Sidney Crosby, Lightning Strikes Twice and Shootout Woes...
It was made official last night, Sidney Crosby will start the all-star game in his second season in the league. Crosby was not only named a starter, but was the leading vote getter among all players. I had been hoping to see what he and AO could do together on a line and we will get a chance...at least for about 30 seconds after the drop of the puck. There is no guarantee that the two will play together throughout the game.
I find it hard to come up with new ways to explain the greatness that is Sidney Crosby. It is one thing to see the numbers on paper and assume he is an elite player. It is a completely different thing to watch him play night in and night out. The only way to say it is to call it a blessing for hockey fans in Pittsburgh. The scoring and playmaking is amazing, but just watching him shift to shift and seeing the little things he does, scoring chances that the creates that no one sees, because there isn't a proven finisher to knock them home, his defensive prowess, skating and reflexes. Crosby has one of the fastest first steps in the game, and his legs are tree trunks.
One of the most unbelievable things at this point is that when he does something completely mind blowing, he doesn't even realize it. It is just how he plays the game. When Crosby is asked about a particular play that is going to end up on Sports Center's list at the end of the night, he seems to be surprised he is even being asked about it. Pretty much saying that he saw an opportunity and tried to make a play or set up a teammate.
For example, his comments after the goal against Tampa Bay on Sunday that has been replayed numerous times since, one in which he chose to go to his knees to see a pass from Mark Recchi, slid past a defender got his stick on the puck and knocked it home. "I tried to go on my knees, so I could find where the puck was coming from," he said. "I got a better look at the puck and it was going a little bit ahead, so I just reached for it." Makes it sound like I would in telling you about brushing my teeth.
I shutter to think what this kid will be when he is 25. Remember that the league's leading scorer is 19 years old! That completely blows my mind. I am not ready to say Crosby is better than some of the all time greats, but as someone who had the privilege of watching Mario Lemieux's entire career unfold, he is doing things at 18 and 19 that we saw Mario and Wayne do at 20 and 21. If he remains healthy throughout his career the sky is the limit. I have said this before, but players like Sidney Crosby are once in a lifetime. Many people I talk to lament the fact that they didn't pay much attention to Mario Lemieux until after his comeback and kick themselves for it. Don't make the same mistake with this amazing talent.
*****
The Tampa Bay Lightning continued their dominance of the Penguins during a home and home series that ended with a 3-2 Penguins loss last night in Tampa.
The usual suspects played big parts in the victories, Vinny Prospal, Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier...however none was bigger than Johan Holmqvist was. The young goaltender played great in both games against the Penguins. Though the Penguins didn't have the jump that they had during wins against Toronto, Carolina and Buffalo, they still worked hard throughout both contests. They very well could have earned a W in either game, but came up short in large part because of the hot goaltender they faced.
Tampa Bay has dominated the Penguins over the past couple of seasons, but the Birds will have another crack at redemption February 25.
*****
The Shootout...one of the most exciting events in professional sports. Not if you a Pittsburgh Penguin. The Penguins have a stable of capable candidates to utilize during shootouts, a group that should strike fear in most goaltenders. However, that just isn't the case. It doesn't matter if it is Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Mark Recchi or Sergei Gonchar taking the opportunity, the results is almost predetermined: Shoot Out Loss.
What is the issue? More specifically, what is the issue with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin? I know both are very capable players when it comes to breakaways...one on one situations with the goaltender.
I think that it is a combination of things. The most telling is the lack of speed at which these players are approaching the opposing goaltender. During regulation play, the duo flies into the offensive zone at breakneck speeds and has success doing it. When Sidney Crosby comes through the neutral zone with speed, he looks like a rattle snake ready to strike and can laser a shot past a goaltender 9 of 10 times, just ask Antero Niittymaki of the Philadelphia Flyers. The same goes for Malkin, look at the goal he scored earlier in the season against the Boston Bruins to tie a game late. He took a loose puck and moved into the zone with speed, rifling a shot past Bruins goalie Tim Thomas.
When it comes to the shoot out, they cruise in slowly, without confidence. Dipsy doodling around before trying a last minute move that usually results in an easy save for the goaltender. To say that these two lack confidence on the shootout may sound crazy, but it is true at this point. They seem to be over thinking what they are going to do and commit to what they intend to do early.
In my estimation, the goaltender has the advantage in a shoot out situation. As long as he waits for the shooter to commit, he typically can make the save. The key for the shooter is to read and react against the goaltender. Make him make the first move, deke around him and score the goal.
The Penguins practice the shoot out on a regular basis, with people like Ryan Whitney and Jordan Staal having a high level of success. Maybe the Penguins should consider some personnel changes on the shoot out while Sid and Geno build some confidence in the daily practice sessions.
One bright spot has been the play of Marc Andre Fleury. The shoot out seemed to be his Achilles heel, but he has been much better in them as of late. The bad thing for Fleury is that until his team can start to score in the extra, extra frame, he will need to be perfect.
*****
The Penguins will face the Florida Panthers this evening. Yet another team that tends to give them headaches...each Eastern Conference game is a 4-point affair and is must win. The Penguins are in the hunt for a playoff spot, but need as many points against the teams around them in standings as possible.
Hopefully the team can rebound from back to back losses against the Lightning and get back in the W column.
*****
Jonathan Filewich and Noah Welch will represent the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins in the AHL All Star game.
I find it hard to come up with new ways to explain the greatness that is Sidney Crosby. It is one thing to see the numbers on paper and assume he is an elite player. It is a completely different thing to watch him play night in and night out. The only way to say it is to call it a blessing for hockey fans in Pittsburgh. The scoring and playmaking is amazing, but just watching him shift to shift and seeing the little things he does, scoring chances that the creates that no one sees, because there isn't a proven finisher to knock them home, his defensive prowess, skating and reflexes. Crosby has one of the fastest first steps in the game, and his legs are tree trunks.
One of the most unbelievable things at this point is that when he does something completely mind blowing, he doesn't even realize it. It is just how he plays the game. When Crosby is asked about a particular play that is going to end up on Sports Center's list at the end of the night, he seems to be surprised he is even being asked about it. Pretty much saying that he saw an opportunity and tried to make a play or set up a teammate.
For example, his comments after the goal against Tampa Bay on Sunday that has been replayed numerous times since, one in which he chose to go to his knees to see a pass from Mark Recchi, slid past a defender got his stick on the puck and knocked it home. "I tried to go on my knees, so I could find where the puck was coming from," he said. "I got a better look at the puck and it was going a little bit ahead, so I just reached for it." Makes it sound like I would in telling you about brushing my teeth.
I shutter to think what this kid will be when he is 25. Remember that the league's leading scorer is 19 years old! That completely blows my mind. I am not ready to say Crosby is better than some of the all time greats, but as someone who had the privilege of watching Mario Lemieux's entire career unfold, he is doing things at 18 and 19 that we saw Mario and Wayne do at 20 and 21. If he remains healthy throughout his career the sky is the limit. I have said this before, but players like Sidney Crosby are once in a lifetime. Many people I talk to lament the fact that they didn't pay much attention to Mario Lemieux until after his comeback and kick themselves for it. Don't make the same mistake with this amazing talent.
*****
The Tampa Bay Lightning continued their dominance of the Penguins during a home and home series that ended with a 3-2 Penguins loss last night in Tampa.
The usual suspects played big parts in the victories, Vinny Prospal, Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier...however none was bigger than Johan Holmqvist was. The young goaltender played great in both games against the Penguins. Though the Penguins didn't have the jump that they had during wins against Toronto, Carolina and Buffalo, they still worked hard throughout both contests. They very well could have earned a W in either game, but came up short in large part because of the hot goaltender they faced.
Tampa Bay has dominated the Penguins over the past couple of seasons, but the Birds will have another crack at redemption February 25.
*****
The Shootout...one of the most exciting events in professional sports. Not if you a Pittsburgh Penguin. The Penguins have a stable of capable candidates to utilize during shootouts, a group that should strike fear in most goaltenders. However, that just isn't the case. It doesn't matter if it is Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Mark Recchi or Sergei Gonchar taking the opportunity, the results is almost predetermined: Shoot Out Loss.
What is the issue? More specifically, what is the issue with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin? I know both are very capable players when it comes to breakaways...one on one situations with the goaltender.
I think that it is a combination of things. The most telling is the lack of speed at which these players are approaching the opposing goaltender. During regulation play, the duo flies into the offensive zone at breakneck speeds and has success doing it. When Sidney Crosby comes through the neutral zone with speed, he looks like a rattle snake ready to strike and can laser a shot past a goaltender 9 of 10 times, just ask Antero Niittymaki of the Philadelphia Flyers. The same goes for Malkin, look at the goal he scored earlier in the season against the Boston Bruins to tie a game late. He took a loose puck and moved into the zone with speed, rifling a shot past Bruins goalie Tim Thomas.
When it comes to the shoot out, they cruise in slowly, without confidence. Dipsy doodling around before trying a last minute move that usually results in an easy save for the goaltender. To say that these two lack confidence on the shootout may sound crazy, but it is true at this point. They seem to be over thinking what they are going to do and commit to what they intend to do early.
In my estimation, the goaltender has the advantage in a shoot out situation. As long as he waits for the shooter to commit, he typically can make the save. The key for the shooter is to read and react against the goaltender. Make him make the first move, deke around him and score the goal.
The Penguins practice the shoot out on a regular basis, with people like Ryan Whitney and Jordan Staal having a high level of success. Maybe the Penguins should consider some personnel changes on the shoot out while Sid and Geno build some confidence in the daily practice sessions.
One bright spot has been the play of Marc Andre Fleury. The shoot out seemed to be his Achilles heel, but he has been much better in them as of late. The bad thing for Fleury is that until his team can start to score in the extra, extra frame, he will need to be perfect.
*****
The Penguins will face the Florida Panthers this evening. Yet another team that tends to give them headaches...each Eastern Conference game is a 4-point affair and is must win. The Penguins are in the hunt for a playoff spot, but need as many points against the teams around them in standings as possible.
Hopefully the team can rebound from back to back losses against the Lightning and get back in the W column.
*****
Jonathan Filewich and Noah Welch will represent the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins in the AHL All Star game.
posted by Bmetzer66 at 3:10 PM
1 Comments:
I completely agree with your analysis of the shootout. Sid and Geno have been abysmal. Just now they both failed to score yet again against Boston in the shootout after Fleury did all he could to keep the team in the game in the OT. Christensen was the lone goal scorer for the team. Gonchar shot fourth, and missed of course. It's time to give other guys like Staal a chance I think.
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