The Confluence
The Confluence Jinx continues: Canes topple Penguins in OT, 3-2
by Tony on 04/05/09 at 10:44 AM ET
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[As I use my best Mr. Deeds voice…. ]
My bad. My bad.
I’ve been going to Penguins games in Raleigh since 2001. While the atmosphere is always festive, and the locals are certainly friendly, let’s just say things haven’t gone very well on the ice for the Penguins.
The Penguins’ record in games I’ve seen in Raleigh since 2001 ??
0-5-2.
The jinx continued last night at the RBC Center, where both teams skated at a very high tempo in front of a playoff atmosphere. In the end, it was Anton Babchuk’s slapper through a screen that beat Marc-Andre Fleury in overtime for a 3-2 win. The Canes clinched a playoff berth with the win.
The Penguins, with the one point earned last night, can now clinch a playoff berth themselves with a win in their final four games.
The Pens started the night off well when Tyler Kennedy made a nice move to the net and lofted a backhanded to the top shelf to beat Canes’ goalie Cam Ward and make it 1-0 Penguins at the 5:49 mark of the first period. However, Eric Staal (did you know he and Jordan were brothers ??) knotted the game at one apiece when he took a centering feed from returning Cane Erik Cole in front of the Pens’ net to bang it home at 13:25.
The Penguins had the first of several hugely wasted scoring opportunities while teams were playing 4-on-4 when Sidney Crosby stole the puck and skated in the Canes’ zone on a clear breakaway. However, Crosby attempted a simple wrister that Ward easily stopped to keep the score at 1-0.
The Canes took the lead early in the second period after a bad turnover by Matt Cooke led to a wrister for Chad Larose past Fleury to make it 2-1 Canes only 57 seconds into the second.
Midway through the second period it initially looked as if the Pens had tied the game on a Bill Guerin slapper, but the officials waved it off due to a tripping call against Chris Kunitz.
It stayed that way until early in the third period when Kennedy brought the puck into the Canes’ zone and left it for Jordan Staal, who one-timed it past Ward to tie the game at two apiece at the 3:34 mark. The NHL may eventually award this goal to Ruslan Fedotenko, whose stick it may have deflected off.
The Penguins had a golden chance to take the lead at the 11:43 mark when Evgeni Malkin was hauled down by Tim Gleason on a breakaway and was ruled a penalty shot. However, just like Crosby, there was no flash, just a simple wrister that Ward stopped to keep the game at 2-2.
That lead to the overtime, where it only lasted 1:11 when Babchuk fired a slapper from the right point that Fleury couldn’t see for the game winner.
Other notes:
- Cam Ward has to be the most underrated goalie in the NHL.
- The Raleigh newspaper is saying this game was a sellout. That may be, but there were many empty seats in the upper bowl.
- Good showing again for transplanted Penguins fans in Raleigh. I’d estimate about 2,000 or so.
- I don’t know if the Pens had in their scouting report on Ward not to try any dekes on their breakaways, but Ward barely had to move for either one of them.
- With Rod Brind’amour on the other side, the Pens had a tough night in the faceoff circle, only winning 40 pct.
- Five blocked shots for both Crosby and Sergei Gonchar.
- Someone please remind me next time I go to Raleigh, get a hotel. 200 miles at night time, dodging 11 deer during different times on the drive home, makes for a long ride.
Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
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