Saturday, January 10, 2015

A Revenge Night?

Downie looks for a pass / Pittsburgh Penguins
By: MF, 

Hello everyone! I am back in action tonight, with the website updates, Twitter, and Facebook. Oh and don't forget about trivia on Twitter, as that will be back tonight. I enjoyed my long trip to Pittsburgh and seeing the three Penguins games at Consol Energy Center. The city and area are beautiful. It was a truly great experience and I can't wait to make a trip back. However, it's back to the regular world here in Florida. Great way to end my vacation is with a Penguins game on the day, I come back home.

The Penguins are in Canada once again to take on the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. The last game these two teams face each other was Saturday, at Consol. Sadly the Canadiens came out on top with a dominating victory. The Penguins are now in enemy territory to take their revenge.

Let's take a look at the numbers for the Penguins going into this game. They have an 11-2-3 record against Atlantic Division teams this season. Adding to that, the Penguins have the fewest road regulation losses (four) in the National Hockey League (NHL). Also, they hold a 15-1-1 record when they capitalize on the power play. So special teams will be a major point in this game. The Penguins will have to take control on the penalty kill, stay disciplined, and make sure to make the Canadiens pay with their lethal power play.
Ehrhoff lands a hard hit on Smith / Pittsburgh Penguins

In addition, the Penguins forwards having outstanding numbers. Their Captain, Sidney Crosby, has 37 (16 goals (G) - 31 assists (A) ) career points versus the Canadiens. (Now people have been talking about Crosby's slump, but I have my own opinion on that. Look out for a future article, around tomorrow, about that.) While Evgeni Malkin has notched 12 multi-point games this season, which is the most on the Penguins and has him tied for fifth in the NHL. Malkin has also recorded a point in 30 of 40 games, which is amazing. Now people have been talking about Crosby's slump, but I have my own opinion on that. Look out for a future article, around tomorrow, about that. Now Beau Bennett is even hitting a stride, since his return from an injury, as he has seven points (two goals and five assists) in his last eight games.

Spaling and Bergeron faceoff / Pittsburgh Penguins
Not to mention, the fantastic season Marc-Andre Fleury is having in the net this season. He is showing everyone that he is an elite NHL goalie. In the Bell Centre, Fleury is 3-1-1 in his last five games with a 1.96 goals against average and .926 save percentage.

Now the morning skate today had everyone accounted for. They had their usual line rotation, defensive pairings, and worked on their special teams. It was a smooth practice and the team looks ready to take it to the Canadiens.

If the Penguins stay focus, discipline, play a full, hard, and fast 60 minute game, they should come out victorious. Lets Go Pens!

News Alert! Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were selected for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game...A story will follow on that and on who should of also been chosen.

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Kunitz, Crosby, Perron
Spaling, Malkin, Bennett
Rust, Sutter, Downie
Sill, Goc, Adams

Defense
Martin, Bortuzzo
Letang, Ehrhoff
Scuderi, Despres

Fleury in the net!

Play By Play
PENS 2 Canadiens 1 OT

Overtime
0:00- PENS WIN IN OVERTIME 2-1! AN AMAZING NIGHT FOR FLEURY AND THE PENS PENALTY KILL! MALKIN AND CROSBY STEP UP AND PLAY WELL! JUST A GREAT WIN! 

1:13- CROSBY SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! The Pens cycle the puck with lethal power! Malkin goes to Crosby and he doesn't miss his time! 2-1 Pens!

1:49- Habs are caught with too many men on the ice and the Pens get a power play.

2:00- Price is saved by his defender!

2:25- Perron is working his skates off!

2:49- Despres rifles one from the point and it goes high over the net!

4:46- Crosby is stunned by Price right on the doorstep!

5:00- The puck has been dropped and this overtime is underway! Pens have to pressure the Habs early! Lets Go Pens!


3rd Period
0:00- We are headed to overtime as this game is still tied up at 1-1.

0:27- The Habs ice the puck and call for a timeout.

1:00- Crosby with a beautiful pass to Perron, who makes a spin-o-rama shot. Price with the save.

2:59- Pacioretty gets a wide open chance, but hits the side of the net! Hockey Gobs on the Pens side there!

3:43- The Habs kill back to back penalties.

5:43- Regular power play time.

5:46- Pens will get a short 5 on 3 power play.

7:42- Gilbert will take a seat and the Pens will get their second power play of the night.

8:07- A tried group of Habs ice the puck and the Pens look to take advantage.

10:45- Bennett snaps a shot and it just hits the goal post! He had Price beat on the blocker side, but the post saved him.

11:38- Letang is so fast...it's just unreal, but we know he is fast even when he skates backwards.

12:07- Another huge penalty kill for the Pens. They pressured the Habs and even got some good chances on in the offensive zone, shorthanded.

12:29- The Pens get a 3 on 2 shorthanded chance, but Ehrhoff's shot goes wide!

14:07- A fourth power play for the Habs as the Pens are called for too many men on the ice.

15:02- Fleury makes a solid shoulder save on Gallagher's bad angle shot!

16:19- Bortuzzo does a nice job of stepping up on the play and keeping the puck in the offensive zone. It was a nice play.

18:34- Malkin has had two great opportunities on net to start this period. Bennett had set up both those plays and has been doing well on the second line.

20:00- We are all ready for the start of the third period! Time for the Pens to unleash their full power on the Habs! Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00- It's a 1-1 tie game after two periods.

0:02- Fleury makes a huge save on Eller's point shot. The rebound is sent to the side and Bennett bats it away from danger! Great work by Beau!

1:29- MALKIN SCORES! Malkin circles the zone and ends up at the right point! He gets a pass and rips one trough traffic, right past Price! 1-1 tie game!

2:08- Downie lays Galchenyuk hard into the boards. He is slow to get up, but does and looks to be ok, but shaken up.

3:17- Letang pinches and a Habs player holds him up. The Habs end up with a 2 on 1, but Letang works hard to get back and intercepts their pass attempt!

4:43- Another successful kill for the Pens. The Pens penalty killers have been earning their pay checks tonight.

5:59- Fleury has been big in the night and this game would be worse without him holding down the fort, with all these Habs' power plays.

6:43- Third power play of the night for the Habs. Despres is found guilty of holding Subban and will serve two minutes. Huge penalty kill for the Pens.

7:52- The Habs defense is doing a great job of keeping the Pens from setting up. When the puck does get through, Price is there to make the save.

10:52- That is all she wrote for the Pens power play. They had some zone time, but not much...need to work on that.

11:27- Perron fires a shot off the shoulder of Price!

12:52- Finally a Pens power play. Emelin will head to the sin bin for holding on Goc!

13:59- Despres gets a shot, but it goes off the side of the net.

15:21- Malkin's line is looking good tonight. They are pressuring the Habs defense and getting some opportunities.

15:55- Perron has zero shots, so far, in this game. Even though his has notched 11 shots in his first two games.

16:42- Perron gets a chance, but the puck goes off a Hab player.

17:14- The Habs had a better power play and had zone pressure. The Pens were lucky to come out with the Habs still only leading by one.

17:58- Bortuzzo is released from his prison.

18:47- Despres and Adams get a 2 on 1 chance, but Price makes the save!

19:12- A scramble for the loose puck ensues in front of Fleury! The Pens collapse and the puck somehow stays out!

20:00- Lets get this second period underway! The Habs have a power play for another 1:58 to start this one! Pens need to kill and then pepper Price with shots! Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00- First period ends and the Habs have the lead 1-0 over the Pens.

0:02- Bortuzzo heads off to the box for interference and the Habs get a power play. Horrible decision by Borutzzo on that one.

0:32- Bennett rips one on net, but Price is up to the challenge.

1:00- Habs hit the goal post and Fleury does a snow angle to keep out the rebound opportunity.

1:50- Max Pacioretty Scores. Bortuzzo jumps up on the play and Crosby has his pass intercepted by Pacioretty. The Habs get a 2 on 1, as Martin is the only defender back, Pacioretty keeps the puck. He rifles one over the glove shoulder of Fleury. 1-0 Habs.

2:54- Downie whacks at the rebound puck, in midair, at the side of the net. However, Price has time to get over and make the save.

3:48- Letang fires a sniper shot that goes wide!

4:26- Crosby enters the Habs zone and draws both defenders. He makes a amazing between-the-legs pass to Adams, who is behind him! The defenders go to Adams and leave Sid open at the side of the net, but Adams decides to shoot the puck. Price makes the save.

5:11- A turnover in the Pens defensive zone, results in the Habs getting a chance. The Pens defend and clear the puck safely.

6:07- Christian Thomas gets behind the Pens defense. Martin closes in and forces Thomas to shoot the puck. Fleury stands square to his shot and makes the save!

7:32- Fleury comes, kinda far, out of the net to play the puck. He is able to get the puck to his defender with the Habs right on him.

8:08- Mark that down as a successful kill as the Pens hold the Habs to one shot.

9:15- The Pens are doing a fantastic job on the penalty kill. They are pressuring the Habs and keeping them out of the zone. The Habs haven't been able to set up.

10:08- First power play of the game will go to the Habs. Ehrhoff heads to the box for holding.

12:21- Great pace so far to this game. Not many stoppages. Physical start by Bortuzzo, Despres, Adams, and Downie.

15:32- The Habs pressure the Pens early and test Fleury.

18:26- Prust and Downie exchange words by the benches. Looks like they may ring the bell at some point tonight.

20:00- The puck has dropped in Montreal! Time for the Pens to take their revenge! Lets Go Pens! 

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