The Pittsburgh Penguins got here out robust once more on Monday in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens, and so they additionally, once more, fell flat within the second interval.
However this time, depth scoring got here up massive for the Penguins.
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Lars Eller scored two objectives and Kevin Hayes notched the game-winner within the third interval, because the Penguins defeated the Canadiens, 6-3. Rickard Rakell and Kris Letang additionally scored for Pittsburgh, and Evgeni Malkin added the empty-netter to seal the win on the finish.
Goaltender Tristan Jarry made 27 saves on 30 pictures and got here up massive for the Penguins on the finish of the sport.
Listed below are some ideas and observations from Pittsburgh’s win on Monday:
– Rakell deserves plenty of reward for the way in which he has come out of the gate this season.
His skating appears miles higher. His forechecking and board play has been spectacular, his defensive consciousness continues to be robust, and he’s pondering the sport on a excessive degree. He is aware of tips on how to use physicality and his imaginative and prescient to create house, and he anticipates effectively to place himself in place to make performs.
And that is not even Rakell’s strongest attribute. That will be his shot.
He snapped a shot previous Montembault for his first-period tally, however he additionally ripped two different rockets off the submit afterward. The puck is leaping off his stick, and his patented snapshot is completely deadly proper now.
Considered one of my predictions for this season is that Rakell would rating over 30 objectives (I predicted a career-high 37, to be actual). If he continues to do the issues he is doing proper now, he ought to get there with relative ease. He is been that good.
– On that word, I do not suppose there are sufficient good issues that may be stated about Malkin proper now. He has been shot out of a cannon, and he has been probably the most dynamic offensive participant for the Penguins to this point this season.
He must be seeing the ice as a lot as attainable proper now, plain and easy.
– All that being stated, the top-six as an entire is unquestionably a problem.
After a promising recreation in Detroit, Sidney Crosby’s line has been largely ineffectual. Michael Bunting has been too quiet in lieu of his linemates, though he was undoubtedly extra noticeable tonight.
It is definitely not ultimate to interrupt up Malkin and Rakell proper now, and I do suppose it is truthful to provide Bryan Rust a couple of video games to get his legs again underneath him after being injured to begin the season. Nevertheless, I’m nonetheless of the idea that – particularly, with Jake Guentzel gone – Crosby wants a real finisher on his line.
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That is to not say that Crosby cannot do it on his personal. He is completely succesful, as he is proven time and time once more. However Malkin has all the time been extra of a standout as a person participant when he is on, and he is definitely on proper now.
Crosby requires a participant who thinks the sport effectively on his line and a man who can end, which is why Guentzel was so profitable with him. Rakell is the closest such participant on this roster. Rust and Beauvillier are each north-south, pace, forechecking wingers, and whereas Rust is an excellent one, a participant like that capabilities higher in a complementary position with Crosby.
I would not thoughts seeing them stick Rakell on Crosby’s left and bumping Drew O’Connor as much as Malkin’s proper, because the Bunting-Malkin-O’Connor line labored fairly effectively in opposition to Detroit on Thursday.
And – if we’re stepping into specifics right here – the Rakell-Crosby-Rust line was the Penguins’ greatest line of the season in a small pattern measurement in 2023-24. In truth, Rakell was a part of all three of the Penguins’ greatest strains final season:
– This bottom-six is much-improved from final season, and I believe this can be a fairly positive factor to depend on for the remainder of the season.
There was plenty of speak about shifting Eller over the offseason. I believe what has been proven within the earlygoing is that Eller is usually a excellent third-line middle when offensively gifted gamers are placed on his wings. The third line of O’Connor, Eller, and Jesse Puljujarvi was excellent tonight, and so they appeared to construct some chemsitry all through the night time.
Puljujarvi is really a lift to the third line, and I believe he deserves a constant spot within the lineup proper now.
As for the fourth line? I actually like what I am seeing from them to this point this season. I’ve sang my praises about Cody Glass, and the tune hasn’t modified. However Hayes and Noel Acciari have actually regarded like good complementary items on that line. They’re conscientious defensively and may actually get it occurring the forecheck.
If the Penguins can work out the appropriate mixture within the top-six, this will probably be a really formidable lineup.
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– On the goaltending facet of issues, Jarry’s night time did not begin out ideally. He gave up a questionable first purpose, and Montreal’s third purpose was a kind of “you possibly can have made a save there” objectives.
Nevertheless, I give him credit score for the way in which he closed out the night. Montreal got here on actually robust on the finish of the sport – the Crosby line was hemmed in their very own zone for over two minutes and fully gassed – and Jarry made some massive saves to maintain the lead intact.
This was a giant recreation for him. And I believe he did sufficient on this recreation to keep up his place because the starter for now.
– Somebody who has actually stunned me in a great way to this point this season is Matt Grzelcyk.
He had a couple of defensive hiccups in opposition to the Rangers (everybody did) and Toronto. However he is excellent at becoming a member of the push, he has misleading pace, and he strikes the puck very effectively, which is one thing Sullivan has reiterated a number of instances. He confirmed that on his cross to Malkin within the third interval that led to Letang’s purpose:
Liking the returns on him to this point. I believe he and Letang could possibly be a very good pairing.
– The Penguins play two straight house video games in opposition to Buffalo on Wednesday and Carolina on Friday earlier than starting their Western Canada swing on Monday in opposition to the Winnipeg Jets.
These two video games needs to be a very good take a look at for Pittsburgh. Buffalo has some up-and-coming younger expertise and a reasonably dynamic offense, whereas the Hurricanes are a very good, defensively sound four-line group, as all the time.
Additionally, goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic has been skating with the group and seems near a return. It will likely be fascinating to see who will get the online on Wednesday.
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