Rookies Impress As Penguins Beat Sharks, 4-3

For the primary time in fairly a very long time, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a variety of youthful legs of their lineup. The truth is, seven of their skaters for his or her Saturday tilt in opposition to the San Jose Sharks had been age 26 or youthful.

And their two youngest – and two latest – gamers made an impression.

Rookie defenseman Owen Pickering registered his first level throughout his NHL debut on a first-period tally by Jesse Puljujarvi, and Vasily Ponomarev shone in all three zones because the Penguins bested the Sharks in a shootout, 4-3.

Bryan Rust kicked off the scoring only one minute and one second into the sport, and Sidney Crosby scored his 599th profession objective to place the Penguins up 3-0 within the second interval earlier than San Jose stormed again to tie the sport and drive additional time.

Crosby, Anthony Beauvillier, and Evgeni Malkin scored within the shootout to safe the win for the Penguins.

nn

– Each of the rookies had been good tonight. However Pickering was particularly spectacular.

He made a phenomenal cross-ice cross to Drew O’Connor, whose shot arrange Jesse Puljujarvi’s end for a objective. He seemed poised and assured all night time lengthy on the offensive blue line:

However what impressed me probably the most was his defensive play. He had some good reads, his hole management was stable, and he even made a number of key blocks on the penalty kill.

Pickering’s defensive acumen was an space through which the Penguins wished to see enchancment all through his growth. These features undoubtedly confirmed on Saturday.

Only a actually, actually spectacular debut from him. It is protected to say that he is earned extra alternatives within the lineup, and I do suppose he’ll stick round, no less than, for now.

– I do wish to discuss Ponomarev for a second as nicely, as a result of he was additionally superb on this recreation.

His work in all three zones is commendable. He makes use of his velocity advantageously, he’s actually stable within the defensive zone, and, maybe, the very best factor about him is that he will get pucks to the online each alternative he is ready to.

His vitality is palpable. Like Pickering, he is earned extra appears to be like.

– I’ve stated this for 3 straight video games now. However the Penguins’ prime line is basically, actually good proper now.

Regardless of being mired in an eight-game goalless drought, Rickard Rakell is doing a lot of the little things to drive play and possession in the offensive zone, and he is enjoying nicely defensively. He may’ve scored about 10 occasions during the last two video games. Anthony Beauvillier’s velocity is aiding the forecheck and creating alternatives, particularly across the web entrance.

And Crosby is flying. He was particularly noticeable tonight.

After scoring his 599th objective within the second interval, you might inform that Crosby wished that subsequent one. I have never seen him so shoot-first in a very long time, as he did not cross up any alternatives to fireside on the web within the late levels of the sport.

He desires so badly to recover from the hump and rating that objective. He was shot out of a cannon on this one, and if he performs this manner once more on Tuesday in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lightning, I will be extra shocked if he would not rating it then.

– This was a stable lineup from prime to backside tonight. Matt Nieto is skating nicely in simply his second recreation after lacking an yr, and the fourth line of him, Ponomarev, and Noel Acciari generated some vitality and alternatives. The highest-six is basically clicking proper now.

This third line, nonetheless, is fairly intriguing. That is the second straight recreation through which they’ve carried out nicely and helped drive play within the offensive zone.

It is solely been two video games, however I am nonetheless not offered on O’Connor centering that line. He is been shaky, to say the least, on protection this season, and I am undecided he is the most suitable choice.

The one change I would make proper now’s switching Poulin to middle. I believe he is obtained a greater general recreation, despite the fact that he’s been playing right wing for most of the season, even in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

I would like to see a Puljujarvi-Ponomarev-Poulin line ultimately, nevertheless it’s most likely not value messing up the chemistry the opposite three have constructed proper now.

– I do know the Penguins introduced house the win. However they nonetheless blew a three-goal lead.

Clearly, strolling out with the “W” will go away a greater style of their mouths. However they nonetheless should not really feel significantly good about this recreation. San Jose, who began the season at 0-7-2, actually gave it to them within the late levels of the second and for, mainly, the complete third interval.

Goaltending is simply not adequate proper now. However, as ordinary, the Penguins folded defensively, too. Michael Bunting was out to lunch on the tying objective, and careless hockey in a normal sense is what led to them squandering the lead but once more.

It was good to see them dominate the additional time interval and seal the win within the shootout. However they nonetheless have to be a lot, significantly better than this, particularly in opposition to one of many few groups which are worse than them within the league standings proper now.