Any coaching strategy to hold the Pens to under 3 goals?

[illpucks]

For more than a game? There will obviously be a blip here and there but the Pens have yet to be held to under 3 goals yet in the playoffs. I'm wondering if and what strategy would be effective in containing them to under 3 goals?

Game 1: 3
Game 2: 4
Game 3: 5
Game 4: 4
Game 5: 5
Game 6: 3
Game 7: 5 (or more)

7 games at the 3+ level. That's ridiculously mindblowing.

Click to read more...

 

[JaegerDice]

Flatten them the way they flatten you.

Most of hockey at the absolute base level is a battle between pace and structure. One team will, at the end of the day at the most base level, favor pace, the other will favor structure. Simply because one or the other favors their system/talent better. Even between 2 teams who prefer pace, one will simply be better at playing that way and force they other to revert back to structure. Likewise for two structure teams.

If you push the pace, move the puck out of your own end quickly and apply pressure, hem them in their zone for extended periods, they can't play at pace. They have to revert to structure. And their D, with Letang out and full of rookies, likely won't be as good trying to play by structure as they are pushing the pace and simply getting the puck out of danger quickly, onto the sticks of their forwards.

On the flip side, if you try and beat them with defensive structure and conservatism, you will turn the neutral zone into a runway for them.

Oh, and have a goalie that can stop a beach-ball. That would be fine too.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Don't let yourself be open to the counter-attack and be able to defend it when you are, be aggressive on the PK in terms of your forwards, and obviously you need the usual mix like good goaltending and defence.

I thought the Sharks did a solid job of defending against them they just weren't very good offensively.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

I think the Caps might, and I'm sure Sens or Rangers will too.

I could see the Sens trapping themselves into a 2-0 or 2-1 loss, or even - gasp - a low scoring victory. And Hank does have that game stealing ability which can emerge at any time

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

It used to be attack Crosby and Malkin physically, watch them implode, and then watch the rest of the team implode.

That strategy doesn't really work anymore. Malkin is still a little volatile, but not like he used to be. And Crosby is nothing like the kid who used to lose it against the Flyers.

You have to bang that defense and forecheck like crazy. The Pens are still primarily a transition team and when their best players are spending too much time in their own end, they get tired and frustrated. Lazy forechecking will kill ya against the Pens.

 

[SEALBound]

Hit em...that'll work...right?

 

[dlawong]

Maybe winning as many face-offs against them in the D zone and move the puck down the other end and forecheck them like crazy without taking penalties. Once you turn the puck over and they have possessions it would be hard to stop them. Lots of shot blocks and keep them to the outside a must. Too many elite shooters if you give them the inside and time and space. Stay out of the box unless you need to take one to stop them on breakaways. Goalies must track the puck extremely well and give out as little rebounds as possible.

It would be hard to do but with a strong shift to shift efforts and some good bounces maybe there is a chance. Try to score early on them and get a 2 to 3 goal lead in the first and then play trap the rest of the game.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Flatten them the way they flatten you.

Most of hockey at the absolute base level is a battle between pace and structure. One team will, at the end of the day at the most base level, favor pace, the other will favor structure. Simply because one or the other favors their system/talent better. Even between 2 teams who prefer pace, one will simply be better at playing that way and force they other to revert back to structure. Likewise for two structure teams.

If you push the pace, move the puck out of your own end quickly and apply pressure, hem them in their zone for extended periods, they can't play at pace. They have to revert to structure. And their D, with Letang out and full of rookies, likely won't be as good trying to play by structure as they are pushing the pace and simply getting the puck out of danger quickly, onto the sticks of their forwards.

On the flip side, if you try and beat them with defensive structure and conservatism, you will turn the neutral zone into a runway for them.

Oh, and have a goalie that can stop a beach-ball. That would be fine too.

The Penguins have 0 rookies on defense. I agree with the rest of what you said, but just a correction. None of Maatta, Dumoulin, Cole, Schultz, Daley or Hainsey are rookies.

 

[The Panther]

The Pens are easily the best offensive team in the NHL.

I've been noticing this for some time. They were 1st in offence this past season, and I think 3rd last year, but for my money they are BY FAR the best offensive team in the NHL.

Of course, it helps to have two elite forwards on the team. (This is what every team would be like if the NHL didn't have way too many teams.)

They've very, very smart with the puck in the offensive zone. I don't know if Crosby teaches new guys what to do, or if it's related to confidence or what, but they always seem to know how to maximize opportunities. They've very smart offensively. Whereas other team's power-plays are predictable, the Pens are masters at shooting unexpectedly. They just have a knack for getting shots on net at the right time.

I mean, tonight they put in 6 against this year's #1 team, and the Pens didn't even play that well. Neither of their goaltenders is, say, top 10 in the NHL right now, I don't think (love Fleury, though).

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

See Bobby Clarke vs Valeri Kharlamov

 

[Alwalys]

Of course, it helps to have two elite forwards on the team.

three

 

[The Panther]

See Bobby Clarke vs Valeri Kharlamov

Ha, ha, yes. Or maybe cut off Kessel's doughnut supply...

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Slash Crosby's pinky finger off.

 

[905PENS]

Its simple... Stop the puck from crossing the red line behind the goalie :p

 

[Bleedred]

Holtby should have had 2 of those goals tonight and probably at least one of them back in game 1.

I still don't understand why Trotz pulled him down by 2 and going into the 3rd period. If it was only 10 minutes into the game, I think I'd understand it more than when there's a period left to play.

Then Grubauer let in a poor goal after that. They need some stops, Fleury is making them and is playing his best playoff hockey since 2008.

 

[BruinLVGA]

For more than a game? There will obviously be a blip here and there but the Pens have yet to be held to under 3 goals yet in the playoffs. I'm wondering if and what strategy would be effective in containing them to under 3 goals?

Game 1: 3
Game 2: 4
Game 3: 5
Game 4: 4
Game 5: 5
Game 6: 3
Game 7: 6

7 games at the 3+ level. That's ridiculously mindblowing.

Through their game #7 in 2016-17, the Penguins scored 30 goals.

Through their game #7 in 2012-13, the Penguins scored 29 goals (= 5, 3, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4).

In 2012-13, Pittsburgh steamrolled through the first two teams they played (NYI, OTT) scoring a total 47 goals in 10 games. When they reached the Conference finals, everyone was asking the same question: how do you stop them?
And then they were swept by the Bruins, who only allowed them 2 goals in 4 games, or a 0.5 gpg vs the previous 4.7 gpg.

So... The morale is that what looks unstoppable, might not be as such. In one series, anything can happen.

 

[Shwag33]

The pens shooters get in the opposing goalies head. Going back to last year, Holtby x2, Bobrovski, Bishop/Vasi, Jones, Lundqvist.

That could almost be a list of the top 5 goalies in the NHL. It's not like they are beating backups.

 

[Bleedred]

The pens shooters get in the opposing goalies head. Going back to last year, Holtby x2, Bobrovski, Bishop/Vasi, Jones, Lundqvist.

That could almost be a list of the top 5 goalies in the NHL. It's not like they are beating backups.

Vasilevskiy and Jones played great against them last year. They both had better save percentages than Murray in those series.

Pittsburgh just outplayed both of those teams astronomically throughout most of those games. They were throwing a lot of shots in the last two rounds.

 

[BruinLVGA]

Nobody is playing against back ups in the NHL playoffs...

 

[Tender Rip]

So... The morale is that what looks unstoppable, might not be as such. In one series, anything can happen.

You're absolutely right - also, luck is a significantly bigger part of playoff success than any fan wants to admit.

Caps are getting zero breaks, their supposed goal tending advantage hasn't been there, and we shoot with frankly unsustainable efficiency.

But while a goalie playing unconscious like Rask did in that series is one way (Chara and multiple others helped too of course), I think there are some major differences for the Pens that explain why we are so difficult right now.

We are much better coached than we were then. We are much faster and deeper up front and we are disciplined. To beat this Pens team, you better be efficient when you have chances, and your goalie better be at his best.

 

[Shwag33]

Vasilevskiy and Jones played great against them last year. They both had better save percentages than Murray in those series.

Pittsburgh just outplayed both of those teams astronomically throughout most of those games. They were throwing a lot of shots in the last two rounds.

The pens still averaged 3 goals a game against TB. Against the sharks they were under, but to be honest that series felt like a forgone conclusion with the way play was going.


I think sullivan should get more credit. After watching bylsma and johnston with similar'ish players the teams mentality isn't even close to the same.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Hit em...that'll work...right?

Lol it's funny. People said the pens would be easy if a team just did that. Caps and Jackets did and the pens stuck to their plan. Sullivan has this team believing in his system and they're sticking to it.

The other responses in this thread are hilarious.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Through their game #7 in 2016-17, the Penguins scored 30 goals.

Through their game #7 in 2012-13, the Penguins scored 29 goals (= 5, 3, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4).

In 2012-13, Pittsburgh steamrolled through the first two teams they played (NYI, OTT) scoring a total 47 goals in 10 games. When they reached the Conference finals, everyone was asking the same question: how do you stop them?
And then they were swept by the Bruins, who only allowed them 2 goals in 4 games, or a 0.5 gpg vs the previous 4.7 gpg.

So... The morale is that what looks unstoppable, might not be as such. In one series, anything can happen.

You mean when Bylsma refused to match up against the Isles and then he actually did and inserted speed in the line up? Then when he faced the Bruins he was already on the way to being back to his stubborn style?

Sullivan actually plans and is an intelligent coach. He's shown his mettle already in the playoffs last year. You can plan against the Pens sure. But then you have Sullivan who plans on the fly better than anyone left in the playoffs. He's why we're confident. Bylsma was never a guy that made us feel like that and the pens looked it on the ice too.

 

[Pi]

Nope.

Crosby, Malkin, Kessel are top three in PPG in the playoffs in the salary cap era. Tough to contain all three in the same game...it may happen once or twice over a playoff run but very very hard over a playoff series.

 

[Bumpus]

Forfeit?!?

Then you'd only lose 1-0.