The Confluence
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Isles down Penguins 3-2: Blame it on the tryptophan….
by Tony on 11/27/09 at 05:09 PM ET
Comments (7)
I don’t have the stats in front of me, and frankly I’m too lazy to research it, but if memory serves me correctly the Penguins have not played very well in afternoon games over the past few seasons.
Combine that with a very scrappy performance by the up and coming Islanders, and that was enough for the Isles to squeak out a 3-2 matinee win over the Penguins at Nassau Coliseum.
John Tavares’ tap-in of the rebound of a Freddy Meyer slapper with 6:12 remaining for the game-winner. Evgeni Malkin and Matt Cooke had the Penguins’ goals. Backup Pens’ goalie Brent Johnson stopped 34 of the Isles’ 37 shots on goal.
Rebounds were the theme of the day, as three of the five goals scored were as a result of poor rebound control from both goalies.
The Islanders got on the board midway through the first when Mark Streit fired a slapper that Johnson came out above the crease to stop, but there were three Islanders there for any rebound. That’s exactly what happened, as Josh Bailey poked the rebound into the net to make it 1-0 Isles at 9:05.
Malkin evened it up for the Penguins late in the first period when he simply threw a backhanded on net that somehow found a gap between Isles’ goalie Dwayne Roloson and the post to find its way into the net to tie the game at 1-1.
The Pens took the lead seven minutes into the second period when Jordan Staal fired a wrister from the right slot that Roloson stopped but left a rebound right to the stick of a charging Cooke, who quickly banged it home to give the Pens a 2-1 lead.
It remained that way until early in the third, when Sean Bergenheim launched a hard wirster from the left slot that carromed off the right post and into the net past Johnson to tie the game at 2-2 only 1:24 into the third.
The game-winner was scored at 13:48 when Meyer’s slapper from the left point rebound off Johnson, where Tavares poked the rebound into the net for the 3-2 Isles win.
Notes;
- Give the Islanders credit. They outworked the Penguins, they deserved the win, bottom line. Key stat - Isles, down one heading into the third, outshot the Pens 18-5 in the final period. Matter of fact, the Pens only had 21 shots on goal for the game.
- Aaah, the powerplay. After getting PP goals in four straight, mostly by luck, the Pens’ PP units have come back down to earth. Overall, the PP went 0-for-5, but that was punctuated midway through the second period, when not only did the Pens have a 5-on-3 powerplay for 55 seconds, but a total of six straight minutes of powerplay time in that stretch. They only had four shots in those five powerplays.
- Staal got himself an instigator plus 10 minute misconduct after coming to the defense of Martin Skoula, who was boarded by Nate Thompson. And he got his ass kicked to boot.
- Five blocked shots for Deryk Engelland.
The Pens now return home for the start of a home-and-home series vs. the Rangers.
Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: New+York+Islanders, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Comments
Yeah,I agree Tony, they do seem to have trouble in the afternoon. But for me they have one problem above all else that needs to be addressed and we know what that is. Something DRASTIC has to be done with their powerless play, and soon.
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 11/27/09 at 05:34 PM ET
Well, blaming every woe on the powerplay isn’t fair, even for someone as anti-Yeo as myslef….
But I think it’s a very simple concept.. As Cup champs, they’re going to get the best from their opponents every night….
And I’m pretty sure they know that, but it’s a matter of them matching the opponent’s intensity night after night….
Posted by Tony from Virginia Beach, VA on 11/27/09 at 05:39 PM ET
As Cup champs, they’re going to get the best from their opponents every night….
It did look like the Islanders were playing a big game. While the Penguins looked like a team that was stuffed with turkey and too tired so they just went through the motions.
I guess over the course of 82 you’re going to have to live with 3 or 4 of these types of games during the season. I just hope it is one of those games and not something more.
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 11/27/09 at 08:52 PM ET
After barely beating the Islanders in the shootout to open the season it is a poor excuse to blame the loss on coming up flat. The Islanders took it to them and they didn’t repsond like the Flyers did on Wednesday night.
Posted by Hockey1919 from Montreal on 11/28/09 at 03:32 PM ET
I just hope it is one of those games and not something more.
It’s a sign of things to come. It’s got to be.
Everyone, follow me! To the bridges!
Posted by Flashtastick56 from Milford, CT on 11/28/09 at 05:46 PM ET
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That was quite an “EFFORT” by the Pens !!
When their Best Player is Matt Cooke they aren’t going to win MANY games!!
Geno & Sid were Both TERRIBLE!!!
Gonchar & Orpik weren’t any better either
Posted by Evilpens on 11/27/09 at 05:17 PM ET