Penguins

November 8, 2009

Caputi’s his name; crashing’s his game

Penguins winger terror of netminders

By Tom Venesky tvenesky@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter
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Ask Luca Caputi if opposing goaltenders ever get upset with his relentless physical play around their net and a wide smile stretches across his face.

Now in his second AHL season, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins winger has quickly carved out a niche for himself by creating havoc around opposing team’s nets. It’s a tactic that has gotten Caputi on the scoresheet and may land him a full-time job in the NHL.

It’s a role that Caputi relishes and even has fun with. And when opposing goaltenders get upset, Caputi sees it as verification that he’s doing his job.

During the third period of the Penguins game against Toronto last Sunday, Caputi crashed hard toward the Marlie net and was shoved into goaltender James Reimer.

“The goalie got up and came at me and two defensemen came at me and I had to drop my gloves,” Caputi said.

“A lot of goaltenders and defensemen don’t want you standing in their crease, and when you put yourself in that situation you have to be physical. When the time comes you have to show up.”

During his first full AHL season last year, Caputi displayed his tendency to crash the net with regularity. It earned him a five-game midseason stint with Pittsburgh and an extended stay at training camp this year.

This season Caputi has refined his crash the net style while skating on the top line with Wyatt Smith and Chris Conner before he was recalled to Pittsburgh.

Now, rather than crash the net with reckless abandon any time the puck enters the offensive zone, Caputi picks his spots to put himself in the best position for a shot, rebound or screen.

“You have to read the play and go with your first instinct,” he said. “You always want to be around the net in case of rebounds, but then there’s times when you have to go out and find the soft area in the slot to be the triggerman and get a shot off.”

Still, such a style does carry risks. Accidently bump into a goaltender while being too ambitious around the net and a player can quickly find himself headed to the penalty box for interference.

“There’s a fine line between crashing the net and running the goalie,” Caputi said. “You always want to be around the net, but you don’t want to take selfish and dumb penalties.”

While Caputi’s vengeance around the net has earned him four goals in the first 10 games this season, the style benefits his linemates as well.

They know where Caputi is going to be when the puck enters the offensive zone, and the havoc that ensues around the crease often results in a screen or an odd-man situation as defensemen have to move in to try to move Caputi out.

“The goal is to get the puck to the net and when you have a strong winger like Luca who’s going to go there every time, it makes the zone time a lot easier to achieve,” said Smith, who assisted on two of Caputi’s goals this season.

“Even on a line rush or cycling around the net, guys are going to have to take him and it creates more space for everyone else.”

Caputi describes his game as a power forward and he has made strides to improve in other aspects as well. After the first 10 games this season he led the Penguins with 31 shots. The high shot total, he said, is a result of a boost in confidence that resulted from playing on the team’s top line.

“I’m more confident in myself and in making plays, so I believe I can shoot the puck more,” Caputi said. “It’s been an adjustment playing on the top line, but confidence comes when you play a lot more and from playing with good players.”

Head coach Todd Reirden said Caputi has displayed all the elements of a power forward – shooting, scoring and physical play.

The only element Caputi needs to display, Reirden said, is consistency. Heading into Friday’s game against Norfolk Caputi hadn’t scored in the four previous contests.

When the consistency does surface, however, Reirden said that could be Caputi’s ticket to the NHL.

“There was a stretch last season of eight or 10 games where he led our team in scoring chances and then, lo and behold, he got called up to Pittsburgh,” Reirden said. “If he’s going to play with our top group he should be at the top with scoring chances every night. That should be his target.”

Reirden said Caputi has also made great strides to improve his strength – another component of a power forward. When Caputi does put all the pieces together Reirden said he should be reminiscent of another former Pittsburgh power forward.

“Five years from now when he is an NHL player, he should look like a Ryan Malone type of player – physical, gets in on the forecheck and is tough to handle around the net,” Reirden said.

Caputi agreed that he has to be more consistent when it comes to putting the puck in the net. The crash the net style is a fun way to play, but it’s even more enjoyable when the goals come with it, he said.

“I just want to be a complete player offensively as well as being relied on defensively,” Caputi said. “I enjoy being a top line guy, creating havoc around the net and just playing the same way every night.”

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