Friday, November 06, 2009
Damian Romano
I know you can't win every game. Shoot, when you're down 3 key players we're really only a .600 team at best. Good thing we had a strong start. 12-4 isn't anything to be ashamed of. The Kings are a decent squad, give them their due. So much for the Pens "lighting the red lamp of regret into Scuderi." (cf. pregame)
Right off the bat the Kings strike hard, Kopitar made Fleury look like a little girl, [0-1]. Good thing was it didn’t last. Less than a minute later Staal makes Quick look like a little girl with a howitzer from the blue line with a sweet pass from Chris Bourque, [1-1].
After that, not much happened. Pens went on a powerplay and despite getting some good chances and looking better, they came up short. Only one penalty taken that period and a pretty flat period to boot.
Yeah.
Back and forth hockey to begin with, strong defense effort in the neutral zone for each team. Neither team had the upper hand for the better part of 10 minutes. However the Kings then turned on their forecheck and went to work. Solid defensive effort by the Pens including some great saves by Fleury.
Just when you thought it was the Kings who were going to light up the lamp, the Pens did. After some scrumming and battles near the end boards Guerin backhands the puck to Malkin Orpik. He then takes one of his 10 SOG per season and fortunately for him Kunitz deflects to put the Pens up, [2-1]. Eaton then clears the zone takes a delay of game penalty and the Pens redeem by murdering it. The Pens ended the period up on the powerplay but couldn’t finish.
In typical manner the Pens came out pretty strong with some great pressure on the forecheck. Fleury gets blessed with a crossbar save, which I'm sure he rubbed like a genie's lamp 30 seconds later. HOWEVER, afterwords the Kings went on their own version of the power forecheck. So much so that they kept the puck in the Pens zone looking as if they were on the powerplay most of the time. Fleury stayed strong...
That was until Kopitar connected on a wrap-around, [2-2]. The game picks up, Kings score again, [2-3]....and then again, [2-4]...and again, [2-5]....Eh who cares....
I MISS GENO...
- Kopitar's legit. Looks like Malkin out there.
- Someone must have told Letang he was scratched.
- Crosby with a rare ineffective game (-1 with 1 shot on goal)
- Fleury was strong in net until letting 4 by him in the 3rd.
- Pens looked tired in the 3rd.
- On to a full strength San Jose....hmmm?
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