Friday, November 27, 2015

Metropolitan Division Showdown!

By: MF,

The Pittsburgh Penguins are back on the road, and their first stop is in Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. The Penguins are coming off a four-game homestead where they went 3-1 against Western Conference teams. They had two great wins against the Minnesota Wild and St.Louis Blues, two teams that are bringing it this season.

The Blue Jackets did not get off to a good start this season going 0-7. The team decided to make a change as they hired John Tortorella to replaced Todd Richards as head coach. The first game was a loss for the new coach. Since then, the team has gone 9-6 and are 5-2 in their last seven matchups.

Last Wednesday, the Penguins beat out the St.Louis Blues and Sidney Crosby had a two-goal game. In his last 12 games, Crosby has four goals and six assists (10 points). With his goals against the Blues, he has now scored a goal versus all other National Hockey League (NHL) teams, excluding the Penguins. Evgeni Malkin also was great in that game. He scored the game-winning goal, with was his fifth, which leads the NHL. He also scored his ninth career overtime goal in that match. However, the shining stars of the game were the fourth line for the Penguins. Eric Fehr, Matt Cullen, and Sergei Plotnikov were an impressive trio that were relentless on the forecheck and played a hard game. The team and coaching staff raved about them and how they affected the game. Look for them to impact the game tonight.

As for defense, Ben Lovejoy notched his second multi-point game on Wednesday night. Marc-Andre Fleury was solid once again between the pipes and will get the start tonight. The defense will have to keep Fleury’s line of sight clear and make simple plays out of the zone.

A quick look at some stats/numbers

The Penguins are 5-1-2 in their last eight visits to Columbus, and they have a 2.11 goals-against average when on the road, which places them fourth in the league in that category. Also, Phil Kessel is riding a four-game point streak! Let’s hope he continues that streak on tonight with a win in the column for the team!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Dupuis - Crosby - Hornqvist
Perron - Malkin - Kessel
Kunitz - Bonino - Bennett
Plotnikov - Cullen - Fehr

Defense
Scuderi - Letang
Dumoulin - Lovejoy
Cole - Clendening

Fleury in the net! 

Play By Play
Pens 1 Blue Jackets 2 OT

Overtime
The Blue Jackets get the 2-1 win in overtime. Fleury fought hard the entire game and kept the Pens in it. Refs didn't do anything to help. Glad it's over.

2:18 - Atkinson Scores. Dubnisky holds the puck and passes to Atkinson at the side. He puts it in. 2-1 Blue Jackets.

3:05 - Kessel fires a shot that goes up into the netting.

4:10 - Fleury with a huge save and lays down to cover up the loose puck in the blue paint!

4:41 - Letang and Kessel get a 2 on 1 chance, but Bobrovsky with the pad save!

5:00 - The puck has dropped on overtime! The Pens need to end this one early! Lets Go Pens!


3rd Period
0:00 - We are headed to overtime.

1:16 - Fleury makes two back-to-back saves on Johansen.

2:12 - Bonino tries to chip a backhander into the net, but Bobrovsky makes the save.

4:45 - The second line comes flying into the offensive zone. Malkin goes to Kessel and he tries to get it over to Perron (driving down the slot), but it's blocked.

6:24 - The Pens get some chances on net, but just can't get to the rebound chances.

8:03 - Johansen Scores. Fleury makes the first save, but Johansen puts in the bad angle shot. Hartnell takes a whack at Fleury and it hinders him from pushing off fully. Johnston challenges, but the refs rule it a good goal. 1-1 tie game.

8:18 - The Pens kill it.

8:41 - Fleury holding down the fort!

10:18 - Scrum ensues in front of Fleury and only Kunitz will go to the box. Blue Jackets to the power play. Horrible time to take one.

10:45 - MALKIN SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! Malkin's first shot is saved by Bobrovsky and it's loose! The Pens crash and Malkin gets the rebound back! He buries it! 1-0 Pens

11:48 - Murray sits for hooking and the Pens get a power play chance.

11:51 - 4 on 4 play ends.

13:51 - Rychel starts to push around Plotnikov, who pushes back and puts him on the ice. Both to the box for roughing. 4 on 4 hockey.

16:26 - Fleury with a high shoulder save!

19:20 - The Pens power play is killed off.

20:00 - Third period is underway! The Pens have a 40 second power play to start this one! Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - Second period ends and things are still scoreless.

0:41 - Malkin lets out some Russian anger on Jack Johnson!

1:20 - Crosby is viciously crosscheck in the back of the head (bare neck area) by Dubnisky. Crosby to the locker room and Dubnisky in the box. Hartnell and Hornqvist also in box. Pens power play.

1:42 - Calvert is trying to get Hornqvist to drop them, but he is having no part of it.

3:02 - Letang carries the puck down to the offensive zone and drops the puck off to Crosby, he just fans on the shot.

4:49 - The Pens power play is killed off.

5:33 - Blue Jackets get a 2 on 1 shorthanded chance, but Fleury keeps the puck out!

6:59 - Murray is off to the box for roughing and the Pens are headed onto the power play.

7:05 - Crosby hits the crossbar!

11:42 - Another good kill by the Pens.

13:42 - The Pens are finally getting some momentum going, but Malkin takes a slashing penalty. Blue Jackets to the power play.

14:48 - Clendening comes into the offensive zone and goes to the net. Bobrovsky with the toe save.

16:08 - Fleury has been unreal in the net. The Blue Jackets are peppering him with shots.

18:13 - Successful penalty kill by the Pens.

20:00 - The guys are back for the second period! The Pens have to kill off a Blue Jackets' power play for 1:47 to start! Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00- First period ends and the Pens escape with things tied at zero.

0:14 - The Pens battle in front and Malkin ends up taking a penalty for slashing. Blue Jackets to the power play late in this one.

1:25 - Fleury with another good stop. The Blue Jackets are very aggressive on the forecheck and firing everything at the net.

4:04 - Perron and Dubnisky battle hard on the boards. Malkin and Savard also battle. The Pens starting to push back.

6:12 - So much for that power play as the Pens register zero shots on it. Blue Jackets very aggressive on the kill.

8:12 - Now the Pens will have a chance at the power play as Falk is called for tripping.

11:32 - Fleury is on his game right now. The Pens need to push back! 

13:08 - Shots are 10-2 in favor of the Blue Jackets. 

15:00 - That penalty is kill off and Cole is released. 

15:28 - Fleury with a huge save and makes a another quick glove save on Dubinsky's shot. 

17:00 - The first power play will go to the Blue Jackets as Cole sits for hooking. 

19:28 - Kessel makes a rocket fast pass up to Perron who has Malkin going with him! Perron fires and it tickles past Bobrovsky and spins at the goal line/post area. Bobrovsky just pushes it out with his skate before Malkin can get a stick on it! 

20:00 - It is game time in Columbus! The Pens need to come out with speed and get to work early! Time to show consistency! Lets Go Pens! 

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