Game 59 - Pens 5, Habs 4 - A Crazy One
February 19, 2009 – 9:55 pm | by Bob Buskirk
The game starts out pretty slow, each team only has 1 shot after about 8 minutes of play. The lines are a little different tonight we have Dupuis-Crosby-Fedotenko, Satan-Malkin-Sykora, Cooke-Staal-Kennedy and Minard-Talbot-Goddard. Off a faceoff in the Pens zone Goddard and Laraque decide to square off, it isn’t much of a fight, Laraque mainly tried to not get wrapped up and when Goddard got a hold of him both fell. Fedotenko takes a huge hit by Komisarek on the boards, haven’t seen a hit like that in a while. Kostitsyn hauls down Crosby, thats 2 minutes. Pens on the power play, Malkin takes quick wrister, but Price gloves it. Besides that chance the Pens really don’t do anything on the power play. Malkin jumps off the bench and gets the puck, he darts into the habs zone and makes a nice pass to Minard, he puts it on net. Price makes the initial save, but gives up a rebound. Sykora fights off a check and gets to the loose puck and puts it over Price’s shoulder. 1-0 Pens. Kennedy takes a hooking call, habs on the power play. They do just about as good as the Pens did on their power play.
The second period also starts out a little slow. Finally about 5 minutes in Crosby comes up the wing, he passes it cross ice for Fedotenko, he tries to put it on but fans on it. It gets to the net and it looks like Crosby might put it in but he is too well covered. Pens come down into the habs zone, they try an east to west pass, but it gets broken up. The Habs come back on a 3 on 2. Kostitsyn makes a nice drop pass for Plekanec who puts it 5 hole on Fluery 1-1 Game. On the next play Higgins tries a wrap around and it actually beats fluery but sits on the goal line, Scuderi gets the puck out of there! The Pens get a 2 on 1, its Malkin and Satan, Malkin goes for the shot but Price makes a great save. Off a faceoff win in the offensive zone eaton passes the puck back to Whitney at the point, he winds up a big 1-timer and Satan, who is in front of the net deflects it past Price. 2-1 Pens! Satan really needed that goal. Orpik takes a holding call, but the Habs don’t do much on the power play. Sykora gets a hooking call, Habs get another power play. Scuderi takes a stick to the face and goes down, no call at all geez! They call talbot for slashing, its a 5 on 3 now for the Habs. Schneider takes a huge slapper from the point and it beats Fluery, 2-2 Game. Malkin tries to run and gauntlet but gets dropped. About a minute later Crosby tries the same thing and gets dropped, looks like the Canadiens know what they are doing on them.
The Pens start the 3rd period the right way. Fedotenko comes into the Habs zone, he passes it to his right wing to Crosby, he then hits Malkin coming down the slot he lunges and shoots the puck past Price. WHAT A GOAL!! 3-2 Pens! Just like that the Pens get another one, Stall put the puck on the net, he looks for the rebound as players are looking for the puck Talbot comes in and find the puck and wrists it in the net as it is going off the mourings. The ref’s say it is a good goal, 4-2 Pens! Kostitsyn gets a nice pass coming into the Pens zone, he uses Gill as a screen and rips a wrist shot past Fluery. Just like that its 4-3! Now its back and forth hockey, chances at both ends! Very exciting to watch! Plekanec gets the puck coming into the Pens zone on the left wing, he winds up a a big slapper and it beats Fluery, Tie Game. Wow thats 2 pretty long, weak goals given up by Fluery. How crazy is this game getting? Gonchar has the puck at the point, he moves towards the center of the ice and blasts a slap shot under Price’s arm. 5-4 Pens. That’s Gonchar’s first goal of the season. Wow still more chances, then Pens are not sitting back and the Habs are pressing too. Time is running out for the Habs, they try to get Price off the ice, but he has to get back in net as the Pens get the puck. He finally gets off with around 40 seconds left, but that is not enough time for the Habs, game over. What a great period.
Game Thoughts
Wow what a great game, the third period was one of the most entertaining I’ve seen in a while. It looks like Bylsma’s system is more in place and the Pens are getting used to it. This game was a very high tempo game and the Pens were making the most of their oppurtunities. It was also great to see many pens players rushing back to help on defense, something we really have not seen much of this year. One thing that has been a problem with the Pens is being consistant, this was a good game let’s see if they can put some wins together though. Great game and good to take 2 points from the Habs.
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