5 Things from Penguins’ Game 1: Sidney Crosby line absolutely dominant
Five analytics-based observations about the Pittsburgh Penguins after a postseason-opening 4-3 triple-overtime victory against the New York Rangers in Tuesday’s Game 1 at Madison Square Garden:
1. First(-class) line
The Penguins’ top line of Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust accounted for all three of the team’s regulation goals and had combined for seven points by the end of the second period. But that doesn’t even scratch the surface in illustrating how dominant the trio was.
The data provided by naturalstattrick.com expressed the ridiculous level to which Crosby, Guentzel and Rust controlled play when on the ice together at 5-on-5. Yes, they outscored the Rangers, 2-0, and outshot them 24-9. But go a little deeper, and it gets even more impressive: In 25 minutes and 24 seconds of even-strength ice time together, the Penguins’ top line accounted for 43 attempted shots and allowed only 17 by the Rangers.
They had their most eye-popping advantages in the areas of scoring chances. With Crosby, Guentzel and Rust on the ice together 5-on-5, the Penguins managed 30 scoring chances — and allowed only three.
Naturalstattrick.com also defines “high-danger scoring chances” using a formula based off the area of the ice it comes from and if it was a rebound or off a rush. Crosby/Guentzel/Rust at 5-on-5 had an edge in that stat, 16-2.
The Penguins, not entirely without merit, have been criticized for being a one-line team. But that one line keeps playing as well as it did in Game 1, that might be enough for the Penguins to advance.
2. Second/third degree
Most of the first period Tuesday looked all too much like the final three games of the Penguins-Rangers regular-season series — the Rangers controlling play and the Penguins not challenging presumptive Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin to any significant degree.
Boy, did that change in a big way over the final two periods of regulation.
During the second and third periods, the Penguins had a significant advantage in the play. Buoyed by a club record for shots on goal in a period with 25 in the second, the Penguins almost doubled New York in that category over the final 40 minutes of regulation (37-19). They did double-up the Rangers in shot attempts at 5-on-5 over that timeframe (46-23). Scoring chances (24-10), high-danger scoring chances (13-3) and expected goals for/against (3.91-0.87) tilted even more heavily toward the Penguins.
3. Casey at the bat
A lower-body injury robbed Casey DeSmith of earning a win in his NHL postseason debut, and his status for future games isn’t clear. But it was a largely successful outing for the 30-year-old longtime Penguins backup.
DeSmith was a perfect 10 for 10 on stopping high-danger scoring chances when the Rangers were at 5-on-5. The raw numbers (48 saves on 51 shots in 89-plus minutes) translate into a .941 save percentage and 2.02 goals-against average that will win more often than not.
Two of New York’s goals came on special teams. In 81-plus minutes at 5-on-5, DeSmith had a 0.74 GAA and .979 save percentage.
4. Louis, Louis
If the Penguins go on a deep run and/or if DeSmith is out for an extended period, Louis Domingue might have worked his way into franchise lore with his performance after being thrown into the proverbial fire during the second overtime of a playoff game.
Domingue was peppered — the Rangers made him stop 17 shots in just over 16 ½ minutes. Three of those shots were deemed “high-danger” chances, and three were on rebounds. DeSmith, by comparison, encountered only two rebound shots against during the time he was in the game.
5. A night ‘Kap’
Kasperi Kapanen was supposed to be one of the Penguins’ most productive players this season. Over the prior month heading into the playoffs, he bounced around from invisible to ineffective to in-the-press-box as a healthy scratch.
But Kapanen kept his lineup spot for the playoff opener, and while his effort Tuesday was far from perfect, the former first-round pick certainly was at least noticeable. He was rewarded with an assist and “plus” on the winner scored by Evgeni Malkin 5:58 into triple overtime.
Of all players in the game, no one had more shots on goal at 5-on-5 than Kapanen’s eight. Yes, the game extended to the length of almost two whole regular games — but to put in perspective how many shots on goal that is for Kapanen, the Finnish wing combined for eight shots over the past 10 games (in all situations — even strength, power play etc.).
Kapanen also tied for the Penguins’ lead in hits with four. His possession metrics weren’t too good (opponents managed 36 attempted shots during the 29 ½ minutes Kapanen was on the ice 5-on-5), but at least Kapanen was making things happen offensively.
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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