Beau Bennett and the Penguins close practice with rink-length wind sprints. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
Sights, sounds and the scene from Consol Energy Center this afternoon …
• The Penguins’ first practice in advance of the Stanley Cup playoffs saw Christian Ehrhoff cleared for contact and fully participating in all drills, but another defenseman, Derrick Pouliot, not on the ice at all. In fact, I saw Pouliot in civvies, so I can’t be sure he even had an off-ice workout.
Ehrhoff was paired with Taylor Chorney, who’s drawn extensive praise from Mike Johnston and is virtually certain to start Game 1 against the Rangers on Thursday.
“Chorney definitely has the nod,” Johnston said. “He’s really feeling his game.”
Otherwise, all lines, all pairings, everything stayed the same.
Doesn’t sound like much will change from the past few weeks, right?
Oh, just wait.
The Penguins’ three recalls from Wilkes-Barre all practiced, but none of them lined up as if they’ll play: Scott Harrington and Brian Dumoulin worked as a tandem, behind the other three. And Scott Wilson, the only forward brought up, was the extra winger rotating in and out of third-line rushes. Being that Brandon Sutter’s wingers are Beau Bennett and Steve Downie, that puts Wilson on the outside looking in.
Which one would have to mean the Penguins were perfectly fine with the personnel who were both tired and ineffective during that 3-9-2 plunge before the Buffalo salvage operation.
Other than to hint that Dumoulin would have an edge on Harrington, in large part because of his time together with Chorney in Wilkes-Barre, Johnston declined to divulge his potential lineup for New York: “We’re not going to give away our plans for the Rangers.”
• Two minutes with Blake Comeau …
• David Perron practiced with the first-team power play, which had four forwards, along with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. The lone defenseman was Paul Martin. This isn’t set in stone, though. The coaching staff is debating whether to go this way or, pending the health of Ehrhoff and/or Pouliot, staying with two defensemen.
“We have a couple different looks,” Johnston said. “We know how dangerous they are short-handed, but, to me, it’s about how you react to the loose puck. Tomorrow, we’ll try it with two defensemen, just to be prepared.”
• The clear emphasis of drills was on the Rangers’ tendencies, especially low in the attacking zone. As Johnston put it, “They’re strong east-to-west” in that area. The Penguins simulated such situations and stressed sound positioning — including stick position — to intercept lateral passes.
“They bring it on the attack, and they can do it with all four lines,” Nick Spaling said.
• The clear emphasis from the non-hockey standpoint was plain, old having fun. Players were laughing, joking and visibly trying to relax after two tense weeks, at least right up until Johnston ended the session with rink-length wind sprints that had tongues dragging. The latter was done to get legs loose after two days away for most players.
A handful of players spent their free Monday at PNC Park for the Pirates’ opener, and that moved Ian Cole, a lifelong Tigers fan, to observe, “My brother pitched awesome out there.”
Yup. Series is still 0-0. Lets see what happens before hitting the panic button. Hell, people already have them being swept...do they honestly think Scott Wilson will be the difference maker of that's their prediction?
TomPaulBillyBob
4-15-2015, 8:23 am
That's a valid point
steviej757
4-14-2015, 3:24 pm
good to hear that they were relaxed a bit. hopefully they can channel their inner LA Kings and pull a few series out of their nether regions. All wishful thinking aside, Rangers in 5.
If Ehrhoff plays as it appears, Dumoulin doesn't play. Can't pair them up.
You answered your own question: "One of the best pairs in the AHL."
These are the Big Boys! This is not the AHL.
unipress_5507499c680eb
4-14-2015, 5:07 pm
These guys are going to be starters next year. In two years for sure. Ehrhoff has been hurt for half the year and has been lackluster when he isn't. Pouliot started in the AHL this season. He seems to be able to play with the big boys. My point being, if you have to use guys from the AHL, why not play guys who have proven they can play very well together?
Casey Ribaric
4-14-2015, 3:30 pm
Good thing we hired a coach that isn't afraid to make adjustments....
He wasn't afraid -- initially. Then Adams tussled with Geno, didn't know how to react, played it safe, went into a shell and then the team died.
Not to throw a wet blanket on playoff hopes or anything.
nfontana85
4-14-2015, 3:35 pm
The Pens should be having fun. It's about time! Honestly, all the pressure is on the Rangers as the president's cup winning top seed in this year's NHL playoffs to beat our 8th seed Penguins in 4 or 5 games.
It will be time to go to work on the road in game 1. I know how the season ended, but it's a little refreshing to be underdogs this time around. Maybe even the Consol Corporate Center crowd will enjoy themselves as well this time around too.
It's not like we couldn't see this coming. Going to "dance with the guys what brung ya." Would it make any difference? Unless there are two big, bonafide scoring wingers on the WBS roster they'd still face the same problems. Just show up and play.
It's nice going into the playoffs a decided underdog for once. When's the last time that happened, '08 against Detroit in the Finals? Nobody's handing them the Stanley Cup before the playoffs even start, as in years past. I like them opening on the road as well.
I wouldn't exactly expect the Pens to jump out and reveal strategical changes before a playoff series started, anyway. But, yeah. The vibe seems to be that our 'Stanley Cup' was in Buffalo. Playoffs are gravy at this point. Everyone saved some face. Now maybe Lapierre will flip that internal playoff switch he supposedly has that everybody has been talking about since day 1.
Why is Steve Downie never given a shot on a top line, a role he's been skuccessful in elsewhere?
Unless Comeau has Tony Stark design a new wrist for him, he's pretty much impotent as a scoring threat.
And why is the coaching staff so committed to a 4 forward PP? If it HAS to be that way, I'd feel much better if one of those forwards wasn't named Perron.
Really, really don't like Martin on the PP. His shot is barely better than Scuderi's and the PK simply cheats away from him. He's just not a threat to shoot.
Except he does everything well. Excellent at keeping the puck in the offensive zone, smart passes, and his shots might not be howitzers, but they tend to find the net(or someone's stick for deflections) at lot more than Letang's do. Martin as a PP QB isn't shameful at all.
Groat2Maz2Strangeglove
4-14-2015, 5:04 pm
"Martin's shot is barely better than Scuderi's."
Congratulations! We have a winner!!
This is the Champion Gross Overstatement to Dejan's column thus far.
Don't fret: Other nominees will appear soon.
thebulky1cometh
4-14-2015, 5:31 pm
OK, even IF Martin's shot is "barely better than Scuderi's," what else can you dislike about Martin on the PP? I have wanted him there over Letang the entire season. Let's not pretend Letang is consistently dropping accurate bombs on the PP (they may be bombs, but they hit the net maybe 1/5).
abizzle03
4-14-2015, 10:42 pm
Being a PP QB is more mental than physical. Martin should have been the guy all year regardless of Letang's health but God forbid your highest paid defenseman isn't out there on your top PP unit...
Wild Bill
4-14-2015, 4:52 pm
Reading this, I'm about halfway tempted to think that management knows that the process of getting the Pens ready for a real Cup run is gonna take another off season - at least. Meantime, if the guys wanna get ticked and win a series or so, they'll take it.
With Ehrhoff returning and Pouliott not far behind, with the return of using 6 defensemen, with Marc Andre Fleury in net, defense is not the weak point for the Pens against the Rangers.
The real question———that will determine wins & losses———is: can the Penguins score? Will the Penguins score?
April 14, 2015
Coverage: Status quo for Penguins? Yep
by Dejan Kovacevic • Coverage • Penguins
Beau Bennett and the Penguins close practice with rink-length wind sprints. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
Sights, sounds and the scene from Consol Energy Center this afternoon …
• The Penguins’ first practice in advance of the Stanley Cup playoffs saw Christian Ehrhoff cleared for contact and fully participating in all drills, but another defenseman, Derrick Pouliot, not on the ice at all. In fact, I saw Pouliot in civvies, so I can’t be sure he even had an off-ice workout.
Ehrhoff was paired with Taylor Chorney, who’s drawn extensive praise from Mike Johnston and is virtually certain to start Game 1 against the Rangers on Thursday.
“Chorney definitely has the nod,” Johnston said. “He’s really feeling his game.”
Otherwise, all lines, all pairings, everything stayed the same.
Doesn’t sound like much will change from the past few weeks, right?
Oh, just wait.
The Penguins’ three recalls from Wilkes-Barre all practiced, but none of them lined up as if they’ll play: Scott Harrington and Brian Dumoulin worked as a tandem, behind the other three. And Scott Wilson, the only forward brought up, was the extra winger rotating in and out of third-line rushes. Being that Brandon Sutter’s wingers are Beau Bennett and Steve Downie, that puts Wilson on the outside looking in.
Which one would have to mean the Penguins were perfectly fine with the personnel who were both tired and ineffective during that 3-9-2 plunge before the Buffalo salvage operation.
Other than to hint that Dumoulin would have an edge on Harrington, in large part because of his time together with Chorney in Wilkes-Barre, Johnston declined to divulge his potential lineup for New York: “We’re not going to give away our plans for the Rangers.”
• Two minutes with Blake Comeau …
• David Perron practiced with the first-team power play, which had four forwards, along with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. The lone defenseman was Paul Martin. This isn’t set in stone, though. The coaching staff is debating whether to go this way or, pending the health of Ehrhoff and/or Pouliot, staying with two defensemen.
“We have a couple different looks,” Johnston said. “We know how dangerous they are short-handed, but, to me, it’s about how you react to the loose puck. Tomorrow, we’ll try it with two defensemen, just to be prepared.”
• The clear emphasis of drills was on the Rangers’ tendencies, especially low in the attacking zone. As Johnston put it, “They’re strong east-to-west” in that area. The Penguins simulated such situations and stressed sound positioning — including stick position — to intercept lateral passes.
“They bring it on the attack, and they can do it with all four lines,” Nick Spaling said.
• The clear emphasis from the non-hockey standpoint was plain, old having fun. Players were laughing, joking and visibly trying to relax after two tense weeks, at least right up until Johnston ended the session with rink-length wind sprints that had tongues dragging. The latter was done to get legs loose after two days away for most players.
A handful of players spent their free Monday at PNC Park for the Pirates’ opener, and that moved Ian Cole, a lifelong Tigers fan, to observe, “My brother pitched awesome out there.”
Gerrit Cole is not his brother.