Game one was one to forget for the Pittsburgh Penguins, specifically goaltender Tristan Jarry.
For all intents and purposes, the Penguins played well in the 4-3 OT loss to the New York Islanders. The offense was electric, role players contributed while Sidney Crosby netted yet another goal and point against the Isles and the defense for the most part was solid, but when your goaltender plays lackluster, those positives lead to what was a crushing game one loss for the Penguins. Now, before crushing Jarry into the ground like most have, this was his first career playoff start and second career playoff game, and playoff jitters, emotions and anxiety happen, especially for goaltenders. When looking at what Jarry needs to improve on to even up this series, you have to look at his glove hand. The Isles three goals in regulation were all lackluster, none of them should have found the back of the net, but they continued time and time again to attack Jarry's glove hand, which is his weakness and they were rewarded. If Jarry can find a way to improve in that department, he'll be just fine, but prior to this series, head coach of the Isles Barry Trotz pretty much called out Jarry and Casey DeSmith for their lack of playoff experience, hinting that the Penguins can have all the offensive firepower they want, but the Isles will just outscore them. As far as what I have seen, the Penguins have not lost focus or perspective, they know they can even the series up in game two, but even head coach Mike Sullivan said to DK Pittsburgh Sports that he is very confident in how Jarry has handled himself after game one and expects him to be just fine in game two. I personally think the Penguins bounce back in a huge way against the Isles in game two by giving Jarry a lead early and letting him find his footing in the first period and coast from there. The Penguins will relish knowing they can do so with top-level forward play and a solid supporting cast and even the series up tonight at one a piece. Now if they don't? The cause for concern grows and the real possibility of Jarry's goaltending being the downfall for their Stanley Cup hopes grows by the hour.
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It's a hockey night in Pittsburgh!
Before you check out this article, check out the Penguins 2021 season preview. The NHL season is back in 2021 after a season that was shortened but featured in expanded playoffs due to coronavirus in 2020. Not only the Penguins but the entire NHL are feeling the effects still in 2021 as the NHL decided to reform the divisions to limit travel distance, including an entire Canadian division. For the Penguins though, a familiar foe sits in front of them despite the divisions changing, the Philadelphia Flyers. The in-state rivals kick off the season against one another for the eighth time and the first time since 2013 when the Penguins started the season strong with a 3-1 victory. As for 2021, these teams have changed since last season, seeing the Penguins and Flyers both make some strong additions in very different ways, but here are some notes on the game tonight. How will the Penguins start without Kaspari Kapanen Available? The Penguins acquired Kapenan from the Toronto Maple Leafs to be a strong first-line winger alongside Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel, but he is out for at least the first three contests for the Penguins due to COVID-19 protocol. Evan Rodrigues will get the nod as the first line winger in place of Kapanen more than likely, posing a huge opportunity for him to prove his worth after a solid offseason from word of the coaching staff. Kapanen's absence also poses opportunities for other players as well as Brandon Tenev will move up to the third line and Sam Lafferty will get a chance to play as well. Can Tristan Jarry kick off his campaign on a good note? After Matt Murray was traded to the Ottawa Senators in the 2020 offseason, it was clear Jarry would be the top goaltender for the Penguins moving forward. Jarry was 1-1 against the Flyers last season, allowing five goals in the two contests with 54 saves. Jarry earned himself an All-Star nod last season, but with his role now much more elevated, getting off to a hot start against a bitter rival could be huge for the young goaltender in 2021. Can the Penguins New-Look Defense Contain Sean Courtier and Co.? The Penguins defense saw some changes in the offseason and with it being their first game together, it could take a hot minute for the defense to gel together and that spells trouble against Sean Courtier. The Frank Selke award winner enjoyed a strong 2020 campaign, hitting 59 points in 69 games played last season. He enjoyed some success with fellow first-line man Travis Konecny, who bested him with 61 points last season but created a stellar first line for the Flyers that also includes Oskar Lindbolm, who posted 18 points in 30 games last season. The Penguins will see additions Cody Cece and Mike Matheson make debuts tonight, so it will be interesting to see how the defense fairs against what was a solid offensive team in the Flyers in 2020. The Penguins and Flyers kick off the 2021 season at 5:30pm ET on NBCSN. Hockey season is finally back. The Pittsburgh Penguins and the NHL had to wait a little longer to bring the season back after one of the craziest years for sports and the world in 2020, but heading into 2021, the Penguins once again have plenty of optimism at aspirations for a Stanley Cup, but also plenty of questions. What does this season entail for the Penguins and what questions can be answered for the 2021 season? 2019-2020 Recap Last season was an intriguing one for the Penguins. Strong goaltending from Tristan Jarry, stars like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin played up to par and the team remained consistent, but a first round exit to the 12 seed Montreal Canadiens brought the season to a screeching halt, making many wonder if the stars have much gas left in the tank. Having won only three of their last 14 postseason games, the Penguins have got to find the postseason first and then find their mojo again after the regular season to have a true shot at another Stanley Cup for Crosby and company. Who did the Penguins Add in the Offseason? Kasperi Kapanen - Kapanen came to the Penguins via trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs and the 24 year old right winger will make an immediate impact for the Penguins as a goal scorer and playmaker alongside the top lines. Kapanen will likely miss the first three games of the season, but expect him to be very solid alongside Sidney Crosby. Mike Matheson - Another trade acquisition in the Hornqivst trade, Matheson is a worthy defender for the Penguins and despite his top-four defenseman ability, Jim Rutherford expects Matheson to be on the third line and make an impact for what was a struggling defense last season due to injury. Colton Sceviour - Sceviour came from the Panthers as well as part of the Hornqivst trade, being the lesser prize of the trade. Expect Sveviour to be a bottom-six forward for Pittsburgh as he only had 16 points all last season for Florida. Mark Jankowski - The Penguins needed a third line center heading into 2021 and they got one when they signed Jankowksi in free agency. After a poor 2020 season, the Penguins hope he can improve and solidify the third line. Cody Ceci - Defense was a huge need for the Penguins and they chose to sign Ceci in free agency. Ceci makes routine mistakes defensively, but with his role leaning more towards depth in 2021, he could improve with less pressure on him to perform at a top-four defenseman level. Who is no longer with the Penguins? Matt Murray - With the emergence of Tristan Jarry as an All-Star caliber goaltender and a poor performance in the first round of the playoffs, the Penguins decided to keep Jarry and move on from Murray, who will now be in net for the Ottawa Senators. Patric Hornqvist - Already mentioned, but Hornqvist was traded to the Florida Panthers in the offseason and will likely help the Panthers on the powerplay and goalscoring, both things the team needed and got from the Penguins. Dominik Simon - The Penguins decided not to give a qualifying offer to Simon, who spent his first five seasons with Pittsburgh and headed to Calgary in free agency. Jack Johnson - Johnson was bought out by the Penguins after a poor 2019-2020 campaign and picked up by the Rangers. Johnson would have likely saw his ice time diminish with the additions made in the offseason. Justin Schultz - After an injury riddled 2019-2020, Schultz was picked up by the Capitals in free agency, seeing yet another former Penguin head to Washington. Can Tristan Jarry Live Up to the Hype? As mentioned earlier, the Penguins decided to move on from Matt Murray, making Jarry the clear starter in net. This will be the first time in nearly 15 seasons that the Penguins will not have Marc Andre-Fleury or Matt Murray in net, and with Casey DeSmith manning the backup goaltender role, Jarry will have to play his best hockey he has ever had to play. Last season saw Jarry gain his first ever All-Star appearance, yet he barely saw action in the playoffs behind Murray, but with Murray gone, Jarry has the task of being the next top-notch Penguins goaltender after Fleury and Murray brought championships to the Steel City. Can Crosby, Malkin and Letang Stay Healthy?
The three best players on the Penguins have been Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang for some time as time can tell, injuries become an issue with age, but if this trio can stay healthy, the Penguins have a real shot at competing for a Stanley Cup in the Eastern Conference. Health will be paramount for the Penguins this season after seeing a slew of injuries, including Jake Guentzel, who saw his season coming to an end, but he is also fully healthy and back for the Penguins as well, so having a near 40-goal scorer along with this dominant trio will be dangerous for opposing teams in 2021. Predictions If the Penguins stay healthy, expect them to be on top of the Eastern Conference and competing for a Stanley Cup. With Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, New Jersey and the New York Rangers all being in Pittsburgh's division due to the reformation of the divisions, competition will not be easy, but expect another playoff appearance for Mike Sullivan's team. Also, expect Tristan Jarry to live up to the hype and be a top goaltender in the Eastern Conference and expect the stars on the roster to bounce back after injuries or sub-par seasons and propel the team into contention once again. The season kicks off on Wednesday against the Penguins fellow Pennsylvania rival Philadelphia. |
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