The Cardiac Pens Do It Again

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs closed out their preseason home and home series tonight at the Air Canada Center in downtown Toronto. The Leafs jumped out to leads three times, but the Pens fought back in each instance, eventually winning the game 5-4. It was about as entertaining as it gets for a preseason hockey game.

Former Penguin Dominic Moore continued his strong preseason, scoring a shorthanded goal on Marc-Andre Fleury 15 minutes into the game, giving the Leafs a 1-0 lead.

The Penguins answered almost immediately, when newly acquired Finnish winger Janne Pesonen scored a beautiful goal on Vesa Toskala on a rebound. "Golden Helmet" snatched a Ruslan Fedotenko rebound, turned it over to the forehand with great speed, and flicked it into the top left corner of the net. Pesonen has looked great this preseason, and had his best game yet tonight. The goal was the first assist of the night for Fedotenko, who was all over the place. What a great pickup by Ray Shero. The other assist went to Alex Goligoski.

Paul Bissonnette absolutely pummeled Ryan Hollweg in this period.

Hal Gill left the game with a knee injury. The extent of the injury is unknown.

The Pens defensemen are dropping like flies, and it could become a major problem.

The Maple Leafs jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first 11 minutes of the second period. Top five draft pick Luke Schenn scored his first career goal, and longtime underacheiver Alexei Ponikarovsky also potted one for Toronto. Things looked bad for the Flightless Birds.

Then, out of nowhere, the Penguin struck back.

Mark Eaton scored his first goal in three years with the Penguins on a perfectly place slapshot from above the right circle that just got by Toskala's shoulder, cutting the lead to 3-2. Goligoski picked up his second assist of the night.

Just a few minutes into the final period of play, Crosby showed the hockey world why he is the best player in the game. 87 took a pass from Miroslav Satan, and bursted through the defense, beating Toskala one on one, forcing it into the net with his body.

Tomas Kaberle pulled the Leafs back ahead just a short while later, scoring on a wicked slapper from the point. Fleury gave up a bad goal here. Tonight was just not his best effort. The Maple Leafs led the contest again.

Things, once again, looked bad.

The Penguins needed a hero, and Kris Letang was it. Tang got the puck at the point, after some crisp passing between Fedotenko and Brooks Orpik. He wound up, and beat Toskala with a rocket shot. Letang was excited, pumping his fists in the air, and going down to one knee. Fedotenko garnered his third assist of the night.

With a bit more than a minute left, the Pens controlled the puck in the Toronto zone. It was a tie game. Max Talbot and Pascal Dupuis worked the puck around the attacking zone.
Dupuis took a shot, and Toskala stoned him. Then, out of nowhere came new Penguin Matt Cooke, banging the rebound into the back of the net, leaving Toskala stunned.

Cooke was mobbed by Dupuis and Talbot.

PENS WIN.

Notes-
-Alex Goligoski and Ruslan Fedotenko ruled the rink tonight.
-I already love Matt Cooke. He's tough, and he can score. Makes me forget Ruutu ever existed.
-Hal Gill better be alright. It'll be devastating to lose another defenseman.
-Fleury has one week to get his act together.
-Damnit I hope Fedotenko plays on the first line this year.
-Kris Letang is ready to contribute 20 minutes a game.
-Crosby is still Crosby, and that's a good thing.
-Who needs Gonchar or Whitney? Mark Eaton is the offensive future of this team.

-1967.

Go Pens.