Without Kris Letang, Penguins’ defensemen step up in playoffs
CRANBERRY TWP. 无毛视频� When Kris Letang was lost for the season in April from neck surgery, it seemed like a devastating blow. A top-flight, minutes-eating defenseman has been a constant for just about any championship team, a role Letang played in the Penguins无毛视频� Stanley Cup championship run last year.
Without him, the Penguins were left without anybody who could directly and wholly full that role. But where most perceived a hole, the Penguins无毛视频� defensemen saw a challenge, an opportunity to step up in Letang无毛视频檚 absence.聽
With three playoff-series wins and a chance to now win the Stanley Cup against the Predators, the defensemen have been able to sufficiently hold down the fort. No one has matched Letang无毛视频檚 all-around brilliance, but they无毛视频檝e done their jobs well enough, and have a 2.32 goals-against average in the playoffs to show for it. That mark is just worse than the Penguins无毛视频� 2.29 goals against in last years无毛视频� postseason run.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檝e had to rally together. No one无毛视频檚 going to replace him, and we know that,无毛视频� Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin said. 无毛视频淎nd we just had to continue to play well as a group and no one get outside their comfort zone, everyone just do what they do best. I think that无毛视频檚 how we approached it.无毛视频�
In the playoffs last season, Letang was a minutes-eater, playing 28:53 a game. As Dumoulin put it, it was 无毛视频淜ris Letang and then the rest of us.无毛视频� This time around, the Penguins have split up the duty, rotating pairs in and out constantly. Ian Cole has played the least out of the regular six at 19:10 a game, while Dumoulin is at the top with 21:55. It无毛视频檚 very much been a group effort, especially when other defensemen, like Trevor Daley and Justin Schultz, have missed time in the playoffs.
无毛视频淚 think we really look at sharing the responsibilities, using our three pairs. Obviously without Kris Letang, other people have filled in and have given us some good minutes,无毛视频� Penguins assistant coach Jacques Martin said.
无毛视频淚 think that was the key last year in the playoffs from a standpoint that our team game was really a six-man defense, and I think that无毛视频檚 part of the solution this year as well.无毛视频�
As the top minutes-getter, Dumoulin and his partner Ron Hainsey have often been on the ice against opponents无毛视频� top lines. They无毛视频檝e usually limited the opposition无毛视频檚 stars well. Penguins winger Conor Sheary described Dumoulin as someone who just 无毛视频済oes out there and takes care of business无毛视频� and 无毛视频渄oesn无毛视频檛 make too many mistakes.无毛视频� He无毛视频檚 one of many who have stepped up since Letang无毛视频檚 injury.
无毛视频淚 think we have a group back there that cares about each other, that really play within their limitations, I think that无毛视频檚 the key. And they无毛视频檝e been able to raise their level of play,无毛视频� Martin said.
Though no one has played the quantity of minutes like Letang, if there无毛视频檚 been somebody asked to replace some of Letang无毛视频檚 responsibilities, it无毛视频檚 Schultz. Like Letang, he无毛视频檚 been the Penguins无毛视频� primary puck-mover, as well as the quarterback on the power play. He无毛视频檚 scored ten points and three goals in 15 games in the playoffs after a 51-point regular season.
无毛视频淲hen you look at Justin when he came here, he always has had the ability to excel on the offensive side. He has a tremendous shot, he has excellent vision. He无毛视频檚 been able to replace Kris on the power play as far as the quarterback,无毛视频� Martin said. 无毛视频淏ut I think the area that无毛视频檚 been most noticeable in his development as a player has been his defensive side.无毛视频�
无毛视频淗is defensive ability now, I think over the season he无毛视频檚 been a responsible player as far as choosing when to join the rush, when to pinch in the offensive zone, as well as the defensive zone, I think he无毛视频檚 improved his position, he无毛视频檚 improved his compete level, his use of his stick, his position, those are all areas that he无毛视频檚 grown in over the season that无毛视频檚 made him the kind of defensemen he无毛视频檚 been lately.无毛视频�
It无毛视频檚 been a reinvention year for Schultz, who was traded out of Edmonton to the Penguins last season after sinking to the lowest point of his NHL career. At the time of the trade, one writer called him the 无毛视频�worst player in the NHL.无毛视频� Now he无毛视频檚 perhaps the best defenseman on a Stanley Cup Finals team.
无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 been phenomenal this year. He无毛视频檚 having fun,无毛视频� Dumoulin said. 无毛视频淚 think last year he never wanted to make a mistake or do something wrong, do something to hurt the team and this year he无毛视频檚 just going out there and playing.无毛视频�
The rest of the Penguins无毛视频� defensemen have taken on a similar mindset this postseason. They无毛视频檙e not worried about their heightened roles or trying to replace Letang. Instead, they无毛视频檝e just gone out and continued to play their game. And thus far, it无毛视频檚 worked.