yahoo
In a game that once featured Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as the headline acts, the latest chapter of the Pittsburgh Penguins-Washington Capitals rivalry was defined by a different cast—and a deeply flawed performance from the visiting Penguins. Ovechkin did not even take the ice on Washington's 5-on-3 power play, and Crosby finished the night with a minus-4 rating, symbolizing a changing of the guard and a forgettable outing for Pittsburgh.
The Penguins fell behind 4-1 in the second period after yet another defenseman turnover led to a two-on-none for Washington's Alex Tuch. Though Pittsburgh rallied, the hole was too deep, and the giveaways continued. The team's effort was described as looking worse than it was, but the turnovers were so egregious they resembled a slapstick comedy. Washington's scoring chances were so glorious that it would have been more surprising if they hadn't scored.
Head coach Dan Muse pointed to a lack of structure and support as the root cause. "There are times that because we're vacating too early, or we're not providing the support that's necessary. When you don't have options, that's what's going to happen," Muse said. "It's also sometimes too many turnovers. Turnovers happen all the time, but we're too spread out. We're not in a position to recover. So it's both parts. Each one was a little bit different, but it's going to be better."
Why So Disjointed?
Rarely does a horror sequel outdo the original, but the Penguins managed that feat by following a lifeless 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets—marred by horrendous puck management—with an even more ghastly display against Washington. Structure, forecheck, and connectivity were absent. Muse refused to blame the short training camp. "You look at the games. I feel like there's been games where the structure's been in good spots, and the support's been in good spots," he said. "So I'm not going to be looking to (camp). I think we've shown that we just have to be way more consistent."
As the good cheer from a 7-1 season-opening rout of the Philadelphia Flyers fades, a stark reality remains: while other teams are settling in, the Penguins are looking more unsettled. Lines lack cohesion, defensive pairs appear disjointed, and the team is searching for its identity. The miscues were plentiful: a bad puck fumble at center ice led to a breakaway goal for Anthony Beauvillier just 23 seconds in, courtesy of Trevor van Riemsdyk. Kris Letang's rim-around turned into a pass behind the net to Pierre-Luc Dubois, who set up Tom Wilson for a goal. A defenseman collided with goalie Arturs Silovs behind the net, allowing Dubois an easy marker. A no-look D-to-D pass was intercepted for a two-on-none, leading to Alex Tuch's goal. Letang had four turnovers, and four other defensemen—van Riemsdyk, Declan Carlile, Erik Karlsson, and Kaedan Korczak—also coughed up the puck. Only Karlsson's turnovers were harmless.
Players largely credited Washington rather than criticizing themselves. "I think today was just a case of they outworked us. I think both defensively and offensively, they took away our time and space really well. They were above the puck. They tracked the puck," Karlsson said. "You know, they didn't give us much room up there, and that's why I think it might have looked a little sloppy sometimes. They were just a little bit sharper than we were today. I don't think that we necessarily played as bad as it might have looked."
Penguins Report Card
Team: F — The Penguins never controlled the game. There was no sustained offensive push, no prolonged stretch of clean hockey, and they never got back to even on the shot-attempt score. Washington had more from wire to wire.
Kyle Dubas: Messy — While grading the GM postgame is unusual, this mess stems from a chaotic training camp with too many players and decisions in too little time. The lines have no chemistry, and Muse is struggling to find the right roles for Hendrix Lapierre, Ville Koivunen, and Nick Robertson. Robertson started on the fourth line and played a team-low 8:33. Despite three goals this season, he risks losing his spot when Andrei Kuzmenko is activated. The Filip Hallander trade on Wednesday underscored the organization forcing square pegs rather than relying on better internal options. Lapierre is a natural playmaking center, not nearly as effective on the wing.
Defensemen: F- — Individually excoriating the blue line would require its own data center. Letang is a step slow; his skating has deteriorated, and he lacks the burst to compensate for a partner's gaffe or accelerate into space. Van Riemsdyk had bad moments on his left, turning over the puck on the first shift and several times thereafter, plus taking a terrible penalty. He's not playing tight in the defensive zone. Carlile imploded, making several mistakes in a game he'll need to forget. Korczak isn't closing or taking away enough space and had a couple of adventures with the puck.
Arturs Silovs: B+ — Despite yielding a breakaway goal, a two-on-none, an uncovered Tom Wilson from 20 feet, and a goal after a defenseman collided with him, Silovs stopped numerous unabated and high-danger chances. The only goal he might want back was Ryan Leonard's power-play wrist shot through traffic in the third. After the game he faced, the team owes him a steak.
Ben Kindel: B+ — He has been the Penguins' best player the last two games, expanding his offensive game by finding seams, skating past defenders, and accelerating to good areas. Kindel deserves a greater role and consistent linemates of commensurate talent.
Related Headlines: Penguins Ghastly Giveaways Give Capitals Big Win; Penguins Explain Hallander-Stastney Trade; Another Move Coming; PENGUINS TRADE: Hallander to EDM; NHL Grants Kuzmenko Non-Roster Status. Read more at Pittsburgh Hockey Now.
Originally reported by yahoo.