While I love the blue jerseys, I didn't like that they wore them tonight. If you wear them two games in a row, it seems like you're just trying too hard. Also, it doesn't make sense to wear throwbacks against the newest franchise in hockey. Either way, I like the unis, so I'll give the Pens a pass.
The Penguins were absolutely flying to open up the game. Matt Cooke was throwing his weight around, and third line of Cooke, Jordan Staal, and Tyler Kennedy, was looking as good as in recent games.
In spite of the Penguins' apparent control of the play on the ice, they did not strike first in this one. On a defensive zone faceoff for the Penguins, Mike Zigomanis won the draw back perfectly right to Hall Gill. Unfortunately, the bouncing puck not only eluded the stick of Gill, but it also found the one inch by one inch spot between the legs of a t-pushing Dany Sabourin to make it 1-0. The goal was initially credited to Andrew Brunette, but the goal was awarded after the first period to Mikko Koivu. Hands down the worst goal of the year given up by Pittsburgh.
Cooke answered only ten seconds later. Jordan Staal got the puck to the net, and Cooke jammed home the rebound for his second of the year on a bang-bang play.
Phillipe Boucher blocked a slapper on the penalty kill in the period, and the Pens blocked 10 as a team. They also won 10 faceoffs. Is this really the Pittsburgh Penguins?
The Wild played a stronger second period, but the score remained tied at 1-1 through the frame. Staal dropped the gloves with Wild blueliner Erik Reitz, and earned his first win as a professional. Staal landed some absolute bombs on Reitz, but Reitz did wind up getting the takedown.
Minnesota got some outstanding chances, including a shot from Owen Nolan (no, he's not dead yet) that hit the crossbar and post before bouncing along the goal line and not going in.
The Pens dominated in the third period but they simply could not slide the puck past Backstrom, and it went to overtime still knotted at one.
Pittsburgh got a powerplay for the final minute and a half of overtime off of a Brent Burns high stick on Alex Goligoski, but nothing came of it before the shootout.
In the shootout....
Marek Zidlicky scored for the Wild, and that was the shootout's only goal. Sidney Crosby had a chance to tie it in the final shot, but he let loose a weak snapshot from the hashes that never had a chance. Petr Sykora and Alex Goligoski were also stopped for the Pens.
Crosby is horrid in the shootout. I get that he's the captain, but he deserves no part of being in. He's a top three player in the world, but this is not his niche. I think Therrien needs to just learn to go with the hot hand in that spot, and Sid is not a good shootout guy. Ideally, we'd see Letang-Sykora-Malkin or something like that next time
What the hell, we got a point.
GO PENS!
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