Shea-ved Ice: 5 Observations As Pens Head West
This has been quite the interesting week for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the NHL.
After an impressive win over the Sharks, the Penguins have a few days off before their next contest. As a result, they did what anyone would do with down time in California – beach volleyball!
A day off in Southern California? Sounds like the perfect time for beach volleyball. https://t.co/zCjJqmB79h
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 3, 2015
It looks like a fun team-building activity. It also seems a little safer/tamer than Wiffle ball on ice.
Anyway, here are this week's observations:
Dubinsky Suspended One Game
This is one of the more absurd decisions from the NHL's Player Safety Department in recent history, which is saying a lot.
First, watch this:
As the video shows, Brandon Dubinsky cross checks Sidney Crosby in the neck, from behind. As if that wasn't bad enough, he cross checks him AGAIN while Sid is down on the ice in obvious discomfort.
As a result of one or both of those illegal actions, Dubinsky's stick breaks in half. For those keeping track, that's two blatant cheap shots from Dubinsky in a matter of seconds.
For a league that is at least appearing to crack down on head injuries, surely something of this magnitude will be dealt with harshly.
Dubinsky was assessed a two-minute minor for cross checking. After the game, he learned he would face a hearing with the league.
Here's the result of that hearing:
One. Game. Suspension.
One.
Seriously?
I'd like to draw particular attention to the following statement from that video: (Emphasis mine.)
"While Dubinsky's cross check is not overly violent or forceful, it is an intentional strike to an opponent's head using his stick. This is not a case where the head contact was caused by a sudden movement by Crosby or by a stick riding up a player's back or shoulders and making subsequent contact with the head."
Not overly violent or forceful, yet intentional? So, what is the NHL's definition of overly violent or forceful?
Are the infamous Marty McSorley and Todd Bertuzzi incidents the standard by which all others are judged?
"In addition, once Crosby is down and no longer an offensive threat, Dubinsky delivers an additional cross check to his body."
So, did this extra shot force the league into their overly harsh, extremely long, one-game suspension?
How is this possibly going to serve as a deterrent in the future? I'm not just talking about the long history of Dubinsky's borderline play on Crosby, either.
What's to stop other teams from having a fourth line plug do the exact same thing to an opponent?
I mean, this is the same league that didn't even see fit to penalize Nino Niederreiter for a late hit from behind on Olli Maatta a couple of weeks ago.
So, should we be surprised at the minimal sentence given to Dubinsky?
I guess not.
Evgeni Malkin Is Taking Over
To say Evgeni Malkin has taken his game up a level would be a major understatement.
In his last four games, Malkin has amassed five goals and three assists and he's making it look easy.
Down 2-0 after one period against the Oilers, Evgeni Malkin put the team on his back and scored two goals in the second period.
His beauty against the Wild last month was already in the running for goal of the year. Then, Malkin outdid himself with this jaw-dropping goal.
Just your run-of-the-mill strip, spin-o-rama, backhander off the bar and in goal. No big deal.
Are you kidding me, Geno?
As if that wasn't enough, he followed that up with an overpowering move against Paul Martin and the Sharks.
It's Malkin's world right now and he'll do whatever he pleases.
Penguins Get Rare Win In San Jose
After consecutive losses to the Blue Jackets and Oilers, the Penguins responded with a 5-1 thrashing of the Sharks on Tuesday.
A couple things come to mind from that win.
The Penguins scored five goals in a game for the first time this season. I don't even care that the fifth was an empty netter. In fact, I'm glad it was an empty netter. It's only the second one they've scored this year!
It was the first win against the Sharks on the road since 1997. Yeah, 1997! A streak spanning 13 games.
Here are a couple things that were going on at that time:
Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" was the top song in the universe the last time the Penguins were victorious in San Jose.
The average price was $1.26 a gallon.
Needless to say, it's good to see that streak come to an end.
Sidney Crosby Quietly Racking Up Points
Sidney Crosby appears to be turning his season around.
The Penguins' captain had a five-game point streak (three goals, three assists) heading into Tuesday's game against the Sharks.
While the streak was ultimately snapped, this has by far been the most productive stretch of the season for Crosby.
It's unreasonable to think (maybe?) that Malkin will be able to keep this ridiculous pace up for the next few months. That said, it's good to see Crosby heating up.
NHL All-Star Voting
Look, All-Star games are more for the fans than anything. So, I understand the NHL letting the fans have a say in which players participate.
Fan voting may have worked better back in the day before this whole Twitter fad came into our lives. (Shameless plug, follow me here!)
That said, I'm not surprised at all to see this social experiment coming to the end of its natural course.
Here are the current leaders by division:
Atlantic: Jaromir Jagr
Metropolitan: Alex Ovechkin
Central: Patrick Kane
Pacific: John Scott
All four are worthy of being in the NHL All-Star Game.
Wait, did that say JOHN SCOTT?!
The same John Scott that has just five goals, 11 points and 535 penalty minutes in 280 career games?
The same John Scott that did THIS in a preseason game?
Wow.
As of this posting, John Scott is the LEADING vote-getter.
With all that said, I fully support the growing number of Pens fans trying to get Rob Scuderi into the All-Star Game. (He's currently 25th overall in the voting!)
If the fans are going to make a mockery of the current system, let's go all-in. Let your voices be heard!
That's it for this week. Check back every Thursday for more observations on the Penguins. You can follow Casey Shea on Twitter here!
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