Points of Emphasis: Pens vs Habs

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Down 3-2 in the final minute, the Pittsburgh Penguins pulled Marc-Andre Fleury. The extra attacker failed, and the Pens fell to the Montreal Canadiens.

With that sad news now behind us, let’s take a look into one reason why the Pens are still without a win on this young season.

Shots:

https://twitter.com/BrianK_PI/status/654077521718312960

The Pens had only two shots on net during the first 10 minutes of the game and had four total in the period. That has got to change for the team to have any success moving forward. Kris Letang has been doing his part by leading the team with 15 shots, three more than Phil Kessel so far.

In their first game of the season against the Dallas Stars, the Pens were shutout but registered 10 shots in that first period. They took 37 shots total in that game. Coming into last night, they had 65 shots total. Beginning the game with such meager numbers is evidence that once again the Pens got off on the wrong foot. After being outplayed during the first period, the shot rate picked up and the goals started coming.

The Pens ended up with 33 shots on goal against the Canadiens, and that number must increase if the team is going to shoot their way out of this early season scoring slump.  After scoring none in the first game, one in the second game and now two in the third game, the trend is heading upwards.

New Goal Song?

Speaking of scoring, there has been an online campaign supported by the website Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies to have the Pens change their goal song to “Party Hard,” by Andrew W.K.  Instead, Pens fans were once again greeted with Zombie Nation’s “Kernkraft 400,” an already well-trod sports arena song.  In fact, it’s has been a big part of Penn State Football for years now.

Ever since Gary Glitter was convicted of child sex crimes, teams have been leery of playing “Rock and Roll Part II.”

After former Penguin Thomas Greiss said:

It is a little more understandable why the song is fitting.

For his part, Nicholas of PSAMP said, “I love Andrew W.K. and that album [but] I could have picked any song really. I just want fans rallying in a positive way.”

The team is at least listening:

Opening Video:

As this was the home opener, there was a new pregame video to debut. If you missed it during the pregame broadcast, the Pens will have it on their website tomorrow.