{"id":403142,"date":"2026-01-12T08:43:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T08:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/403142\/"},"modified":"2026-01-12T08:43:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T08:43:15","slug":"frustration-a-step-back-and-what-should-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/403142\/","title":{"rendered":"Frustration, a ‘Step Back,’ and What Should Change"},"content":{"rendered":"

BOSTON \u2014 The Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> and coaches are really struggling in the absence of winger Bryan Rust. <\/p>\n

The Penguins took five penalties in the first 30 minutes, then applied heavy pressure for the final 30 minutes, but could not find a way through the pile of bodies near the Bruins\u2019 net.<\/p>\n

They lacked that gritty game in the dirty areas and around the net. The Penguins bombarded the Boston Bruins<\/a>, and allowed just eight shots in the final 40 minutes, but never got the goal they so desperately needed, losing 1-0 at TD Garden. <\/p>\n

Frustration dominated the Penguins\u2019 locker room with exasperated sighs before answering questions. A loud expletive echoed through the hallway before reporters entered the room. And a veteran player stayed behind to lobby teammates and coaches for some tactical tweaks for similar situations in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew they were going to play like that. You know, they\u2019re a 1-2-2, kind of neutral zone (team). They\u2019re sagging back,\u201d Anthony Mantha said. \u201cAnd for us, it was obviously not enough, but maybe (we can) put more pucks deep next time we play them and try to get that forecheck going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, it also helps that Boston goalie Joonas Korpisalo has a case of Alexey Morozov against the Penguins. Penguins Generation Next fans from the early 2000s will remember Morozov\u2019s uncanny ability to score against New Jersey Devils Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur, when no one else in the league could, and score far more often than he did against anyone else.<\/p>\n

Before Sunday, Korpisalo had an .888 save percentage this season, and a .900 career save percentage in his 11-year career. However, Korpisalo now has a .928 save percentage against the Penguins. <\/p>\n

Add that to the list of frustrating things Sunday. <\/p>\n

Penguins Analysis<\/p>\n

The Penguins knew before the game that Boston was going to protect the house. They had numbers back almost always. The slot was a maze of big Boston defenders, sprawled bodies, and sticks. <\/p>\n

Boston had won 10-2 Saturday, beating the New York Rangers to a pulp. Sunday, they won in the opposite fashion\u2013but the Penguins know what to expect. Coach Dan Muse <\/a>laid it out before the game, and it was all very true. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou see the offensive numbers from their last game, but I think a lot of it\u2019s on the defensive side. You know what they\u2019re doing. They keep guys back. They have numbers back,\u201d Muse said Sunday afternoon. \u201cThey make it hard to get to the inside \u2026 but I think it\u2019s something that stood out going into (today) is just knowing that this is a team that you know makes it hard to get to the inside. A lot of times they will have bodies back, numbers back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rust\u2019s absence was significantly felt Saturday and Sunday as both Calgary and Boston won the battles around the net. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou knew they were going to be back a lot. They\u2019d have numbers. They make it hard to get to the net and stay there. So it\u2019s not a surprise,\u201d said Muse. \u201cOne, I think we could have done a better job with our execution, just to get into the offensive zone more. Then, two, be able to create more traffic at the net, more quality around the net.<\/p>\n

\u201c(We had) too many outside shots there that nobody was at (the net) at times. No bodies were even in the area. So, yeah, I think that part of our game has been better as of late, but I think we took a step backwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Penguins winger Rickard Rakell had a few good chances around the net. They were limited, but as the Penguins began to break down Boston, it was the Penguins\u2019 top line with Sidney Crosby and Rakell, with Anthony Mantha on the other wing, that had the bevy of chances. <\/p>\n

But no goal lights. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe got some looks from the outside, but didn\u2019t really find anything in the slot area, the danger zones,\u201d Rakell said dejectedly. \u201cIt felt like they did a good job of just getting it out of their own end and just trying to apply pressure on us. Frustrating for us, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sunday was not the day to ask about Rust\u2019s absence. Teammates certainly wouldn\u2019t lay blame on Novak, Mantha, or teammates for not playing up to Rust\u2019s standard. Injuries are the very nature of the game, especially during a compressed schedule.<\/p>\n

But with one goal over 120 minutes over the weekend, Rust\u2019s absence was as noticeable as a zit on the Penguins\u2019 nose the night before Prom.<\/p>\n

The falling dominoes of change in the lineup negatively affected the team, especially in the offensive zone, as the team neither looked nor felt connected for over 30 minutes. <\/p>\n

Muse again juggled his lines Sunday, and even juggled them through the game as the team played one-third of the game shorthanded through the first 30 minutes. <\/p>\n

Muse tried to find combinations to get that elusive goal, playing Kevin Hayes just 10:19, Justin Brazeau, Novak 11:36, and Egor Chinakhov only 11:50. <\/p>\n

Notably, Muse kept Evgeni Malkin at wing, but didn\u2019t place him with Sidney Crosby until late in the game. Muse largely kept the middle six together with Malkin side-saddling Kevin Hayes with Egor Chinakhov, and Ben Kindel between Tommy Novak and Justin Brazeau. <\/p>\n

Rakell admitted the lines weren\u2019t necessarily clicking as he regretted the team\u2019s lack of fight for the middle of the ice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, for sure (we regret not fighting more for the interior). We would have made some different decisions out there, been more on the same page,\u201d said Rakell.<\/p>\n

Penguins Report Card<\/p>\n

Team: B-<\/p>\n

The numbers were even in the first 30 minutes. But it sure didn\u2019t feel like an even game until later in the second period. The Penguins didn\u2019t create heavy, sustained pressure until then. They had shots and drive-by chances, but for the second straight day didn\u2019t do the little things\u2013like hold onto pucks enough to force defenders out of position. Boston was largely able to hold its structure, even under the Penguins\u2019 pressure.<\/p>\n

Yet, they still didn\u2019t do enough of the little things to get space where it mattered. <\/p>\n

Dan Muse: Second Guessed<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not going to give the coach a grade, but we will second-guess the lines. They looked wonky before the game, but they remained for almost the entirety of the game.<\/p>\n

It would have seemed an easy flip in the third period to reunite Novak with the towers, Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha. Move Malkin to Crosby\u2019s wing much earlier. And let Hayes, Kindel, and Chinakhov pick up some spare ice time\u2013essentially, shorten the bench until the Penguins tied the game.<\/p>\n

Stuart Skinner: A+<\/p>\n

The only goal was a bit fluky. Skinner was quite good as the Bruins packed the zone and counterattacked with aggression. Even if their shot total wasn\u2019t high, they had plenty of dangerous, loud chances.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first save pops out. It\u2019s on a stick, then it\u2019s kind of in the middle of the guys\u2019 skates. So I lost it for a second, then went back out to a stick, and I just tried to spread because I felt like that\u2019s the only amount of time I had,\u201d Skinner said. \u201cAnd then, with (Viktor Arvidsson\u2019s) luck, he hits the post, it goes off my leg and back in.<\/p>\n

So, yeah, it\u2019s tough that that\u2019s the goal that wins the game. But, I mean, stuff like that happens in sports.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tough Games<\/p>\n

Paker Wotherspoon: He made a few poor decisions in the first period, including a turnover on his first shift, and a chip that didn\u2019t get to open space or near his player\u2013it was essentially a turnover that created a 5v3 Boston counterattack\u2013and the game\u2019s only goal.<\/p>\n

Evgeni Malkin: No shots on goal. The line had the puck but couldn\u2019t navigate the maze of bodies well enough. There was no one on the line to fight for the middle of the ice. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: Boston Bruins<\/a> penguins game analysis<\/a> Penguins report card<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> <\/p>\n

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