Another Day, another OT Loss

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah......another day, another one goal loss, and another one in overtime. The Penguins last won a game in regulation a month ago, on February 4th, against Buffalo. At the time it was their third win in a row. In the next 13 games, we have won only 3, two of them in overtime and one in a shootout. We beat the Kings and Colorado in the middle of the month in OT, then Saturday night, in dramatic fashion we beat the Leafs 6-5 in a shootout. Since then we have lost in OT to both Toronto and the Devils. In addition to those losses, the Pens have lost in OT to Chicago and San Jose. At least those OT losses have allowed the Penguins to plod along, and remain in fourth place despite a depleted lineup. Tonight the Penguins played the hottest team in the NHL, the New Jersey Devils, winners of 19 out of their past 23 games to a 1-1 tie in regulation. The game was more exciting to watch than a 1-1 score would normally indicate, with both teams getting their share of chances. The Penguins had the only two power plays in regulation, failing to score on both. In typical fashion, the referees swallowed their whistles late, allowing several penalties to go uncalled, but a very blatant hooking, and a more blatant tripping call on New Jersey went uncalled. I was okay with that, as it is was expected. But with 2:14 left in OT, they call a hooking call against Michalek, that was hooking, no doubt. BUT, it was no more of a call then the ones they had been letting go for the last half of the game, and in that situation it would normally take gang rape to get a call against you. In typical NHL fashion, the jokes in stripes are inconsistent, the Pens give up a power play goal late and lose. Yes, they could have killed it. Yes, they may have lost in the shootout anyway, but goddamn it this team needs to get just one fucking break these days. Tough to play when they are calling it one way all game, then suddenly with the game on the line, it changes. Oh well..........Now, to be a bit critical of some of our key players. Kris Letang made the boneheaded move of the day, and it may have been the most damaging. Letang failed to tie down his jersey, which if you get in a fight with your jersey not tied down is a game misconduct. So, he goes out, and two minutes into the game, he gets into a fight, and is thrown out of the game. So the team that has been short of star power and offensive punch loses its best offensive defenseman due to his own stupidity. With BIG points on the line, you have to be a big boy and follow the basic rules Tanger OR skate away from the fight!! The D looked gassed late in the game, as they were down a man, and I KNEW with the 4 on 3 late in OT, that it was game over. Jordan Staal, I have been a big supporter of your overall game, but you as much as anybody on the team need to step up, and you have not. If anything, it almost seems like regression. I had hoped this opportunity to shine would show you to be a very capable 2nd line center, but thus far, not the case. Time to deliver a goal here and there Staalsy. James Neal is a guy who would thrive more with a playmaking center, and you can see flashes of what he can do, but REAL DEAL, it is time for you to get to the cage, and pound home some garbage. Almost is only good in horseshoes and hand grenades. Alex Kovalev was brought in to add some offense, and frankly, other than the first Toronto game I don't see it. Stop cruising the perimeter and get your BIG nose dirty pal. You owe it to the group. Tyler Kennedy with 6 shots had twice as many as Kovalev and Neal combined. Dustin Jeffrey, Shero made the decision to take you down the stretch as one of the 4 centers on this team instead of bringing in some veteran talent. You have decent skills but my German Shepherd Gabby has bigger balls and SHE is SPAYED. Kid, you will never be given a better long term look to prove you belong in the show, and tonight you shit the bed. Add a little sack to your decent skills, and maybe, just maybe you are on the roster for the whole year next year. Keep playing like you have eggs in your pants, and you will be gone next season. Finally, Max Talbot. Those Game 7 goals will never be forgotten, we would not have our Cup without you. I just struggle to think of anything of real value you have done in the almost two years since then. You sir are playing to not only justify the 1M you make currently, but to get a raise here or somewhere else next year. Your claim to fame to justify lackluster numbers offensively has always been big game/post season production. That was a great shortie on Saturday, but for the most part you have been and remain mostly invisible out there. There are big games, and we need secondary scoring from some of the big time heart and soul guys. You are one of the big time heart and soul guys we have, we need you NOW or truly never again. Hindsight is 20/20, but watching Arnott play on the second line in Washington, and set up a game winning goal with under a minute left one night, and then scoring a big OT goal the next makes me wonder if we had made a mistake not pulling that trigger. Talbot is not the faceoff force Steckel is, but he is one helluva penalty killer. Talbot and a 2nd rounder for Arnott if it would have worked would look pretty good right now. It would give the Penguins two legitimate NHL centers without Crosby, and the 3 center model if he did return. It would also have added some more punch on a still lifeless power play. Vitale could have handled the role currently held by Talbot. I like Letestu, and Jeffrey is okay, but it may prove too much to ask to win a playoff series if they are two of your four centers at this time of year. If the pundits are right, the Penguins "only" need 8 points out of the available 32 left to at least grab the 8th seed in the playoffs, but at this pace, that is about all they will do. It is time to figure out a way to win some of these close battles starting tomorrow night in Boston.