Saturday, November 19, 2016

Penguins have the number of the Sabres

By: MF,

It’s another back-to-back game scenario for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they are coming off a win last night against the New York Islanders. Kris Letang scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Penguins the 3-2 win. Tonight the Penguins battle the Buffalo Sabres.

Sidney Crosby started the scoring for that game and even assisted on Letang’s goal. Crosby seems to have the number of the Buffalo Sabres. The last time Crosby loss to the Sabres was on February 29, 2009. He has 49 points (14 goals and 35 assists) in 31 games played against the Sabres. He also has five points in the last three games. Another player that is on fire for the team is Phil Kessel who is riding a two-game point streak with one goal and one assist notched.

Tonight in net will be Marc-Andre Fleury who has a seven-game win streak against the Sabres. He has allowed six goals in those seven games. Also in those seven games, he has 0.86 goals against average (GAA), .963 save percentage (SVP), and three shutouts. In the Sabres home arena, Fleury is 10-1-1. All time he has a 2.04 GAA and a .931 SVP. On the other side of the ice, Andres Nilsson will be between the pipes and he has a .917 SVP when facing off against the Penguins.

In addition, the Sabres are trying to end a six-game losing streak. That will mean that they will be a desperate team and will put everything out on the ice. The Sabres are playing with a depleted lineup, but that doesn’t mean they won’t fight for the win. As for the Penguins, they are coming off a hard-fought win last night, so they need to strike early and get a lead. This way they are not trying to battle back as the game progresses, which is when they will be most tired. Special teams will be key tonight, both the power play and penalty kill. The Penguins power play is 14 for 60 (23.3%) and the penalty kill is 52 for 65 (80%).


Furthermore, the Penguins need to come out with speed, eliminate turnovers, limit the Sabres’ time/space, and play a consistent game. Lets Go Pens! 

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Hagelin-Crosby-Sheary
Kunitz-Malkin-Kessel
Wilson-Bonino-Rust
Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Fehr

Defense
Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Daley
Cole-Schultz

Fleury in the net! 

Play by Play
Pens 1 Sabres 2 SO

Shootout
The Sabres get the 2-1 shootout win over the Pens. Fleury was unreal in the net and did a great job. The Pens just weren't able to get anymore past Nilsson, but they tried. Hard loss.

Nilsson closes the five-hole on Letang.

Cal O'Reilly snaps a shot past Fleury.

Nilsson uses his long legs to deny Malkin.

Reinhart is stopped by the toe of Fleury who did a cartwheel!

Nilsson gets a piece to send Crosby's shot over the net.

Okposo denied by Fleury!


Overtime
0:00 - Shootout here we come.

0:47 - Fleury with some highway robbery on Okposo. What a glove save!

1:07 - Kane flips the puck over Daley who drove trying to block the pass to Reinhart. Fleury with another amazing save in front!

2:55 - Crosby gets a lead pass and stops up at the blue line. He finds Letang driving center and he is robbed by the pad of Nilsson!

3:00 - The puck is loose in front of Fleury and he is able to make two great saves.

3:35 - Daley finds a lane down the wing and gets a one-on-one. Crosby jumps on the ice to create a two-on-one chance. Daley shots and Nilsson is just able to grab up the puck.

5:00 - Another night of overtime hockey for the Pens! They need to keep hammering the net and get to the rebounds! Lets Go Pens!


3rd Period
0:00 - We are headed to overtime for the second night in a row as this one is tied 1-1.

0:02 - Hagelin lets go of a hard slap shot that is blocked by Foligno. He does down hard and is on the ice for a bit. He does get up and skate to the bench.

1:09 - 16 shots for the Pens in this third period.

2:15 - Dumoulin lifts the stick of Kane and Kunitz takes the puck away from harm. Both of them saved a goal there. Fleury took one player, while they backed him up.

3:40 - The guys in their respective penalty boxes are set free.

5:10 - Crosby comes flying into the zone and cross the center. He passes the puck backwards to Sheary, who directs the puck on net. Nilsson with the save.

5:52 - Tempers flare after the whistle. Malkin gets into a shoving match, which causes a scramble. The big scramble breaks up into some smaller shoving matches. Malkin and Kunitz are in the box for the Pens. The Sabres have Gionta and McCabe in the box. Still five-on-five hockey being played.

8:27 - Malkin goes around Franson and is one-on-one with Nilsson. Malkin's shot goes off the pad of Nilsson.

9:34 - Hagelin is robbed by Nilsson!

11:51 - A new fire is under the Pens after finally scoring a goal. The Pens are not giving the Sabres any room and are pressuring them at every turn.

14:14 - CROSBY SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! Kessel fires some the side and Nilson makes the first save! The puck is loose in front of the net and Kunitz finds it first! He makes a quick pass over to Crosby, who puts it in the open net! 1-1 tie game

14:23 - A second power play chance for the Pens as Franson heads to the box for interference.

15:32 - Crosby's line sustains some offensive zone time and get some shots on net. Sabres do a good job of cleaning up the rebounds and keeping the Pens from getting to them on that shift.

17:49 - Kane gets some space and time down the wing. Fleury comes out to challenge and flashes the glove to deny Kane's shot.

18:31 - Another good penalty kill for the Pens. Fleury with a solid save on a wrist attempt by Ristolainen.

20:00 - Time for the third period! The Pens have to kill off a Sabres power play for 1:30! Kill this penalty and take it to them! Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - The second period horn sounds and the Sabres still have a 1-0 lead over the Pens.

0:31 - Foligno goes hard, face first, into the boards after getting shoved from behind by Dumoulin. He is down on the ice for a bit and ends up going to the locker room. Dumoulin goes to the box for cross-checking. Sabres get a power play.

0:40 - The Pens have out shot the Sabres 9-8 in the second.

2:14 - The third line of the Pens gets chances on net, but can't convert. It seems to only be a matter of time for the Pens.

4:00 - Sabres are finally able to get out of their own zone.

4:33 - The Pens hold the Sabres in their own zone for an extended period of time. They even changed lines in the middle of the time. Sabres end up icing the puck and Bylsma calls a timeout.

6:58 - Malkin tries to sneak in a backhanded shot, but the Sabres carry the puck out of the zone.

8:35 - Good penalty kill. Fleury had to make a snow angle, on his stomach, to save one of the loose pucks in front.

10:35 - Sheary finds himself in the box for tripping, which will give the Sabres a power play chance.

12:53 - Okposo gets a chance after getting off the bench, but Fleury denies him with a pad save.

13:45 - Grant bats the puck out of the air in front of Fleury. Fleury makes the save and holds strong as Foligno comes crashing into the net to get to the loose puck.

14:43 - Moulson heads down the runway to the locker room.

17:44 - Another successful penalty kill for the Pens.

19:44 - An early power play will be awarded to the Sabres as Dumoulin is penalized for holding.

20:00 - We are back for the second period! The Pens need to keep pushing and pressuring the Sabres in their own zone! Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00 - First period comes to an end with the Sabres leading the Pens 1-0.

0:11 - Malkin comes flying down the wing with three guys on him. He is still able to fire a shot on net. Nilsson makes the save, but Malkin backhands the rebound opportunity back at him. It just goes a little wide.

2:33 - The fourth line for the Pens gets to work behind the net on the boards that leads to Letang getting a shot at the net.

3:50 - Nilsson has been up to the challenge this period, but he has left some loose rebounds around the net. The Pens need to capitalize on those loose pucks in front.

5:34 - The power play for the Pens comes to an end. They had some amazing chances on the net and created some quality chances.

7:34 - Letang comes flying down the win, but is denied by Nilsson. He is clipped by Ristolianen up high and goes crashing into the end boards. He will head to the penalty box for high-sticking. Pens get a power play chance.

8:21 - Daley playing a strong defensive game. He did a great job battling against Girgensons on the boards and was able to clear the puck up ice.

10:28 - Some good offensive zone pressure, but Nilsson is up to the task. Great cycling of the puck in the zone by the Pens.

11:44 - Carrier scores. The Pens fail to clear the puck and Fedun makes a shot/pass from the blue line. Carrier redirects the puck up front past Fleury. 1-0 Sabres

14:14 - A successful penalty kill for the Pens as Daley is released. Sabres did some passing, but didn't really shot the puck.

16:14 - Daley skates over to the box for hooking and the Sabres get the first power play of the game.

18:21 - The Pens get some early offensive zone time. Doing a good job to start this one.

20:00 - The puck has dropped in Buffalo! The Pens need to play consistent 60-minute game and take control of this game this early! Lets Go Pens! 

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