Game 18 - Pens 1, Wild 2 - Backstrom is Solid
November 18, 2008 – 10:40 pm | by Bob BuskirkVersus shows the clips from the Pens vs. Red Wings game, definitely gets you pumped up. Haha and they show Malkin chugging some type of energy drink before the game.
First Period
Pens are wearing the powder blues again. The pens look good, they are getting pressure early.
Malkin gets a great chance early, Backstrom makes the save.
Satan gets an amazing shot at an open net, but he took years to take the shot!
A Wild player shoots one from the point, Sabu makes the save.
Off the faceoff in the pens zone the puck bounces towards the net and somehow gets past Sabu. Weak goal for sure. 1-0 Wild
On the next play the pens come into the Wild zone, Staal takes a backhander, it hits off something in front and Cooke cleans up the trash and puts it in. Tie Game.
The Versus announcers say that Sabu hasn’t started a game in a long while, I guess 10 days ago is a long while…idiots.
We see Boucher get some ice time, he is wearing number 43. He blocked a shot.
A lot of back and forth action. A Wild play falls over Letangs stick, crappy call, Wild on the power play. The Wild power play looks solid, one of the better power plays the pens have seen. Pens Kill off the penalty, Malkin gets the puck behind the Wild defense tries to go shortside on Backstrom, but he makes the save.
End of the first.
Second Period
Sykora gets a quick chance, but Backstrom makes the save.
Wow Staal and Eric Reitz faceoff, Staal definitely lost the fight, funny to see him fight really.
Nolan makes a sick move around the pens defense, the puck comes to Belanger he hits the post, then the net gets hit off the mourings by a Wild…close one there.
The Wild are really puting a lot of pressure on the pens.
Malkin comes down the wing, does a sick move in between his legs, goes around the net and tries to put it in front, but no one is there.
The Wild are getting chance after chance, pens are lucky they are not able to finish their plays.
The Wild take a too many men on the ice penalty, pens on the power play. They put Boucher out there on the second power play, he gets a shot on net. Wild kill off the penalty.
Malkin is chasing a puck into the pens zone, the puck flips up and hits Malkin in the face, he goes down. He has a bloody mouth and goes to the dressing room, hopefully he will return.
The Wild give up the puck and Talbot gets a great shot off, but Backstrom makes the save.
Kennedy sets up Letang, Backstrom again is there.
Crosby gets a pass in flight and gets a quick shot, but Backstrom is solid.
End of the Second.
Think Period
Malkin comes back for the third period.
The Wild start the third with a lot of pressure on the pens.
Crosby tips on just wide.
Staal gets slashed, pens go on the power play. Pens are getting some good chances on the power play. Crosby and Galigoski try the WhitneyTM play, but it does not work. The Wild kill off the penalty.
Sabu clears the puck over the glass, thats a penalty. Wild on the power play. Boucher clears the puck and it hits off the linesman, he goes down like a ton of bricks. Pens kill off the penalty.
Crosby goes down low and passes it back out in front for Goligoski, backstrom makes a great save. The Crosby line is getting some solid chances.
Fedotenko gets held up, pens go back on the power play. Boucher start the power play. He takes a 1 timer, it misses Malkin kicks it in front and Crosby tries for a backhander point blank, Brackstrom is once again solid. The Wild kill off the rest of the penlaty.
Nolan gets 2 chances, but Sabu is there.
Malkin comes into the zone and takes a big slapper, it hits off the side of the side of the net.
The Wild get 1 more chance before time runs out, Sabu makes a great save.
End of the Third.
Overtime
Crosby and Talbot start the overtime.
Burns gets a lane to the pens net, he gets a good shot off, Sabu makes the save.
Malkin gets a 2 on 1, and takes a good shot, no go.
Burns looks like he was trying to take out Goligoski’s eye out with his stick, pens on the power play, 4 on 3. Crosby put one on net, no go. He tries a redirect to Staal nothing.
End of overtime, we are going to a shootout!
Shootout
Sykora tries for the backhand, no go
Zidlicky scores on his shot
Goligoski tries, but backstrom says no
Miettinen gets robbed by the glove hand of Sabu
Crosby has to score, he comes down and tries for a quick snap shot, backstrom is there…game.
Game Thoughts
Well this was a really a tight game, both teams were playing good, but the big difference in this game was the Wild’s goaltender Backstrom, he was solid throughout the game and was great on the shootout. The goal against the pens was a fluke, no one on the wild even touched the puck, but we can’t make excuses. Both teams played great it just came down to the shootout. Tonight ends Malkins scoring streak and the pens 6 game winning streak, at least they got 1 point out of it. The pens head out to Atlanta on Thursday.
