Embracing the Trap: Penguins Clog Neutral Zone, Stymie Flyers

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a reputation for offense, and it's hard to argue why.

When the alumni Rolodex includes such prolific point-producers as Jean Pronovost, Pierre Larouche, Mark Recchi, Ron Francis, Paul Coffey, Kevin Stevens, Alexei Kovalev, Martin Straka, Jaromir Jagr and, oh yeah, Mario Lemieux, that kind of label is understandable.

Add the current top two scorers in the NHL, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, and you have an identity that is sure to last well into the next decade.

However, what most hockey fans don't know is the crucial role that the neutral-zone trap played in helping the Penguins achieve one of the franchise's greatest successes, winning the 1992 Stanley Cup.

In the first round of the '92 playoffs, defending Cup champion Pittsburgh employed a 1-2-2 passive forechecking strategy to spark a rebound from a 3-1 series deficit to the Washington Capitals. After dispatching the Caps with help from the trap, the Penguins went 12-2 the rest of the way to claim their second consecutive NHL title. 

Last night in Philadelphia, this year's edition of the Penguins, losers of eight of its past 10 games prior to Tuesday's contest, put together what could have been the club's best collective effort of the season in frustrating the Atlantic-leading Flyers by a score of 4-2.  

Afforded the luxury of two days off by the schedule maker, the Penguins' coaching staff elected to employ the passive scheme popularized by the Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s and proliferated by the 1995 New Jersey Devils.

While the trap has been derided as anything from boring to an abomination, it has consistently produced good results, especially on teams that have enough offensive talent to take advantage of the turnovers the system traditionally produces.

After the much-needed post-lockout crackdown on obstruction infractions, the trap has been somewhat swept under the carpet, even though there are still more teams that rely upon it than ones that don't. Considering the Penguins' rousing success with it last night, perhaps we can add one more club to the trap's side of the ledger.

The Penguins have been searching for an antidote to their porous defense of late, and focusing on a specific positional strategy seemed to unite them to a degree not seen in nearly two months. In fact, last night's game was eerily reminiscent of last spring's playoff run, during which the Pens played extraordinarily well in their own end and used a dangerous transition attack to keep opponents cautious.

As a result of the smothering defense, the Penguins were able to hold onto the puck for long periods deep in the Flyers' zone through a resurrected cycle game. Solid positional play seemed to inspire confidence in the team, leading to increased awareness and patience on the offensive side of things.

The first line of Crosby, Malkin, and grinder Matt Cooke personified the Penguins' transformation. Sid picked the pocket of Philadelphia's Mike Richards to set up Malkin's second-period goal that gave Pittsburgh the lead; late in the same frame, with the Flyers chasing the puck, Crosby hooked a pass in front for Cooke, who buried it for a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes.

Throw in a goal by third-liner Tyler Kennedy off a scramble in front and a brilliant transition score by Jordan Staal, and the Penguins had their most satisfying victory in months. Who says the trap is mind-numbing?

With everyone buying into the system and the sublime talents of Crosby and Malkin, clogging the neutral zone never looked so good.

Next up tonight is a home clash with Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin. and the Capitals. With back-to-back wins against division leaders (and rivals) now within reach, don't be surprised if the Penguins keep the 1992 nostalgia alive by setting another trap for Washington.