PHN+ Summary: Pittsburgh Hockey Now spoke with Sidney Crosby Thursday in Tampa regarding the team’s surge toward the Stanley Cup Playoffs, his agent’s comments last summer, and what makes this year’s Penguins different. Also, coach Dan Muse is playing coy with his goaltending situation.

TAMPA, Fla. — Sidney Crosby’s agent, Pat Brisson sent shockwaves through the hockey world last summer when he stated plainly that he would like to see Crosby playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. Ordinarily, that would be a matter of fact, but given the Penguins’ rapidly changing dynamics, it was universally viewed as a shot across the bow of Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas, who spent the first half of the off-season preparing fans for a rebuild with Crosby as a shepherd for a bevy of young players.

By December, the Penguins had inserted 12 rookies into the lineup, but only 18-year-old center Ben Kindel and rookie goalie Arturs Silovs stuck.

The rookies arrived and vanished this season. Harrison Brunicke, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Owen Pickering, Filip Hallander (injured. Blood clot), Avery Hayes, Sergei Murashov, Tristan Broz, and Sam Poulin suited up and were sent down.

Last summer, the Penguins were on the cusp of a rebuild, but Dubas also signed a bucket full of second chance players. Anthony Mantha, 32, was recovering from torn ACL surgery. Justin Brazeau, 28, who had not yet been given much of a chance beyond fourth-line duty in Boston and Minnesota. Parker Wotherspoon, 28, was served a healthy diet of press box nachos in Boston before coming to the Penguins via free agency.

The veterans supplanted the rookies, and the Penguins won games. Then a few more.

And now, they are simultaneously on the precipice of the great beyond without Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, and on the verge of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Dubas has avoided any mention of placating Crosby, and Crosby dutifully walked back his agents comments in the days following them, but common sense alone posits that a rebuilding Penguins chasing first overall pick Gavin McKenna would be far less attractive to a 38-year-old superstar than a scrappy bunch of rag-tag veterans jelling around their captain and a shared purpose to plant themselves solidly in the NHL.

“I mean, this is why you play. I said the other day, you know what–we’d love to have clinched already, for sure. But this is—these games, these big games, and everything meaning as much as it does—that’s what makes it exciting as a player, and we’ve obviously worked really hard to get to this point,” Crosby said. “You know, whether it be injuries or different guys stepping up throughout the season. It’s been a collective effort to get us in this position. So we’ve got to make the most of it.

And even though Crosby steadfastly refused to entertain talk of being traded last summer, a playoff chase is just a wee bit better for his morale than a figurative plate of raw broccoli that is a rebuild.

As part of our conversation before he had to catch the 12:15 bus back to the hotel, we asked a simple question.

Q: Is there one thing that you can put your finger on that has been the reason for success this year? I mean, all of us, you know, in the media, sort of picked you guys not to do so well. Is there one thing–what has been the recipe for success?

A: “I think it is just our efforts. Our compete (level) every single night, regardless of the schedule, of who’s in, who’s out. I think it’s just been the way we work, and regardless of the score, whether we’re down in games or games that could have gone the other way, every night we show up and work, and it’s a good way to start.”

No. 1 Goalie

There is a psychological game taking place with the Penguins’ goaltending. Stuart Skinner will start Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he will have started four of the last five games–which is the biggest break from Muse’s goalie rotations this season.

However, Muse still won’t admit to tabbing Skinner the top goalie or even that he would like to have a No. 1 goalie in place by the playoffs (if and when). PHN asked Thursday, and we got the stock answer, again.

“I mean, we’ve said the same thing all year. We continue to evaluate and reevaluate and make decisions every day, and that answer stays the same,” said Muse. “And so I think both guys have done a really good job for us. Both guys have won big games for us. They’ve been a part of big wins. And so, yeah, I’ve got a lot of confidence in both of our goalies, and we’ll continue to take it a game at a time.”

Bt that’s not the story. In the battle of words vs. actions, follow the actions.

Both Skinner and Arturs Silovs had rough games last week. Since, Skinner has been playing. Silovs has been watching.

If you’re a stats person, there is almost no difference between the pair. Their save percentage with the Penguins is within 0.03. Silovs has a better GSAA (goals saved above average), but the eyes say Skinner has performed quite well, even in a 6-5 OT loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

“It’s not often you give up six and feel you played well,” Skinner said.

But the reality is that Muse sees what we see. Silovs has been shaky and his issues are persistent. Silovs seems to excel with tight saves, but struggles with long-range shots, and that issue hasn’t really improved this season. Silovs’s rebound control has improved, but there are stretches in which he sprays the puck, which puts the Penguins’ defensemen at a disadvantage.

Skinner may have limitations, but he’s also more consistent. And there is the intangible factor. The team LOVES Skinner, and Skinner has been through the biggest pressure situations the game can offer. In a short time, there is a genuine relationship between Skinner and the team.

Skinner has been through Stanley Cup Finals, being dragged in his hometown, and he’s still standing. And still smiling.

And Skinner is also the starting goalie, whether Muse will admit it or not.

Tags: Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby stuart skinner

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