Imperfect 10: What the Pittsburgh Penguins Can Learn From Their So-So Start
Following their 5-3 come-from-ahead loss in Tampa Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins find their season off to an imperfect start through 10 games. At 5-4-1, it would figure that there have been moments of encouragement and frustration in almost equal measure. In the interest of being thorough, the following slideshow garners one teaching point from each game played thus far.
October 7: Flyers 3, Penguins 2
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On Opening Night at CONSOL Energy Center, the Penguins discovered that a new home doesn't guarantee home-ice advantage. Despite dominating play in the early going against rival Philadelphia, Pittsburgh fell behind 2-0 en route to christening its state-of-the-art facility much the same way it did 43 years ago at the then-Civic Arena—with a loss.
October 9: Canadiens 3, Penguins 2
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Playing their second game in three nights at the new barn, the Penguins took a 2-1 lead late into the third period against the team that dumped them out of the playoffs last spring, the Montreal Canadiens. However, the visitors rallied to tie and then got the game winner on a seemingly innocent wrist shot, revealing that goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury's stellar preseason would not carry over into regular-season play.
October 11: Penguins 3, Devils 1
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Two days after goaltending burned them, the Penguins took to the road for the first time in New Jersey on Columbus Day. Erstwhile backup 'tender Brent Johnson carried a shutout into the third period and the Pens shut down the Devils, who won all six games in the 2009-10 season series. A mental roadblock from the previous year was quickly eradicated in a solid victory overall.
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October 13: Maple Leafs 4, Penguins 3
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Another one-goal loss at CONSOL Energy Center, this time at the hands of the revamped Leafs, reminded the Penguins that, when it comes to shots allowed, quality trumps quantity. Despite surrendering only 15 shots on goal, Pittsburgh watched as four point-blank Toronto scoring chances were all converted, building frustration...and the home losing streak to three.
October 15: Penguins 3, Islanders 2 (OT)
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After defenseman Kris Letang was erroneously booted from the game in the second period, the Islanders stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to force overtime and make the hometown Penguins fans even more insecure. But a sudden-death power play proved fruitful, as blueliner Alex Goligoski continued his strong October with a clinical finish from the left circle. The CONSOL "curse" was over and the Pens had their first experience with fighting through tough times.
October 16: Penguins 5, Flyers 1
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The lessons from the Penguins' first blowout win of the season were twofold: first, Sidney Crosby still hates Philadelphia, and second, his goal-scoring prowess of last season has assuredly not left him. With Pittsburgh clinging to a flimsy 2-1 lead through two periods, No. 87 blasted away from the perimeter on the power play, netting a pair of backbreaking goals in the process.
Crosby has scored more points against the Flyers than any other team, and judging by the look on his face, that trend isn't likely to stop soon.
October 18: Penguins 5, Senators 2
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On a night the Penguins honored the return of star defenseman Sergei Gonchar to Pittsburgh, the home side received points from four different blueliners en route to a trouncing of visiting Ottawa.
The admirable play of Goligoski, Letang and Paul Martin have comforted Penguins staff and supporters, allaying fears that the absence of Gonchar would create a noticeable hole on the defense corps.
October 21: Penguins 4, Predators 3 (OT)
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The Penguins took to the road and extended their winning streak to four with a 4-3 OT decision in Nashville. Evgeni Malkin was at his swooping and darting best, scoring Pittsburgh's first goal and setting up Crosby's late tying tally with a determined effort.
But despite both Malkin and Crosby at 100%, the Pens still needed a game-saving defensive play from Pascal Dupuis and Letang's sudden-death goal to prevail. In other words, it's always more than a two-man game.
October 23: Blues 1, Penguins 0 (OT)
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In a game that was both unique (the first 1-0 overtime loss in Penguins history) and familiar (Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak standing tall in the crease), Pittsburgh earned a standings point for the fifth straight contest.
The Pens weren't lacking for scoring chances, but sometimes in an 82-game schedule the opponent will simply be better. Still, the shutout couldn't have been easy to swallow for a Pittsburgh team victimized last spring by Halak's Montreal star turn.
October 27: Lightning 5, Penguins 3
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Even though the final score might indicate otherwise, the Penguins had a legitimate chance to end a short road trip on a positive note, only to have their sloppiness hand the game over to feisty Tampa Bay.
Three points from journeyman Craig Adams and shoddy goaltending from the Lightning's Mike Smith gave Pittsburgh the illusion of dominance, but turnovers and unfocused play turned the tables in Tampa's favor. The take from this one? A 5-4-1 record is exactly what this team deserves.
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