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Wednesday, 20 April 2011 11:00

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

The special teams unit which has gotten the most attention - or grief more accurately - for the Penguins as of late has been the power play. Going 0 for a billion (give or take) will do that.

The team's rock of penalty kill has gone mostly unscathed so far in the postseason despite giving up four goals to the Lightning's dangerous power play.

But the Penguins' issues on the penalty kill aren't anything new. You can pretty much pinpoint the exact moment the penalty kill began to decline.

4:36 of  the third period of a 5-2 home loss to the Rangers, March 20.

That's when Matt Cooke was banished by the NHL for elbowing Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the head. Almost immediately, the impact on the power play could be felt. The Penguins gave up two power-play goals on the ensuing major penalty.

Since then, the penalty kill has suffered a clear cut decline statistically. Here's a look at the penalty kill's numbers since Cooke was suspended:

(In addition to the 10 regular season games Cooke was suspended for after the McDonagh hit, we've included a game against the Canadiens Jan. 6 Cooke missed for personal reasons, the four games Cooke was suspended for following his hit on Blue Jackets defenseman Fedor Tyutin Feb. 8, the Rangers game March 20 and the Penguins' first three postseason games in the "without" numbers.)

Interestingly, the Penguins actually generated a little bit more offense without Cooke, who was actually leading the NHL in shorthanded points at the time of his current suspension with six.

Would the presence of Cooke guarantee a shutout for the Lightning with the man advantage? No. that would be naive to assume. The Lightning has too much talent to get shutout by any penalty kill, even the league's best. But you have to imagine Cooke could have prevented a goal or two.

(Photo: Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Comments (11)

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written by Disgruntled Goat, April 20, 2011 - 12:22 PM

I'm not buying it, not completely anyway. The dropoff from Cooke to Dupuis is not so great as to explain the fade that the PK experienced down the stretch and his presence surely would not have prevented half of Tampa Bay's power play goals. Obviously, him being there would not have prevented Staal from cleanly losing defensive zone face-offs. Cooke is a good penalty killer, but nobody is that good. There has to be more going on.

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written by Disgruntled Goat, April 20, 2011 - 12:24 PM

What is the PK% with and without Derek Engelland?

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written by ud1978, April 20, 2011 - 03:22 PM

Excellent blog posting. I was wondering about the Cooke effect as I was watching Martin St. Louis doing his Mario impersonation during the last game. I don't think that its a coincidence, these stats don't lie. Cooke's importance to the PK is undeniable. Too bad his talent so far exceeds his common sense and his respect for his fellow hockey players when he makes the stupid, totally unnecessary plays that cost him and his team so dearly. Will be interesting to see if the Pens decide he's as changed a person as Ben and bring him back next year. I doubt it.

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written by espo33, April 20, 2011 - 03:32 PM

Engelland wasn't on the PK unit.

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written by Disgruntled Goat, April 20, 2011 - 03:49 PM

Every defenceman kills penalties.
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Since Engelland sat out most of the games that Cooke was suspended for, there is most likely a similar perecntage differential in the penalty kill with and without Engelland as there is with Cooke. The point being that statistics can be misleading. I would never suggest that the PK has suffered because Engelland is not playing, but I also don't think the fact that Cooke is suspended is the only reason it is struggling.
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Tampa Bay is due for an 0-4.

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written by Bones, April 20, 2011 - 04:42 PM

I get nervous every time Staal takes a faceoff in the d-zone.

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written by Staal Tactics11, April 20, 2011 - 05:06 PM

@ Bones - That's because Staal is struggling for whatever reason. There's too much on his plate or something. I keep hearing how he could be the 1st or 2nd line center on any other team, but I'm not seeing it. I think he is exactly where he should be when the lineup is full - 3rd line center and expected to put up between 15 and 20 goals.

I would miss Cooke too if he wasn't such a moron. Yeah I think his suspension was too heavy but I'm finding it harder and harder to employ him when you would want to bash his head in if he, or someone else, did something to Crosby or Malkin.

Either the NHL cracks down on this stupidity or it doesn't. The last few weeks have shown that they don't give a rat's behind. Crosby is going to be targeted in this league because it's allowed.

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written by espo33, April 20, 2011 - 05:30 PM

Disgruntled Goat-check the games. He doesn't kill PK regularly. He only did when Orpik and Michelak were out in the beginning of the season.

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written by Disgruntled Goat, April 20, 2011 - 05:38 PM

espo -- You're right in the fact that Engelland was not one of the top four defencemen killing penalties, but you're missing the point. Then again, maybe it was never an important point anyway, so I surrender.

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written by espo33, April 20, 2011 - 06:15 PM

Probably the biggest reason for the poor PK, is the fact Cooke could've had a greater impact on the faceoffs at the wing. Staal is terrible at FO's and Adams is not much better, while Talbot is all right. The clean FO wins are more TB sided then the Pens.

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written by Bones, April 20, 2011 - 07:15 PM

We can all agree that Staal needs to go to the Sid Crosby School of Faceoff Victory this summer.

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