A lucky seven doesn't hurt, but Penguins need more than good fortune to win

By Mark Madden
http://www.timesonline.com/sports
May 26, 2016



Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin celebrate after Kunitz scored in the second period of Game Five last Sunday at Consol Energy Center. (Kevin Lorenzi/The Times)

The Penguins are 2-7 when Game 7 of a playoff series is contested at home. That includes losses in 1975, 1989, 1993, 1996, 2010, 2011 and 2014. Every single one of those defeats was a travesty or debacle to some degree. Ed Westfall. Ken Wregget. David Volek. Tom Fitzgerald. It’s a lengthy list of heartbreak.

But that’s got nothing to do with Game 7 against Tampa Bay at Consol Energy Center. Tonight has a better feel than any past disasters if only because the Penguins won Game 6, something that hadn’t happened going into any of their Game 7 defeats at home. The Penguins have never lost Game 7 anywhere after winning Game 6.

The issues for tonight don’t differ much from those for Tuesday’s Game 6.

Goaltending didn’t decide Game 6.

Matt Murray played solidly. Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy outplayed Murray but lost anyway. The goalies are important but don’t always determine who wins. Murray’s biggest contribution may have been imbuing his team with a sense of calm that was absent when Marc-Andre Fleury played Game 5.

Luck had a lot to do with Tuesday’s outcome.

An offside call via replay denied Jonathan Drouin a first-period goal that would have given Tampa Bay a 1-0 first-period lead. An inch offside is still offside, but inches are a bit random.

The Lightning’s Victor Hedman fired a clearing attempt over the glass at the far end for a delay-of-game infraction that put his team down two men and led to Phil Kessel’s ice-breaking goal. That doesn’t often happen. Anton Stralman was already in the penalty box, so the Penguins had a 5-on-3 while Tampa Bay’s two best defensemen were both off the ice.

The Penguins weren’t lucky to win. But luck is always involved.

Some non-stars are playing well. Bryan Rust’s speed is a catalyst, and his third-period goal provided the dagger in Game 6. Olli Maatta performed like Maatta used to. You don’t win 11 playoff games without depth of contribution.

But to win 12, the big-money players will have to shine.

Two did on Tuesday. Sidney Crosby tallied an electrifying goal and added an assist to register his first multiple-point game since the Penguins’ first-round series against the New York Rangers. Kris Letang rebounded from his minus-4 catastrophe in Game 5 to score a goal and play nearly 24 minutes of stalwart defense.

Repeat performances by Crosby and Letang would go a long way.

Or perhaps it’s Evgeni Malkin’s turn.

Malkin was a mixed bag Tuesday. The retaliatory slashing penalty he took on Tampa Bay’s Ryan Callahan was inexcusable. Malkin missed a great chance right before Drouin’s disallowed goal. Malkin got three shots on goal and was occasionally a dynamic presence. He played pretty well.

Considering Malkin’s salary and pedigree, the Penguins could use better.

Or maybe Kessel will continue to carry more than his share of the load. The mercurial winger has nine goals and nine assists in these playoffs. Kessel is so torrid, he was scoring into both nets Tuesday.

The Penguins revisited a frustrating tactic in Tuesday’s third period, easing off their forecheck and ineffectively trying to clog the neutral zone. I’m told that wasn’t what coach Mike Sullivan wanted, that some of the Penguins froze and passively went into survival mode. That allowed the Lightning to put the Penguins under siege, out-shoot them 20-8 during the final 20 minutes and get back in the game.

That doesn’t bode well for Game 7. It’s up to the stars to see things right. Then again ... Max Talbot.

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).