Pens Strand the Islanders

The Pens played a home-home series against the Islanders this week, defeating them in both games, bringing their total consecutive wins at home against the Isles to 11. Last night, the Pens rematched Tuesday’s game on the Island in Pittsburgh, taking down the Isles 2-3 in a game that ended in a shoot out.

At the 11:39 mark, Jordan Staal ripped a wrister past Evgeni Nabokov, but the goal was waived due to goaltender interference by Matt Cooke. It would have been a power play goal. The Pens are in love with PP goals this season. I’m good with this.

ROOT Sports decided that skirmishes between Brooks Orpik and Blake Comeau and Matt Niskanen and PA Parenteau weren’t important enough to show until after they broke for commercial. Orp and Comeau went at it along the boards behind Fleury. Orpik attempted to leave it be, but Comeau decided to be a dick about it. Comeau got 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. Niski and Parenteau got into it. Nisk took Parenteau down to the ice quickly. Both sent to the box.

Marc Andre Fleury gave up two goals, one in the first period to Frans Nielson and another in the third to Matt Martin. Overall though, Flower looked like he was playing on PCP. The crowd even chanted “Fleury!” after an absolutely insane penalty kill. Good thing they did. I thought they had all gone home by the end of the first period.

Pens fans are accustomed to third period melt downs, but someone lit a fire under the Pens asses because losing again while down in the third period was apparently unacceptable. Christ Kunitz responded to the Martin goal, shooting on a rebound after Pascal Dupuis attempted to redirect a shot by Kris Letang. Game at 2-1.

Something about Phil Kessel scoring more goals than James Neal must piss him off. He tied Kessel’s 9^th goal last night in the third period with one of the most magnificent plays I have seen as a hockey fan. The Pens tied the game on a tic-tac-toe play. Letang from the point to Geno, across to Kunitz, back to the right to Neal positioned to the side of the net. Neal one-timed the puck behind Nabokov before he even knew the puck was coming.

Kessel and Neal are now tied at 9-a-piece for leading the NHL in goals.

The game went to OT and then the dreaded shoot-out. In a rare move, the Isles pulled Nabokov and put in Rick DiPietro for the shoot-out. Dips had yet to play a game this season due to injuries. He has spent the time off growing one hell of a lumberjack beard.

WTF Beard?

Isles sent in Nielson, Parenteau and John Tavares. Pens use Tanger, Geno and Neal.

Fleury may as well have been doing jumping jacks and push-ups. No one was able to get by him. Islanders didn’t have a chance. The only goal was by Malkin, who somehow put one under DiPietro. The last shooter was Tavares. Fleury got him with the poke-check. Pens win.

Game notes:

1. Kris Letang played unlimited minutes. Ended the night with 30:16. Jesus.

2. Deryk Engelland was in all-out beast mode for the first minute of the game. Complete control of the puck, a few chances to score, but no sirens.

3. Fleury for Vezina.

4. Niskanen is constantly chirping at people on the ice. And I spell “Nisky” as “Niski” because I like it better. Started it the day he got here. Deal with it.

According to GM Ray Shero, Sidney Crosby returning to play on Saturday in Toronto may not be far-fetched. He would prefer Sid return at a home game but Sid will play when he is ready.

Keyboard mashing with reckless abandon.

Let’s Go Pens.


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