Pens/Flyers: Game One Reaction

Jakub Voracek scores the game winner in overtime.

Pens need adjustments if they want to win series.

By: Dave Molitierno

An instate rivalry, with more animosity than any other series in the NHL, got off to a hard fought battle last night.  The Pens came out surging and got off to a 3-0 lead after the first period with goals by Crosby, Kennedy, and Dupuis.  The remainder of the game was controlled by the Flyers, led by the Penguin killer, Danny Briere, and Brayden Schenn.  The Flyers fought back to tie the game half way through the third period, and went on to win in overtime off of poor defense by the Penguins.  Jakub Voracek found himself an open back door to cap the 4-3 victory for the Flyers.

Let’s talk about the areas the Penguins need major focus on (in no particular order) going into game 2 vs. the Flyers Friday night at Consol Energy Center.

First off, let’s not get carried away with the ability of the Penguins offense through the 2^nd and 3^rd periods.  Yes, they definitely did not play well, and struggled to create opportunities and find the back of the net, however you’re talking about the leagues number 1 offense through an 82 game season (3.44 goals/game).  They will be fine, and will bounce back for game 2.

First Area of Focus:

Special Teams – The Penguins were 0-3 on the powerplay with only 5 shots on goal.  With star power like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, improvement is much needed.  An effective tactic to focus on is getting back to the basics of what worked in the season, Steve Sullivan.  Sullivan isn’t the guy that will bury goals for you, but he’s the man on the point that can move the puck, and quarterback the powerplay.  Putting him back on top is needed right now.  Umbrella should be as follows:  Sullivan on top quarterbacking, Letang on the left side with Crosby low, Malkin on the right side with Neal low/in front.  Special teams can make or break a team.  The Flyers took advantage of the lone Penguin penalty to tie the game, and in turn went on to win.

Second Area of Focus:

Pens D - Let’s face it, the Pens D looked awful defensively.  The OT winner was simpy no defensive zone coverage.  Kris Letang yet again got caught staring at the play and tried using his skill to pick Carle’s soft shot low to Fleury’s pads.  By doing so, he turned a routine save by Fleury, into a misplayed deflection right into a game winning one timer for Voracek.  Kris Letang, and the Pens D, have to change their defensive side of the game, or this will continue to happen.  If they can, there isn’t a team out there that can compete with them.  Effective tactics to focus on are gap control, and picking men up in the defensive zone, while keeping your head on a swivel to watch the play. 

Third Area of Focus:

Coaching – The 2010-2011 Jack Adams Award Winner, Dan Bylsma, didn’t look like himself last night.  To go hand in hand with the Pens D focus, this belongs to Dan Bylsma to make that adjustment.  Also, going into overtime the Penguins had the two best players in the world sitting on the bench, while watching Jordan Staal’s line start the overtime period.  We all understand matchups during regulation, however when overtime is in play, you need to immediately maximize your best players early, and often.  It’s not a battle of a game, it’s the battle of the first to score.  Bylsma isn’t dumb, he will adjust, but the Penguins got outcoached and outworked from the 2^nd period on.  Effective tactics to focus on are maximizing your star players, and make necessary on ice adjustments to opposing team to gain back momentum.

Hockey is a chess match, and there are plenty of moves left of this 7 game series.  How the Penguins adjust to start Game 2 is still yet to be determined.  What they need to remember though is it’s not only the adjustment for the start of game 2, but it’s the game time adjustments that will win the game for the Pens.  The instate rivalry is just warming up, look for big things to come.