Wednesday, December 14, 2016

The battle of the black and gold

By: MF,

Can the Pittsburgh Penguins make it seven in a row? It will be more of a challenging game for the Penguins as they face off against the Boston Bruins.

The Penguins are averaging 5.8 goals per game during their six-game winning streak. The team has been an offensive powerhouse that hasn’t been stopped. They lead the Metropolitan Division in every offensive category. This is in large part due to all the lines getting on the scoreboard. Every shift is a threat and that makes it harder for the opponent to shut them down.

Leading the charge among both the Penguins and the National Hockey League (NHL) is Sidney Crosby. He is riding an eight-game scoring streak that totals 13 points (seven goals and seven assists), which is the longest active point streak in the NHL. Crosby also leads the NHL with 21 goals in 23 games. This feat is the most goals an NHL player has scored in their first 23 games over the last 20 years. His playing has been unbelievable and reflects the unreal play that the Penguins have been producing.

In net, the Penguins will have Matt Murray for the fourth straight game. He is 9-0-1 in his last 10 home games. The Bruins will turn to Tuukka Rask, he is 4-1-2 in his last seven starts.

Every single player has been contributing and this team has been on fire. It will be an interesting game as the Penguins have been known to struggling when playing the Bruins. The Bruins have won five straight games against the Penguins, but hopefully, this proves to be different. They are also eighth overall in goals against and third on the penalty kill. Both these will be tested as the Penguins have been finding the back of the net often. The Bruins are coming off a hard fought 2-1 win in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens. The low-scoring affair shows how the Bruins are able to shut down offensive powerhouses. The Penguins will look to change that.


Will the offensive powerhouse of the Penguins prevail or will the Bruins’ defense finally shut them down? Time to find out. Lets Go Pens!


The Pens lineup is as follows:

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

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Daley
Cole - Schultz

Murray in the net!


Play by Play
PENS 4 Bruins 3 OT

Overtime
THE PENS GET THE 4-3 OVERTIME WIN OVER THE BRUINS! A GREAT WORKING EFFORT BY THE PENS AND THEY KEEP WITH THINGS THROUGHOUT! THIS TEAM IS SOMETHING SPECIAL! THAT MAKES IT SEVEN STRAIGHT FOR THE PENS! 

3:37 - RUST SCORES! Schultz makes a quick outlet pass up the ice to Malkin as he enters the zone with Rust ahead of him! Malkin slides the puck to Rust who puts it over Rask! 4-3 Pens

4:22 - Murray has had to make two early saves to start this overtime. The Pens have yet to have any offensive zone time.

5:00 - Nothing like three-on-three overtime hockey! The Pens need to finish things up quickly and make it seven straight! Lets Go Pens!


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

0:54 - Sheary gets a breakaway, but Rask makes an unreal save with the back of his pad that goes off the goal post and back in between Rask's legs. Once again, Rask comes up big for the Bruins, along with some luck.

2:10 - Time is whining down for both teams.

3:49 - Chara and Hornqvist battle in front of Rask, but Hornqvist seems to thrive in that type of situation.

4:57 - The Pens not looking their usual third period self right now. They need to pressure the Bruins more.

6:40 - Pastrnak scores. Murray and Dumoulin with a misplay of the puck behind the net, which results in Pastrnak getting the puck and putting it in the wide open net. 3-3 tie game

10:58 - SHEARY SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! Dumoulin makes a heads up play to put the puck on a silver platter for Sheary in front of the goal! Sheary directs the puck past Rask! 3-2 Pens

12:39 - A perfect power play opportunity for the Pens as Marchand is ticketed with a cross-checking penalty.

15:36 - Rask with another huge save, this time on Malkin.

16:54 - Daley rifles a shot from the point that saved by Rask up high. He falls down to glove up Wilson's backhanded shot of the loose puck. Rask is shaken up on the play, but appears to be ok and stays in.

20:00 - Time for the third period! The Pens have been the best in the third and they need to keep that going! Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - The second period horn sounds and this game is tied 2-2.

0:20 - Bruins with last minute surge.

1:55 - Murray has been tested a lot in this game. He has appeared soild, aside from that first goal. Bruins are out shooting the Pens 30-23.

2:47 - Crosby with the extra effort to force a Carlo off the puck on the forecheck. He outlets a pass to Sheary and Rask makes the save. Hornqvist takes an extra poke, but to no avail.

4:00 - That will be the end of the power play for the Pens and things are still tied up 2-2.

6:00 - Grzelcyk to the box for slashing and the Pens are headed onto the power play once again.

6:28 - Malkin is set free. He gets a breakaway chance, but is robbed by Rask!

7:20 - Backes with a hard hit on Letang and follows it up with a punch to the face. The crowd is not pleased with the no call.

8:28 - Malkin takes a trip to the box for hooking and that will send the Bruins onto the power play.

10:13 - BONINO SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! Daley passes up to Bonino who flies into the offensive zone, pushing back the Bruins! Bonino snaps a shot through traffic past the glove of Rask! 2-2 tie game

11:52 - Now Crosby takes a high stick to the face from Marchand. Marchand will head to the box and the Pens get a power play chance. Crosby's face has had a rough few games of hockey lately.

12:31 - Crosby takes a puck up high, but looks to be alright. The crowd was a bit worried there.

13:20 - Krejci scores. Murray turns over the puck. Pastrnak outlets a pass to Schaller in front. He bounces off his body and finds Krejci in front. Krejci kicks the puck to his stick and slips it past Murray's outstretched pad. 2-1 Bruins

13:49 - Pens getting their legs moving. Malkin's line had an incredible shift, but Rask was up to the task this time.

17:24 - More of a defensively start for the second period. Just waiting for the Pens to get their legs going then they are unstoppable.

20:00 - We are back for the second period! The Pens need to get to their game and start pressuring the Bruins more! Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00 - 20 minutes are in the books now and this one is tied up 1-1.

0:48 - The Pens are back to full strength!

1:29 - Hornqvist is set free and now Bruins with a regular power play for 41 seconds.

1:34 - Cole and Bonino get back to make a stick save as Murray is caught out of his net. Then soon after Murray denies Marchand. Unreal effort by the penalty kill.

2:48 - Bad luck for the Pens as Letang will join Hornqvist for interference. Bruins with a five-on-three power play for 1:19.

3:25 - Bruins power play for 1:57.

3:29 - Three seconds of four-on-four hockey as Hornqvist is set off for boarding on Marchand.

5:25 - Now a power play goes to the Pens as Hayes is called for boarding on Dumoulin.

7:11 - SCHULTZ SCORES! Crosby slides a perfect pass across the ice to Schultz as Hornqvist ties up Nash and Chara! Schultz rips a shot past Rask! 1-1 tie game

9:12 - Marchand scores. Slow change and miscommunication for the Pens leads to Marchand getting time and space. He rifles one past Murray. 1-0 Bruins

10:33 - Malkin with a spin-o-rama shot that is stopped by Rask.

12:27 - Quite a few turnovers by the Pens. Murray getting tested in the first.

14:11 - Successful penalty kill for the Pens and Murray has been solid to start. He is being tested more in this game then his last game (Coyotes).

16:11 - Penalty kill time for the Pens as Kunitz is ticketed with the first penalty of the game for tripping. Bruins bring out their power play.

16:43 - Murray has to fight off an shot. Then the Bruins crash the net, but Murray is able to cover up the puck.

20:00 - Can the Pens make it seven? They just have to show the Bruins what everyone is marveling at! Game time! Lets Go Pens!

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