Who's going to make the biggest difference in Round 1 for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers? Heading into the 2021-22 NHL Season, fans and critics alike were calling for Kasperi Kapanen to be the Pittsburgh Penguins breakout player. Tack on the fact that the Penguins were beginning the season without Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, all eyes were on Kapanen to use his speed and scoring ability to help keep the team afloat. Not only did Kapanen fail to hit any sort of expectations, he was pushed aside by a different depth forward who stunned fans. In the season prior, Kapanen showed glimpses of brilliance on the ice; in 30 games he scored 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points including three game winning goals. The skill is there, everyone has seen it, the confidence has evaporated, but he isn’t alone. In the first half of the season Evan Rodrigues was automatic in scoring goals and helping the Pengunis get wins with an injury prone lineup. Rodrigues crushed career highs in goals and points before the Pens played half of the season. Through 33 games in 2021-22, Rodrigues scored 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points, all new career highs for the 28-year-old. The issue with Rodrigues came in the second half of the season, it’s not exactly half of the season, but in the last 49 games of the year he tallied only 4 goals and 9 assists. Rodrigues was the lone Penguin to play all 82 games of the season, and finished with a stat line of 19 goals, 24 assists, and 43 points. Those are stellar numbers from someone who wasn’t slated to crack the lineup during the offseason, but the epic decline leaves so much to be desired. The Penguins are now entering the postseason and both Kapanen and Rodrigues are going to be in the lineup. If the Penguins want to see success against a high flying New York Rangers, both Kapanen and Rodrigues will need to find their ability that made them legit competitors. Those two should be under a harsh spotlight, because if they aren’t regaining any sort of ability or confidence they shouldn’t be on the ice. It isn’t ideal, but the Mike Sullivan shouldn’t be afraid to toss a Brian Boyle or Drew O’Connor into the lineup over a slouching Rodrigues or Kapanen. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Mike Sullivan Provides Update on Penguins Round 1 Injuries [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-injury-update-casey-desmith-rickard-rakell] 10 Takeaways From Penguins Game 1 Win Over Rangers [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/takeaways-game-1-pittsburgh-penguins-new-york-rangers] Sidney Crosby's Season of Milestones Continues Into Playoffs [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-sidney-crosby-milestones-playoffs] Penguins Have Impressive History of Backup Goalies in Postseason [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-history-backup-goalies-playoffs] Triple-OT Win Snaps Dreadful Streak for Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/overtime-win-pittsburgh-penguins-losing-streak] * undefined * undefined
