This game clearly was not a snooze fest because the Pens were actually allowed to play. Let's see how they did. Here we go...
WHAT WENT RIGHT
The Devils were buzzing right after the opening faceoff and were causing havoc in the Penguins zone. Hal Gill was eventually able to clear the puck out of danger to Miroslav Satan and he fed it up to Sidney Crosby. Crosby took it hard to the net but was unable to get a shot off because of the poke check by goalie Scott Clemmensen. Crosby didn't give up on the play and wheeled a backhander from the corner towards the net that went under Clemmensen and into the net. I think he was trying to pass to Max Talbot, but you can't argue with the results. It was Crosby's 11th goal of the year. Satan and Gill would get the assists.
The Pens wasted little time on their third power play in the second period. Twelve seconds after Zach Parise went to the box for interference, Mike Zigomanis won an important faceoff that came out to Malkin at the point. He made a great keep at the blue line and got it into the slot where Tyler Kennedy came up to get it. TK made a between the legs pass to a streaking Crosby who stickhandled his way towards the net. Clemmensen and the defense looked like they were snakes being charmed because they couldn't move. Crosby sent a mid-air pass to a wide open Petr Sykora standing in the crease and he banged it home for an easy goal. It was Sykora's 5th goal of the year. Crosby and Kennedy had the assists.
Four minutes after Sykora's goal they were at it again. At the end of a shift for Crosby and Malkin, Crosby took it into the Devils zone and released a slap shot that went wide. Barry Tallackson whiffed on an attempted pass out of his zone and Malkin dove to knock the puck towards the net. The puck ricocheted off of Clemmensen's left pad right to Crosby standing at the side of the net. He lifted it into the net for probably his easiest goal all year. It was Crosby's 12th goal of the year and the second straight game he has scored multiple goals. Malkin would have the lone assist.
In an effort to get back in the game New Jersey pulled Clemmensen with over two minutes to go. On the ensuing faceoff, Zigomanis won the faceoff to the wall and Malkin chipped it up ahead to open ice. Crosby outraced two Devils defensemen and got the puck near the red line. He was hooked on the play but he still kept charging ahead. He eventually dove and whacked the puck ahead into an empty net for his 13th goal of the year. It was his second career hat trick and his first on home ice. Malkin and Zigomanis would get credit for the assists.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Less than two minutes into the third, some lackluster puck control ruined the shutout for Dany Sabourin. Rob Scuderi had the puck right in front of the net but he fumbled around and couldn't move it. Mike Rupp ended up with the puck and he sent an innocent enough looking shot towards the net that continued to rise and got in just under the crossbar behind Sabourin.
That's it. This game was pretty much dominated by the Penguins.
CONCLUSION
I love these type of games where it never feels like we are going to lose. Those are rare times too because I worry about losing before, during, and up to the conclusion of every game. New Jersey just didn't seem to have it and Pittsburgh was the team playing on back to back nights. Sabourin did a great job in controlling rebounds and not letting the Devils get multiple shots at the net. The penalty killing was solid, the power play actually scored a goal, and Crosby was unstoppable. The Pens finished 9-2-1 in the month of November, gaining 19 out of a possible 24 points. What more could you ask for?
The Pens go on a little road trip next week and start it off against the first place New York Rangers on Wednesday. The Pens lost to the Rangers back on October 25th when Nikolai Zherdev scored on a weak shot with 8 seconds left and they eventually lost in a shootout. Here's hoping this one doesn't turn out the same way because we are already 5 points behind the Rangers and don't need to fall further behind.
PENS WIN 4-1!
THREE PENGUINS STARS OF THE GAME
Sidney Crosby: 3 goals, 1 assist, +3 rating, 6 shots. I'm running out of things to talk about with regards to Crosby's play over the past three games. Did any other Penguin even have to dress for this game? Sid capped off an amazing week with his first career hat trick on home ice and even added a power play assist to pad his stats. During the past three games he has 6 goals, 3 assists and is a +8. His offensive outburst has moved him up the ladder in the scoring race and he now sits alone behind my #2 star.
Evgeni Malkin: 2 assists, +1 rating, 4 shots. Back to back multiple assist games for Geno keeps him securely in front of the NHL scoring race. It was his sixth multiple assist game of the year and his 11th multiple point game out of 22. After the Buffalo game I wrote Malkin had scored in 19 of the 22 games. You can make that 20 out of 23 now. He's on pace right now to have a 130+ point season. If he keeps this up he might reach 100 by the all star break. And since Montreal fans cheated, he might be left off the team. Whatever.
Dany Sabourin: Win, 30 Shots, 29 Saves, 96.67 SV%. It's been a while since I've seen a goaltender do less to win a game where he faced 30 shots. When I saw the box score after the game I couldn't believe the Devils had 30 shots. I can remember like 10 in the whole game and that included their goal. It appears as though Sabourin was able to bounce back from his pulling on Long Island and having to sit against Buffalo. I guess Fleury is ready to come back so he'll move back to his backup role but he has played great in Fleury's absence.Honorable Mentions: Petr Sykora (1 goal, GWG, -1 rating, 5 shots), Mike Zigomanis (1 assist, +1 rating, 11 out of 14 faceoffs, 79% FO)
1 comments:
Okay, is it me or do the guys in the first pic look like the McKenzie Brothers, eh? And is #17 giving that other guy a reach around (or under)? Take off, you hosers!
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