Penguins On Brink Of Breakthrough Barrasso Symbolizes Intensity Of Pittsburgh’s Stingy Defense
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ reversal of fortune against the Florida Panthers came about through a reversal in roles.
The Penguins, known for the score-at-will talent of Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, have taken a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference series by beating the Panthers at their own game. Pittsburgh has won two straight with bone-rattling checking and tenacious goaltending.
Game 6 of the best-of-seven series is today at Miami.
“Just because I can score goals doesn’t mean I can’t do other things,” said Lemieux, whose physical play was key in a 3-0 win over the Panthers at Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.
The loss put the Panthers within one game of extinction. Florida must stay alive by beating a team that is 6-1 on the road this postseason and 7-0 after Game 3 in its past three playoff series.
“We’ve been concentrating a lot on playing well defensively,” Penguins defenseman J.J. Daigneault said. “We have a team that can play run-and-gun hockey, and when it’s time to shut it down and play against a team like the Florida Panthers, we’re also able to play that game.”
After Florida’s game plan resulted in 61 shots and a 5-2 victory in Game 3, Pittsburgh coach Eddie Johnston made some changes - fewer tape-to-tape plays and more dumping the puck in the Florida zone, hoping the Panthers would turn over the puck.
“They’re starting to play a little more like we do,” Florida wing Dave Lowry said. “In the first three games, they were a little more high-risk.”
The Penguins have shut down the middle, making it hard for the Panthers to crash the net to get the rebound. Florida had few second chances Tuesday against goaltender Tom Barrasso.
With few natural scorers, Florida lives for the trash goal. Without it, the Panthers have scored just once in more than six periods - 87:10.
Florida plans some changes for Game 6, but knows if it is to win the series, it needs more of a contribution from its top two goal scorers during the regular season, Scott Mellanby and Rob Niedermayer. They’ve combined for one goal so far.
“We just have to find a way to get to the net,” Niedermayer said.
Florida coach Doug MacLean isn’t surprised Pittsburgh has begun to play more defensively. He said that’s how Pittsburgh won its Stanley Cups.
“If you look back at this team, they’ve played strong defense,” MacLean said.
The biggest component of the Penguins’ turnaround from a 2-1 deficit has been the play of Barrasso.
He sat for eight games in the playoffs before being called upon in Game 2. Lemieux says the goalie is as focused as when Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992.
Since he regained the job, Barrasso is 3-1 with a 2.00 goals-against average. Five of the eight goals allowed came in Florida’s 5-2 win in Game 3.