Sully Says: The Game Was Won and Lost On Special Teams
The Penguins ended 2022 with a 4-2 setback to New Jersey
Both teams had been struggling coming into this one, with the Penguins being humbled after back-to-back losses to the Islanders and the Red Wings, while the Devils had dropped eight of nine.
The Penguins had put themselves in a decent position to start, opening the scoring in the first period with a beautiful breakaway goal from Evgeni Malkin. And although the Devils tied it up with Jack Hughes' first of the night, Pittsburgh responded with a tally from Jeff Carter.
However, in the final three-plus minutes of the middle frame, New Jersey tallied twice to take their first lead of the night. Dougie Hamilton evened the score at 2-2 before Nico Hischier scored a shorthanded goal with 37.1 seconds remaining in the period.
It was an off night for Pittsburgh's power play, which ended up going 0-for-9 on the evening. They had a golden opportunity in the third period after Brian Dumoulin drew a double minor for high-sticking, but couldn't convert it.
Hughes then got his 20th of the season, an empty-netter, with seconds remaining. Here's what Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan had to say following the game.
On his take on the power play, and if their struggles stemmed from methodology, personnel, execution, or if it just wasn't a good night: "I just think we weren't as sharp. We were trying to work through it. It's hard to be critical of this group. They've been pretty dynamic for the last 10-plus games or so. The power play has been winning games for us. When you look at how our team's played here over the last stretch of games, probably the last six or seven games, I think the script has flipped a little bit with respect to our team. For the first 20-plus games, we were controlling 5-on-5 play, and generating a lot of scoring chances 5-on-5, and scoring goals 5-on-5. Our special teams was struggling a little bit. The reverse effect is what's going on right now. There's been a number of games where our 5-on-5 play, our underlying numbers aren't where they need to be. So we need to do a better job controlling 5-on-5 play, generating more opportunities 5-on-5, and I think that'll translate into goals. We haven't scored a lot of even-strength goals here over the last stretch of games. Our power play's pretty dynamic, as is our penalty kill. Obviously, we would have liked our power play to have scored tonight. I will tell you, I think Carts' goal was a product of the power play because they kept the penalty kill group on the ice for two minutes. So, those guys were trying to defend when they were exhausted, and then Carts comes over the boards, it ends up being a five a five gold. But in our minds, the power-play guys had a significant influence on that goal. The whole game was special teams. There was no flow in the game. It was just all special teams, for the most part. That's where the game tonight was won and lost. But if you're asking me for my assessment of where we're at, yeah, our power play - we'd like it to be better. But it's been pretty darn good for a while. I think we've got to think in terms of how do we do a better job controlling 5-on-5 play, and create the balance that we need through our lineup. Because it's been a number of games now where it's been absent, and we've got to be better there.
On wanting to see his team play the right way, particularly defensively, and if he saw any traction in that regard: "Yeah, I thought so. I mean, this is a good team we're playing against. They're one of the more dynamic transition teams in the league. I think them and Buffalo are two of the most dangerous teams in the league right now when it comes to generating scoring chances off the rush. Jersey's underlying numbers offensively are really impressive. They've got a lot of talented guys that are emerging as elite players, and so, we knew we had a tough challenge. I thought for the most part, we did a pretty good job. They're a team that likes to stretch the ice. I thought we did a good job in not allowing them to do. 5-on-5 tonight, there wasn't a lot of scoring chances on either side. I think we built some traction from a defensive standpoint. I thought we had some territory, but we didn't get much out of it. Not enough, anyway. We had flurries, we had a couple of good looks. Danton Heinen had a great look late in the game, right from the slot. He makes a good shot; they get a good save. But I think we can do a better job just bringing consistent play on both sides of the puck 5-on-5, and we're looking to try to get better at that area."
On what he thought of Ty Smith, who logged 11:10 minutes on the power play in his Penguins debut against his former team after Pittsburgh acquired him from New Jersey for fellow defenseman John Marino in the summer: "I thought Ty did a pretty good job. That's not an easy position to throw a young guy in when he comes up and he's quarterbacking our top power-play unit. I thought for the most part, he did a real good job. He made good decisions with the puck; he delivered pucks down to the net. We had a lane where we had a couple opportunities with deflections. There were a couple opportunities off the rebound that the puck was laying there. We just couldn't grab a hold of it. But I thought he made good decisions. He was distributing the puck well. As I said, that's not an easy position for a young player to jump into, and I thought he did a really good job."
On if they look at the Winter Classic against Boston on Jan. 2 as mostly a big event, a business trip, or a combination of both: "I think it's a combination of both. You know, this is a lifetime experience for our guys. I think we need to see that for what it is, and embrace that moment, and enjoy that moment. We also need to understand that there's business at hand, and there's two points on the line. When that puck drops, we need to be ready to play. So I think this is an unbelievable opportunity. It's a great privilege for all of us to be part of something like this, and I think we should embrace it. I think we should enjoy this moment because it's a lifetime experience for all of us. I know we're all looking forward to it."
