By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
It was nice to see Jordan Staal get a goal Tuesday night at Consol Energy Center, his first in eight games. It started the Penguins down the path to a 4-2 win against the New Jersey Devils that went a long way toward clinching at least fourth place in the Eastern Conference and home-ice advantage for a first-round playoff series.
It was even better that Staal's first-period goal came on the Penguins' power play, which had been lights out for too long.
Lights out -- as in no power. It was in an absurd 3-for-66 slump over 20-plus games when Staal snuck behind Devils defenseman Mark Fraser and lifted the puck over goaltender Johan Hedberg. How absurd was it, you ask? The Penguins scored four short-handed goals during those same 20-plus games.
As a topper, it was great that James Neal and Alex Kovalev got the assists on Staal's goal. The Penguins waited a long time to get an offensive contribution from their two trade-deadline acquisitions. Other than shootout goals, that is.
Now if Neal and Kovalev can just start to score a few goals of their own ...
They have to start scoring goals if the Penguins are going to make any kind of a playoff run.
That's especially true of Neal, who has been a disappointment since coming to the Penguins with defenseman Matt Niskanen in the Feb. 21 trade with Dallas for defenseman Alex Goligoski. He's played hard. He's played a physical game. He's had a decent share of scoring chances. He's hit a few posts and crossbars.
But he's had a hard time finding the back of the net. He has just one goal in 19 games with the Penguins, not counting his two winning shootout goals. That's not good enough for a man who was brought here to score goals.
"He was not brought here to score goals," Penguins general manager Ray Shero said, fairly biting off his words before the Devils game. "He was brought here because he's a good young hockey player. He has too many qualities going for him for me to be concerned about him. You don't see many guys with his size and youth who can release the puck like he can. I'm certain he's going to be a very good player here."
You might guess that Shero wasn't the slightest bit interested in hearing any comparisons between Neal and Alexei Ponikarovsky, the Penguins' trade-deadline pickup last season. Ponikarovsky was a major bust.
"Not even close," Shero said of the two players.
It's no wonder Shero went to great lengths to defend Neal. For one thing, he made the trade for him. For another, he's always going to support his young players. Neal is 23. "He's younger than Sidney [Crosby]," Shero said. "Let's put it in perspective."
That point is a good one. It's far too soon to give up on Neal. It's also true he's much more of a finisher than a guy who's going to create his own scoring chances. His true value to the Penguins won't be fully measured until the playoffs if -- repeat: IF -- Crosby makes a comeback from his concussion-like symptoms or next season if Crosby can't play in the postseason.
But it's hardly wrong to expect more than one goal in 19 games from Neal. He scored 24 with Dallas two years ago and 27 last season. He had 21 in 59 games with the Stars this season before the trade, although his scoring slump started in Dallas where he had only one goal in his final 11 games.
"I'm sure he's pressing to score some goals," Shero acknowledged.
It's nice to think they'll start to come for Neal in the playoffs. The Penguins' first game next week will be his first postseason game in the NHL.
It's also nice to think a few goals will come from Kovalev, who came to the Penguins in a Feb. 24 trade with Ottawa for a conditional seventh-round draft pick. He's hardly a playoff newbie. He's been in 116 postseason games. He's also been productive with 44 goals and 54 assists.
"He's such a big, strong guy," Shero said. "He thinks the game really well. He has patience with the puck and can still make plays. We think he can help us in the playoffs."
That remains to be seen. Kovalev is 38 with a lot of miles. He has just two goals in 18 games with the Penguins, although, like Neal, he has won a couple of games with shootout goals. Realistically, anything the team gets from in the playoffs will be a bonus. Shero certainly didn't give up anything to get him.
There will be more pressure on forwards Tyler Kennedy, Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis to keep scoring goals in Crosby's and Evgeni Malkin's absence. There will be more pressure on Staal, Mark Letestu (no goals in four games since coming back from a shoulder injury) and defenseman Kris Letang (no goals in 23 games) to score more. And, of course, there will be more pressure on Neal. Maybe not so much from Shero and the Penguins' people, but from fans and media.
"It doesn't matter at this point what you've done in the regular season," Shero said. "It's all about the playoffs."
I feel fairly confident making this prediction about Neal:
If he scores a few goals in the postseason, he won't hear the name Ponikarovsky again.
Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com. Ron Cook can be heard on the "Vinnie and Cook" show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.
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