Pens vs Devils - live blog

This is the post for the live blog for the Pens game against the Devils.

10:05 - Game over. The Pens simply can't generate the offense against Brodeur in the last 48 seconds.

10:02 - Fleury out of the net. The Pens get Brodeur to freeze the puck. The Pens will take their timeout and get something set up. I'll make it simple for them - get the puck to the net and crash.

10:01 - Pens kill penalty. Time to put up or shut up.

9:59 - Bad penalty by Eckman - Pens will have 1:35 left on the backside until the end of the game.

9:57 - 4 minutes left - the Pens need to get some offense going if they're going to have a hope of tying the game.

9:55 - Line at the end of the PK - Crosby and Malkin out there.

9:54 - If the Pens can kill this power play, look for another Super Line on the ice at the end of the PK.

9:53 - Moore takes a penalty - Devils are playing with the puck in an effort to kill time.

9:48 - Now there's a delay to replace the glass... maybe I have another cold beer in the fridge.

9:47 - Malkin just let one rip for the first time - a slapshot from out high, and he broke the glass behind the net. Huge booming shot.

9:44 - Pens are continuing to get some good chances. They're generating offense around the net now, instead of long range shots, and it's coming from several different lines. If they keep this up, they'll tie the game (I hope).

9:41 - Mark Eaton saves a goal with a great heads-up play. The Devils come back on another rush and score.

9:40 - No goal on the PP, but the Pens generate some nice chances.

9:38 - Brodeur robs Crosby on the doorstep.

9:37 - We've heard for the 171st time that Malkin understands more English than we give him credit for. He (Malkin) also just drew a penalty. First power play.

9:35 - Pens starting to apply some offensive pressure. The line of Armstrong-Crosby-Malone seems to be working well in the third.

9:32 - Gonchar just put together a nice one-man rush and fed Staal, who had a great shot, only to be robbed by Brodeur.

9:30 - Therrien is mixing up the lines still, but I'm guessing that it's more because they're trying to get good matchups with the lines the Devils are deploying. Smart move by Therrien if you ask me.

9:26 - Start of the third. Crosby doesn't have a shot yet tonight, and only 9 in 4 games so far. He's having a tough time tonight with Madden on him.

9:10 - The Devils had the advantage in the second period - they applied more consistent pressure for the whole period. However, the Pens got a great PK towards the end of the period, and Therrien used that chance to put Malkin and Crosby out together. It eventually pays off with Malkin scoring and the Pens tying the game. The Pens don't have a power play yet. To get one, they're going to need to drive to the net and force the Devils to haul them down.

9:08 - End of second period - score tied 1-1. Pens get a late goal in the second period, which is HUGE!

9:05 - Malkin gets his first goal in the NHL!! Evgeni pokes at the puck when Brodeur seems to have it frozen. Brodeur really should have had the whistle.

9:04 - Pens kill their third penalty, and almost get some offensive pressure going.

9:03 - Pens on PK again, but on a delay of game penalty against Moore. Probably not a bad more by Moore - Eaton and Fleury were without sticks.

8:55 - Janssen tries to line up Malkin... and winds up on the ice after Evgeni sees him coming.

8:49 - Penguins kill another penalty. Their PK looks strong.

8:45 - Crosby takes a mystery penalty. I'm not sure what he did, even after watching the replay...

8:44 - Crosby, Malkin and Eckman on the ice together after a TV timeout.

8:41 - Therrien seems to be mixing up the lines a bit during the game. He just had Recchi with Moore and Ruutu. I'm not sure if that's deliberate, or a function of when they can get a change, since it is the second period and the benches are further away...

8:35 - Devils get first goal. Pens allowing way too many good shots up close.

8:34 - Devils starting to apply some consistent pressure. Fleury still playing strong.

8:30 - Beginning of second period - Errey notes that 7 of the Pens 11 shots in the first were from lines 3 and 4. That's good, but the Pens need some offense from their top two lines.

8:22 - First period was pretty even. The Pens did get more shots on Brodeur - you can tell they're making a concerted effort to shoot more. They're not generating consistent pressure yet. They need to get their shots when they have some guys around to handle the rebounds. It's kind of like basketball when you shoot with no one under the boards to rebound. Fleury has been big when needed so far, making a few great saves and all of the normal ones.

8:17 - Ryan Malone, being interviewed by Dan Potash, makes what could be the understatement of the century. He says that putting Crosby, Malkin and Recchi on a line together at times is "a pretty good idea". You could take Crosby, Malkin and my late Grandma, and they'd score every night.

8:13 - End of the first period. No score yet.

8:10 - Brodeur robs Ouellet at point-blank range. Ouellet didn't have much room to shoot, in fairness.

8:07 - Moore makes a great move short-handed when he recognizes that Lagenbrunner (a forward) is the man that's back. He (Moore) just lost the edge on his skate.

8:04 - Malkin barely misses a deflection goal and the Pens (Whitney) take a penalty about a minute later. Blech.

7:55 - mmmm.... Vocellis....

7:49 - Pizza's here. Less type - more eat.

7:41 - Scuderi just got crunched against the boards. Had the wind knocked out of him. E & S (Errey and Steigy) announce they're not talking about shoulders

7:38 - Malkin, Crosby and Recchi was the opening line. Nice surprise, and maybe an "as-needed" Super Line, ala Lemieux and Jagr.

7:37 - Huge line for student rush. Empty blue seats. Ugh.

7:34 - They're showing the Crosby bobble-head doll. It looks nothing like him. These things are pretty useless, eh?

7:31 - Bob Errey and Steigy are falling over themselves to pump up Malkin, not that I blame them. The wife thinks that Errey is "a cutie".

7:29 - Game starts shortly. Pizza is on it's way. I haven't figured out how I'm going to type and eat at the same time...