Prediction
The Penguins turn to Cody Ceci and for the first time Pierre-Olivier Joseph to fill in the gaps of injuries. Tristan Jarry is back in the net for the first time in three games.
First period
Process-wise, this is not really a good period, as the Pens start out pretty slow and flat.
However, for a team that allows the game to concede a league-high 10 goals in the first period, they do not give up a goal for the first period. Tristan Jarry can keep the disc out of the net, which is a fun start.
Also, Cody Ceci is doing a good thing, walking back on the blueline and sending an innocent enough corpse that Bryan Rust is able to masterfully redirect Rangers goalkeeper Ilya Shesterkin. 1-0 Penne.
Shortly after the goal, Pittsburgh has no momentum when Kris Letang takes a penalty kick, but the Penne kill it. Otherwise quite dull. The total shots are 14-8 NYR. The 5v5 Corsi% was a split of 62.5-37.5% for the Rangers.
Second period
Despite the above with a bit of smoke and mirrors, the Belly fell apart early in the second case. Jake Guentzel imposed a bad penalty for clearing the disc over the glass in just 32 seconds. New York did not pass, but the tone was set early. Shortly after the penalty expires, Brian Dumoulin seems to just move on the ice, he is controlled by Phil Di Giuseppe and Chad Ruhwedel comes to help, but probably for some unknown reason. With both Pens’ defenders in the corner, it’s easy for Filip Chytil to give the whole day a chance to fall around and to finally maneuver Jarry with a move to the back after too long to set him up. .
A few minutes later, Sidney Crosby was whistled for a rather weak slash on the hands of an opponent. NYR deserves the power play, Adam Fox lets a low hard shot go from distance, there’s a bit of traffic ahead, but there was also a lot of the side of the net open. 2-1 Rangers.
24 seconds later the bottom falls out completely. New York shoots on the rush as Jarry kicks the initial shot straight to Cape Kakko. 3-1
After conceding three goals in 3:01, Pittsburgh takes a lapse of time to regroup and stop the bleeding. It seems to be working to establish them and break the momentum.
Eventually the Pens find a good position, a great move by Jason Zucker – Evgeni Malkin – Bryan Rust leads to a number of striking chances and time in the zone. Malkin is stumbled so that the Belly gets a power play. Their second group starts and they finish it too. Jared McCann centers the shooter trying to create chaos, and chaos is created when Ryan Lindgren seems to panic, throwing the disc into his own net in a moment of desperation. 3-2 Rangers lead.
Shots in the second are 10-7 pins. It’s good that they play better in the last half of the period, but those first five minutes were rough.
Third period
The pins stop a bit away, again within striking distance. Zucker unfortunately takes a penalty kick, but Pittsburgh kills it.
And then..11: 23 in the period, they strike with the equalizer. Good work from Kapanen with the entrance of the zone and to put things right and go back for Joseph. Joseph shoots wide, but Teddy Blueger makes a my-no-mite play to pick up the puck quickly while kicking off the end plate and can quickly click into the net. 3-3 match.
Malkin turns the bag right in front of his net and right towards Artemi Panarin, who has long been a thorn in the Pen’s side. But an outstretched Malkin also kicks his leg out to block the shot and at least save his mistake.
Shots are 11-9 NYR in the third, and 31-26 NYR in the game. But it’s tied up, so we get it again.
OT
A nice end-to-end action, as always in the 3v3, both parties have some chances. Both teams actually reached a pole as well. But the puck stays out, which means ..
Shooting Range
Round 1: Jake Guentzel goes behind and informs it … Zibanejad is stopped by Jarry.
Round 2: Crosby is going to miss the net … Panarin slows it down and tears it low and into the net.
Round 3: A classic Letang move to lapse the shot, hit backwards and lift it under the bar … Jarry rocks Tony DeAngelo and the Belly wins.
Some thoughts
- Big time play from Rust, 11 shots on goal and 12 shot attempts … In the night he only had 7 SOG in 4 games, tonight was a big difference. After Rust sometimes fell at the third game, he played like a man who wanted to stay with Malkin today.
- Of course, the other 17 skaters not named Rust are 18 SOG in total. Not the best. Malkin and Crosby only attempted two shots on the night.
- Night to remember Joseph. NHL debut, check. First NHL point, look. (Ok, that was due to the mist of the net on a shot, but they do not ask how). The Pens did not ask much of him, but only played 13:02, all on 5v5, but he had 3 SOG, 3 hits and was not on the ice for any purposes. Nice debut.
- Second game, and a second point for Kasperi Kapanen with the Belly. They still bring him along slowly to make sure he does not get over his head, but so far so good for him.
- The Penguins have played 5 games this season …. In four games they have dropped two goals. Quite remarkable that they are now 3-2.
- Jared McCann’s last goal before today was more than a calendar year ago, January 14, 2020. There was a pandemic in between, but it would be nice if he could heat up.
- Blueger started well this year and was excellent in the offensive zone.
- Given the nature of how it went at the start of the 2nd period, it did not feel like a steady game for Jarry. But he bounced back from his terrible setback on Kakko’s goal by closing the door for almost 40 minutes and winning a shootout the rest of the game. And made 31 saves for the night, delivering the first goal performance for the Pens this season that was above 0.900% (0.911%). Not a big leap forward, but a small enough step.
- Cody Ceci played 18:53 (4th place among Penguin defenders), an assist, 1 take away, 1 stop, 2 strokes. Thought he had a nice game. Scratching for a pair is not easy for any player’s confidence, especially not one known to deliver up and down performances. But Ceci was, dare I say, tonight pretty solid and steady? Let’s see how long it takes.
- The other defender that everyone watched in his big homecoming, plays 14:35 and was on ice for 0 Rangers goals for, 2 Penguins goals and was on ice for more shots and chances against, even though his team had more shots overall a chance. Who would have guessed it ?. Atta boy Jack!
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# 1: Whose bad defense hurts more? I feel like the Belly’s defense had a bad night. Dumoulin made a bad mistake for NYR’s first goal. He has not quite looked his normal self this year yet, and he is worrying as he has not really looked the same since suffering an ankle injury last season. Chad Ruhwedel is now also being counted on, with all of Pittsburgh’s current defensive injuries as an important piece. He played 11:02 ES, partly possibly due to his jungle on the first goal. Even Pierre-Olivier Joseph played more ES time in his very first game than that. Dumoulin jumped back to play 26 minutes, with only one problem, it just stood up. Letang had a few ups and downs, but at the end of the day played a game-high 29:42, turned a assist and scored the decisive shooting goal.
# 2: Find a good start for once. It was a good start for the Belly. They did not allow the first season the first season and scored the first goal of the game. A bad start to the second period almost sank them, but everything ends well. The process was not so good, and the case was that the Pens stank the first 25 minutes overall and that it was pretty good for the last 45+ shootout. However, we will start by not allowing the first period goals, but this is a small form of progress.
# 3: Flood holes for Geno? According to the figures, Malkin was dominant. His 67.7% Corsi% led the Belly. Just like its 72.2% scoring chance% and its 71.4% high danger chance%. Just like its 1.19 5v5 xGF. Malkin also scored a penalty. He was not always fluent, there were some bad decisions here and there … But really, the 2nd line of the Pens was very dominant in this game. They scored one goal, on a deflection by Rust, but they worked very hard and generated a TON of chances. It was not a “flood hole” situation where he was rewarded for all the work …. But it really feels right now at this point.
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Ignore the first five minutes of the second period, and the Belly looks great tonight. Unfortunately, these minutes counted. Pittsburgh may be happy to take away another win, but they feel very close to finishing in shape and finding a way to make a full effort and reach their true potential once and for all. They still have a lot of bad decays, but the signs are starting to pick up. Jarry took a small step forward today. Rust has taken a big step forward. It helps to take away a victory, which is always a good night.