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The Five-Time Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins begin their journey in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Mike Drakulich (@PghSportsNation) covers the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers football for NGSCSports.com and brings you the best local sports coverage in Pittsburgh.
Penguins trio hoping for a long playoff run
The biggest question for the Pittsburgh Penguins heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs is a generational one…
Is this the end of an era?
The trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang has witnessed this team raising Lord Stanley’s Cup three times during their tenure.
Both Malkin and Letang are in the final years of their contracts.
If the Penguins get bounced early from the playoffs, as they have the past four years since winning back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships, a restructuring of the entire team may be forthcoming.
Much will also depend on salaries demanded by Malkin and Letang.
Malkin, who is 35, seems content with a lesser contract if it means remaining in Pittsburgh.
“I do not think about money. I’m like a pretty rich guy,” Malkin stated back in December. “I have had a tough year. I want to get back to my level of the game. We have a great group. We have great coaches. I miss hockey so much. I want to enjoy every game. I know it’s a little bit not easy, but I want to play maybe three, four more years and I feel I can.”
Letang is focused on bringing another championship home before he thinks about the offseason.
“I don’t really think about this right now, to be honest,” Letang said. “There’s a lot of guys without contracts coming up (in the upcoming offseason). Right now, I’m just trying to play my game, bring the same level. My goal is every time I enter the year, is to win another Stanley Cup (title). That’s what I focus on. The rest is going to take care of itself.”
Crosby was a bit more nostalgic when thinking about an uncertain future with the three, as well as what this team could look like next October.
“As much as you don’t want to think about it, it’s something that you understand that could be a possibility,” Crosby said. “You just try to enjoy it as much as you can and take it all in because you know it’s not something that’s going to last forever, whether it’s this year or down the road a little bit more.
“You only get to play for so long. Just trying to enjoy it and just be grateful for the opportunity to do it again.”
The Penguins have struggled down the stretch, looking nothing like a team ready for a long playoff run, but as head coach Mike Sullivan stated, it’s a new season when the playoffs begin, and everybody’s record is now 0-0.
“I think experience is the best teacher, you know?” Sullivan said recently. “And I also think we learn more from our failures than we do our successes because it forces you to dig down and soul search a little bit and reflect on your own individual part in those experiences.”
The Penguins will enter the playoffs minus their starting goaltender in Tristan Jarry, and forward Jason Zucker.
Both are listed as “day-to-day” by Sullivan.
The Penguins will hope their experience will overcome the youthfulness and inexperience of the Rangers roster.
“Playoff is a different animal, the intensity is way higher,” Letang said. “To deal with the ups and downs, either with games, or a shift or a period, you have to be able to stay calm and focus on what you have to do and make sure you don’t get carried away with the crowd or penalties or power plays … managing emotions, stuff like that, controlling the game.”
Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant likes what he sees from his young group.
“I like our team, I like where we got a good mix of young guys that took a step this year for us big time,” Gallant said. “I think we can make a run. I don’t know if we’re going to, but I think we’ve good as good a chance as anybody else.”
Team Statistical Breakdowns
2021-22 Head to Head Record
Pittsburgh: 1-3
NY Rangers: 3-1
Goals per Game
Pittsburgh: 3.28 GF/G (11th)
NY Rangers: 3.05 GF/G (17th)
Goals Against
Pittsburgh 2.67 GA/G (5th)
NY Rangers: 2.46 GA/G (2nd)
Power Play
Pittsburgh: 20.2 PP% (19th)
NY Rangers: 25.2 PP% (4th)
Penalty Kill
Pittsburgh: 84.4 PK% (3rd)
NY Rangers: 82.3 PK% (7th)
Team Breakdowns
Forwards
From top to bottom, the Penguins boast more firepower than the Rangers, but this team will need their bottom six to produce much more than they have the past two months. The Rangers are a fast and opportunistic offense that moves the puck quickly, and loves to create offense off of their relentless pressure.
The Penguins also need to generate more shots and create traffic in front of Igor Shesterkin. It’s all about getting down and dirty when the playoffs begin. You have to be nasty and willing to battle every inch of the ice to survive and advance.
The Penguins are strong down the middle with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jeff Carter centering the first three lines, and Teddy Blueger has looked rejuvenated the past few games down on the 4th line.
Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust with Crosby is one of the best lines in all of hockey.
Pittsburgh hopes trade deadline acquisition Rickard Rakell will shine alongside Malkin in the playoffs.
As noted, bottom six players like Brock McGinn, Kasperi Kapanen, and Evan Rodrigues need to contribute with some timely goals for the Penguins to advance. Look for Drew O’Connor to get a shot quickly if one of those three falter of show no life in games one and two. You never have to worry about Jeff Carter bringing 100% every night.
The Rangers will look for LW Chris Kreider to be the man on the first line alongside center Mika Zibanejad.
New York’s 2nd line is solid with the trio of Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome, and Andrew Copp.
How well will 2nd year phenom Alexis Lafreniere fare while playing on the 3rd line?
Edge: Penguins
Defensemen
Yes, the Penguins boast the services of Kris Letang, but Brian Dumoulin has had a down year by his standards. The defensive unit of the Penguins will need to be quick with their passes and keep the Rangers out of Casey DeSmith’s face and crease.
The Rangers always find ways to keep teams from disturbing Shesterkin’s crease, and are real good and limiting quality shots from the opposition.
Adam Fox is the straw that stirs the Rangers drink on defense. Fox had 11 goals and 63 assists on the year.
Edge: Rangers
Goaltending
It’s hard to take anyone over New York’s Igor Shesterkin, a likely Vezina winner and MVP of the league candidate.
Edge: Rangers
Special Teams
The Penguins ranked 19th on the power play, but 4th in penalty kill. The Rangers were the 4th ranked team on the man advantage and 7th in penalty kill.
Edge: Rangers
Penguins Keys to Victory
- Shoot the puck: The more shots the merrier. The Penguins averaged just 25 shot per game vs the Rangers in the regular season. Come out firing in this series.
- Harass Igor Shesterkin: He may be the best goaltender in the NHL, but the Penguins have always excelled at breaking goalies. Get in his crease, shoot from every direction, and screen his shots as much as possible.
- Rise to the occasion: The stars, Crosby, Guentzel, Malkin, and Letang need to shine for this team to advance.
Series Prediction
The next week or two are going to be interesting in Pittsburgh. Can a team that boasts some of best offensive talent in all of hockey come together after looking listless for the better part of the last six weeks?
Big changes are looming for this roster if this unit can’t get it together and make a deep playoff run. The core of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang could be witnessing the end of an era.
All it takes is one game, sometimes even one shift– to change to fortunes of a team and the success it will have in the playoffs. The Penguins will start the series without starting goalie Tristan Jarry, but Casey DeSmith has done well in his absence, and will have to step his game up even higher for the Penguins to survive and advance to the next round of the playoffs.
Igor Shesterkin will be the key for the Rangers. He was dominant in the regular season vs Pittsburgh, but perhaps his trash talk and waving good-bye to the Penguins as they left the ice in a 3-0 loss to New York will provide a little extra motivation when the two teams meet Tuesday night.
The Penguins are well known in the past to break goalies in playoff series.
The Rangers did win the season series 3-1 vs Pittsburgh, but this is now the playoffs, an area that the majority of this Rangers team has yet to experience.
The Penguins need to play disciplined hockey and stay out of the penalty box. The Penguins may be better five on five, but the Rangers power play is lethal, and will take advantage of every opportunity given.
The Rangers will be bringing their fore-checking game, so the Penguins have to be smart with the puck and their decisions. They cannot allow breakdowns that lead to odd man breaks.
It’s also time for the core to bring their A games. If they all truly want to come back next season, the entire top six will have to play like it’s their last time ever on the ice…
The Penguins had better win one of the first two road games in New York, preferably Game 1, and put the pressure upon the young Rangers and build from there. As this series goes deeper, it will favor the Penguins…
Penguins in 7
Scouting the Pittsburgh Penguins
Stanley Cup Championships: 5 (1991, 1992, 2009, 2016, 2017)
2021-22 Record: 46-25-11 | 103 Points (3rd in Metropolitan Division)
Pittsburgh Penguins Team Roster
Head Coach: Mike Sullivan
- Two Stanley Cup Championships (2016, 2017)
Probable Line Combinations
1st Line
- LW: Jake Guentzel (40 Goals, 44 Assists)
- C: Sidney Crosby (31 Goals, 53 Assists)
- RW: Bryan Rust (24 Goals, 34 Assists)
2nd Line
- LW: Danton Heinen (18 Goals, 15 Assists)
- C: Evgeni Malkin (20 Goals, 22 Assists)
- RW: Rickard Rakell (4 Goals, 9 Assists)
3rd Line
- LW: Brock McGinn (12 Goals, 10 Assists)
- C: Jeff Carter (19 Goals, 26 Assists)
- RW: Kasperi Kapanen (11 Goals, 21 Assists)
4th Line
- LW: Brian Boyle (11 Goals, 10 Assists)
- C: Teddy Blueger (9 Goals, 19 Assists)
- RW: Evan Rodrigues (19 Goals, 24 Assists)
Defensive Pairing #1
- Brian Dumoulin (3 Goals, 15 Assists)
- Kris Letang (10 Goals, 58 Assists)
Defensive Pairing #2
- Marcus Pettersson (2 Goals, 17 Assists)
- John Marino (1 Goals, 24 Assists)
Defensive Pairing #3
- Mike Matheson (11 Goals, 20 Assists)
- Chad Ruhwedel (4 Goals, 9 Assists)
Starting Goalie: Casey DeSmith (24-11-6, 2.79 GAA, .914 Save %)
- Back-up Goalie: Louis Domingue (1-1, 2.02 GAA, .952 Save %)
Scratches
- Mark Friedman (1 Goals, 4 Assists)
- Drew O’Connor (3 Goals, 2 Assists)
Injured
- G Tristan Jarry (34-18, 2.42 GAA, .919 Save %)
- LW Jason Zucker (8 Goals, 9 Assists)
Scouting the New York Rangers
Stanley Cup Championships: 4 (1928, 1933, 1940 & 1994)
2021-22 Record: 52-24-6 | 110 Points (2nd Metropolitan Division)
Head Coach: Gerard Gallant
Probable Line Combinations
1st Line
- LW: Chris Kreider (52 Goals, 25 Assists)
- C: Mika Zibanejad (29 Goals, 52 Assists)
- RW: Frank Vatrano (8 Goals, 5 Assists)
2nd Line
- LW: Artemi Panarin (22 Goals, 74 Assists)
- C: Ryan Strome (21 Goals, 33 Assists)
- RW: Andrew Copp (8 Goals, 10 Assists)
3rd Line
- LW: Alexis Lafreniere (19 Goals, 12 Assists)
- C: Filip Chytil (8 Goals, 14 Assists)
- RW: Kaapo Kakko (7 Goals, 11 Assists)
4th Line
- LW: Dryden Hunt (6 Goals, 11 Assists)
- C: Kevin Rooney (6 Goals, 6 Assists)
- RW: Barclay Goodrow (13 Goals, 20 Assists)
Defensive Pairing #1
- Ryan Lindgren (4 Goals, 11 Assists)
- Adam Fox (11 Goals, 63 Assists)
Defensive Pairing #2
- K’Andre Miller (7 Goals, 13 Assists)
- Jacob Trouba (11 Goals, 28 Assists)
Defensive Pairing #3
- Patrik Nemeth (2 Goals, 5 Assists)
- Braden Schneider (2 Goals, 9 Assists)
Starting Goalie: Igor Shesterkin (36-13, 2.07 GAA, .935 Save %)
- Back-up Goalie: Alexandar Georgiev (15-10, 2.92 GAA, .898 Save %)
Scratches: Libor Hajek, Justin Braun, Jonny Brodzinski, Julien Gauthier, Greg McKegg, Ryan Reaves
Series Information
Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round
Game 1: Pittsburgh Penguins at NY Rangers
Venue: Madison Square Garden
- Date: Tuesday, May 3rd | Time: 7:00 ET
- TV: ESPN, CBC, SN, TVAS, MSG, ATTSN-PGH
- Radio: 105.9 WXDX-FM
Game 2: Pittsburgh Penguins at NY Rangers
Venue: Madison Square Garden
- Date: Tuesday, May 5th | Time: 7:00 pm ET
- TV: TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ATTSN-PGH
- Radio: 105.9 WXDX-FM
Game 3: NY Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins
Venue: PPG Paints Arena
- Date: Thursday, May 7th | Time: 7:00 pm ET
- TV: TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ATTSN-PGH
- Radio: 105.9 WXDX-FM
Game 4: NY Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins
Venue: PPG Paints Arena
- Date: Saturday, May 9th | Time: 7:00 pm ET
- TV: TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ATTSN-PGH
- Radio: 105.9 WXDX-FM
*Game 5: Pittsburgh Penguins at NY Rangers
Venue: Madison Square Garden
- Date: Monday, May 11th | Time: TBA
- TV: TBA
- Radio: 105.9 WXDX-FM
*Game 6: NY Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins
Venue: PPG Paints Arena
- Date: Wednesday, May 13th | Time: TBA
- TV: TBA
- Radio: 105.9 WXDX-FM
*Game 7: Pittsburgh Penguins at NY Rangers
Venue: Madison Square Garden
- Date: Friday, May 15th | Time: TBA
- TV: TBA
- Radio: 105.9 WXDX-FM
* If Necessary
Pittsburgh Penguins – NY Rangers Playoff History
The Pittsburgh Penguins are 5-2 vs the NY Rangers lifetime.
- 1989: Penguins win 4-0
- 1992: Penguins win 4-2
- 1996: Penguins win 4-1
- 2008: Penguins win 4-1
- 2014: Rangers win 4-3
- 2015: Rangers win 4-1
- 2016: Penguins win 4-1
Playoff Predictions
Eastern Conference
Florida in 5 over Washington
Toronto in 6 over Tampa Bay
Pittsburgh in 7 over NY Rangers
Carolina in 5 over Boston
Western Conference
Colorado in 5 over Nashville
St. Louis in 7 over Minnesota
Edmonton in 7 over LA Kings
Calgary in 6 over Dallas
Author Profile
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From Midland, "The Basketball Capital of Pennsylvania", located 35 miles NW of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. This former steel town was home to storied athletes such as Dave Alston, Norm Van Lier, Simmie Hill, and the legendary 1965 Midland High School Basketball Team.
There's nowhere on earth that is more dedicated to its sports teams like Western Pennsylvania and the city of Pittsburgh. The passion and pride of Pittsburgh's fan base is second to no one. From the NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA football and basketball, to W.P.I.A.L. high school sports, "The City of Champions" has it all!
As Editor of Pittsburgh SportsNation, Mike Drakulich provides top notch opinions and coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pitt Panthers football & basketball, Robert Morris Colonials basketball, and Duquesne Dukes basketball, as well as all sports teams that represent Western Pennsylvania, including WPIAL High School Football.
For a refreshing view of sports, mixed with humor and uncensored opinions, check out Pittsburgh SportsNation today on Facebook, Twitter @PghSportsNation and videos with over 1,000,000 views on YouTube!
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