• Amid a season of surprises for these Penguins, there might not be a more stunning statistic than this: Since the NHL's Christmas break, a span in which they've won 17 of 28 games and taken points from 23 of those, they're No. 1 in the league in goals conceded.
I didn't mistype that.
They've given up 69 goals for a 2.46 average per game, and no one anywhere's been better in that category. What's more, the cumulative save percentage of .905 between Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner, ranks third. And the penalty-killing rate of 88.2% ranks second.
It's not an accident. Dan Muse and his staff have stressed puck possession over all three zones, but doubly so when it comes to defending.
"We're proud," as Ryan Shea was telling me the other night in Raleigh, N.C., "of the way we work for each other, cover for each other, stick up for each other."
That's pretty much the system, too. It's layers of black and gold being applied to the opponent.
Just a cool thing I thought I'd share today. I get that, especially after a game like the 5-4 shootout loss to the Hurricanes, it might feel like the Penguins give up too much, with a breakdown here, a breakaway there. The truth lies at the polar opposite of that perception.
• A longer list of post-Christmas categories:
PENGUINS
• Here in the universal capital of gambling, I'll make this related point, as well: The team that defends well tends to be the easiest to forecast most accurately. They're not about to blow up, nor suddenly become something they haven't been. It's forged in the identity.
And man, seeing how hard Ilya Solovyov was taking his one largely innocent miscue in losing track of the puck to gift Seth Jarvis 100 feet of free ice -- dude sat at his stall forever afterward and could scarcely speak -- it's all been forged deep.
More significant from the Vegas perspective, that was part of an ongoing 1-6 lull in which the Golden Knights have totaled 13 goals. Which is wild when weighing the wealth of offensive talent in house, not least of which would be Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner up front.
• Not helping: Mark Stone's been on IR since being hurt that day in Pittsburgh. Tremendous player, but my goodness, he misses so much action year after year.
• I'm not a prognosticator, nor do I have a medical degree, but there's no point at which Sidney Crosby's return would shock me. Remember, there'll be no practices on this entire five-game, eight-day trip, so the only play Sid can show his readiness is at morning skates like the full one the team will have today at 2 p.m. Eastern. From there, all that's required is clearance.
• There's another way to view this ...
PENGUINS
... and that's Kyle Dubas and his staff totally killed it.
Taking no credit from Anthony Mantha, whose next goal will match his career-best 25 set in 2018-19, and all the rehab following reconstructive knee surgery early last season with the Flames, it's worth a few extra stick-taps to everyone involved in both targeting and acquiring the one player acquired in any form -- free agency, trade, draft -- who'd lead everyone in the NHL in goals.
• When's the parade for Maxx Crosby's homecoming here, you guys?
• I won't pretend to be a Las Vegas aficionado. Not my kinda place on multiple levels, not least of which is the miserable heat. But I'll still say that it's kinda neat to see sports here, beginning with the Golden Knights, then the Raiders and now with the baseball stadium being built right here next to my hotel, right in the heart of the Strip.
Oakland's fans can complain forever about the latter two, but they weren't about to pioneer forcing a team to stay in crap conditions. Just not how the game's played anymore.
• Thanks for reading my hockey coverage. Obviously, tons more to come today and over the remainder of this long trip.
THE ASYLUM
Grind: Never bet against defense
Good Thursday morning!
• Amid a season of surprises for these Penguins, there might not be a more stunning statistic than this: Since the NHL's Christmas break, a span in which they've won 17 of 28 games and taken points from 23 of those, they're No. 1 in the league in goals conceded.
I didn't mistype that.
They've given up 69 goals for a 2.46 average per game, and no one anywhere's been better in that category. What's more, the cumulative save percentage of .905 between Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner, ranks third. And the penalty-killing rate of 88.2% ranks second.
It's not an accident. Dan Muse and his staff have stressed puck possession over all three zones, but doubly so when it comes to defending.
"We're proud," as Ryan Shea was telling me the other night in Raleigh, N.C., "of the way we work for each other, cover for each other, stick up for each other."
That's pretty much the system, too. It's layers of black and gold being applied to the opponent.
Just a cool thing I thought I'd share today. I get that, especially after a game like the 5-4 shootout loss to the Hurricanes, it might feel like the Penguins give up too much, with a breakdown here, a breakaway there. The truth lies at the polar opposite of that perception.
• A longer list of post-Christmas categories:
PENGUINS
• Here in the universal capital of gambling, I'll make this related point, as well: The team that defends well tends to be the easiest to forecast most accurately. They're not about to blow up, nor suddenly become something they haven't been. It's forged in the identity.
And man, seeing how hard Ilya Solovyov was taking his one largely innocent miscue in losing track of the puck to gift Seth Jarvis 100 feet of free ice -- dude sat at his stall forever afterward and could scarcely speak -- it's all been forged deep.
• It's Penguins vs. Golden Knights here tonight -- 10:08 p.m. Eastern, T-Mobile Arena -- and it's a rematch of the former's 5-0 flattening of this opponent 11 days ago back home.
More significant from the Vegas perspective, that was part of an ongoing 1-6 lull in which the Golden Knights have totaled 13 goals. Which is wild when weighing the wealth of offensive talent in house, not least of which would be Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner up front.
• Not helping: Mark Stone's been on IR since being hurt that day in Pittsburgh. Tremendous player, but my goodness, he misses so much action year after year.
• I'm not a prognosticator, nor do I have a medical degree, but there's no point at which Sidney Crosby's return would shock me. Remember, there'll be no practices on this entire five-game, eight-day trip, so the only play Sid can show his readiness is at morning skates like the full one the team will have today at 2 p.m. Eastern. From there, all that's required is clearance.
• There's another way to view this ...
PENGUINS
... and that's Kyle Dubas and his staff totally killed it.
Taking no credit from Anthony Mantha, whose next goal will match his career-best 25 set in 2018-19, and all the rehab following reconstructive knee surgery early last season with the Flames, it's worth a few extra stick-taps to everyone involved in both targeting and acquiring the one player acquired in any form -- free agency, trade, draft -- who'd lead everyone in the NHL in goals.
• When's the parade for Maxx Crosby's homecoming here, you guys?
• I won't pretend to be a Las Vegas aficionado. Not my kinda place on multiple levels, not least of which is the miserable heat. But I'll still say that it's kinda neat to see sports here, beginning with the Golden Knights, then the Raiders and now with the baseball stadium being built right here next to my hotel, right in the heart of the Strip.
Oakland's fans can complain forever about the latter two, but they weren't about to pioneer forcing a team to stay in crap conditions. Just not how the game's played anymore.
• Thanks for reading my hockey coverage. Obviously, tons more to come today and over the remainder of this long trip.
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