Penguins Game Two Review: Sifting Through the Wreckage
In the immediate aftermath of the Penguins’ disappointing 5-2 loss to the Flyers last night at the Wells Fargo Center, I found myself sifting through the wreckage in search of positives. And there were some to be found. More than a few…actually.
Still, it reminded me of Sidney Crosby’s rookie season, when a black-and-gold squad that included a fading Mario Lemieux and several high-profile free agents couldn’t buy a win.
How the mighty have fallen.
Back to those positives. I thought the Pens played better than they did in the season opener. Maybe even deserved a better fate. After going down 3-0 early they showed some moxie, pulling to within a goal on tallies by Crosby and buzz-saw Brandon Tanev. The second of the young season for both.
Once Casey DeSmith replaced shell-shocked Tristan Jarry between the pipes, the Pens began to resemble a hockey team. At times a pretty good one. They outshot the Flyers, 33-20, and won the faceoff battle. For the better part of the evening they dictated the tempo and controlled the play. Only the superlative puck-stopping of Philly phenom Carter Hart kept us from earning a point or two.