Nam's Noodle

Saturday, July 6, 2013

File Profile: Evgeni Malkin

                                                            Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
                       (1.)

     Name: Evgeni "Geno" Malkin

     Achievements: (2.) 2006-07: Calder-Rookie of the Year
2008-09: Art Ross-Scoring Champion
2009:    Conn Smythe-Playoff MVP
2011-12: Art Ross-Scoring Champion
2011-12: Hart-Most Valuable Player
2011-12: Lester Pearson-Player Assn. Top Player

   Career Stats(2.)(as of 2013 off season): Regular Season- 458 Games Played, 217 Goals, 343 Assists, 560 Points    Postseason- 83 Games Played, 36 Goals, 61 Assists, 97 Points

     Strengths: -Strong slapshot
                      -Puck Movement & Stick Handling
                      - Good Vision
                      - Great Hockey Instinct

     Areas for Improvement: - Defensive Game
                                             - Stepping up in the clutch
                                             - Controlling his emotions (leads to taking dumb penalties)


     Evgeni Malkin is arguably one of, if not, the best hockey player in the world today. Though as of late Malkin has had times where he has gone unnoticed, he still has the capability of taking over a game. Case in point, go back to Game 2 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. Malkin dominated the game registering a Hat Trick, but the way he finished it off is something that will be talked about for a long time to come. With two goals, Malkin was set for a faceoff in Carolina's zone. Malkin would win the faceoff, bounce the puck off the end board and skate behind the net with a defender on him. As Malkin came out on the other side of the net with the defender still on him, he released a wicked backhander that would go over the shoulder of Carolina Goalie Cam Ward and into the net. The entire crowd went into a frenzy, with Malkin's parents in the crowd sharing their joy and excitement with Pens Nation at what their son just did!
                                     (3.)

Malkin has great vision and when he creates space, he becomes a magician with the puck by showcasing his amazing puck control and stick handling abilities, Malkin becomes a human highlight reel! Here are some highlights!

(4.)(5.)

     For as awe-aspiring Malkin's talents are, he, like any other player, still has his flaws. These flaws not only affect Malkin's play, but his team's as a whole. Malkin is not necessarily known for his defensive game. Though he has improved it, he still commits costly turnovers that have led to scoring opportunities for the opposition. Just as equally debilitating is Malkin's control of his emotions (Or lack thereof). With his emotions running wild, Malkin will take costly penalties and put his team at a disadvantage by forcing his team to go on the Penalty Kill(PK), again putting the other team in a great position for a scoring opportunity.

     As good as Malkin is with the puck with his great vision and puck control and stick handling abilities, he often will force a play and try to make something happen when it is not there. This is another reason for Malkin's turnovers. At times, Malkin will pass up great scoring chances of his own, and instead pass it to one of his line mates even if they are not set up in the best position to score. Though this may be evident for the fact that Malkin puts his team first before individual success.

     Evgeni Malkin has accomplished so much in just six seasons. Malkin will be 27 at the start of next season and is getting ready to enter his prime. With more experience as seasons and years go by, Malkin should and will be able to naturally improve upon the flaws in his game, all the while maintaining his high offensive productions and dynamic game play and performance!

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Sources: (1.) Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://thehealthyscratches.com/2013/01/24/the-healthy-scratches-comprehensive-3795-word-nhl-primerinitial-power-rankings/
               (2.) http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/players/playerpage/1128973/evgeni-malkin
               (3.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dUDm8RE-oho
               (4.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NEvYzM2ow5A
               (5.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9IpdcG8a5Qk

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Dan Bylsma Named Head Coach of 2014 U.S. Men's Hockey Team. Can He Lead Them to a Gold Medal?

                (1.) Can Dan Bylsma lead Team USA's first Gold Medal in Men's Hockey since 1980?

     Team USA has officially announced Pittsburgh Penguins Head Coach, Dan Bylsma, as the man to (hopefully) lead team USA's Men's Hockey to Gold. Already Bylsma is receiving plenty of doubt from many hockey fans in general, including fans of the team he coaches the Pittsbugh Penguins, and justifiably so. Ever since winning the Stanley Cup in 2009, Bylsma has only lead the Penguins past the 1st round twice (advancing to conference semi-finals in 2010, and conference finals in 2013). I myself have my doubts as Bylsma has been coaching arguably the two best players in the world (Sidney Crosby & Evgeni Malkin, whom he very well could match up against in the 2014 winter games in Sochi) and has had a hard time establishing and matching the success he has had in the regular season into the postseason.

     Despite his under performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past few years, Bylsma did have to coach quite a bit of the time without his star players and/or a healthy lineup. In 2010, Jordan Staal was injured in Game 1 of Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens which left Bylsma without his best two way player for the the next two games. Though Staal would return, he was left hampering for the rest of the series which saw Pittsburgh fall in 7 games to the Canadiens. 2011, despite blowing a 3-1 series lead over the Tampa Lightning in the 1st round, Bylsma was still without his two star players Crosby &Malkin (both whom were most likely to miss the entire playoffs that year regardless of how far Pittsburgh advanced). 2012 & 2013 saw Pittsburgh eventually be exploited for it's poor defensive play as they were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins respectively. Yes, Bylsma is not known for his in game adjustments, but the fact remains he is still a great head coach. As evident, Bylsma led the Penguins to a tie in the Atlantic Division with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010-11 season with the same number of points. (albeit Philadelphia won division via tiebreaker.) The following season saw Bylsma lead the Penguins to only its second ever 50+ regular season wins in franchise history. Bylsma has been dealt with some bad cards, but he has been able to make the best of it in each instance and with the right players in 2014, Bylsma should have no problem in getting the best out of each of his players. Exactly which players though will be under Bylsma's tenure for the 2014 Winter Olympics, is anyone's guess.

     Lets take a look at the the names of players that are being thrown around to represent team USA in 2014 with Bylsma under the helm.

     Centers: Joe Pavelski, Ryan Kesler, Paul Stastny, David Backes, Derek Stephan, T.J. Oshie, Brandon Dubinsky

     Left Wings: Zach Parise, Bobby Ryan, Dustin Brown, Max Pacioretty, James Van Riemsdyk

     Right Wings: Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel, Jason Pominville, Ryan Callahan, Blake Wheeler, Kyle Okposo

     Defenseman: Jack Johnson, Ryan Suter, Keith Yandle, Matt Carle, Brooks Orpik, John Carlson, Kevin Shattenkirk, Dustin Byfuglien, Paul Martin, Ryan McDonagh

     Goalies: Jimmy Howard, Ryan Miller, Jonathan Quick, Craig Anderson, Cory Schneider

UPDATE: 1/1/14 Official Team USA Roster per usahockey.com

    Forwards: Zach Parise (Captain), Ryan Kesler, Patrick Kane
                     James Van Riemsdyk, Joe Pavelski, Phil Kessel
                     Dustin Brown (Assistant Captain), David Backes, Ryan Callahan
                     Max Pacioretty, Paul Stastny, T.J. Oshie
   Derek Stephan, Blake Wheeler

    Defenseman: Ryan Suter (Assistant Captain), John Carlson, Ryan McDonagh, Kevin Shattenkirk, Paul Martin, Justin Faulk, Cam Fowler, Brooks Orpik

    Goalies: Ryan Miller, Jonathan Quick, Jimmy Howard

     Though nothing is set in stone yet, as anything can happen between now and next February, Bylsma will have a roster loaded with talent. One thing Bylsma will do is make constant changes to the lines during the games by switching players around from one line to the next. Bylsma will also be able to tire down an opposing team's first line with a star studded 4th line, (Bylsma has implemented this strategy in his coaching game in Pittsburgh where he puts out his 4th line against the oppositions 1st in order to wear them down, which has seen it's share of pros and cons) that not only consists of tough physical grinders, but players who are capable of producing high offensive numbers. Which is more than your typical 4th line during league play.

     Bylsma likes to play a fast paced game by using the stretch pass to cause mismatches that will create space and produce quick and effective scoring chances. Bylsma also likes dumping the puck into the opposition's own zone and put them on their heels by bringing the pressure with solid checking and toughness in hopes the other team will create a turnover in its own end. If Bylsma is able to use all of his strengths to his advantages and limit the number of mistakes to put his team in the best position to win, I can see Bylsma leading Team USA to a medal, perhaps even gold! The only questions that remain now are, who will be playing under Bylsma, and can he lead team USA to a medal?

     Prediction: Winner in Bronze Medal Game


     Feel free to let me know what you think of Dan Bylsma being chosen to coach team USA's Men's Hockey in the 2014 Winter Olympics and what players you see making representing the U.S.


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     Sources: (1.)http://3.cdn.nhle.com/penguins/images/upload/2012/08/BylsmaUSAHockey.png

                    (2.) http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1050175-projected-united-states-2014-sochi-olympics-roster
                    (3.) http://proicehockey.about.com/od/olympichockey/a/2014-usa-projected-olympic-hockey-roster.htm
                    (4.) http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2013-02/our-picks-2014-candidates-2014-us-olympic-mens-team
                    (5.) http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/columnist/allen/2013/02/06/projected-us-olympic-hockey-team/1896761/
                    (6.) http://blog.chron.com/hockeystop/2013/06/projected-roster-for-team-usa-olympic-team/#13412-2
                (7.) http://olympics.usahockey.com/page/show/1067902-roster

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Making The Case For The Pittsburgh Penguins To Re-Sign Jarome Iginla

                                                      Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

(1.) Jarome Iginla is set to become a free agent in the offseason. Will the Pittsburgh Penguins retain his services after acquiring him at the trade deadline?

     The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a very active off-season to say the least. (i.e. rumors swirling around of Minnesota being interested in Fleury, Letang being moved, and signing of pending free agent (FA). There is one player the Penguins need to keep from their own pending FA's. No I am not talking about Pascal Dupuis (though he is an important piece of the puzzle for Pittsburgh) I'm referring to Jarome Iginla. Iginla, who will be 36 at the start of next season, still has plenty left in the tank and can still make a huge impact with the talent he possesses for the Penguins.

     Despite his age, that does not indicate Iginla will be slowing down anytime soon. Case(s) in point, Ray Whitney, Jaromir Jagr, Teemu Selanne, who are are in their 40's, still produce numbers well beyond one would expect for a player their age. Martin St. Louis, who is 38, is still lighting up the scoreboard and shows up on the score sheet on a consistence basis. (1.) St. Louis registered 94, 99,74,60 points respectively in the past four seasons. Iginla, who is just as offensively gifted as St. Louis, is also capable of putting up the same numbers. Especially if he is used right.(Penguins Head Coach Dan Bylsma moved Iginla from his natural position after Pittsburgh acquired him at the trade deadline and the ramifications of that were quite obvious that even Hellen Keller could have seen that). Despite this, Iginla made the best of the situation and had a huge role in Pittsburgh's powerplay, registering 11 points on the man advantage (2.)(3.)(4.)(5.)(6.)(7.)(8.)(9.)(10.)(11.) ( 6 in regular season, 5 in postseason) in 28 total games (both regular and postseason)

   Jarome Iginla also will fill what I like to call "The Bill Guerin Role" and provide both scoring and leadership. The latter which the Penguins have lacked since Bill Guerin retired following the 2009-10 season. Not only will Iginla provide scoring and veteran leadership, but he will also provide toughness as he is not one to shy away from getting physical. Keeping Iginla would also give him the chance of reviving his career as well. Already having chemistry with Sidney Crosby, the Penguins should want to give Iginla the opportunity to play a full season in Pittsburgh on Crosby's line. I would consider this to be a "small risk, high reward" scenario, as Iginla will not be getting a $7 million dollars per year on his next contract, so the Penguins should be able to retain his services at a favorable price.

     Jarome Iginla is already assured of a place in the NHL Hall of Fame with his many accolades. The only thing missing now is a Stanley Cup from Iginla's trophy case and resume. Add in his other tangibles as mentioned above with his drive and determination to reach the top, there is no reason the Penguins should not do everything they can to retain Iginla's services.

   Just in case you are a Penguins fan still on the fence of retaining Iginla, maybe these two could change your mind! ;) (12.)

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Monday, June 10, 2013

What Does The Future Hold In Store For The Pittsburgh Penguins?

                              (1.)

     The Pittsburgh Penguins had high expectations heading into the playoffs this year and were Stanley Cup favorites. Pittsburgh made big moves at the trade deadline to avoid another early outing in the postseason when they acquired Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, Douglas Murray, and Jussi Jokinen. In essence, the Penguins were "All In". Despite this, Pittsburgh's gamble did not pay off with a high reward. In return, it cost them prospects and draft picks.

   Now with the off-season approaching, General Manager(GM) Ray Shero has quite a bit of thinking to do in regards to what players will be a part of the Penguins future and whom they will part ways with.

(Disclaimer: Some of this piece will be purely written out of speculation based on sources that I have read http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/pit130608.html)

Unrestricted Free Agents

     Jarome Iginla- Iginla was brought in at the trade deadline to provide leadership, additional scoring, and not to forget, he has great chemistry with Sidney Crosby. Though primarily used on Malkin line and as Left Wing (LW) instead of his traditional Right Wing(RW) position, Pittsburgh is very much interested in re-signing him. The feeling is mutual for Iginla and may sign somewhere in the ballpark of a 3 year deal with $16.5 million. If used properly, Iginla can still be very much capable of being effective offensively. (Case in point, Martin St. Louis still putting up huge numbers in Tampa Bay at the age of 38. Iginla is turning 36 in July.)

   Pascal Dupuis- Since arriving in Pittsburgh in 2008, Dupuis has produced some of his best offensive stats to date. He registered his first back to back 20+ goal seasons (2011-12, 2012-13) of his career and was part of the highest scoring line in all of the NHL alongside Chris Kunitz and Sidney Crosby. Dupuis also had a +/- of 31, best in the entire league(with linemate Kunitz right behind him with a +/- of 30). Dupuis has stated he wants to remain in Pittsburgh and would be willing to take a pay cut to do so. As long as the price is right, Dupuis will most likely end up re-signing and staying in Pittsburgh.

     Brenden Morrow- Morrow, like Iginla, was brought in at the trade deadline to provide veteran leadership in the locker room, and was noted for having playoff success. Unlike Iginla, Morrow is not as offensively productive as him and despite being a year younger than him, Morrow is pretty banged up. Morrow does not appear to be apart of the Penguins future and out of all the pending UFA's for Pittsburgh, Morrow is the one least likely to re-sign.

     Matt Cooke-   He is known as one of the more dirtier players in the game. Cooke has many tangibles he brings to his game (secondary scoring, good on the Penalty Kill(PK), grit and toughness). Despite cleaning up his game though significantly, Cooke's past reputation seems to continue to follow him. For instance in Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals(ECF) against the Boston Bruins, Cooke was given a 5 minute major and ejected from the game on a questionable call. This was arguably one of the moments to set the tone for the series, as Boston went on to sweep the Penguins in 4 and showing that Cooke's track record seems to still impact the Penguins negatively. Since Cooke will be 35 at the start of next season. Look for the Penguins to possibly let him walk so they can bring up younger players in the system.

     Craig Adams- Like Cooke, Craig Adams also brings grit, toughness, effectiveness on the PK, and does a lot of small things that make a big difference in games. Adams is 36 though, and the Penguins could easily replace him with the likes of Joe Vitale, or another young prospect in the system. I feel the Penguins may be on the fence about this. If the price is right, Adams may remain a Penguin, but I think his age may be a factor when it comes down to it.

     Mark Eaton- Eaton's presence in the defensive game really showed. Though Eaton did not register a point in the regular season, Eaton was always making something happen as evident of his +/- of 9. Eaton's second tenure in Pittsburgh will most likely be short lived though, as the Penguins are deep in talented defensive prospects and will most likely have one of them called up to play the role.

     Douglas Murray- Murray with his 6 ft 3 245lb. frame, was brought in to add toughness to the Penguins blueline. Murray would surprisingly also find offensive success as he scored his first regular season goal since the 2010-11 season after being traded to the Penguins. As I mentioned in this previous article I wrote, http://noodleofnam.blogspot.com/2013/05/what-we-have-learned- from-pittsburgh.html Murray had only scored twice in 57 playoff games. In the first round alone against the Islanders, Murray matched that by scoring twice. Despite all of that, Murray may not be a part of the Penguins future as well, as again, they may look to bring up some of their younger talented prospects to fill the role on the blueline.

Restricted Free Agents

     Tyler Kennedy- Kennedy's regular season performance this year was not one of his better offensive wise. Kennedy did however redeem himself in the playoffs as he provided spark and energy alongside Joe Vitale. Kennedy scored the first (and eventual game winning goal) in Game 5 of the Quarterfinals against the Islanders after being scratched in the first four games. The Penguins may think long and hard as to what to do with Kennedy. Will they re-sign him? Trade his rights? Or will they simply let him walk?

     Dustin Jeffrey- Jeffrey has not been really used much during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he has shown he is capable of being a 3rd and/or 4th line center, Jeffrey's best bet may be to look for a change of scenery to have a productive career if Pittsburgh can not find a spot for him.

     Robert Bortuzzo- Even though he is not one of Pittsburgh's more highly touted prospects or younger talents, Bortuzzo could still provide depth for the Penguins blueline. It may be beneficial to keep Bortuzzo around just in case some of the younger defensive prospects need a little more time developing their game(s).

Possible Players Penguins Buyout or Trade

     No matter what anyone says, there is indeed goalie controversy in Pittsburgh. Marc Andre Fleury still has two years remaining on his contract, but with a $5 million cap hit, the Penguins could possibly look to move him in order to shed some cap space in order to retain the services of Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The Penguins may shop Fleury around for prospects and draft picks.

     Paul Martin, even though he has done a complete 180, is possibly talked about being bought out with his $5 million cap hit. Jussi Jokinen who still has a year remaining on his current contract may be used a trade bait in order to free up additional cap space and acquire young prospects and draft picks in return.

     The Penguins will have roughly $8 million in cap space to begin with. Pittsburgh will indeed use that cap space the best way they can to re-sign the players they wish to retain. Some trades and buyouts as mentioned, are not out of the question. Especially if the Penguins want to improve and do what is best for the team. Look for young talent in the system, such as; Simon Despres, Anton Zlolin, Beau Bennett, Scott Harrington, to start cracking the Pittsburgh Penguins future lineups.

     Image Sources: (1.) http://sinhlredlight.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bylsma-penguins.jpg?w=610&h=382

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Thursday, June 6, 2013

What We Have Learned From The Pittsburgh Penguins From Their Series Against Boston Bruins and 2013 Season

(1.)

The Pittsburgh Penguins headed into the 2013 Season as Stanley Cup favorites just as they have for the past few years. Also like the last few seasons, Pittsburgh was out coached, outplayed, and did not live up to their full expectations. Pittsburgh had a few bumps along the way to the Eastern Conference Finals but ultimately prevailed over coming adversity and looked to be the favorites heading into their match up with the Boston Bruins.

                                     (2.)

     Prior to the playoffs, at the trade deadline, Pittsburgh loaded up by making a big splash by trading for star players Jarome Iginla and Brendan Morrow to provide leadership and additional scoring. Penguins also acquired Douglas Murray to add toughness to their blueline, and Jussi Jokinen as a late acquisition for additional scoring and a faceoff specialist.

     Pittsburgh headed into the match up with Boston as the hottest offensive team of the playoffs with 47 goals in just 11 games (4.27 goals per game) and had given up just 28 goals in that time span (2.55 goals allowed per game). Since starting Game 5 of the Quarterfinals, Tomas Vokoun alone only allowed 2 goals per game (14 in 7 games)

Penguins Need To Limit The Stretch Pass

     Stretch passes are great in creating opportunities for breakaways and going for the "homerun" and creating a great scoring chance. The problem is though that you run the risk of causing an icing call. Doing so does not allow for line changes and the same unit has to stay on while the other team is free to change theirs up. This will in turn cause players to fatigue much quicker while the opposition has fresh legs on the ice more often. The Penguins do not need to eliminate the stretch pass completely, but they need to limit them and use an rush attack by skating up ice through the neutral and opposing zone and put the defense on its heels.

Power(less) Power Play
(3.)

Despite having one of the strongest Penalty Kill(PK) units, Pittsburgh's Power Play (PP) for the past few seasons has many times been nonexistent. There is no excuse to go 0-15 in four games when you have players like; Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, James Neal, Jarome Iginla, Chris Kunitz, etc. The PP is an issue the Penguins need to address in the off season and improve upon next year to have any further success than they did this year.

Lack of Defense

The Penguins system is designed for high scoring. Which is really great when you have players as mentioned up above. That being said, it still rings true that "defense wins championships". That is what happened when the Penguins ran into the Bruins. Boston shutdown Pittsburgh highly potent offense with its tough defense and outstanding goaltending, minimizing the Penguins scoring chances with terrific shot blocking and not allowing any pressure in their own zone. Pittsburgh had difficulty clearing the puck out of their end against Boston and as a result, the Bruins would make the Penguins pay for the mistakes by scoring goals.

Marc Andre Fleury's Career In Pittsburgh Likely Over

                            (4.)

     Tomas Vokoun has played great as the starting goaltender during the playoffs. Other than Game 2 when he was pulled (though a lot of that had to do with the defense hanging out to dry) He has done his part to keep the Penguins in each game to win. After Vokoun was pulled in Game 2, Fleury was called on for relief, marking his first appearance in the playoffs since the Penguins Game 4 loss to the New York Islanders in the Quarterfinals. Fleury actually started strong, even igniting what would be the only goal of the game for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fleury went behind the net and made a nice pass which set up Brandon Sutter scoring a goal. Though the spark was short lived as Fleury let in the first shot he face when Brad Marchand fired the puck over his shoulder and into the net. Fleury would go on to let two more goals get by him, and made good(bad) on his part of letting in his normal 3 goals in a game. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2009, Marc Andre Fleury has struggled in the playoffs and has not regained his form he had during the Penguins run to the Stanley Cup in 2008 and 2009. Tomas Vokoun is more than likely not part of the Penguins future, but is definitely going to be a component for them in the present. Meanwhile the Penguins may look to part ways with Fleury by trading him or letting him go after his contract is up and look to build around one of the younger goaltending prospects in the system for the future.

Dan Bylsma Remains Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins...For Now

(5.)
While many wonder if Bylsma will be behind the bench to coach much longer, it was not to long ago that Bylsma helped turn around a struggling Penguins team in 2009 and lead them into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league en-route to the franchise's 3rd Stanley Cup title. Since then, Bylsma has struggled to get his team to play up to its ability in the playoffs, twice being eliminated in the first round. For those that are calling for Bylsma to be given the axe (even I am beginning to think the Penguins should part ways with him) I have it on good authority Dan is not going anywhere, anytime soon. I was told personally that Mario Lemieux is good friends with Bylsma and plans to keep him around. With that said however, there may come a time when Mario realizes he has to cut the cord and do what is best for the team and its franchise if Bylsma continues to be bounced early in the playoffs by not fixing or addressing any of the team's weaknesses.

Image Sources (1.) http://wallpapers.androlib.com/wallicons/wallpaper.big-wqE.cs.png
                         (2.) http://theintelligencer.net/photos/news/md/585101_1.jpg
                         (3.) http://1.cdn.nhle.com/penguins/images/upload/2013/05/167863263-thumb.jpg
                         (4.) http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/799/258/110490454_crop_650x440.jpg?1301466635
                          (5.) http://www4.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Stanley+Cup+Finals+Pittsburgh+Penguins+v+Detroit+H0Djx0_lldal.jpg

Saturday, May 25, 2013

What We Have Learned From The Pittsburgh Penguins Series Win Against The Ottawa Senators

                                      (1.)
     For the 3rd time in six seasons, the Pittsburgh Penguins have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals (08', 09') and 2nd time overall under Head Coach Dan Bylsma who would help lead the Penguins to the franchise's 3rd Stanley Cup in 2009. While the Penguins will wait to see who they will play between the winner of the Boston-New York(Rangers) series, lets recap the Penguins strengths and areas they need to improve on by looking back on their series against Ottawa as the Penguins head into the Eastern Conference Finals
                                                                         (2.)
Scoring Depth
     This seems like beating a dead horse, but nonetheless it is one of, if not, thee primary source for the Penguins success. 4 of the top 5 scorers in the playoffs are Pittsburgh Penguins. (Malkin, Letang, Crosby, Iginla) Factor in Pascal Dupuis who is tied with Sidney Crosby for most goals in the playoffs with seven, with fellow teammate James Neal right behind them with 6 of his own. (Neal has scored 5 goals in the last two games). With additional scoring from Penguin teammates Chris Kunitz, and Paul Martin (9 points each) and contributions from the bottom six by Brendan Morrow, Matt Cooke, and Tyler Kennedy(13 points combined) Pittsburgh has arguably the most scoring depth among all teams in the playoffs and will continue to be a burden on any opposing goaltender if they maintain the same offensive production.

Special Teams
     Pittsburgh's Penalty Kill(PK) continues to be efficient. Killing of 12 of 14 in the man disadvantage. The Power Play(PP) however, struggled a bit. Converting on only 4 of 18 opportunities in the man advantage (22%, down from their regular season average of 25%). While the Penalty Kill remains to be strong, Pittsburgh needs improvement on their Power Play if they want to have continued success in the playoffs.

Dan Bylsma

                             (3.)
     No doubt Dan Bylsma has been using his players to put his team in the best situation to win and succeed. Despite an offensive juggernaut, the Penguins were held to just one goal in game three. A game the Penguins still should have one if it was not for Bylsma's decision to only play one D-Man while on the man advantage late in Game 3, Pittsburgh would have more than likely swept the Senators and would have not needed a Game 5 had they not given up that late goal. This has also happened a couple times in the regular season where the Penguins would give up a lot of last minute goals. Luckily each of those times, Pittsburgh had more than a one goal lead. As evident though from giving up the late goal in Game 3 in Ottawa, it ended up costing the Penguins the game. Bylsma and the Penguins need to make sure they do not get too conservative, and always apply some pressure to the opposition.

Turnovers
     Turnovers continue to be an issue for the Penguins. Both Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin have had their fair share of them. The Penguins once again got lazy on the Power Play and gave up their second shorthanded goal of the postseason(Game 3 against Islanders being the other instance). Pittsburgh needs work on puck control and make better and smart decisions with the puck to prevent anymore costly mistakes.

Tomas Vokoun

(4.)

When I wrote my blog, prior to the start of the playoffs (which you can read here http://noodleofnam.blogspot.com/2013/04/pittsburgh-penguins-keys-to-winning.html) I stated that the Penguins success would be determined first and foremost with the play and performance of both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. That bell still rings true. It has also become quite clear that their success end with Tomas Vokoun(after all, he is the Penguins last line of defense). Since taking over for Marc Andre Fleury, Vokoun has gone 6-1 and has a Goals Against Average (GAA) of 1.85 (3rd best among active playoff goalies) and a .941 Save Percentage (2nd best among active playoff goalies, behind on LA's Jonathan Quick). Vokoun may not be the flashiest goalie or the most dynamic, but he brings many quality assets to the table. His veteran presence, knowledge of the game, composure, and confidence have been a big part of the Penguins success thus far. When the Penguins signed Vokoun last off-season he mentioned he came to Pittsburgh because he wanted to win a Stanley Cup (whether that be as a starter or backup) and now controls his own fate and destiny to one. Vokoun has every reason to be confident. Not only because of his performance, but the talent surrounded around him will make him that much more comfortable and composed as the Netminder.

Losing is unheard of. Perfection, unacceptable. Just win.

LETS GO PENS! WE WANT THE CUP!

Image Sources: (1.) http://penguins.nhl.com/

   (2.) Courtesy of PenguinPoop's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152842384670385&set=pb.425753640384.-2207520000.1369495105.&type=3&theater
   (3.) http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/timesonline.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/02/c020d229-cc63-5b2a-b9e6-dd1933b850f0/51842e2a25157.preview-300.jpg

                           (4.) http://www.rantsports.com/nhl/files/2013/05/Tomas-Vokoun-2-s.jpg

Sunday, May 12, 2013

What We Have Learned From The Pittsburgh Penguins Series Win Against The New York Islanders

                                        (1.)
     Now that the Penguins have defeated the Islanders, the time for celebrating is over. It is back to work, as they prepare to face the Ottawa Senators in the 2nd round. With that being said, it never hurts to go back and look at what transpired into success for the Penguins and areas they need to approve upon.

Special Teams

     The Penguins found loads of success on special teams. In six games they scored seven powerplay (PP) goals. If Pittsburgh wants to advance past Ottawa, they need to continue to capitalize on the man-advantage against the Senators stifling defense and their hot streaking goaltender, Craig Anderson. While the Penguins are good on the penalty kill (PK), it may have not seemed this way in the past series against the Islanders. Though Pittsburgh's PK was a key part to the Penguins success as they allowed only two goals during the 20 times the Islanders were on the man-advantage, they will need to reduce shots on goal(SOG) as New York constantly applied pressure. The Senators who have a stellar lineup that consist of former Penguin and powerplay specialist, Sergei Gonchar, last year's Norris Trophy winner (NHL's best defenseman) Erik Karlsson, veteran Daniel Alfredsson, and their young star, Kyle Turris. All will provide Ottawa with generating a lot of scoring chances by applying pressure to the Penguins defense and goaltending much like the Islanders did.

Surprising Goals From Unexpected Players.
                                        (2.)

                                       (3.)
     It is not hard to imagine why the Penguins have one of the more highly potent offensive teams. Especially when you have players like: Crosby, Malkin, Iginla, Neal, Dupuis, and Kunitz. Pittsburgh also received some unexpected offense from players who are not known for scoring goals. Douglas Murray, who played in 57 playoff games prior to joining the Penguins at the trade deadline, scored only twice in the playoffs during that time frame. In six games against the Islanders, Murray already matched his career playoff best by finding the net twice. Prior to Game Six, Brooks Orpik played in 77 playoff games without registering a goal until scoring perhaps the biggest goal of his career that clinched the game and the series against the Islanders.

More Scoring

     More scoring? Really? That is an issue for the Penguins? While having a star studded lineup like the Penguins have and unusual offensive production from players not known for their scoring, Pittsburgh still could use some assistance from other players as well. Brendan Morrow, whom the Penguins acquired at the trade deadline for not only his leadership and veteran presence, but for his natural scoring ability and past playoff performances as well. Morrow was held to just one point, (an assist in Game Four) and committed a costly mistake in Game 3 when he made a blind pass on the powerplay that allowed Kyle Okposo to intercept the pass and score a shorthanded goal. Morrow will need to step it up a few if the Penguins want to continue to advance. Brandon Sutter and Matt Cooke also have been limited to scoring as they have only accounted for a total of three points combined in the six games against the Islanders. Pittsburgh will need them to contribute as they cannot continue to rely on only Crosby and Malkin for offensive production and also should not expect players like Murray or Orpik to continue providing unexpected goals on a nightly basis

Play Smart and Disciplined Hockey

                                                     (4.)
    A countless numbers of times Pittsburgh has had issues turning the puck over in the neutral or its own zone. That in itself is a recipe for disaster. Malkin had a costly turnover in Game Four and Kris Letang had one in the beginning of the third period of Game Six. Letang needs to start playing up to his expectations as a Norris Trophy candidate and play up to his potential by being smarter with the puck. Luckily for the Pens, they were able to survive and regroup as a team and found a way to come out on top. Although Pittsburgh did exceptionally well on the PK, the Penguins cannot afford to continue giving the opposition opportunities and expect to find success and move on in the playoffs. At times Evgeni Malkin has had trouble keeping his cool and has taken dumb penalties that are totally unnecessary. He needs to lead a better example for other players around him and step up his defensive game as well! After being considered one of the more, if not, dirtiest player in the game,Matt Cooke, has since cleaned up his act. Cooke still needs to have more awareness of what is going on around him and prevent himself from being called for penalties.

Fresh Legs & Energy

     After the Penguins loss in Game Four, Head Coach Dan Bylsma decided to revamp the lines, sitting Beau Bennett and Tanner Glass by replacing them with Tyler Kennedy and Joe Vitale. The change immediately paid off, as Tyler Kennedy scored on a breakaway goal in Game 5 which was eventually the game winner. Whenever the Penguins were tired, Kennedy and Vitale have provided additional spark with their speed and stamina to wear out the opposition. If and when Pittsburgh finds themselves needing a shot of adrenaline, Kennedy and Vitale will be more than ready and set to go to provide energy for the team.

Goalie Situation
                                                                                 (5.)

Despite registering a shutout in Game One against the Islanders, Marc-Andre Fleury would give up 14 goals in the next three games with an abysmal .845 save percentage. Though the Defense at times did not provide any sufficient assistance for Fleury as he faced 102 shots in that three game span, Fleury let his fair share of softies get behind him. Dan Bylsma did not hesitate to make a change for Game Five by putting in Tomas Vokoun. He would also register a shutout of his own that game, would come up huge multiple times in Game Six to keep the Penguins in the game. Vokoun finished with a 0.957 save percentage, stopping 66 of the 69 shots he faced against the Islanders in his two games. Though you never want to constantly flip flop starting goaltenders, Bylsma should not hesitate when need be if he sees any signs of struggling from either Fleury or Vokoun.
(6.)

Defense

   As shaky as goaltending has been at times, Pittsburgh and its defense has also faltered under pressure. A countless number of times against New York, the Islanders won the battle with effective forechecking and keeping the puck in the Penguins zone. This would cause Pittsburgh to become fatigued and allow New York's offense to generate and create numbers of scoring chances. Pittsburgh's defense will need to play the puck more effectively by creating less turnovers in the neutral and their own zone. They will also need to make sure they clear the puck out of their end and win the battle of puck possession to limit any scoring chances from the opposition as much as possible.

Lets Go Pens!

Losing is unheard of. Perfection, unacceptable. Just win.

Image Sources: (1.) http://penguins.nhl.com/
(2.),(4.), (5.), (6.) courtesy of the Pittsburgh Penguins Official Facebook Page
(3.) http://db66abc2c256b763aaef-ce5d943d4869ae027976e5ad085dd9b0.r76.cf2.rackcdn.com/2013/129/466/evgeni-malkin-and-douglas-murray_original.jpg (http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/penguins/vokoun-shuts-out-islanders-in-4-0-penguins-victory-686998/)

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