Penguins ready for season despite depleted defense

By Mike Prisuta
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Saturday, October 4, 2008


Brooks Orpik

It's official.

Michel Therrien has created a monster.

How else can Therrien's explanation for the Pens' relatively passive performance in the first two periods of the North American exhibition finale a week ago Friday in Toronto be interpreted?

"We were focusing a little bit too much on our system."

Therrien actually said that.

Seriously.

Swear to God.

The team that used to consider "system" a four-letter word is now apparently obsessed with the proper execution of the same, to the degree that on at least one occasion this preseason, the Pens were more focused on playing the system than they were playing the game.

That's a good problem to have as the Pens prepare to open their regular season today in Sweden.

When recognized, it's easily fixable, as it was Sept. 26 against the Maple Leafs.

And as long as that system-first approach is maintained, the Penguins have a chance to go places, such as to the Stanley Cup final - a trip they made last spring.

To get there, they'll have to play the system, and at the same time, play aggressively.

They'll have to use their instincts, not merely execute their assignments.

They were reminded of the difference between the two in Toronto.

"We want to take a lot of pride in playing solid defensive hockey," Therrien said "But playing solid defensive hockey, you gotta be aggressive. You gotta win your battles. You gotta try to create turnovers. That means you gotta move.

"When you're on your heels, you wait, you wait, you wait, and you're second on the puck."

Rather than being on their heels, Therrien wants the Penguins "playing on our toes."

And that's the case whether it's Sergei Gonchar or Kris Letang playing defense with Brooks Orpik, whether Ryan Whitney or Alex Goligoski is working the magic from the point on the power play.

Kris Letang

The two injured defensemen will be missed, beginning today against the Senators.

But if their replacements adhere to the system, the negative effects of Gonchar and Whitney's absences can be minimized.

That's the theory, at least.

And it's one the Penguins subscribe to wholeheartedly after seeing what a system executed by skilled players could do for them last postseason.

"We'd like to think we're interchangeable," defenseman Rob Scuderi said. "With the system we have here, the reason to have it is for when you have injuries, when you have a little adversity. You can just plug someone else in."

Letang, while lacking experience, isn't short on confidence.

"That's what we always say, if you want to know how good he is just ask him," Orpik said.

He was joking at the time, but at the same time, shedding a little light on the Penguins' expectations of Letang and Letang's of himself.

Goligoski, likewise, will be expected to, at the very least, contribute what the system demands from whoever happens to be in his role.

The system creates opportunity, and talented players take advantage while at the same time bottling up the opposition.

What's not to like about that?

No wonder the Penguins are convinced they can overcome the losses of Whitney and Gonchar.

"This is a group with a lot of confidence," Therrien said. "They're confident they can win every game."

Mike Prisuta is a columnist for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at mprisuta@tribweb.com or 412-320-7923.