have started Tristan J'R. right tonight. I obviously know that he has not been that good since he came back from the injury, but if he is healthy and he's your number one guy, you start him. I don't know if that would have made a difference in this in this game because he hasn't been, again, he hasn't been that good, but I still would have taken that chance. That's just me though. You know, I probably think he makes

that save on the Peron one to make it 5'4. I think he makes a save on the 6-4-1, but you know, there's also a chance that he doesn't just because he hasn't been that good. So, those are my main thoughts, just how the game turned late in the third period and why the penguins just can't seem to get out of their own way when it comes to that. But that wraps up this first second segment. I will get a little more positive and touch on some of the good things that I thought the penguins did tonight. But before we get into that, we do have to touch on, no, that's another right one. Fandle. The NCAA tournament is really heating out with the final four getting ready to go this weekend. And there's no better place to get in on the action than

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make every moment more with Ding & Duel. I'm back in this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I am your host, Honor Hodes. Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes, follow the show's Twitter at Eleanorstall Penguins.

And of course, thank you all so much for making this your first listen of the day. So, let's get into a couple of other things. Namely, well, we'll be a little more negative to start and we'll get more into positives, especially the fourth line.

But we have to discuss Michael Granlin. what the heck is going on out there? It's like that buzz likely to mean. There seems to be no intelligent life forms out there that you see on Twitter and all that. Dude was passing in obvious shoot situations. And I understand the passing is easily the best part of his game. He's a very good passer in this league.

He ranks in the upper echelon in terms of that. No problem with him passing in usually good situations. but in multiple instances tonight, one of which he was basically alone in front of the net and he doesn't shoot it, he passes it and it gets turned over. And then also on the power plate, in the third period,

with the game tied, he's about the tee up a one-timer. He has basically a wide-over net, and he passes it. That was after the Penguins, I believe that was the Dylan Larkin penalty that they called on Mark Friedman where it looked like he almost concussed him.

Has a wide-open net, doesn't shoot it. Like, you know, And I and a lot of other people in the Penguins, you know, media community, we tried to warn everyone. You know, this is not the player that's going to make sense. This player does not shoot the puck. I don't know why. But you're seeing that on full display. And oh, yeah, there's still two more years left at $5 million per for this player.

Patrick Lestephyr on Hexol, really. Just a dreadful game from him. You know, he's only put a point. and two games since coming over from Nashville. He plays his former team on Thursday. Not even close to good enough. I'm sorry. He is not playing well at all right now.

You know, could have bury one of those chances that he had in this game. Maybe if he didn't pass. So I want to take a moment to discuss that. Just he's not a fit for this team at all. So that was a problem. I will get a little more positive here. I thought the power play actually did look pretty good tonight. That five on three was executed to perfection by the Penguins.

Really nice job. They were patient. They were making smart decisions with the puck. They weren't just firing random one-timers and just be trying to be Harlem Globetrotter. Nope. Gany Malcon got the puck after a small little pass. Wrists it right in after Jason Zucker got a goal. and, you know, I believe it was Jeff Carter that also scored a tie the game at 3-3.

And yes, it's discussed the go-tender interference call. I don't have a problem with it. People were saying like, oh, well, you know, this is what's wrong with the league and all this stuff. I'm like, I've watched that replay 10,000 times. I was watching it live. That was not goal interference. Not all I saw it. I mean, the puck was, I must be blind.

but to me that puck was well across the goal line before Jason Zucker pushed Alex Nadelcovic's skate that's a goal I don't know why people are making a big deal out of it obviously Derek Llan was very pissed Garrett rang through him out of the game after but you know if if that puck was not in in Nadelcovich and Zulker pushed Nadelcovich's skate in in the

went in, then yes, that would have been goaling interference. But from how I saw it, that is a good goal from Carter. I don't think that was interference there. And, you know, good job for Jeff Carter. That's his third goal in a week now. So tonight's so he's heating up a little bit as we get towards the late stages of the regular season, more on that and the fourth line a little later on in the show. But, you know, two power play goals tonight, really solid job by the Penguins' P.P.

Just, you know, firing a lot of pucks on that, knowing the Delcovic is not a good goaltender. ever since he went to Detroit, he's just really struggled since that really good season, a couple seasons in Carolina. But liked that a lot. I, you know, liked a lot of the process that the Penguins had yet again.

You know, and the process was there. Again, you know, you want to look at, you know, Jay Fresh's stats here. He does great stuff. Since the deadline, Penguins have outshot their opponents in 10 of 13 games. They've also outchanced them in 11 of 13 games. They've won five of those games.

Process continues to be there. Their finishing actually was not even that bad tonight. We all know what the problems are. Bad situational awareness. Poor special teams. The penalty kill on full display tonight. Crappy goaltending. And bad depth, but, you know, I think the depth tonight

actually vizth up a decent amount. But you all know it. It's been there staring at you in the face for 74 games this season. I don't think anything's going to change, even if this team does get in. I'm just sick and tired of the same things happening. Game after game after game, and it looks like, you know, nothing is even being fixed about it. You know, you look at the stats and the Penguins,

52% of the shot attempts, 54% of the scoring chances, 60% of the high danger chances, 60% of the expected goals. You want to go to all situations. Penguins have 54% of the shot attempts, 58% of the scoring chances, 63% of the high danger chances, and then it was about 51-49 in terms of expected goals.

5-5, 2.5, 6 expected goals for the Red Wings. They scored seven goals tonight. They had 1.7 expected goals for. And they scored seven goals. You all can make the, you all can conclude what I'm sure I'm concluding right there. Again, I've really no problem with a lot of, you know, with the game plans either. I know they don't show up at times, it's weird. You know, they have to climb back from three nothing down.

I'd like to see them actually play a full 16 minutes. But, you know, the process of the most part has been there. They're just not getting results to the obvious reasons that I probably said 5,000 times this season. And, you know, the problems are stirring at them right in the face going into this season. Goaltending, depth, lack of finishing. Nope. Jim, just one, didn't want to do anything about it. Just thought, I like my.

team i like my team i like my team no problem no problem no problem at all that's that's that's probably what he was thinking in his head there and yeah this is this is what you get a team that cannot beat the bad teams they only have one win against those three teams in the atlantic division it's pathetic that's what that is so that wraps up the second segment coming up to in the show i will touch on at least one more positive why the fourth line has been heeding up a little little bit as of late. Look for that coming up right after this commercial break. All right. We're back here in this episode of the Lockdown on Penguins podcast. I am your host, Honor Hodes. Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the shows Twitter and on Russell Penguins.

Thank you all so much for making this year first list in the day. So, fourth line, yet again, another game with not one, but two goals from that line. I know, breaking news. But for the second time and less than a week, the Penguins' fourth line, has been really trying to help out. Jeff Carter got a goal tonight. Again, that's his third. And, one, two, three. Yeah, third in his last four games.

Nice to see him finally show up after taking basically the entire season off. And Josh Archibald, out of nowhere, completely fooled Alex Indelkevich on a wraparound. Don't really know what he was doing there. Great job from Archibald to sense it. See that he was looking another way and fire that five hole on the wrap around. Really nice to see him get on the score sheet because, you know, he's been really struggling. I think he's come back for injury. You know, defensively, I think he's been okay. But, you know, he's not really lighten in a lamp.

You know, his goals per 60 is usually better than where it's been this season. But, you know, nice to see him get back on the score sheet. But, you know, that's another game, you know, where the fourth line is factored in for multiple goals. And, you know, I think a big part of it is Drew O'Connor down with, down with Carter and Archibald. And, you know, usually that's kind of would be maybe be a death sentence for someone like O'Connor, but man, his skating is something else. He foreshacks hard. He goes to the dirty areas.

He gets quality scoring chances. He also defends hard in the defensive zone. He needs to continue being an everyday player for this team. He is not an NHL player anymore. This is a full-time NHL player, and you are seeing that on a nightly basis. He got the assistant Archibald's goal. I'm really happy with how his game is progressing.

And I really think, you know, ever since, you know, they kind of put him down there with Carter and Archibald, I've really liked what I've seen. And again, you know, Archibald really nice to see him get the goal. Carter, you know, this is probably just a mirage. I don't think he's going to keep this up for the rest of the season and probably in the next season. I think he's probably going to be back.

But it is still nice to see him get a goal even if it was a little bit lucky to say at the least. But, you know, hey, they're scoring a little bit. It may not last, but I do like it. You know, on the fourth line right now, it's definitely something that I think they can work with even if they get someone like Nick Benito back from injury and all that stuff. they don't even have Alex Nealander playing right now, and I thought he was playing pretty decently before he was out of the lineup. So, you know, that's what I'm looking at with the fourth line, you know, Carter.

He's also not getting as much ice time, which does help. Obviously, you know, you can't be playing him, you know, 15, 17, 18 minutes a game, anything like that. You've got to be really managing his minutes. I think that's maybe also helping him, you know, not giving him as many, you know, starts in the offensive zone, but, you know, he wins, he's able to win some faceoffs. take the puck in, you know, the good things are able to happen. But, you know, they're really limiting his ice time as well.

So those are my really by big thoughts on the fourth line. You know, there's really not much else to say about this game. You know, nice to see Jake Gensel get credit for it. Malkin, you know, technically it's his goal, but it's going to count as Jake because I think it went off his, I think it was his stick. That's what they said. I went back in the replay and checked it out.

Yeah. And it looks like it is Jake's goal. So, you know, he gets his 33rd of the season. Jason Zarker continues to play well. You know, God bless him. He took a really nasty shot off his knee. Look like he was going to be out for the rest of the game. Nope, just a stinger.

He is one tough, freaking dude. And I have the utmost respect for him. But, you know, this team can never make it easy on themselves. They can't. They, coming in and tonight, you're like, oh, you got a big, trying to get a big win. go at five points on the panthers, really make it hard for these teams to catch you. Nope.

Things don't want to do that. They want to make everyone sweat until game 82, which is probably what it's going to come down to. It's just ridiculous already. You know, I better see a much better effort on Thursday at home against the Predators. I'll say that. Much better effort against the Predators. That's another team that is down and out right now.

I mean, they're closer to the two of playoffs spot than the Red Wings are. But, you know, this one's also at home. I was like, that shouldn't even matter this time here. You got to get results any way you can. But you can't, you especially can't lose this game at home. You know, it's a three-game homestand. For these next few games, got to win them.

Now, Boston, you know, there's really no shame in losing to them, but where the penguins are this time of your, you know, you got to win as many as you can here. Down the stretch. This was one of the easier ones that they probably should have had. They easily should have had at least a point out of this and take the chances in overtime where I think they probably would have taken it because they've been playing better in overtime as of late.

But, you know, just they continue to not make it, you know, easy on themselves. And, you know, again, circle those losses to Montreal, Detroit, and Ottawa if this team misses the playoffs in the next few weeks. But that'll do it for this episode of Locktime Penguins podcast. I really appreciate all of you listening to this one. Tomorrow we'll have another episode for the show. going to preview the game against National, get into the practice notes, and all of that good jazz.

So a little bit of a shorter one today, but wanted to bank it out for, you know, just bank it out, if you know, for you all. You know, rough times for this one. We'll see if they can bounce back. Try to stay positive. You know, it's a race.

It's fun. It's annoying. They're playing like crap sometimes, but it's still a lot of fun. Playoff races. I know you're not all used to this, but trust me, it's fun. I stay positive.

they can do on Thursday. I will talk with you all, though, on Wednesday.