PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – After a series of bad losses and really some bad wins, if there is such a thing, the Pens regrouped. How did they do it?
"I think we got back to playing the game that gives us the best chance to win," said Pens Head Coach Mike Sullivan. "That's playing a game that's calculated and is stingy. When we are pressuring pucks up the ice and more importantly we aren't feeding team's transition games. I think that's when our team it at its best."
"I can see our team over the last couple of games making more of a concerted effort in those areas. Making sure we make simple plays when we don't have numbers or support or speed or if another team is in a good posture."
Tristan Jarry saved all 27 shots, killing four minutes of short-handed time in a 1-0 win in the first meeting of the year against the Rangers. Then facing a Columbus team that had won nine of 11, scoring 24 goals in its last four wins, back-up goalie Casey DeSmith stopped 32 of 34 shots.
"It's so important in this game that you don't beat yourself and you can beat yourself in so many ways," Sullivan said. "That's something that we talk about as a group all the time. Forcing teams to have to earn their looks. I thought we did a better job in these last two games in that regards."
PP Power
They were at times giving opportunities to their opponents, even when holding a man advantage. That has clamped down and now power play goals in each of its last four games, Saturday's the only goal of the contest.
"It's humming right now," Sullivan said of his power play. "When they go over the boards there is a certain confidence level that they are going to score. We can feel it on the bench. They are doing a really good job."
While away from the team following knee surgery a couple of weeks ago, Sullivan said assistant coach Todd Reirden is still giving advice through meetings on tape. He's able to then project his message to the team, even if only remotely.
"I think they are doing a lot of the little things," Sullivan said. "They are retrieving pucks. They're getting to loose pucks. Their entries are getting much better which has given us an opportunity to establish zone time. When those guys get zone time it's a matter of time before they see it."
More Malkin
Leading that charge is veteran Evgeni Malkin, power play goals in each of the last three games. Starting the season January 11 without the benefit of exhibition or rehab games, Malkin now has nine goals and 12 assists in 19 games.
"With every game he plays, just his timing, his conditioning is getting better and better," Sullivan said. "It's not an easy thing to be out as long as he was and have to come back into NHL competition. It's like you are jumping on a moving train and it's going pretty fast."
"I thought he did a terrific job in the preparation process in the return to play. I thought Geno worked extremely hard to get to where he's at. I think he's getting better with each game he is playing."
"You can see him," said long-time teammate Bryan Rust. "The more he wants the puck, the more he has the puck and the more dangerous he is. You can see it when he gets that kind of 'hop-step' going, he's feeling it. He's been great lately and will only get better."
Pens will practice in Pittsburgh Tuesday and Wednesday before back-to-back games at Tampa Bay and the Panthers.
