PITTSBURGH, PA – After escaping the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final with a 2-0 leads against the Nashville Predators, the Pittsburgh Penguins looked to get on a firmer track away from home. Sadly, they drifted further away.
The Penguins dominated the visitors in Pittsburgh for just 12 minutes in their first two games, allowing them to breathe easy that they came away with two victories. Not only did the Predators dominate the Penguins in Nashville, they put more distance between them heading into Game Five.
Here are several things the Penguins need to do to get back into the series:
IMPROVED POWER PLAY – after Evgeni Malkin scored with a two-man advantage to give the Penguins the lead in Game One, Pittsburgh has failed to score, going 1 for 16 in the series for a 7% success rate. Nashville is 4 for 12 and an 66.7% converstion rate. Compare this to most teams coming in at 20%+ and this is a sore spot for the Penguins. It must get better.
Pittsburgh will have to cycle around the Nashville perimeter more quickly, passes will need to be shorter and quicker and one-timers will have to be more the rule than waiting for the perfect shot. Last game, Kessel held the puck on four occasions when he could have shot. Time to let it fly, put pucks on net and crash for the rebounds.
PITTSBURGH OFFENSE SUFFOCATING THE NASHVILLE DEFENSE – the theme which continues in the same way it began involves the struggle for strength between the offensive power of the Penguins and the top four defensemen of the Predators. Nashville continues to win it.
While the Penguins have the firepower, their need to fore-check more effectively has become the missing ingredient in the Final. The mobile Nashville defense is the reason.
Lesser-skilled, more physical defensemen can be easier to play against than the quick, puck-moving crew on the Predators’ backline. Instead of chipping the puck along the glass to exit the zone, Nashville’s group skates with the puck confidently, sending passes up ice where they connect with speedy forward. Pittsburgh needs to disrupt this flow to get more chances.
The pairings of Josi-Ellis and Subban-Ekholm have been shut down-caliber defenseman, leaving very little for the Pittsburgh offense to work with. Disrupting the Nashville attack in their defensive zone will generate more chances if an in-your-face checking game pins this foursome in their own zone. And, by doing so, will alleviate the pressure on the Pittsburgh defense which is not as deft and exiting their zone cleanly while still maintaining possession of the puck.
While the entire front 12 for the Penguins will be responsible for this shift, Crosby, Malkin, Hornqvist and Kessel are perhaps more responsible for leading the turn of the tide with tight-checking and a suffocating fore-check to gain chances on Rinne. Rookies Guentzel and Sheary are already doing their part; time for a total team buy-in so that Nashville cannot escape no matter who is on the ice.
MURRAY NEEDS TO COVER THE HIGH GLOVE SIDE – goalie nerds get it, but many others may not. You can bet those in the Penguins’ camp are all over it now. Half of the goals scored against the Pittsburgh netminder penetrated the goal line high glove side.
Far be it from me to coach an NHL-caliber goalie, but I can’t help to believe in watching the games and replays of goals and finding Murray’s trapper glove being held too low. Get it up, take away that corner and look bigger in net.
MALKIN AND KESSEL NEED TO BE BETTER – Malkin has two goals in the series and has a -1 rating. His first goal got the Game One Pittsburgh surge going. Kessel has one assist and has a -2 rating.
As a team, the Penguins have just one goal in each of the last two games; one from Jake Guentzel in Game Three and the other from Sidney Crosby in Game Four.
The danger in Pittsburgh’s attack has been that they have good balance among the four lines. Right now, they aren’t instilling much fear in the Predators. When Malkin and Kessel aren’t clicking, neither are the Penguins. Game Five would be a good time to get back on track.
It is important to note that the team that has won Game Five after a split of the opening four contests of the Final has gone on to capture the Stanley Cup 17 of 24 times (70.8%) since the series adopted the best-of-seven format in 1939.
However, the club that has lost Game Five has rebounded to win the series in four of the past eight such occasions (all since 2001 – 2001 COL, 2004 TBL, 2009 PIT and 2011 BOS).
Game Six moves to Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Sunday night. The potential Cup-clinching night will take place on the same weekend as the CMA, country music’s biggest night.
If necessary, Game Seven is back at PPG Paints Arena Wednesday night. Both games start at 8:00 PM (ET).
Follow me at DMMORRELL and you can contact me at dennis.morrell@prohockeynews.com
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