Game 1 produced an unusual problem for the Habs these playoffs. They couldn't stop a powerplay. After going 32 of 33 in the kill department against the Caps, the Habs got a taste of what a good coach can bring to the table to make things a lot more difficult. The Pens went 4 for 4 and Dan Bylsma's outstanding strategy was the key. At the morning skate before game 1, Bylsma laid out his entire plan to break down the Habs kill and then his players executed it to perfection.
Whereas Bruce Boudreau's idea was to just keep blasting, Bylsma spoke of making Halak go laterally so he couldn't get set -- and that's exactly what they did. Bylsma talked about changing the shooting angle quickly and abundantly and he did, and they did.
It is no coincidence that the Pens went from struggling to make the playoffs under Therrien to turning their season around completely under Bylsma ending in a Cup.
I couldn't help but be reminded of Caps owner Ted Leonsis's blog after the Caps lost where he said it seemed the Caps had a low hockey IQ. That's basically an indictment and possible hint of impending firing of Boudreau. No low IQ here in Pittsburgh. A confident, intelligent, head coach very certain of his ideas.
Now it's up to the Habs to do their own set of adjustments. That's what the playoffs are. Who can make the adjustments to get and keep the upper hand? Jacques Martin will need to strategize with great skill, because this Bylsma is something. Think about it - when has a coach laid out his entire plan to beat a team before the series begins and then does all of it? Before game 1, Bylsma also said his team wouldn't just shoot from everywhere but go cross crease and pick their spots. He also said that the key wouldn't be on the rush but grinding it out in the corners. Then he did all that.
I picked the Penguins to defend their title. However, one of the reasons is their strength down the middle, and it just got less strong. It is one of my mantras: Cup-winning teams have depth and size at centre. With Jordan Staal out for perhaps the rest of the playoffs with a lacerated and operated on tendon, the Pens lose an important weapon. However, I think the Pens can get to the final and perhaps they can get Staal back in time to face what will be a very talented team from the west. In fact, If I had to rank the teams left in these playoffs, I would rank them Pittsburgh, all four West teams, followed by the other three East teams.
Markov's condition
The Habs also have to recover from a serious injury. Just a guess, again, totally an educated guess, nothing I know, repeat, just a guess but I think it is a partly torn ACL for Markov. The club is saying out indefinately. With Spacek's mystery virus still haunting him, the Habs are weak at the back end. PK Subban is going to have to get comfortable much faster than the Habs were expecting, and hasn't he just looked completely at ease in this moment? Barely a mistake so far while he feels his way through the process.
The Habs were not overmatched 5 on 5 in game 1, unlike against the Caps when Halak was the star on a tilted surface. If they can maintain that 5 on 5 play, clean up the PK, get a better performance from Halak, they could put in a better result Sunday. Certainly, I expect the Habs will have better legs for game 2. Why am I so confident? That's exactly what Bylsma is expecting. And so far he's been deadly accurate on all that he expects.
