Madden Monday on long-range NHL playoff prospects: 'I don't think the Penguins will make it'
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ latest overtime defeat came Sunday afternoon in New Jersey. It was a 2-1 loss to the Devils, courtesy of a Doug Hamilton game-winning goal.
The shot that won it for the Devils came on a power play after the Penguins were busted for too many men on the ice.
It was Pittsburgh’s eighth loss in 10 games decided in the overtime period. If you are looking for a trend as to what is going wrong, Mark Madden of TribLIVE and 105.9 The X has one for you.
“They never win the opening draw. So much of (overtime) is about winning the opening draw and staying ahead of the opposition’s changes — keeping guys out there tired,” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “(New Jersey) put their faceoff specialist on for the opening draw. He won it and then got off the ice. I’d say the Penguins should put their faceoff specialist on the ice. But they don’t have one.”
Madden was referring to New Jersey’s Michael McLeod. He was 13-0 on draws for the day. Jeff Carter is the top faceoff winner for the Penguins at 59.1%. Sidney Crosby (52%) has the most wins with 529.
The Penguins were on the penalty kill for that goal because Marcus Pettersson was deemed to have jumped on the ice too quickly during a 3-on-3 line change. Not only did that result in a penalty for too many men on the ice, it also nullified a goal that Pettersson had scored moments before the whistle blew to end the play.
“It’s tight, but he did,” Madden said of the Pettersson penalty. “Had they not called it, I wouldn’t have been outraged either. But if you put me on the spot to make the call, I would have called too many men because it impacted the play and what would have been the result.”
Those eight overtime points the Penguins (54 points) have left on the table could loom large as they currently have just a three-point cushion on the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers for the second wild-card slot.
“They are screwed. They might make the playoffs anyway. But mostly they are screwed. Their bottom six is absolutely useless except for Teddy Blueger and Brock McGinn on the penalty kill,” Madden said.
Madden was also critical of the blue line for rarely scoring. The blue line has combined for 12 goals on the season. No defenseman has more than three goals.
“That’s kind of the hidden shame of the Penguins right now. Not only is their bottom six useless, but their defenseman never score,” Madden continued.
All of these issues are resulting in a bleak prediction from Madden when it comes to the Penguins’ playoff hopes.
“I don’t think the Penguins will make it, if you made me say right now,” Madden said. “There are so many teams right behind the Penguins, I can’t imagine none of them going on a significant winning streak and jumping over the Penguins. And I can’t envision the Penguins having a significant winning streak to rise up and hold those teams off.”
And as Madden pointed out, it’s of particular importance for the Penguins to climb the Eastern Conference ladder instead of just fighting to maintain a wild-card slot. Because staying in the wild-card holes means that the Pens would have to play either the Boston Bruins or Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs. The Bruins are the best team in hockey with 78 points, and the Hurricanes lead the Metro with 66 points. Plus, Carolina has beaten the Penguins four times in four tries this year.
Also in this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Madden and I discuss the Steelers’ decision to retain Matt Canada, the NFL playoff picture and Andrew McCutchen’s return to Pittsburgh.
