Pens Win: Just When You Thought...

If Joey Lawrence were sitting in the room with me right now you know what he'd say.

What an epic win tonight. What a way to snap a four game skid, in dramatic style. This game was total energy from the get-go (not geico). Mellon fans were enraged for the comeback of Geno. Geno was enraged for his own comeback. Sid played with more pep just knowing Geno was enraged. Each of them had 3 points. McKee and Eaton scored. Guerin tied the game with 0.4 seconds left. Dupuis scores twice and in OT caught a big fish with the help of Gronk to seal the deal, his 100th of his career.  Eleven goals total, 6 against the reigning Vezina winner.

Folks, that's why were the champions.

The Pens had so much more energy in the first period than I've seen in probably 10 games. They came at Thomas with 15 shots in the first alone. However the B's put up 15 of their own. Right off the hopper the Pens went to work. On Geno's first shift he created a mismatch, if you will, and made things happen. Interestingly enough it was Jay McKee who netted what Dan Bylsma called a "Mike Rupp type goal." Disco referencing the nifty backhander from Rupp at Carolina on Oct 14th. Nevertheless, 'The Key' certainly showed some offensive prowess with that goal, though don't get used to it [1-0]. The crowd was insane after this because Geno picked up a point less than 2 minutes into the game. This, incidentally was Geno's 200th assist of his career. However after some good attempts for each team Blake Wheeler decided to put the Bruins up on the board and tie it, [1-1].

The Pens did end up with a powerplay attempt when Brad Marchand headed to the sin bin for holding Gogo's stick. Sadly, the same outcome emerged and nothing transpired. Yeah I said it, transpired. But that didn't mean we didn't end up getting a goal. Pascal Dupuis put up his first of two goals at the 16:24 mark to take a [2-1] lead.

Chris Bourque had a couple good shifts. I honestly don't ever anticipate writing that.  

The second period was the parallel opposite of the first. Bruins ended up winning the period 2-1 to head into the 3rd tied up.

The Pens begin the period off a Steve Begin penalty (that's weird). In my opinion it was perhaps one of the worst powerplay attempts all season, even with Geno on there. I don't believe they even had a shot attempt. Needless to say, the Pens play better five on five at the moment. Oh how we miss our quarterback, SARGE!

Michael Ryder tied the game at [2-2] going over the shoulder of Johnson with a heavy wrister. The Pens turned the puck over trying to get it out of their own zone. Sadly, as tandem Pens writer Will Eller stated during the game, the defenseman looked out of position a lot. And you heard Eaton mention this to Errey after the second that there has been communication issues by skating with new guys, so this is sort of expected.

The 2-2 tie didn't last that long as we saw a great play by Superman to circle the puck around to himself, get it to Geno who finds Goligoski. He then rips a slapper which Sid deflects in past Thomas, [3-2].

Thomas did have a sweet save on Rupp as he tossed one to an open net, but Tim got his stick back just in time.

After a slapper from Gogo end up behind the Bruins net and breaks not only the glass but also the Pens momentum. Right after the replacement went up Derek Morris sadly ties the game with a power wrist shot that appeared to get deflected off The Key's skate, [3-3].

Period.

Couldn't of asked for a better period here. Back and forth shift-wise and goal-wise. Eaton started off the scoring with a sweet pass from Crosby beating Thomas shortside, [4-3]. At this point it was all about holding on. If you can get another one you seal the deal. But that's not what happened. Matt Cooke got a 4 minute high sticking call with about 8 minutes left. Then less than a minute into the powerplay Crosby goes into the box for tripping Blake Wheeler. The Bruins looked patient as even their defenseman were feet away from the blue line. Eventually they ended up getting a goal from David Krejci (pron. "CRY-CHI), [4-4]. Then just when you figured it was the Pens turn to notch another one up, Marco Sturm from Germany decides to deflect a Zdeno Chara chopper on net, [4-5].

At this point I actually started to think of the title of this post. Time was ticking and all I could come up with was Count von Count from Sesame Street holding a "5" in his hand. Ah-Ah-Ah. But I wasn't laughing.

With an empty net the Pens made one final rush to tie the game but couldn't seem to get the puck out of their own zone. Just when you thought the game was coming to an end, Sid blocks a shot from Bergeron and Geno corals the puck head up ice with Crosby and Guerin. Geno lines one over to the former Boston Bruin and he rips one over Thomas shoulder to tie the game with 0.4 second to go, [5-5]. I jumped off the couch like a little girl, I have to admit.

Go ahead, relive the magic in all its sweetness.

- TWEET OF THE NIGHT -

Yeah, this is the period Dupuis found a BIG FISH in front of the net from Gronk and wins the game in dramatic fashion, [6-5]. Game.

Posted in: Bruins,Penguins,post game analysis