Is Chaos Inherent in the Penguins’ System?

Having never played hockey (or mastered skating) I’ll be the first to admit I’m not an X’s and O’s guy. Truth be told, I couldn’t tell a left-wing lock from a 2-3 forecheck.

However, I do know chaos when I see it. It’s something that seems to consume our Penguins a lot, especially when defending the house.

For the record, Oxford Languages defines chaos as “complete disorder and confusion.”

Yep. Sounds about right.

Even during our victory over Detroit the other night, welcome as it was, our d-zone coverage was chaotic at best. Particularly early on. If it weren’t for some huge saves by rookie Joel Blomqvist and some myopic shooting by the Red Wings, the outcome might have been much different.

Anyone who’s witnessed the hail of blown leads over the past couple of seasons knows this isn’t a new phenomenon, but rather one that’s plagued us with increasing frequency since our back-to-back Cups. Indeed, we often resemble an elementary school fire drill gone awry in our own end, with players scrambling every which way. Or a modern version of the Keystone Kops, whichever you prefer.

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