Meltdown addressed at practice
Six goals allowed in third period causes concern
On its own, Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils isn’t one that would be circled on the calendar or highlighted on the schedule.
It’s a mid-week game … against a lousy opponent … without a ton of intrigue in the standings. Add it up and you’ve got a whole lot of meh.
But considering the way the Penguins stumbled against the Devils in the third period in Tuesday’s 7-6 win — allowing six goals in the final 20 minutes — the response in Game 2 of the three-game series will be critical. It will begin to reveal if that confounding third period was merely a blip on the radar or an early warning sign for a larger issue.
Coach Mike Sullivan called the Penguins together ahead of Wednesday’s practice for an on-ice meeting that lasted about 10 minutes. Part of that is due simply to the COVID-19 protocols, which significantly limit the amount of face-toface communication that’s allowed off the ice. Under normal circumstances, these discussions would likely take place behind closed doors. But the performance in the final period on Tuesday also surely had something to do with the tone and the length of that discussion.
“For me, it’s more symptomatic of the mindset than anything,” Sullivan said. “That’s really the most important aspect. That was part of some of the discussion we had with the players.
“It’s not like this group doesn’t know how to play and doesn’t know the details of the team game that gives us the best chance to be successful out there. We’ve had a lot of success playing the game a certain way. It’s a matter of getting back to the discipline of the details and a certain competitiveness that gives us an opportunity to have success.”
Let’s call it like it is. The Devils are a floundering hockey team that sits in seventh place in the hyper-competitive East Division. They weren’t great to begin with and then got even worse at the trade deadline when they gave away two of the longesttenured members of the team, Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac.
Then, due to injuries and COVID-related absences on Tuesday, the Devils also were missing three of their top- four scorers ( Pavel Zacha, Jesper Bratt and Ty Smith), their biggest name defenseman (P.K. Subban) and their No. 1 goalie (MacKenzie Blackwood).
So when the Penguins blitzed this short-handed and subpar team with six goals in the first two periods, yeah, that was maybe to be expected. What happened after that? Not so much.
“I think going into that third period, we were talking in the locker room about staying ready and staying in it and to make sure we finished it off well,” defenseman Mike Matheson said. “But subconsciously, we obviously let it get away and weren’t as locked in as we needed to be. As much as some things were physical, I think it was a byproduct of not being 100% focused.”
Thursday’s game will be a test mentally as much as anything. It can be human nature to take a breath or relax during a long season, especially when it seems the game is well in hand. But the next two games against the New Jersey Devils present a prime opportunity to wrap up a playoff spot before the Penguins enter the home stretch.
Following the conclusion of this series, the Penguins have three challenging series in a row against the Bruins, Capitals and Flyers. Racking up points two at a time now will help the Penguins solidify that playoff spot and build momentum for what’s to come.
“It’s a learning experience for sure,” new forward Jeff Carter said. “You think about what you could do differently. You’ve got to learn from it. You’ve got to move on. We’ve got another big game tomorrow. It’s another two points on the line.”
Carter reflects
Carter has scored plenty of goals in his 16-year NHL career. Actually, 391 goals to be exact. But Tuesday, the Penguins deadline acquisition recorded one of the more noteworthy goals in recent memory when he netted his first goal in black and gold.
A loose puck bounced right to Carter in the slot. He wound up and ripped a big right-handed slap shot past New Jersey’s Scott Wedgewood.
“It’s always nice to get that first one out of the way and get things rolling,” Carter said. “It wasn’t the prettiest of goals, but I’ll take them anyway they can come.”
Through four games, Carter has one goal and one assist. He has been playing second-line minutes alongside Jason Zucker and Jared McCann. That trio has begun to form some chemistry, which could change the way the Penguins put their lineup together once everyone returns from injury.
While Carter’s size and speed makes him an interesting addition, the 36-yearold said he’s still working to learn all the systems and tactics.
“It’s totally different from what we played in LA,” said Carter, who played the last decade with the Kings. “It’s been a big adjustment for me. It’s definitely coming along.”
Unique circumstances
Joining a new club always comes with some growing pains and a learning curve. But due to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols and restrictions, that process has been even more challenging for some players.
But Matheson pointed out that when he joined the Penguins, all the rules and regulations have actually helped his transition. He pointed out that while typical team bonding can’t happen at dinners or in small groups, there are some silver linings.
“In a way, that has benefited me because it’s forced everyone to be together all the time,” Matheson said. “That has been nice for me to get to know a lot of the guys and be around them that much more than I would have been if it was a regular year.”