The Confluence
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Penguins’ comeback again in 3rd, top Blue Jackets in SO, 4-3
by Tony on 10/30/09 at 09:58 PM ET
Comments (3)
Just like a infield dribbler counts as a single in baseball just as much as a line drive, there is not a separate category in the NHL standings for “ugly win”.
So on a night where the Penguins were quite the disorganized group because of the absence of Evgeni Malkin, they found a way to overcome a two-goal third period lead to tie the game, then defeated the Blue Jackets on a Sidney Crosby goal in the shootout, 4-3.
Chris Kunitz scored for the second game in a row, while Ruslan Fedotenko and Alex Goligoski also scored for the Pens.
The Penguins’ comeback win gives them an NHL-best 11-2 record and 22 points.
The absence of Malkin in itself may not have been that crucial, but what it did was cause were makeshift lines on all but the first line. That resulted, for one game at least, in a haphazard, sloppy performance that looked like it was going to result in an ugly loss.
As can be expected, the Penguins’ powerplay was pretty lousy, going 0-for-4. The Pens, for whatever reason, inserted Kunitz into Malkin’s spot on the first powerplay unit. During the game, he and Crosby rotated between the goal line and the right side wall. The problem all night was that the Pens would continue to attempt to force the puck past the Jackets’ blue line, which most of the time resulted in an easy clear for Columbus.
Conversely, the Penguins were penalized seven times, but only gave up one goal. That came late in the first period after a Derick Brassard wrister was stopped by Pens backup goalie Brent Johnson, but Rick Nash was able to bang it into the net from his knees to give the Jackets a 1-0 lead at 18:18 of the first.
The Jackets doubled their lead about five minutes into the second after a good play by Mike Commodore kept the puck in the Pens’ zone. Commodore then passed the puck behind the Pens’ goal, where Antoinne Vermette quickly spun for a centering pass to Nash, who fired a one-timer from a difficult angle to beat Johnson again and a 2-0 Jackets lead.
The Penguins were able to cut into the Jackets’ lead on a wacky play a few minutes later, as Kunitz skated into the Jackets’ zone on a semi-short-handed breakaway, but the play was broken up by defenseman Fedor Tyutin, who dove to knock the puck away. As Kunitz bumped into Jackets’ goalie Steve Mason, the Jackets thought the play was going to get whistled. Sidney Crosby grabbed the loose puck and attempted to pass, but that was batted away as well. Crosby got the loose puck once again behind the net and fed Kunitz for the one-timer past Mason, who still hadn’t fully gotten up from the original play. The goal was good, and it was 2-1 Jackets.
In what looked like it was going to be a crushing goal to any Pens’ hopes, late in the second, Sammy Pahlsson got out of the penalty box just as the Jackets controlled the puck. Pahlsson made a centering pass to Derek Dorsett, who fired a backhander past Johnson to make it 3-1 Jackets with 2:10 remaining in the second period.
The third period was moving right along, and things did not look good at all for the Pens. That started to change with only three minutes left when Martin Skoula fired a slapper from the right point that missed the net, but rebounded on the other side right to the stick of Fedotenko, who banged it home, cutting the Jackets’ lead to 3-2.
The Penguins’ quickly seized the momentum. as they then scored the tying tally just 39 seconds later. Crosby gathered the puck at the goalline, and as the Jackets were converging on him, made a nice dish pass to a wide open Goligoski, who settled the puck down and fired a hard wrister that beat Mason to the top shelf tying the game at three goals apiece.
The overtime period solved nothing, so to the shootout it went. The only player to score for the second shootout game in a row was Crosby, who initially started to use his “Jose Theodore deke” move from ‘06, but came back to barely beat Mason five-hole. Mason actually made the save, but his momentum carried him and the puck over the line for the Penguins’ win.
Notes:
- Goligoski’s accuracy is impressing me more and more every game. Not just becuase he continues to score, but how he almost always puts the puck on net is a huge advantage.
- Great atmosphere at Nationwide Arena. Many thousands of Pens fans.
- Vermette inadvertedly collided with Crosby to his knee or leg. Looks like it gave him some significant discomfort for a while, but appeared to shake it off later on in the game.
- Mike Rupp led the Pens with eight hits.
- Big surprise, Jay McKee led the Pens with three blocked shots.
- Not a great night for Crosby in the faceoff circle, relatively speaking. Sid went 12 for 28 for 43 pct.
- Both Goligoski and Kris Letang had over 25 minutes of ice time.
- Goligoski, Kunitz and Crosby were all +2. Goligoski is now alone as the league leader in plus/minus with +13, Crosby is now 2nd with +11.
The Pens now head back to the Igloo to face the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Comments
Once Fedotenko scored I new they would tie it up. You could just feel Pitt get all the momentum. It was just who would score, not if.
It’s nice to see some guys finishing off some of Crosby’s set-ups. If he keeps up his goal scoring rate and gets assists at his normal career rate, he’s looking at a big season.And with the injuries, the Pens are going to need it.
Goligoski reminds me off Rafalski when he came up with N.J.,only he’s a left shot.
How much of that crowd was rooting for the Penguins last night ? 33%? 40%? More?
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 10/31/09 at 12:59 PM ET
Apart from the back to back situation, the modified lines due to Malkin’s absence probably contributed to cumbersome feel to the game from a Penguins perspective. Gradually, the play improved over the course of the game and a splendid finish secured overtime followed by a shootout win. The fact that the extra third period gear was there despite the recent roster turnover is very encouraging.
I’m less convinced by Conner and the other call-up Letestu should get a chance as well. Of course, he could replace Bourque (or Dupuis). But new additions like McKee, Johnson and Skoula continue to impress along with semi-new Goligoski.
Tonight it’s Minnesota on home ice. I’m hoping that Staal’s exploits his opportunity and gets his offensive game back on track.
Posted by Moq from Denmark on 10/31/09 at 01:14 PM ET
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The penguins always play like this in the 1st game of back to back nights. I guess they’re reserving themselves for the next game…or akin to that. Still, Johnson is IMPRESSIVE. Despite giving up 3 goals he kept the pens in the game and I really can’t believe he played this well as a starting goaltender (otherwise he’d still have a starting job). It seems as though the team is starting to take some pressure off of crosby (to dominate) which is a good thing for his longevity and the team’s depth.
Hate to say it (with Malkin hurt) but Conner made the most of his opportunity looking better than some of the perennial starters. Skoula and Bourque continue to play better with every game, as well. Still, the pens should find a way to sign a faceoff guy like Yelle (who is getting waived by Carolina, I believe…eventually); couldn’t hurt to have a guy like him center your 4th line.
Posted by stoneman from vegas on 10/31/09 at 12:08 AM ET