Pens in a left wing lockout

By Mark Madden 

Special to The Beaver County Times | Posted: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 12:16 am

http://www.timesonline.com

There’s only one way to get over losing both ends of a home-and-home to New Jersey: Refreshing Penguins notes! Can anybody out there play left wing?

Zach Boychuk has zero points in six games taking a regular shift with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. How is that possible? Is he using a stick? The left wing situation on the Geno line has reached critical mass: 13 games, and no one skating in that spot has collected a point.

No matter what the cause may be, Malkin needs to contain his frustration. He gave back a power play at New Jersey by taking a retaliation penalty, then committed an unnecessary trip to give the Devils a man-advantage that resulted in their third goal en route to a 3-1 victory. Malkin leads the team with 24 penalties. That act is getting old. Three goals in 13 games is no crime. Slumps happen. But don’t compound a slump with stupidity.

Malkin isn’t the only Penguin that too quickly goes from zero to 60 on the petulance speedometer. The dressing room might benefit from an additional strong veteran presence. An injection of maturity sure wouldn’t hurt.

The power play is better with Paul Martin quarterbacking: 5 for 13 with at least one goal in each of its three games. Martin sets things up efficiently and gets the puck to Malkin and Sidney Crosby quickly, giving them a split-second more to make a decision. Martin shoots creampuffs, true. But it’s a job he’s trained for and experienced at. He should keep it.

I also like Malkin and Crosby on opposite sides of the PP. It spreads out the opposition box, creating more room for everyone. When they’re both on the right, the power play gets crunched against the boards.

*The Penguins took 17 penalties total during their last two road games. Malkin and Neal don’t kill penalties. Sporadic ice ruins their rhythm.

*The Penguins have twice fought in the first minute of a game: Tanner Glass at the Rangers Jan. 20 and Robert Bortuzzo at home against New Jersey two days ago. Fights resulting from legitimate emotion during a game are one thing, but tensions usually don’t run high during warm-up. Staged fights like this should result in ejection for both players, and a fine for both coaches. No need for a circus act.

*The Penguins are a different team without Kris Letang. He’s the X factor. He’s a one-man Plan B on the breakout. He skates with the puck. Joins the rush. Goes deep into the other team’s zone. His speed covers up for mistakes, his and others’. Letang’s value gets proven every time he’s out.

*Crosby’s production isn’t quite what’s expected, let alone what he would like. But Crosby is flying all over the ice, churning and burning. Crosby came back last year and got 37 points in 22 games, but he never looked totally comfortable. Sid needed an off-season of working out, and he got it. Sid’s game and confidence depend on elite-level conditioning. Crosby’s hands are still a bit rusty, but his stats are about to take off.

*The Penguins went 88:52 without scoring in the two losses to New Jersey. The Penguins could have adjusted better over 180 minutes, but the Devils’ omnipresent system fueled the Penguins’ ineptitude. The Penguins scored 20 times over the prior four games, but the Devils shackled them. Crosby had 10 points in the prior four games, but none against New Jersey.

*The amount of events at Consol Energy Center make this difficult, but the Penguins’ high-octane style would benefit from better ice. The rink at Consol is known for being soft and slow. The Pens are fast and precise.

*A lot of NHL goaltenders are carrying heavy loads, already hitting double figures in games played. They might be damp spots on the dressing-room carpet come playoff time. Typical hockey mentality: Can’t see past the next game. GM Ray Shero and coach Dan Bylsma are getting this one right.

*The Penguins have been wildly inconsistent, but every team is going to have peaks and valleys while playing 48 games in 99 days after a week-long training camp. Eight wins in 13 games is not a bad start, especially considering the Penguins are everyone’s target. Always in the spotlight.