SLBD

Jimmy Howard would steal a game for the Wings for 65 minutes but ultimately was bested in the Shootout as the Pens beat the Wings 2-1.  A fine defensive effort from Pittsburgh required all the extra time available to beat Howard and the Wings for the bonus point.

To begin this is not the only meeting between the two teams as I had stated in the pregame.  The Pens go to Detroit in March.  Mark Letestu, Nick Johnson, and Tyler Kennedy would play for Pittsburgh.  Max Talbot who was doubt did not lace them up.  Alex Goligoski was also back in action after missing a few in a row.

Staal still solid just struggled on scoring chances all day. Howard was on fire to his credit.

It was an fairly uneventful first frame with the Penguins getting two Powerplays and then failing to capitalize on either.  The first one 4 minutes in was atrocious.  Evgeni Malkin was playing on Jordan Staal’s wing for a good part of the first period.  Dan Bylsma said hetrying to give Geno a bigger body down low to open him up.  As the period closed Staal was playing with his more traditional linemates.

The Pens would have to kill a tripping call on Sergei Gonchar late and in the last minute of the stanza got a good really going around Jimmy Howard who was the only reason the Pens didn’t hit the locker room with the lead.  Marc-Andre Fleury was playing very aggressively all period stopping shots from 10-15 feet out in front of the net at times.  Scored tied at 0’s after one and the Pens had a huge shot advantage 16-6.  Defense played responsible but Pittsburgh struggled to generate a consistent forecheck.  Just felt like a playoff game with two teams feeling each other out for a good part of the period. 

Malkin started the period on Staal’s wing as the Penguins continued to get a lot of time on the Wings zone.  Just over six minutes in Staal was highsticked by Nicklas Lidstrom and has his nose cut back open along his scar line (and no call) and right after Brian Rafalski put on a diving clinic as he skated by Geno and drew a trip.  The Pens would kill it.    Mike Babcock was interviewed after the kill and told Pierre McGuire that his team was just getting dusted by the Pens speed and their D was getting exhausted.

Mark Eaton would get called for a hold with five and a half to go at the same time Kris Draper slewfooted Nick Johnson. Pittsburgh would kill it again and right after HCBD would load up and put Sid out with Geno.  A sweet tic-tac pass and then a wicked move from Sid crossing in front of Johnson off the post and in.  1-0 good guys.  Gogo with a bullet pass to Sid and Geno with the other assist.

Pierre McGuire would call all of the Penguins Wingers “mediocre” at intermission. The names of non-mediocre wingers:  Bill Guerin, Ruslan Fedotenko, Chris Kunitz.   Pittsburgh continued to dominate the shot department leading 29-11 after 2.  Flower played really well and the defense continued its responsible play.  1-0 going to the third period.

Pascal Dupuis started a tic-tac-toe play to Geno and across to Staal a minute in that would be a sign of frustration for Jordan in the remaining part of the game.  Staal would get a ton of good chances and hit cross bar of just miss.  90 seconds later Matt Cooke was rode into Howard and the Wings went to the Powerplay. Terrible call on Cooke.  Valtteri Filppula would have most of the net to look on the ensuing PP from a bad angle and shot it between the net and behind Fluery.  He’ll see that one in his sleep.

Jimmy Howard deserved his 2nd Star. He was the only reason Detriot got a point out of this game.

With 8:50 to go Brad Stuart would even it up on the first big defensive breakdown of the game.  Pittsburgh left him all alone at the point.  The goal was unassisted.  Staal would get another golden opportunity low on the left side of Howard and clang it off the crossbar.

The the officials took a powder.  As the Penguins started mounting pressure and totally outplaying the Wings, keeping the puck in the offensive zone for over two minutes the refs let an obvious boarding call, hook, and interference go by the boards.  It was glaringly obvious that they did not intend to flag the teams for anything the rest of the game.  Staal would get yet another great chance as the Pens just swarmed Howard.  In the end the Wings would send it to OT and get a point.  Jimmy Howard was the only reason.

Ninety seconds in Staal had a chance to put home another chance on a rebound from Kris Letang’s point shot.   Two minutes after that Pavel Datsyuk would get speed and take it to the neutral zone where Sergei Gonchar was the only man back.  Datsyuk would step past Sarge on the left side leaving him little choice but to get the blade up.  Gonchar would get nailed for hooking.  Was it a hook?  Definitely.  Given the lack of calls in the 3rd on Detroit is was ridiculous to see that get called with 1:21 in OT to play.  I’m not saying it wasn’t a valid penalty against Sarge.  I am just saying the referees were absolutely inconsistent if that is a call and the three big misses in the 3rd were not.    Pittsburgh would kill 1:12 of Red Wing PP time and send it to the shootout.

• Letang up 1st, over handled the puck and put it into Howard’s right pad.
• Datsyuk drives fast and puts it wide
• Sid handles quickly down to Howard’s left and roofs it 1-0
• Drew Miller tried to go to Flowers left and was stoned
• Geno very slowly brings it wide right then to the slot and waits for Howard to make a move.  He does and Geno softly works it around him in for the SO winner.

Pens win 2-1 in the Shootout.

• NBC affiliates preempted this game in several markets.  What a tragedy.  It had playoff level excitement
• Geno played as a winger a good amount of the Game for Staal.  It looked ok but I hope it is not a trend that continues
• Pens PP still inconsistent and went 0-3
• Penguins also let the Red Wings get to their game in the 3rd.  After only allowing 11 shots in the first two period Detroit got 10 in the 3rd.  need to close better.
• Big extra point for the Pens who are now 3 in front of the Senators for 4th in the East.
• 3 Stars: 1.) Crosby 2.) Howard 3.) Fleury
• Pens remain perfect in shootouts this year
• No report if Sid shook Lidstrom’s hand after the game.

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