Adams couldn’t be more different than Jokinen and Bennett.  He’s a blue-collar, hard-working guy and has been a constant on the Penguins’ fourth line since he was claimed off waivers from Chicago in 2009.

Jokinen and Bennett are dynamic offensive players.  They’re creative and are a threat to score any time they’re on the ice together.

I thought Adams-Bennett-Jokinen might look awkward together as a line, but they were actually fairly effective in Game 4.  In fact, it’s hard to believe players with the skill level of Jokinen and Bennett aren’t able to crack a playoff lineup.

Jokinen played well in Game 1 of the first round against the New York Islanders despite taking a knee from Marty Reasoner:

Jokinen was more or less invisible in Games 2 through 4 before eventually moving to the press box for the rest of the series.  The Penguins are not offering injury updates during the playoffs this year, but the Tribune-Review’s Rob Rossi sensed that Jokinen was still feeling the effects of the Reasoner hit:

#TribHKY >> Strongly suspect Jokinen is not at compete-level healthy and hasn’t been since Round 1 hit by Reasnor #pens

— Rob Rossi (@RobRossi_Trib) May 19, 2013

It’s also worth remembering the details of the Jokinen trade.  Carolina is picking up the tab on $900k of Jokinen’s $3 million cap hit for this season and next, and there is also a conditional pick involved.  According to Bob McKenzie, if Jokinen plays 25 percent of Pittsburgh’s playoff games AND Pittsburgh goes to the Finals, Carolina gets a seventh round pick.  If Jokinen plays 50 percent of Pittsburgh’s playoff games AND Pittsburgh wins the Cup, Carolina gets a sixth round pick.

Jokinen has played in five of the Penguins’ 10 playoff games so far — exactly half.

It doesn’t make sense to bench a player you traded for just to avoid giving up a low pick, but if Rossi was correct about Jokinen’s injury and there’s a choice between dressing a healthy Tanner Glass or a banged up Jokinen, the pick might be a factor.

On one hand, sixth round picks aren’t very valuable.  Among players drafted in the sixth round of drafts from 1988 to 1997, only nine percent have gone on to play over 200 games in the NHL.  On the other hand, Penguins GM Ray Shero and Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford wouldn’t have wasted time drawing up detailed conditions if they didn’t care about the picks.

Jokinen’s biggest contribution to the Penguins lineup is his faceoff ability.  Brandon Sutter has improved on defensive zone draws in the second round, but he’s still struggling on the left side.  We identified this as a critical need for the Penguins prior to the Jokinen trade and he’s delivered when in the lineup.

Jokinen’s 63.8% win rate ranks fourth among all players with over 30 faceoffs in the playoffs.

______________________________________

Ottawa coach Paul MacLean has been getting a lot of attention on the off day for his very brief press conference following Game 4.

“Um, it’s uh…I think everything’s right here,” MacLean said pointing to the stat sheet. “It’s 7 to 3. See you in Pittsburgh. We’re going to Pittsburgh, and we’re coming to play. Have a good night.”

A savvy move by a head coach nominated for the Jack Adams Award this season.

Whether or not MacLean heard Daniel Alfreddson admit that Ottawa probably couldn’t beat the Penguins three straight times or Marc Methot admit they’re “up against a monster”, the press conference antic distracts negative attention away from his inexperienced players and onto him.

You can’t play this card too often as a head coach, but in a critical spot — like the Senators are in now — it’s the right lever to pull.

______________________________________

(Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

Good read here from Laura Falcon on why the Penguins should stick with Paul Martin on the top powerplay unit:

“He can get pucks on net

Martin may not weave pucks through bodies like Sergei Gonchar once did, but I think he’s the next best option.

The Pens have plenty of players who can rip the puck from the top of the circle and get it by most NHL goalies. Craig Anderson has been chased twice this series, but he has been seeing the puck well and the Sens have done a good job blocking the Pens’ chances.”

After Milan Michalek scored another shorthanded goal for the Senators early in Game 4, it was a guarantee coach Dan Bylsma and powerplay coach Todd Reirden would move Martin onto the top unit for additional defensive support.

Martin is also the Penguins’ best puck distributor on the powerplay.  He doesn’t panic under pressure and allows the top unit to click.  As Falcon alluded to, he isn’t afraid to take a little off his shot (which is a lot harder than prior seasons) to make sure it gets through traffic.

The Penguins ability to move the puck on the powerplay last night was impressive.  A performance like that can quickly lead to overconfidence and arrogance though.  As crazy as it sounds, if the Penguins win Game 5 and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, it might be in their best interest to have the powerplay struggle a bit to keep them grounded.

______________________________________

Chris Kunitz only played two shifts after the halfway point of Game 4 and seems to have suffered an undisclosed injury.  Earlier in the series, I noticed that Kunitz looked slower than usual so he may have been fighting through a strain for more than one game.

Kunitz plays a very physical style for a player that’s only 6-foot, 190 pounds and injuries have been an issue throughout his career.  He’s stayed fairly healthy the past season or two, but an abdominal tear led to surgery in January 2010.  Those injuries can sometimes be reoccurring which would be a frustrating setback for one of the Penguins’ most underrated players this season.

______________________________________

Stop back tomorrow when we’ll take an in-depth look at the goaltending styles of Marc-Andre Fleury and Tomas Vokoun, and when or if the Penguins will ever go back to Fleury as their starter.

______________________________________

Email: MJColligan@TheHockeyWriters.com

Twitter: Follow @MikeColligan

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Mike Colligan

Managing Editor

Mike Colligan is an NHL analyst at Forbes SportsMoney and the Pittsburgh Penguins correspondent at The Hockey Writers. Email: MJColligan@TheHockeyWriters.com

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This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

The narrative after Sunday night’s double-overtime game in Ottawa was bone-headed play and silly coaching decisions by a team infinitely superior to it’s opponent.

The final result: Ottawa Senators 2 – Pittsburgh Penguins 1.

Wednesday night however, in the end, told a much different tale:

Starting it How They Ended it

(Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

After beginning Game Four much the way they ended regulation in Game Three, the Penguins were handed an early power play, and promptly squandered it. Milan Michalek scored for Ottawa short-handed to give the Sens the early 1-0 advantage. Another power play shortly thereafter didn’t prove to be any better for a Pens team clearly rattled with the man-advantage.

Ironically enough, however, the Penguins carried the play for the majority of the first period. With just over five minutes left in the opening frame, James Neal finally got himself back on the score sheet with a wicked wrist shot to tie the affair at one. And then just 19 seconds later, Kyle Turris tallied his fifth goal of these playoffs, sending Ottawa to the locker room with a 2-1 lead after one period.

The Eruption

(Kevin Hoffman-US PRESSWIRE)

As though it were a switch that could be flipped at any time, the Penguins, starting with Chris Kunitz’ equalizer just over a minute in to the second period, erupted offensively over the last two frames to salt this game away. Jarome Iginla capitalized on a Kris Letang shot, just 40 seconds later, that Sens’ goalie Craig Anderson somehow just allowed to lay in the crease, giving the Pens a lead that they would not relinquish.

Two minutes into the final period, Neal added his second of the game (third of the playoffs) on the power play, by firing into an empty net after Anderson was caught out of position. Pascal Dupuis tallied his seventh of the postseason, and second short-handed goal of the series at 8:08 off a nice play by Matt Cooke on the forecheck. Crosby added a backhander for his seventh of the playoffs (tying him with Dupuis for the league lead in goals) 30 seconds later. And Iginla added the icing just about 1:20 later on the power play to cap the scoring for the Penguins.

The Ottawa Fallout

Paul MacLean was not in a chatty mood with the media afterwards. His press conference consisted of this line: “I think everything is right here. It’s 7-3. See ya in Pittsburgh. We’re going to Pittsburgh, and we’re coming to play. Have a good night.” All of a sudden, Ottawa fans and the media got a taste of John Tortorella. Suffice it to say that I don’t think MacLean was satisfied with his team’s effort on Wednesday night.

The Sens captain, Daniel Alfredsson, was a bit more forthcoming, when asked if he thought his team could come back from a 3-1 series deficit, he responded “I don’t think so. They have too much depth.” Not quite the tenor that you want from your team captain heading in to an elimination game on Friday night.

But Alfie is right. The Penguins probably do have too much depth for the Senators. The only reason that this series is coming back to Pittsburgh is not because of anything that Ottawa has done. Rather, it’s because of what the Penguins allowed to happen. This is a team that has arguably been it’s own worst enemy through ten playoff games.

The Final Story

After putting an abominable first period behind them, the Penguins got their power play figured out (for now), clamped down defensively, and looked every bit the better, more talented team on Wednesday night. The Iginla-Malkin-Neal line finally produced results, despite Malkin being kept off the score sheet for the second game in a row. And Jussi Jokinen an Beau Bennett each made triumphant returns to the lineup.

Last night, in the Pens’ locker room, there was an air of confidence about this group. Something that has been missing for a little while now. One could get the sense that this team finally realizes what it’s capable of.

“I think we showed we’re for real” said Dupuis. “I believe that.”

“We’re not done, you know? We’re not. But it’s important that we’re confident” quipped Letang.

And now that they have that confidence, we’ll see what they can do with it come Friday night.

Shameless Self-Promotion

You can keep up with all the latest from me on your Pittsburgh Penguins by following me on Twitter. If you’re not already doing so, shame on you for six weeks. Please do so here: Follow @TDT_Pens4Life

That’s it for now. I’ll have my Game Five recap for you Saturday afternoon most likely. See ya out there, and remember:

“It’s a great day for hockey!!”

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Tannor Torrao

Pittsburgh, Pa. Hockey junkie. Fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Red Sox. Never short on opinions when it comes to either.

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This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

(Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

After all, the Pens were 29 seconds away from enjoying a 3-0 stranglehold on the series before Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang inexplicably allowed Daniel Alfredsson to swoop in on Tomas Vokoun, collect a perfectly placed pass from Milan Michalek and knot the score at one.  What’s more, THW’s Tannor Torrao explains that Dan Bylsma’s mismanagement of a late power play situation essentially turned what should have been a sure victory and commanding series lead into a heartbreaking double overtime loss that sets up a critical Game 4 on Wednesday night.

Take a look at some of the social media that resulted from Game 3.  Sounds like the sky is falling in Pittsburgh.  End of the road.  The Penguins are done.

Not all fans and members of the media are that glum about their club’s outlook but most pundits recognize that Pittsburgh has made things more difficult on themselves than need be:

“Look, no one should expect perfection, but these Penguins aren’t collectively cramping in the brain for the first time this postseason. They all knew what was on the line. Bylsma knew what was on the line…It’s given new life to an opponent and a goaltender that had been all but vanquished. It’s made it hard. Harder than necessary.” – Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

But what effect, if any, will Game 3 ultimately have on the outcome of this series?  Will it prove to be the turning point that Ottawa needs to act as a springboard to the Conference Final or will it simply serve to prolong the Senators’ season?

Obviously, time will tell.  Something that people seem to be forgetting, however, is that the Pittsburgh Penguins are still enjoying a 2-1 edge in the series; they still hold home ice advantage; and they still have plenty going for them.

Tomas Vokoun

Unless it’s Marc-Andre Fleury imploding in net, Pittsburgh’s goaltending performances tend to be overshadowed by the club’s explosive firepower.  But Tomas Vokoun deserves a great deal of credit for his performance to this point in the playoffs.  Though his game was a bit shaky early in his postseason relief appearance, Vokoun has gotten stronger with each game:

““I think it was Tomas’ best game. He wasn’t busy maybe through the first half of the game with the number of shots – 13 or 14 – but they had a couple of great flurries, a couple of good chances. (Erik) Karlsson a couple times sneaking on the backdoor in the offensive zone, he had a couple big saves there. Strong around the net.” – Dan Bylsma, on Vokoun’s Game 3 performance

Indeed, Tomas’ 46 save performance was nothing short of magnificent. He gave his club every chance to pull out a victory and certainly deserved better than his fate Sunday night.  Nevertheless, his 1.61 GAA (fourth in the postseason) and 9.49 save percentage (second in the playoffs) seem to have solidified a position of weakness for this Pittsburgh squad.

Offensive Depth

Despite only managing to score once in nearly five periods Sunday night, the Penguins possess arguably the most firepower in the league.  Indeed, their 34 goals in nine games are tops in the playoffs to this point and their 27.0% power play efficiency leads all clubs still alive in the tournament.

(Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

So what makes their attack so lethal?  Well, one key is their depth.  Everyone knows Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby will put up points but Pittsburgh dresses seven of the top seventeen scorers in the playoffs, five of whom are averaging at least a point a game.  Crosby and Pascal Dupuis are tied for the league lead in goals (6) and Paul Martin and Kris Letang are both a point behind Boston’s Zdeno Chara for the league’s lead in scoring among defensemen.

Simply put, the Penguins can score from anywhere.  They come in waves and, as a result, it’s nearly impossible to shut everyone down.  And if the stars don’t produce, depth players like Tyler Kennedy or Brenden Morrow are ready to step up.  Even Brooks Orpik got into the act, enabling Pittsburgh to escape a first round scare against the Islanders.

All this talent will make it tough to keep the Penguins off the board for long.  Yes, Ottawa surrendered just one goal Sunday night but don’t count on them being able to pull that off consistently.  Even if Craig Anderson has found his game, the Penguins have too much depth and talent to be held down for long.

Evgeni Malkin

Evgeni Malkin?  One of the goats from Game 3?  Yup.  Did you see him in overtime?  Geno was a legitimate threat every time he touched the puck.  In fact, he nearly scored what would have been arguably his greatest goal to this point in his career, an accomplishment that would be no small feat.

And that’s the great thing about Malkin.  Yes, he can have defensive lapses but they almost always serve as motivation for the reigning MVP.  Sunday night, he knew he made a mistake at the end of regulation in Game 3 and was determined to atone for it.  Though he came up just short in that contest, don’t be surprised if Malkin comes out flying and has a huge game on Wednesday to make up for his mistake.

While Pittsburgh suffered an incredibly tough defeat in Game 3, all is not lost for the East’s top seed.  Ultimately, it was just one game.  Could it turn the series around in Ottawa’s favor?  Absolutely.  But this Pittsburgh club is a resilient, loaded team.  And, until they lose home ice advantage, they’re still in the driver’s seat.

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Sean Griffin

Sean Griffin is a contributor for the Pittsburgh Penguins at The Hockey Writers. He can be contacted at psgrif27@gmail.com or you can follow him on twitter @psgrif27.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

A bone-headed play, a mental lapse, a brain cramp, or pure laziness leading to arguably the most talented team in these playoffs losing a game that they should win.

And last night at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa was no exception.

In what can only be described as the Pens playing “rope-a-dope” with the Senators during a last-two-minutes-of regulation-power-play, Sens’ captain Daniel Alfredsson scored short-handed to tie Game Three of this best of seven series and send the contest to overtime. Colin Greening continued his success in the series by scoring the OT winner at 7:39 of the second overtime frame to get Ottawa within a win of tying things up.

Rope-a-Dope

Daniel Alfredsson (Icon SMI)

Allow me to explain the “rope-a-dope” strategy here. Defending Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson took a slashing penalty with just under a minute and a half left to play in regulation, and the Penguins up 1-0. Now at this point, the Pens’ power play had all but abandoned them in this game. They were 0-4 to this point, including a :59 two-man advantage early in the second period.

So with a minute and a half remaining, and the Penguins up a man, you would think that puck possession in the Ottawa end would be key. Keep two defensemen at the points, control the puck, no silly passes or shots and Pittsburgh should have the next two days to ponder how best to finish off the Senators in four games. But, as has been the case with this Penguins team, “not so fast my friend.”

Instead of getting the puck deep and controlling it in the Ottawa zone for the remainder of the game, the Penguins inexplicably dumped the puck in, then sat back and allowed the Sens to gain possession. Then were content to allow Ottawa to carry the biscuit into the Pens’ end. It becomes obvious at this point that the Penguins want to score an empty-net goal. Allow Ottawa to enter the zone, and get Craig Anderson (who was nothing short of spectacular in this game) to the bench for the extra skater. Then gain possession in the defensive zone, responsibly carry the puck out and hit the empty-netter for a 3-0 series lead. But the Penguins never gained possession in their own end.

Instead, Alfredsson was allowed to skate down the right wing boards, unscathed, and was able to deflect a Milan Michalek pass over an unsuspecting Tomas Vokoun’s right shoulder to knot things at one with 29 seconds left to play. Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang each looked lost once the Senators’ Sergei Gonchar got the puck to Michalek, and he entered the zone. Add Paul Martin to the mix and you have three guys chasing the puck, and no one picking up a streaking (if you can call a 40 year-old that) Daniel Alfredsson. Needless to say, the rope-a-dope strategy failed miserably.

Who to Blame?

(Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

It’s easy to blame Malkin here. From a pure defensive system standpoint, Alfredsson was Gino’s guy. Or you could blame Kris Letang, who for whatever reason followed Paul Martin to Michalek, leaving the center of the ice wide open.

I prefer to blame Dan Bylsma.

Now if you have read my work during this postseason, you know that I have not been the biggest “Disco Dan” supporter. In fact, I’m one of his biggest critics. The fact is, he’s the coach. When you have a situation such as the one that arose last night at 18:33 of the third period, I have to imagine, that as the head coach, you are in charge of what your team is doing on the ice. You are the one sending a particular group of players out on the ice, and you call the strategy with which you’re sending them. In this case, he sent his top power play unit out, and in my opinion, with the strategy of allowing Ottawa to get Anderson to the bench in order to score an empty-net goal.

Why was the top PP unit out there to begin with? The Penguins didn’t need another goal. They had played masterful defensive hockey for the entire third period. Send out any combination of Matt Cooke, Brandon Sutter, Tanner Glass, Pascal Dupuis, Craig Adams, Brooks Orpik, Mark Eaton, Douglas Murray and kill off the last 1:27 of this game. But not only did Bylsma, in my opinion, send out the wrong guys, he sent them out with the wrong frame of mind.

Inexcusable

What has become all too redundant this postseason, is Bylsma’s lack of adjustments and poor judgement. It took him three games to realize that his team was getting scalded by the Islanders’ speed. Then he finally made a lineup adjustment. It’s fairly obvious that Jarome Iginla, Evgeni Malkin and James Neal are not comfortable with one another, yet he keeps going back to this line combo. And his system, for all it’s regular season successes, has failed miserably not just this postseason, but last postseason, the postseason before, and the postseason before that.

(The Penguins’ offensive game is predicated on puck possession in the offensive zone. Ask yourself this: how much time have the Penguins spent in the Senators’ zone so far during this series? Have they really gotten their forecheck going?)

Optimism

I was ready jump off a bridge last night after Greening’s goal in the second overtime. But today is a new day, and it’s not all doom and gloom. I’ve slept it off, and awaken with a new sense of hope.

Consider this: Ottawa has thrown their very best at this Penguins’ team, and it took a last-second desperation goal, 27:39 of overtime hockey, and a Herculean effort from their goalie to finally beat them. All of that, coupled with returning home to play their first game at Scotiabank Place in 12 days, and welcoming back the second-leading scorer in Senators’ playoff history in Jason Spezza. At no point in this series has Ottawa even resembled being on the same planet as the Penguins. So I will simply say that it will be a shock if the Penguins do not return home on Friday night with a chance to wrap up this series in a fifth game on home ice (which, coincidentally, would be the Pens’ first series win on home ice since the 2008 Eastern Conference Final against Philly).

Shameless Self-Promotion

As always, thanks for reading! You can keep up with me and the entire Pittsburgh Penguins writing team here at The Hockey Writers on Twitter. Shame on you for six weeks if you’re not already following me. Please do so here:Follow @TDT_Pens4Life

Remember it’s not all doom and gloom, and…

“It’s a great day for hockey!!”

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Tannor Torrao

Pittsburgh, Pa. Hockey junkie. Fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Red Sox. Never short on opinions when it comes to either.

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This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Erik Karlsson was benched for long stretches in Game 2 against the Penguins (Photo by Andy Martin Jr)

“On our team, the best players play.

Erik [Karlsson] wasn’t one of the best players today, so he didn’t play.”

-Ottawa Senators coach Paul MacLean after Game 2

Watching Erik Karlsson in these playoffs is painful.

Not painful like a lacerated Achilles tendon.  More cringe-worthy, with a little hint of embarrassment.

It’s like watching Michael Jordan on the Washington Wizards.  Or Jaromir Jagr trudging up the ice as his Bruins teammates wait for him at the far blueline.  They never demand the puck, but simply pay homage to a legend who once flew through the neutral zone.

You know the player is — was — capable of more.  You’ve seen it with your own eyes.  Now it’s simply a memory.

That’s how it feels watching Erik Karlsson in these playoffs.  It’s probably unfair to say that about a 22-year-old who returned to the ice just ten weeks after a devastating injury.  Karlsson should be able to recover physically after a full summer of rest and proper rehab.

But where will he be mentally?

Karlsson has been a total disaster in the second round series against Pittsburgh.  He wasn’t much better in the prior round against Montreal.  You can sense that he knows he’s capable of more, but his body just won’t let him.

Sidney Crosby only got 2:30 of ice time against Karlsson in Game 2, but he torched the Norris Trophy winner for a pair of goals in the first period:

“I think he might’ve been getting ready to pinch or close his gap a little bit,” Crosby said of his first deke on Karlsson.  “He’s a pretty good skater.  I think I got lucky I was able to catch a stride there.”

Crosby scored on the powerplay early in the second to complete his hat trick as a result of Karlsson’s hooking penalty.  Ottawa coach Paul MacLean had seen enough and Karlsson played only sparingly the rest of the game.

“He played 15:37 [tonight], which isn’t normal for him so obviously he wasn’t one of the best players,” MacLean said after the game.  “On our team, the best players play.  Erik wasn’t one of our best players today so he didn’t play.”

Karlsson’s ice time in Game 3 was well below his season average this year.  Even after the injury (gap in the graph above), he’s been routinely in the 27-29 minute range, with the exception of Game 5 against Montreal, which was a 6-1 blowout.

The most noticeable issue in the playoffs has been Karlsson’s shift length (noted underneath each bar in the graph).  Prior to Game 2, Karlsson led all players in average shift length during the playoffs.  While some of these extended shifts are on the powerplay, the Penguins have been making sure that he has to play ‘tough minutes’.

“It’s a team commitment thing,” said Pittsburgh’s Matt Niskanen, who has seen first-hand how opponents try to wear down his defensive partner Kris Letang.  “Every time you get a chance, if you make him go back for pucks, those are tough minutes.  If they have to do it over and over again, guys are bumping into you, you get stuck in your zone for 20 seconds every time.  That’s not the kind of game he wants to play.  He wants to free-wheel and make things happen.”

In addition to being physical with Karlsson, Niskanen says the Penguins are focused on being in the right position when he’s on the ice.

“The key is having guys in the right position.  Be above him all the time.  Make him go through four or five guys all night and he’s not going to have open ice to use his best asset, which is his skating.”

Karlsson’s frustration has led to indecision and he’s gone from all-important asset to outright liability.

Karlsson hasn’t been the same player since his Achilles tendon injury (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

MacLean’s biggest challenge is finding a matchup that Karlsson can handle.  Evgeni Malkin is too physically strong and Crosby is too fast.  With Pittsburgh on home ice and able to make the last line change, Karlsson couldn’t hide.

The Penguins attacked Karlsson with Crosby’s line whenever possible in the first two games.  They tried to force Karlsson to play defense and wear himself out working to get the puck back.  MacLean hopes that will change when the series shifts to Ottawa for Game 3 on Sunday night.

“We get the chance to decide who we want to play against [Crosby] at home and maybe be more diligent about it.  They can obviously make another change after the puck drops, but we’re going to feel like we have the right people on the ice against their people.  If there is an advantage [to playing at home], that’s what it is.”

MacLean has said he’s more concerned about having the right defensive pairs on the ice against certain matchups, but he’ll still be handcuffed with limited options if Karlsson can’t regain his confidence.

______________________________________

How can MacLean tell which defensive pair to deploy when he doesn’t have the benefit of a stoppage in play?

Pittsburgh always sends their center onto the ice first during a change on the fly.  It doesn’t matter which player came off the ice.

This is unusual for most hockey fans who grew up being told by their coaches to change for certain players.  Centers change for centers.  Right wingers change for right wingers.

There’s a few reasons the Penguins do this.

First, they’d obviously rather give extra ice time to Malkin and Crosby.  They also want the center on the ice first because he’s usually responsible for playing low in the defensive zone and will need the extra few seconds to get back into position. [Click here to read more on the Penguins' defensive system in this breakdown from last year]

It also makes it easier to avoid too-many-men on the ice penalties.  Bylsma switches his lines constantly.  Pascal Dupuis goes from right wing on Crosby’s line, to left wing on Malkin’s line, to center on the fourth line.  It’s easier for Crosby just to jump onto the ice first instead of trying to remember who is playing what position.

______________________________________

The Penguins have their own matchup concern on defense.

Deryk Engelland and Douglas Murray have been matched up solely against Ottawa’s slower fourth line which includes Chris Neil and Zack Smith.  Engelland struggled quite a bit in Game 2 and Penguins coach Dan Bylsma might be forced to make a change.

Engelland says he was put in the lineup to serve the role of enforcer, but Ottawa’s ability to make the last change at home is a concern.  MacLean can attack the Engelland-Murray pair with the speedy Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Jason Spezza and take advantage of the mismatch.

The Penguins strategy against Ottawa has been very defensive-minded and Bylsma will need a strong sixth defenseman on the road.  Expect Mark Eaton over Simon Despres in Game 3 if they do make the change.

[THW's Justin Glock examines the sixth defenseman issue in depth here]

______________________________________

Despite the 4-1 final score, Ottawa carried the play in the second period of Game 1.  The key was their ability to breakout the puck quickly.  Pittsburgh was dumping the puck softly and allowing goaltender Craig Anderson to kickstart the breakout.  Ottawa spent very little time in their own end of the ice.

They also stepped up aggressively at their own blueline and didn’t allow the Penguins to set up in the offensive zone.  This didn’t happen nearly enough in Game 2 and Malkin was given space to create opportunities in the offensive zone.

Both of these elements will be critical in determining who wins Game 3.

______________________________________

Sidney Crosby switched to a smaller face shield this series.  After conversations with his doctor, he decided that he didn’t need all of the bars on his prior shield.

One area Crosby has been struggling with in the playoffs is faceoffs, perhaps because of the face shield obstructing his vision.  He’s won only 46.4 percent in the playoffs, down from 54.3 percent in the regular season.

Bylsma announced on Sunday afternoon that Joe Vitale (56.1 percent) will not be in the lineup for Game 3 but did not announce a replacement.  If Jussi Jokinen (64.9 percent) remains a healthy scratch, the Penguins could be at a disadvantage in the faceoff circle.

______________________________________

Email: MJColligan@TheHockeyWriters.com

Twitter: Follow @MikeColligan

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Mike Colligan

Managing Editor

Mike Colligan is an NHL analyst at Forbes SportsMoney and the Pittsburgh Penguins correspondent at The Hockey Writers. Email: MJColligan@TheHockeyWriters.com

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This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

Dan Bylsma needs to find a sixth defenseman who is not a liability in the playoffs. (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Head Coach Dan Bylsma has one more delicate decision to make in the playoffs that could make or break the Stanley Cup aspirations of his team. He needs to find a sixth defenseman who is not a liability when awarded ice-time. Bylsma has yet to find a sixth defenseman who can be held accountable this playoff year. When Brooks Orpik was injured with a lower-body injury to begin the playoffs, Bylsma had no choice but to choose from one of his lesser skilled defenseman.

With the way in which the regular season played out, Mark Eaton was listed as the sixth defenseman on the Pens’ depth chart. Deryk Engellend, based on playing time, was considered the seventh defenseman behind Eaton. There was plenty of juggling with the Pens’ back end throughout the regular season, but Engellend got the call in the place of Orpik to begin the playoffs. These arrangements were short-lived as the Islanders’ forwards gave the Pens’ defense all they could handle.

Musical Chairs

Engellend was only one of many players behind the Pens’ defensive deficiencies in the Islanders’ series, but he was eventually chosen to become  a healthy scratch. Benching Engellend was not a difficult decision. He was on the ice for two goals against in Game 2 when the New York Islanders overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Pens 4-3.

Simon Despres was the next defenseman to get a shot. He was penciled into the Pens’ line-up for Game 3. Despres is a faster skater and better puck-mover than Engellend. Bylsma felt Despres’ speed would jump start a struggling Pens’ defense against the Islanders. This couldn’t have been further from the truth. Despres’ first two shifts in Game 3 each resulted in Islanders’ goals. In his few shifts after the second goal, Despres continued to struggle coughing up the puck. Despres was minimized to nine shifts and only six minutes of ice-time in the game. The Pens’ were virtually playing with five defensemen. Despres eventually bounced back in Game 5 and 6, but his inconsistent play was such a cause for concern that he was scratched to start the series against the Ottawa Senators.

Simon Despres bounced back against the New York Islanders, but his inconsistent play gave Dan Bylsma reason to leave him out of the line-up against the Ottawa Senators. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

Eaton seemed to have the sixth defenseman spot locked up after being entered into the line-up in the regular season. Eaton’s first game back in a Pens’ uniform was the beginning of the team’s 15 game winning streak. Due to his immediate success, everyone was convinced the old Eaton was back and ready for a playoff run. Despite what we may have believed, the Islanders’ forwards were too fast for Eaton. He was a minus-two in Game 3 and Game 4, and this provided the support behind Bylsma’s decision to make Eaton a healthy scratch following the Pens’ Game 4 defeat.

To begin the Senator’s series, Bylsma again inserted Engellend into the line-up. As was the case in the Islanders’ series, the opening contest was an easy win for the Pens. The Senators came with a grittier effort in Game 2 and nearly stole a road game in Pittsburgh. Of the three goals surrendered by the Pens’ in Game 2, Engellend was on the ice for two of them. The other tally for the Sens was a power play goal.

“We gave up some pretty good chances tonight,” said Matt Niskanen. “Vokie (Tomas Vokoun) had to shut the door on a couple breakaways in the second (period). They were dangerous at times in the game even though they didn’t have a lot of shots.”

The Sixth Sense

The nagging problem Bylsma hasn’t been able to solve is who to dress as the sixth defenseman. Everyone he’s played in the sixth spot has been susceptible to poor play. Even though the Pens are up 2-0 in their series against the Sens, Bylsma needs to find a solution to this problem sooner rather than later. This issue could still end up costing them a game or the series against the Sens. If the Pens happen to knock out the Sens, they are going to face an opponent with much better offensive talent deeper in the playoffs. Not solving this glaring issue may allow for the Sens to gain life in the series. No playoff team is in jeopardy of losing their series until they lose a playoff game at home.

“We’re going to their barn now,” said Niskanen. “They’re going to have a big push back in Game 3. We got to be ready for it. We set ourselves up for a good series. We just have to continue to build.”

Bylsma should give Eaton another opportunity to play in Game 3 on Sunday. Although the Islanders gave Eaton more than he could handle, the Sens do not have as much speed or offensive talent as the Islanders. Eaton is a proven veteran who knows how to cure his mistakes and is the most trust-worthy out of Bylsma’s choices. With the return of Jason Spezza, Scotia Bank Place is going to be rocking in Game 3, but this won’t disturb Eaton’s play. He has proven experience in similar situations and is obviously itching to get a second chance. Eaton is Bylsma’s best option to sure up the Pens’ sixth defenseman spot and needs to suit up Sunday night.

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Author information

Justin Glock

Justin Glock has covered the Pittsburgh Penguins for The Hockey Writers since 2011. He has followed the Penguins for over two decades. For any requests, please feel free to contact Justin via email: JGlock10@gmail.com.

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This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.