Penguins 2, Flyers 1 (OT - SO - 2-1)

So what happened?

A great road effort by the Pens against a top team in the East. The real story tonight was the team defense that the Pens put forth, limiting the Flyers to just 20 shots. That tied the Flyers' low water mark for shots on the season (though it was the third time in March the Pens have held an opponent to just 20 shots).

The only blemish is that the Pens were unable to win this one in regulation. That was due entirely to the play of Sergei Bobrovsky (or, as Bob Errey seems to pronounce it, Bob Rovsky). He was really good, and the Pens were unable to pick the corners up high when they had the chance.

The power play scored a key goal, and the PK didn't allow one, so you'd have to say things are looking up.

Who scored?

Kennedy (18)

The Good?

• Two out of four shooters scored in the shootout, including a great move by Kovalev. Bob Rovsky seems to overreact to shots, since Kovie and Kunitz were able to beat him with good fakes.
• Dupuis had a strong physical game, taking the body more consistently than I can remember in recent history.
• Flower was solid, especially in the shootout. The goal that went in (from Richards) was a fluke.

The Bad?

• I'd say it's a bad thing that the Pens just can't find a way to bury a puck right now. They had several golden chances to score in regulation and have been unable to find the twine.

The Ugly?

• Dustin Jeffrey seems to have a knee injury. If he's out, the Pens will have four centers sitting on the shelf. Ouch.

Any Surprises?

• There was no urgency or intensity from the Flyers. I know the Pens were playing well as a team, but there didn't seem to be much effort from the Flyers in the third.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 43-23-8. They have opened up a 5 point lead over Tampa for the fourth spot in the East.

Who's next?

Back home for three straight, starting tomorrow night against New Jersey.

Game #74 - at Philadelphia Flyers

Game 74

Penguins (42-23-8, 92 points) at Flyers (44-19-9, 97 points)

Why does it matter?
The Pens have two contests left with the Flyers, and maybe more than any others, these two will go a long way towards determining if the Pens can catch the Flyers for the Atlantic Division. It's a long shot, but the chances would be greatly bolstered by two points in this one.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - A near collapse against the Red Wings, but the Pens cranked out two points. Maybe a turning point in holding the leads?
• Flyers - They've earned at least a point in 8 straight, but they've also traded wins and losses for the past six.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens take advantage of the Flyers relatively weak goaltending?
• Will the Pens have the depth to match up with the multitude of scoring lines the Flyers can throw at you? They have five 20 goal scorers while the Pens will have just one in the lineup.
• Will Hartnell get hungry again? What happened to the Flyers who pulled all kinds of nonsense? I can't say I like the positive influence that Laviolette seems to have.

Keys to the game

• Keep the pressure on. The best way to keep that goal scoring from producing for the Flyers is to keep them bottled up. Dump the puck in and go to work.
• Stop Claude Giroux, who has four goals in four games against the Pens this year.
• Initiate - don't retaliate. No more dumb penalties!!

Penguins 5, Red Wings 4 (OT - SO - 1-0)

So what happened?

The Pens blew a 4-0 lead in the last 23 minutes of the game. Fortunately for them, they never relinquished the lead, which is good, because with the momentum the Wings had, I don't think the Pens would have been able to rally.

James Neal was the hero tonight, putting the Red Wings away with the deciding goal in the shootout. It was the kind of goal we'd love to see more of from Neal - a decisive roof job that was blasted into the top corner over the glove hand of MacDonald. There was nothing fancy about it - just sheer power.

Brent Johnson had an uneven game in place of Flower. He had a few go in that were deflected, and a few that he probably would want back. He also made some big time saves that kept the Pens from losing their fragile lead.

Who scored?

Dupuis (12, 13), Kunitz (22), Kennedy (17)

The Good?

• Excellent job through the first half of the game. The Pens were aggressive and looked like the better team. They built their 4-0 lead on their hard work and tenacity.
• Pascal Dupuis had a three point night, including a shorty, in what was his best game in a long time.
• Most of the current "big guns", including Staal, Kunitz, Martin and Letang, were excellent.

The Bad?

• The PK - I know Matt Cooke was an excellent penalty killer, but this unit really has to get it together. Allowing two PP goals in the third when the team desperately needs a kill just isn't good enough.
• HCDB shortened the bench, especially on defense. This team can't get Brooks Orpik back soon enough.

The Ugly?

• The power play. The debut of James Neal on the point wasn't a good one. There was no sense that these guys had played with each other before tonight. It was a complete mess. Fortunately the Pens have a few days of practice to work on it.

Any Surprises?

• I was surprised how quickly I got back to hating Detroit. It's easy to respect what they're doing when you don't watch them play, but now I just want to see Letang line up Darren Helm for a good clean hit that puts him through the glass.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 42-23-8. Tampa Bay was idle tonight, so the Pens have a three point lead over the Bolts and one less game to play.

Who's next?

Just when it couldn't get any more fun - the Flyers... on Thursday... in Philly.

Game #73 - at Detroit Red Wings

Game 73

Penguins (41-23-8, 90 points) at Red Wings (43-21-8, 94 points)

Why does it matter?
This is the toughest contest of the year so far for the Pens. They're playing the second half of a back-to-back, will almost certainly be without Matt Cooke, and are facing a team with a lethal power play.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Another collapse against the Rangers with more dumb penalties (maybe just one, but it was a big one).
• Red Wings - The great feeling of the four game winning streak is gone after a rough Saturday night in Nashville. The Wings will be ticked.

Questions to be answered

• Do the Pens have a chance to win this game? Really?
• Can Johnson pitch the shutout (he'll be in net tonight)? I think that's the best chance to escape from Detroit with a point or two.
• Will Aaron Asham be able to fill a key role with Matt Cooke likely out of the lineup? Who fills in on the PK?

Keys to the game

• Live in their zone. The Pens have become accomplished at dominating the zone time over the past few games. Get that effort level going tonight.
• Stay out of the box. The Wings like to run the subtle interference plays. Don't retaliate, and don't get caught with the free hand (Mike Rupp especially).
• Protect Johnson, who has been shaky early in some of his recent starts. Get the wagons circled and go from there.

Rangers 5, Penguins 2

So what happened?

This one falls squarely on the shoulders, or rather the elbow, of Matt Cooke. The Pens had played an excellent game and were tied 1-1 with the Rangers about five minutes into the third period. That's when Cooke delivered an elbow to the head of Ryan McDonagh.

Here's the problem with the hit - there was no reason for Cooke's elbow to be up high. He (Cooke) didn't stumble or lunge, he just raised his elbow and ran it straight into the head of McDonagh. I can't imagine what Matt was thinking - that kind of hit is never okay. I can't see any way that Cooke isn't suspended for a few games... probably not more than 5, because McDonagh wasn't hurt, but at least a few.

The Pens were able to kill much of the resulting major penalty, and even added a shorty along the way to take the lead, 2-1. Unfortunately, Matt Niskanen took an inadvertent high-sticking call (a double minor) that gave the Rangers two minutes of five-on-three hockey to work with to finish off the major, and a second minor penalty after that.

The Rangers scored on both halves of the double-minor to take a 3-2 lead and the wheels, as they say, were off of the wagon for good.

Who scored?

Staal (10), Kunitz (21)

The Good?

• Tremendous team effort for much of this game. The Pens largely dominated the territorial play and battered Lundqvist with the puck.
• Lundqvist, unfortunately for the Pens, was very good today. He wasn't perfect (which will disappoint Pierre McGuire), but he was solid.
• The Rangers power play took advantage of the elbow and high sticking calls to take over the game. The Pens could learn something from that - getting a big power play goal when you need it most.
• James Neal is looking more and more like an offensive force every time I see him.

The Bad?

• Alex Kovalev. He needs to simplify his game and get his excellent shot on net, especially on the power play.
• Mike Rupp - just 9 shifts in this game, good for a -2.
• Fleury in the third period. The game was there to be stolen, and the Pens were really close. Your goalie has to be your best penalty killer, and he wans't in the third period today.

The Ugly?

• Pierre McGuire saying, in all seriousness, that Lundqvist was perfect, other than the early goal by Staal, and saying later that, other than the shorty by Kunitz, King Henrik was awesome. That's like saying my game of bowling was perfect except for that open frame in the 3rd and spare in the 7th. How about you just say he's playing really well and avoid the inaccurate superlatives?

Any Surprises?

• I was honestly surprised by Cooke's elbow. I know he plays on the edge (what some would call dirty), but this was a blatant cheap hit. We've seen too many questionable hits from him this season as compared to the last few.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 41-23-8. The race for the 4th seed is heating up - the Pens have a one point lead over the Lightning and each team has 10 games left.

Who's next?

Not much time to think about this one as the Pens travel to Detroit to play tomorrow night.

Game #72 - vs New York Rangers

Game 72

Rangers (38-30-4, 82 points) at Penguins (41-22-8, 90 points)

Why does it matter?
The Pens want the #4 seed for the playoffs to earn home ice in the first round. They're one point ahead of Tampa Bay, so a win at every opportunity is critical. The Rangers may be without King Henrik - that would be a fantastic opportunity if it proves to be true.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Two strong wins against two cellar dwellers, followed by four days off. Not bad for hockey in March.
• Rangers - The Rangers have been downright offensive, scoring 27 over the past 6 games to go with a 5-1 record over that span.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens slow down the suddenly hot Rangers offense? That will involve a team effort, because the scoring has been spread around for the Blueshirts.
• Will Lundqvist play? This alone may determine the outcome of the game. If he can't, Chad Johnson will be in net. No word on whether he'll change his name to "Dos Nueve".
• Paging Alexei Kovalev and James Neal... please report to the offensive zone. Will they find it? They need to contribute if this team is going to do anything.

Keys to the game

• Keep working - the Rangers are an "effort" team. They try to work you to death. Fortunately the Pens have had to get used to playing that way in recent weeks.
• Score on the power play. The execution with the man-advantage has to improve (and heck, right now it has nowhere to go but up).
• No dumb penalties. The Rangers have been hot on the power play lately, so avoid going to the box for dumb stuff.

Quick hiatus

The blog is on hiatus for a few days while I escape for a quick vacation.

Let's Go Pens!

Penguins 3, Sabres 1

So what happened?

I missed just about all of this game (I think I saw about 5 minutes), so I really have nothing relevant to say. Nice to see the Pens earn a win in regulation against a team trying to make the playoffs.

Also nice to see Michalek and Neal get their first goals for the Pens.

Who scored?

Neal (22), Michalek (1), Letestu (12)

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 39-21-8.

Who's next?

A nice break for the rest of the week until the Habs come to Consol for a Saturday afternoon game.

Game #68 - vs Buffalo Sabres

Game 68

Sabres (32-25-8, 72 points) at Penguins (38-21-8, 84 points)

Why does it matter?
This is another tough opponent for the Pens. For the (seemingly) 863rd straight game, the Pens are playing a team that has been extremely hot recently. The Sabres are battling for the playoff lives, and the Pens are in the way. This will be a good one.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - A great win over the Bruins on Saturday night somehow made all of the recent losing fade from recent memory.
• Sabres - 5-0-2 in their past seven games, getting hot when they needed it the most.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens score enough to win? The Sabres haven't allowed more than three goals in a game since February 13th.
• Can anyone slow down Drew Stafford? He has 11 goals in 16 games since the All-Star break.
• Will the new guys find a way to contribute on the scoreboard? I'm referring to Kovalev and Neal here - they need to score.

Keys to the game

• Lay it all on the line. Don't leave anything in the tank after this one - the Sabres will play an up-and-down style, and this is the only game for the Pens between last Saturday and this upcoming Saturday.
• Get to the power play - the Sabres have allowed a power play goal in each of their past two games.
• Mix it up offensively. I think everyone in the world knows what happens when the Pens have a three-on-two - they do the center drive thing with the puck on the wing and usually get a shot from the circle. Try cutting to the middle after that center goes through, or hitting a D-man coming late - something to mix it up and help keep other teams from sitting on specific plays.

Penguins 3, Bruins 2 (OT)

So what happened?

Platypus.

That was the term that Bob Errey used to describe Dennis Seidenberg in overtime, when he threw an ill-advised pass that was pick off by Dustin Jeffrey. Jeffrey took the puck, went right around Seidenberg, and beat Thomas cleanly. Errey couldn't have known that a platypus is one of the few mammals that is venomous and lays eggs, so I'm going to assume it was because Seidenberg was caught flat-footed. In Seidenberg's defense, he had been on the ice for over a minute when the goal was scored, so he was probably gassed.

Overall this was an excellent hockey game. I think I'd be writing that even if the Bruins had completed the comeback and earned two points instead of the Pens. It was extremely physical and felt like playoff hockey. The Bruins came out and tried to bully the Pens, who would have none of it. Once things settled down (though the hitting kept up), the Pens went on the attack. The 39 shots they put on net were the most allowed by the Bruins since January 18th.

I was really impressed by the offense the Pens were able to generate.

It is a great two points for the Pens to earn.

Who scored?

Staal (7), Jeffrey (6, 7)

The Good?

• Dustin Jeffrey with two HUGE goals. The Pens really needed someone to step up and score. Jeffrey and Staal provided that tonight.
• The response by the Pens to the physical gauntlet thrown down by the Bruins was excellent. There were two fights, but mostly the Pens ignored the hitting, responded when they could, and kept playing hockey. Winning on the scoreboard is the best retaliation.
• Letang, Martin and Michalek were all huge for the Pens, all playing more than 25 minutes.
• Mark Letestu is going to be a really good offensive player in a few years.
• James Neal helped to set the tone by working hard on the offensive glass all night long.
• Fleury was really, really good early in the game when the Bruins were throwing the kitchen sink at him.

The Bad?

• Both Bruins goals were because the forward was slow in getting back defensively. It was Kovalev earlier in the game, and in the scrum with 30 second left, Matt Cooke was just a step too slow in trying to get to Krejci.
• Zdeno Chara avoiding the corner with James Neal bearing down on him. I know Neal isn't small, but Chara really shouldn't bail out in those situations.
• Paul Steigerwald keeps mistaking Craig Adams for Alexei Kovalev, because (in case you're not aware) of the #27. I never realized how much announcers count on the number on the jersey since Kovalev and Adams are about as different as you could imagine on the ice (Kovalev - left-handed shot, relaxed skating style - Adams - right-handed shot, aggressive, hard-striding skating style).

The Ugly?

• My personal pet peeve - the Three Stars. How is Jeffrey not one of them after scoring twice, including the game winner in OT? Also, how is Seidenberg among them after giving the puck away and then getting badly beaten in allowing the OT winner? Something isn't right there...

Any Surprises?

• Missing Chris Kunitz again was a surprise, but given the level of hitting in this game, it was probably better to have him hold off.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 38-21-8. The Flyers have lost three in a row and now sit just two points ahead of the Pens for the Atlantic division lead (though they do have three games-in-hand over the Pens).

Who's next?

Just one game before next weekend and that's Tuesday night at home against Buffalo.

Game #67 - at Boston Bruins

Game 67

Penguins (37-21-8, 82 points) at Bruins (38-19-7, 83 points)

Why does it matter?
Despite their recent struggles, the Pens don't often play teams ahead of them in the standings. The last time that happened was in January against Detroit. This will be unfamiliar territory on the road against a better team (right now).

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Ten losses in the past 13 games. Blech.
• Bruins - Seven straight wins, mostly with defense and goaltending.

Questions to be answered

• Who will slow down the Bruins big forwards? Lucic and Horton have both been filling the net since the All-Star break.
• Can Fleury shut out the Bruins? He has had success in Boston in recent times, and it might take a shutout to get two points tonight.
• If Kunitz returns who will sit? My money is on Chris Conner.

Keys to the game

• Another game where scoring first will be huge since the Bruins also play a defensive style.
• Get them into the box. Every time the Bruins have allowed six or more power play chances this season, they've allowed a power play goal. Keep working and draw the penalties.
• Take away time and space from Krecji - he's dangerous as a setup man.

Devils 2, Penguins 1 (OT)

So what happened?

The Pens picked a bad time to take their only minor penalty of the game. Zybanek Michalek's stick ever-so-slightly hooked the Devils player (I think it was Elias, but I can't remember) with just over two minutes remaining in OT. The Pens killed most of the penalty in heroic fashion, with Adams and Staal giving up their bodies to block shots. Unfortunately, Johnson sprawled out of the net to make a save, but didn't corral the puck. The Devils worked it quickly to Kovalchuk, who buried it in the back of the net.

At least the Pens earned a point... but we seem to be saying that way too much lately.

Overall it was a great effort by the Pens, especially in dominating the third period. There was no payoff for the hard work.

Who scored?

Kennedy (15)

The Good?

• Great team effort, especially (as noted) in the third. The Pens didn't seem to struggle as much as usual with the trap employed by the Devils.
• Letestu - 10-2 on the faceoffs.
• Paul Martin and Zybanek Michalek really stepped up after Letang was booted from the game.

The Bad?

• Letang has to have his fight strap tied down. No excuse for that one - the Pens can't afford to lose him for a game because of a wardrobe malfunction.
• Brent Johnson was solid... except when he wasn't. The first goal by Zajac was really soft.

The Ugly?

• Paging the offense - anyone there? 26 shots is better than the norm against the Devils, but not nearly enough good scoring chances.

Any Surprises?

• Letang standing over Zajac and getting into the fight was a surprise. Letang usually doesn't do that kind of stuff. There must have been something that happened earlier that he was upset about.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 37-21-8.

Who's next?

A trip up to Boston to finish off this five game road trip tomorrow night.

Game #66 - at New Jersey Devils

Game 66

Penguins (37-21-7, 81 points) at Devils (28-31-4, 60 points)

Why does it matter?
This is a key divisional match-up against an opponent that has been playing extremely well since early January.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Nine losses in twelve games won't cut it, but they do have points in three of their past four and have not been playing poorly.
• Devils - Only one stat matters - 18-2-2 in their past 22 games. Wow.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens slow Kovalchuk down? In his past 16 games, he has just one scoreless game, with 9 goals and 10 assists over that span. Most of those points (and all of the goals) are at even-strength.
• Can the Pens get to Brodeur?
• Can James Neal get his first in a Penguins uniform? The team needs him.

Keys to the game

• Score first and bring the Devils out of that boring trap. If the Devils take the lead, you may as well get a blanket and take a nap.
• Win at even-strength. Most of the success recently for the Devils has been even-strength hockey since they don't earn or take many penalties.
• No turnovers in the neutral zone. The Pens have good speed - dump the puck and go get it if you have to - make it a team effort.

Maple Leafs 3, Penguins 2 (OT)

So what happened?

The Pens were burned by a bad deflection off of a partition when Kris Letang tried to clear the puck in the third period. It led directly to the tying goal for the Leafs.

Overall it was a strong road effort by the Pens. They couldn't get quite enough pucks past Reimer to make this a rout, but the complimentary numbers were there. The zone time and shot attempts were there (and also tied to that, the Leafs only managed 10 shots on net through the first two periods.

This is one to chalk up to bad luck and move on.

Who scored?

Niskanen (1), Conner (7)

The Good?

• Dion Phaneuf made the play on the OT goal, taking the puck from behind his own net, blowing past Neal and Staal, carrying the puck deep into the offensive zone and helping the team establish position on the winning possession. I didn't think Phaneuf had it in him.
• Good pressure on the power play, but not enough chances, and not enough shots on net.
• Chris Conner made a great effort play to beat Phaneuf on a stretch pass, protect the puck, and shuffle it through the five-hole on Reimer.
• Matt Niskanen had his best game as a Penguin so far. He showed confidence and an eye for offense, especially breaking the puck out of his own end, while being solid defensively. The Pens may have a good player on their hands.
• The PK stepped up. The Leafs only managed six shots combined on their five power play chances.

The Bad?

• Too many penalties. I know the trip called on Lovejoy late saved a scoring chance, but MacArthur should not have been able to gain the lead position with three minutes left in the game.
• Kris Letang... -3... ugh.

The Ugly?

• Neal and Kovalev both played just four shifts with less than four minutes of ice time apiece in the third period. I know the late penalty had something to do with it, but what gives? Playing for OT maybe?

Any Surprises?

• Not at all related to the game, but Sid is still tied for fourth in goals in the NHL... despite missing 24 games. That's astounding.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 37-21-7.

Who's next?

A day of rest and then back-to-back games against Jersey and Boston to wrap up the road trip.

Game #65 - at Toronto Maple Leafs

Game 65

Penguins (37-21-6, 80 points) at Maple Leafs (27-27-9, 63 points)

Why does it matter?
Practice makes perfect, and the Pens will get a chance to show what they've learned with another game in Toronto against a team that is playing well.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Somehow the Pens found the back of the net five times (plus one in the shootout) against the Leafs last weekend.
• Maple Leafs - Despite two losses in a row, the Leafs have earned at least a point in 12 of their last 14 games (all in February).

Questions to be answered

• Who will sit with the return of Kennedy and Martin to the lineup? The defense part is easy - Brian Strait has not been recalled (as of this writing). Up front? My guess is Chris Conner.
• Will the penalty kill get it's act together? They've allowed goals in four straight and killed just 12 out of 17 chances over that stretch (not good).
• Can the Pens keep the offense going? I'm not hoping for another 6-spot, but getting three or four behind Reimer would be ideal.

Keys to the game

• Repeat after me: no more dumb penalties. Stay out of the box!
• Pick on Kessel. Yeah, he can skate and score, but his numbers would make you think he spends too much time poaching up ice and not enough time in his own end. He's a -21 on the season.
• Keep getting traffic in front of Reimer. The Pens did a good job with this on Saturday.

Penguins 6, Maple Leafs 5 (OT - SO - 1-0)

So what happened?

A great win for the Pens in one of the most exciting games of the year so far. This was an old-fashioned shootout, with pucks flying past the goalies with frightening regularity. It is a credit to the Pens that they found a way to come out on top.

The Pens had just one lead in regulation, at 3-2. They were playing catch-up hockey for much of the rest of the night, and they never gave up. The drive and the legs were there all night long.

Give credit to the Leafs, who played a good game. They probably could have become more conservative once they had the lead in the third period, but where would be the excitement in that? Of course, the same could be said of the Pens, who had the lead going into the third.

You have to admire the work ethic brought by the Pens after playing on Friday night against the Canes.

Who scored?

Kovalev (15), Letestu (11), Jeffrey (5), Talbot (7), Rupp (6)

The Good?

• You could see the difference in having a player like Mark Letestu back on the ice. He really has that offensive instinct and ability to keep plays alive.
• Kovalev was great on the shootout. He saw Reimer stay deep in the net with Letang, so he was ready to blast the puck past him when Reimer tried the same thing. That's called veteran awareness, combined with the skill to make it happen.
• Max Talbot had a HUGE short handed goal to tie the game at 4-4.
• Mike Rupp made a tremendous effort in sticking with the play on the goal that tied the score at 5-5.
• Kris Letang with nearly 33 minutes of ice time, and he was flying in the OT.
• James Neal had himself in the right place at the right time again tonight but just couldn't finish. He'll get there.

The Bad?

• Fleury's play, while making some key saves, was inconsistent. It was that kind of night, however. Reimer was worse, allowing all kinds of rebounds.
• Too many penalties. Again. This time the PK allowed two goals.

The Ugly?

• Despite the goal by Kovalev, the Staal, Neal, Kovy line was a -2. That means they were on the ice for three goals against at even-strength. Ouch.

Any Surprises?

• The news that had Tyler Kennedy not missed the game, Max Talbot would have been scratched. HCDB must really like what Joe Vitale brings, especially in the faceoff circle.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 37-21-6. They are four points ahead of Washington for the #4 spot in the East. Somehow, they're 4th overall in points in the NHL.

Who's next?

A few days off and then it's a replay of this one, on Wednesday night in Toronto.

Game #64 - at Toronto Maple Leafs

Game 64

Penguins (36-21-6, 78 points) at Maple Leafs (27-27-7, 61 points)

Why does it matter?
The Leafs are hot right now, with an 8-2-2 record in their past 12 games. They have dreams of making the playoffs. They also have a hot goalie. This will be another good test for the Pens, who badly need two points.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The lunch pails and hard hats keep showing up, but the payoff at the end just isn't there right now.
• Maple Leafs - Hot play recently has them back to .500 hockey for the first time since November 6th.

Questions to be answered

• Will the effort level be maintained given the short turnaround from the game last night? It needs to be, because the way the Leafs are playing right now, they'll blow the Pens out of the building.
• Who will sit with the probable return of Mark Letestu? I'm guessing Vitale, which is unfortunate, because I like what I've seen from him so far.
• Which power play will shot up for the Leafs? One that was 5-10 in two of their previous eight games, or the one that was 0-26 in the other six games?

Keys to the game

• Get to the power play. The Leafs PK has been porous all season long. Some extended time with the man-advantage would give us a chance to see what Kovy can do.
• Use the (relative) depth at center and roll four lines all night. With Letestu back, the Pens will have four solid guys down the middle.
• Crash the net and get bodies in front of Reimer.

Hurricanes 4, Penguins 1

So what happened?

The Pens weren't at their best in the first period and the Canes capitalized with two goals, one on the power play. That's really all it takes these days - get a multi-goal lead on the Pens and they're going to have trouble coming back.

Kovalev was great in his return. He may have been a bit too fired up, because he took two penalties in the offensive zone, one while the Pens were on the power play with less than three minutes left. He still has the hands, however. He sent several great passes onto the tape of his teammates. I think he'll work well when the Pens get closer to full strength.

The second two periods, despite the goal differential, were great Pens hockey. They were able to control the puck in the offensive zone for long periods of time. They just weren't able to get anything for their effort. No significant time on the power play, and just the one goal.

Results need to follow from the effort.

Who scored?

Dupuis (11)

The Good?

• Joe Vitale - 7-2 on faceoffs - another great effort. Dustin Jeffrey a close second at 5-1.
• Good job by HCDB in keeping the minutes down for just about everyone (only Letang was significantly over 20 minutes) and giving Flower the hook. The Pens need to be ready for tomorrow night.
• Cam Ward was sharp, to say the least.
• Great hit by Matt Cooke on Cory Stillman. He also drew a penalty when Jay Harrison took exception to a clean hit.

The Bad?

• Fleury probably wants those first period goals back.
• Hopefully Eric Staal isn't hurt from the hit by Niskanen. I don't think Niskanen was trying to hit him as hard as he did.

The Ugly?

• This was a fairly clean game, without much nonsense. The Canes just capitalized on their chances and the Pens didn't. Nothing ugly about it.

Any Surprises?

• No - the Pens lack of scoring isn't a surprise at this point.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 36-21-6.

Who's next?

Toronto is at home waiting for the Pens to arrive. They play tomorrow night.

Game #63 - at Carolina Hurricanes

Game 63

Penguins (36-20-6, 78 points) at Hurricanes (28-24-9, 65 points)

Why does it matter?
Another game, another new forward. This one marks the return of Alexei Kovalev to the Penguins. I, for one, am very excited to see how he fits in.

As for the game itself, the Canes are in the eighth and final playoff spot, but they need wins because Buffalo has enough games-in-hand to knock them out of the playoffs.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - More hard work against the Sharks, along with a point well earned. This team is going to be scary when Sid comes back.
• Hurricanes - The month of February has not been kind to the Canes, with losses in 8 out of 11 games. That's not the way to get into the playoffs.

Questions to be answered

• How will Kovalev fit into the system? Will he be willing to put in the work that Bylsma is going to require?
• Tonight will feature the return of Dustin Jeffrey as well. Remember when he was in Wilkes-Barre because there was no room for him here in Pittsburgh?
• Can the power play get things going with Kovalev on one of the points? He's certainly capable of playing there, and he has a great shot.

Keys to the game

• Stop Cory Stillman. Seriously. Stillman has 33 points in his last 21 games against the Pens.
• Keep on chugging. The effort has been there, even if the results haven't. Keep the groove going and the results will come as players start to return from injury.
• Play it safe on defense - without Orpik and Martin, the Pens are weakened on the blue line. Be careful when jumping into the play, especially with two new forwards on the ice in Kovy and Neal.

Penguins acquire Alex Kovalev

The Pens have sent a low draft choice to the Senators for Alex Kovalev.

The pick is a seventh round choice. It will become a sixth round choice if:

• The Pens win their first round series
• Kovalev plays in at least half of the games in the first round

I have to say I was wary of bringing Alex back to Pittsburgh, but at this price I absolutely love it. This is a nearly no risk move by Ray Shero. The biggest cost is the money out of ownership's pocket. There was room under the cap, and room on the roster given the injury situation.

What happens next is entirely up to Kovalev. He has a well-earned reputation as a playoff performer, but he is going to have to buy into the system that the Pens play. He'll have to be willing to work hard and play defense. He did waive his no-trade clause to come here, so he has to have an idea of what he's getting into.

I think he earns his spot in the Top 6 and solidifies the goal scoring from the wings. The Pens now look downright dangerous once they get healthy.

Sharks 3, Penguins 2 (OT)

So what happened?

Another hard luck single point result for the Pens. A dramatic late goal with 50 seconds left in the third period by Tyler Kennedy sent the game to OT.

They did just about everything they could to stay with the Sharks but just couldn't finish them off in OT. The one thing they could have done better? They went to the box too much early in the game with dumb penalties, especially the Engelland cross check and the Adams hook in the offensive zone (which is the one the Sharks scored on).

Fleury was amazing, making several HUGE saves, none bigger than the same on Marleau on a breakaway in OT. Unfortunately, they were about four seconds short on getting to a shoot out.

Who scored?

Kennedy 2 (13, 14)

The Good?

• Joe Vitalie - 8-0 on faceoffs!!
• TK with two more goals tonight. He's on a tear.
• Antti Niemi was really good, making several saves where he shouldn't have been able to see the puck.
• Flower, as mentioned, was great.

The Bad?

• Too many penalties through the first two periods, and it cost them.
• Brooks Orpik took a shot off of the hand. He left and didn't return. Hopefully it's not bad.
• After Orpik left, the Pens had to play with five right-handed defensemen. Remember when everyone was worried because the Pens had all left-handed d-men?

The Ugly?

• The refs. The amazingly bad non-call on Ryan Clowe for his retaliation hit on Engelland was embarrassing. If you didn't see it, Engelland delivered a solid, clean hit on Heatley. As he (Engelland) was skating away, Clowe knocked him over from behind, right in front of everyone. You can't tell me one of the zebras wasn't watching - everyone takes notice when a big hit is delivered.

Any Surprises?

• What's up with the lights? For the second game in a row, they wouldn't come back on to start the period. This time the delay was almost 20 minutes, leaving Steigy and Errey to talk continuously.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 36-20-6.

Who's next?

Out onto the road for five games starting with Carolina on Friday night.

Game #62 - vs San Jose Sharks

Game 62

Sharks (34-21-6, 74 points) at Penguins (36-20-5, 77 points)

Why does it matter?
Another tough game against a foe from the other conference. This will be a big challenge. Aside from that, it is the debut of James Neal and Matt Niskanen.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Lots of hard work with nothing to show for it on Monday against the Caps.
• Sharks - Since the end of a six game losing streak back in mid-January, the Sharks are 13-2-1 with all three losses coming on the road and by one goal each.

Questions to be answered

• Can the system the Pens play hold up tonight? Consider that they'll have two new players (Neal and Niskanen) that will be expected to fill prominent roles without having had a full practice with the team.
• Who will score if Jordan Staal has to shut down Joe Thornton? The Pens don't have anyone besides Staal that can match up with his size.
• How will Niskanen and Neal fit in on the top power play? I'm especially interested in Niskanen - will he be able to step up to the plate after having his confidence shot in Dallas?

Keys to the game

• Stay conservative as long as the Pens have the lead or the score is tied. This will protect Neal and Niskanen, who don't know the system very well yet (though it will be similar in nature to what they played in Dallas).
• Keep working. The effort and scoring chances were there against the Caps. The goals will come if the effort continues.
• Say a prayer? Joe Thornton's teams are 15-1-2 against the Pens all time (Bruins and Sharks).

Capitals 1, Penguins 0

So what happened?

The Pens did everything right except put the puck in the net. They kept the Caps bottled up for large parts of the game. They were able to establish an effective forecheck. They played physical and clean. They just couldn't score.

The Pens were playing even more short-handed, if that were possible, due to the trade of Alex Goligoski and the injury to Paul Martin (he was hit from behind by Patrick Sharp against Chicago yesterday afternoon). That meant that both Engelland and Lovejoy dressed, and Brian Strait made his NHL debut.

Who scored?

No one.

The Good?

• The Pens were ready to go from the drop of the puck. They had the drive and intensity all night long, es evidenced by the shot margin.
• Fleury was great all night long.
• Neuvirth was, unfortunately, better.
• Orpik played a great physical game against Ovechkin.

The Bad?

• Someone needs to bury a puck against the Caps. There were numerous chances, including breakaways for Staal and Talbot. The effort is there - the results need to be there too. Fortunately this should get better soon when Neal arrives and injured guys return.
• I thought Strait looked a little slow out there. He probably needs a few games to get up to NHL speed, but he's not likely to get any more time this season with the Pens barring injury.

The Ugly?

• Listening to the Versus announcers was ugly. I don't have enough fingers (or toes) to count the number of times they fawned over the Caps defensive improvements. It's not hard to look good when you're facing a depleted team like the Pens.

Any Surprises?

• Seeing Backstrom try to punch Letang for a clean hit was a surprise - I didn't think Backstrom was that kind of player.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 36-20-5.

Who's next?

The road gets tougher when San Jose comes to Consol on Wednesday.

Penguins acquire LW James Neal,D Matt Niskanen

The Pens traded away Alex Goligoski today in exchange for James Neal and Matt Niskanen.

Neal is the key to this deal. The Pens have him under control for this year and next with a cap hit of $2.875 M. He will play on the top two lines and can score. He had 21 goals in 59 games this year for Dallas, following up campaigns with 24 and 27 goals, respectively.

Niskanen is a bit of an enigma. He was taken as the Stars first pick in 2005 (right before James Neal) but has seen his playing time (and his +/-) decrease each year. This season he has been playing less than 16 minutes per game but is only a -1 on the year (-11 and -15 for the two years prior). If he can regain some of what he showed in his rookie year, he'll be a steal.

I'll be sad to see Goligoski leave. I think he didn't get the credit he deserved in Pittsburgh. Letang went through growing pains before he became the defenseman he is today - I think Goose was on the same path. Hopefully he succeeds with Dallas.

The really interesting part is that the Pens have set themselves up for trouble following this season. Goose for Niskanen is nearly an even move against the cap (Goose counted nearly $400,000 more against than Niskanen will). Neal will count $2.875 M next year. That means the Pens are either setting themselves up for a blockbuster trade, salary-wise, or they will be limited in how they can spend this summer (limited as in about $3 M left to sign 5-6 players).

For the remainder of this season, however, I like what I see. Niskanen isn't that much of a drop off from the role that Goligoski was playing (except maybe on the power play) and Neal is a definite upgrade at forward.

Game #61 - vs Washington Capitals

Game 61

Capitals (31-19-10, 72 points) at Penguins (36-19-5, 77 points)

Why does it matter?
A top conference opponent comes to Consol tonight to face a Pens' team that is still short-handed. The Pens need to keep the ship moving in the right direction and earn points.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - There's no such thing as a good loss, but the Pens did well to get out of Chicago with a point yesterday.
• Capitals - Inconsistency has been the name of the game. The Caps have won two out of their past three, but are 8-7-5 since the Winter Classic.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens put pucks in the net? The last meeting two weeks back was decided by the Caps defense more than anything.
• Who will win the special teams battle? The Caps haven't been taking many penalties, but they've allowed a power play goal in four straight games. The Pens have been getting to the power play but not converting with regularity.
• Will Jordan Staal be available? His absence could be the nail in the coffin for the Pens right now, at least until some of the other guys return.

Keys to the game

• Lock the down. The Caps have out shot their opponents in their last four wins. Win the battle of the shot margin and control the game.
• Out work the Caps. This will lead to chances on the power play.
• Stop Mike Knuble. He has three goals in three games against the Pens this season.

Blackhawks 3, Penguins 2 (OT - SO - 1-0)

So what happened?

You never like to let that extra point slip away, but this one can't sting too badly for the Pens.

There wasn't much of a sustained offense for the Pens today, and they were just trying to stem the tide in the early part of the game. They managed to tilt the ice back to a more level playing surface but never really took control of the game.

If not for the efforts of Marc-Andre Fleury, this game would n0t have been close.

So, take the point and head back home.

Who scored?

Cooke (11), Sterling (3)

The Good?

• After a slow start, the effort was there. Cooke's shorty was a perfect example of that. Aside from the one defenseman that was back, Talbot and Cooke started out pretty much even with the other Hawks players. It was their effort level that got them the two-on-one which Cooke converted.
• Brett Sterling again showed a nose for the net. He has five points in his first five games (3 + 2).
• Flower was great. I think the lone stinker (the Bickell goal) deflected off of Michalek, but of course NBC didn't slow down the replay enough for us to get a good look.
• Good job by HCDB in not shortening the bench too much given that the Pens play tomorrow night.

The Bad?

• The power play really struggled in some of their early chances. They couldn't seem to enter the zone in an organized fashion.

The Ugly?

• You want to see how not to play a two-on-one? Take a look at the Cooke goal. Special mention also goes to the other Blackhawk players - the effort simply wasn't there.

Any Surprises?

• Brett Sterling's continuing point streak is a surprise.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 36-19-5. They are six points behind the Flyers for the division lead, but five points ahead of the Caps for the fourth spot in the East.

Who's next?

The Caps come to Consol tomorrow night. No rest for the weary.

Game #60 - at Chicago Blackhawks

Game 60

Penguins (36-19-4, 76 points) at Blackhawks (29-23-6, 64 points)

Why does it matter?
This is a big time nationally televised hurdle that the Pens will have to get over. The Hawks are sitting out of the playoffs at this moment and would love to make a statement that they're still alive and kicking.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - A nice rebound win over Colorado on Wednesday after last weekend's New York debacle.
• Blackhawks - A month ago, it looked like they had the ship righted and then they go out and lose 7 out of 10 games, capped by a home loss to Columbus on Friday night.

Questions to be answered

• Could the defending Stanley Cup Champions miss the playoffs? If they do, they'll certainly be held up as the poster boys for salary cap mismanagement.
• Can the Pens take advantage of a very leaky Chicago PK?
• How can a team that has a +20 goal differential (good for fourth in the West) be in 11th place in the conference?

Keys to the game

• Keep them to the outside. Let Chicago take as many long range shots as they like - don't give them the middle of the ice.
• Stay out of the box. If Chicago has a strength, it is their power play, which is second in the NHL at 24%.
• Keep grinding it out. Matt Cooke will return to the lineup, which should make some of the grinding easier.

Best Pittsburgh Sports Blog Tournament

For the third year in a row, Sean over at Sean's Ramblings has selected this blog to be part of the Best Pittsburgh Sports Blog Tournament.

Two years ago, I was seeded 8th against PSAMP. Needless to say, those Mini-Ponies trampled me.

Last year I was seeded 7th against Pitt Blather. Somehow, this blog pulled the big upset, getting onto Round 2, only to lose to One For the Other Thumb.

This year, I'm conflicted. I'm seeded 7th, but my opponent is my all-time favorite Pittsburgh sports blog - Where Have You Gone Andy Van Slyke (WHYGAVS). Pat's blog was the one that really inspired me to start Igloo Dreams back in 2005. Plus, he has a cool name.

So, I'm not going to shill for your votes - I'll just tell you to go and vote - this tournament is all about fun.

You can vote for the second part of Round One over here.

Penguins 3, Avalanche 2 (OT)

So what happened?

A solid effort on the road against the Avalanche, who sure didn't look like they'd lost a bunch of games in a row.

The Pens were able to withstand several storms as the Avalanche flung pucks in spurts at Marc-Andre Fleury. Flower was able to stop almost everything.

The really encouraging sign was the strong third period played by the Pens and the counter-punch in OT to score the winning goal after the Avs had dominated much of the OT session.

The Wilkes-Barre guys were all pretty solid, and Dan Bylsma was able to roll the lines for the most part (with the exception of Tim Wallace, who only played about six minutes).

Who scored?

Vitale (1), Staal (6), Kennedy (12)

The Good?

• Jordan Staal was the best player on the ice. He responded to Colorado taking a 2-1 lead by scoring less than a minute later to tie the game right away.
• Joe Vitale scored his first NHL goal tonight on a nice shot coming down the middle of the ice. He looks like he will be a great third or fourth line guy.
• The PK stood tall and killed about 40 seconds of a 5-on-3. That was a key moment of the game.

The Bad?

• Not enough shots on the power play. No shots on three of the five power plays for the Pens.
• Really bad penalty taken by Porter, tripping Michalek to put the Pens on the power play in OT.

The Ugly?

• Nick Johnson? Please... no more fighting. You made Ryan Malone look like Mike Tyson in his prime.

Any Surprises?

• Pascal Dupuis is the invisible man right now. I know he's playing big minutes, but he hasn't scored since January 22nd (and has just two goals since Christmas). That's a surprise for a guy like Dupuis, given the top line role he plays.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 36-19-4.

Who's next?

The road trip continues with a stop in Chicago on Sunday afternoon.

Game #59 - at Colorado Avalanche

Game 59

Penguins (35-19-4, 74 points) at Avalanche (25-26-6, 56 points)

Why does it matter?
The Pens will have a chance to get back in the winning column against a team from the West. That recipe worked well for them last Thursday against Los Angeles. Unfortunately, they may be catching the Avs at the wrong time.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - New York was a city of horrors this past weekend for the Pens.
• Avalanche - 1-10 in their past 11 games pretty much says it all for the Avs, unless you count the brief return and sudden departure of Peter Forsberg.

Questions to be answered

• Are the Pens catching the Avs at a bad time? Consider that the Avalanche seem to have hit rock bottom, lost 9-1 on Monday to Calgary at home. I'd look for a strong rebound performance from Colorado, or some frustration at the very least.
• Will the Pens experience with the nonsense against the Isles help them stay calm if Colorado gets desperate, or will it make them that much quicker to react?
• What is wrong with the PK? Five goals allowed over the past two games won't get it done.

Keys to the game

• Stay calm. The Avs are likely to be frustrated, given that only one of their losses was a one-goal game (meaning, they've been getting whipped). Nonsense is likely to follow (see Phillipe Dupuis knee-on-knee hit on Jokinen on Monday).
• Keep them bottled up. The Avs have managed just 41 shots over the last two games combined.
• Make Friday a distant memory. A win would go a long way towards moving the team forward from the ugliness.

New post at Hockey Independent

I have a new post up over at Hockey Independent. It's called "Garth Snow - Comedian of the Year". In it, I used both dictionary.com and quoted The Princess Bride. Can't say I've ever done both of those in an article about the NHL before. Go have a look!

Rangers 5, Penguins 3

So what happened?

The Pens didn't play a bad game today.

At even strength they were pretty solid (other than one letdown that allowed Boyle to be all alone in front of Fleury for a deflection goal).

The PK certainly let them down. I'm going to attribute that not only to the absence of Matt Cooke, but also to the lack of depth at the forward spot. Guys that normally don't get big mintues (Talbot, Dupuis) are suddenly being asked to do more than they're used to. I think the overall effort level is down because they're more tired than they're used to.

Having said that, any time you take a two goal lead and allow five unanswered goals, something isn't working.

Hopefully they can get it figured out, because things are about to get really difficult schedule-wise.

Who scored?

Engelland (3), Johnson (1), Sterling (2)

The Good?

• More contributions from the young guys. I like what I'm seeing from the prospects like Johnson and Vitale.
• You have to give the Rangers credit. They got to the front of the net, and that earned them two deflection goals. Those are more luck than anything, but luck is when preparation meets opportunity. The Rangers took advantage of that luck.

The Bad?

• Special teams. The PK allowed three and is suddenly extremely leaky. The power play scored one, but when they had four minutes straight in the third, they couldn't get one. That's when they needed it most.

The Ugly?

• Fleury needs to find a way to stop some of those goals. Prospal's goal especially was on a pass that Flower should have poke-checked out of the way.

Any Surprises?

• Eight goals scored between these two teams is a big surprise.

What's their record now? Any important move in the standings?

The Pens are now 35-19-4. They've lost two in a row and four of their past five games.

Who's next?

The Avalanche are coming to Consol on Wednesday night.

Game #58 - at New York Rangers

Game 58

Penguins (35-18-4, 74 points) at Rangers (29-24-4, 62 points)

Why does it matter?
The Pens get to play another frustrated team in the Rangers, though I think we can count on the fact that they won't respond like the Islanders did.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Friday night was a game to forget as quickly as possible. Time to move on.
• Rangers - Six straight losses have the Rangers on the skids.

Questions to be answered

• Will the Pens be able to score enough to win? Three power play goals on Friday could help jump start that effort.
• How will the team respond after the craziness on Friday night? Can they quickly get back to playing hockey again after all of the extracurricular stuff?
• Can the Pens keep the Rangers offense quiet? The offense has been the biggest reason for their six game losing streak - they're scoring just enough to lose games.

Keys to the game

• Be careful on the power play - the Rangers would love to get a short-handed goal to get them going.
• Stay with Gaborik. He doesn't quite have the blazing speed that Grabner has, but his ability to accelerate quickly is something to be aware of.
• Establish a physical presence. I don't think this will be a problem, but get onto the forecheck and play clean, physical hockey.

Two Islanders suspended - Gillies gets 9, Martin gets 4

Godard, as expected, got the automatic 10 games.

The best part about this for me as a fan is that the suspensions will hit Gillies and Martin in the pocketbook. It will cost Martin about $41,000 and Gillies about $24,000.

The Islanders were also fined $100,000 as an organization.

Both Gillies and Martin were ruled as deliberate attempts to injure. Here's the quote from Colin Campbell:

"The actions by the Islanders' Gillies and Martin were deliberate attempts to injure by delivering blows to the head of players who were unsuspecting and unable to defend themselves. The message should be clear to all players: targeting the head of an opponent by whatever means will be dealt with by suspension."

If the NHL really wants to get rid of the nonsense, these suspensions need to be longer.

Islanders 9, Penguins 3

So what happened?

The New York Islanders embarrassed themselves and the NHL more in winning this game than they have in all the losing they've done over the past several years.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

The game itself was a rout, almost from the start. The Islanders were clearly the better team and the Pens just didn't have it going tonight. Johnson was bad, and the players in front of him were worse during the first period.

Things really got out of hand when Matt Martin attempted a Bertuzzi-like sucker punch on Max Talbot (Bertuzzi-like because he skated up to him from behind, dropped his glove and tried to punch him in the face with no warning). Fortunately Max saw it at the last second and turtled to protect himself. Martin was kicked out of the game and the Pens wound up with a 5 minute power play.

You might think things would calm down between the second and the third, but that's when the Isles let Trevor Gillies out of his cage. He took a flying elbow at Tangradi along the boards, which hurt Tangradi. That didn't stop Gillies, who started punching and kept punching even after Tangradi was down. The linesman kicked Gillies out immediately, putting him out the door to the runway. Gillies still wasn't done. While Tangradi was receiving medical attention from the trainer, Gillies stood in the doorway yelling at him.

I can't possibly imagine a more classless human being than Trevor Gillies right now.

If you hurt a guy and keep punching him, that's bad enough, but to stand there and taunt him while he's down on the ice with the trainer right beside him? Really? In the NHL? Are you a human being or a caged animal?

Once the fracas broke out when Gillies hit Tangradi, Michael Haley took the opportunity to grab Max Talbot and fight him. Once that was separated, instead of going to the penalty box, Haley went directly after Brent Johnson. That was another case of "I can't belieive what I'm seeing". Eric Godard came off of the bench to protect Johnson, as there was no one else around. Godard will be suspended for leaving the bench, but it was necessary in this case. Haley is a clown who belongs in the AHL. You don't try to fight the goalie if you're a skater - that's another cheap, classless move.

The Pens' skaters didn't touch DiPietro after he cheap-shotted Matt Cooke last week. I'd say it didn't even enter their minds to do so. That's because they have respect for the game. The Islanders (some of them, at least) certainly don't.

Tangradi and Paul Martin (who blocked a shot) may be hurt. Bylsma said Tangradi had "concussion-like" symptoms.

I have to applaud whoever gives out the Three Stars at Nassau. They could have pandered to the crowd and named Haley one of the three stars. They didn't. That shows some respect for the lines you shouldn't cross.

I also have to applaud the Pens for not crossing the line tonight. Yes, they plastered some people, but it was all on the ice, in the context of a hockey game. There were no flagrant cheap hits (ala Gillies) or any nonsense about going after their goalie (since the Isles were so hellbent on getting to Johnson). The Pens certainly could have made this much uglier than it was, and they didn't.

I've got nothing else. The Isles are a joke.

Who scored?

Letang (8), Staal (5), Kennedy (11)

Who's next?

The Pens stay in New York to face the Rangers on Sunday afternoon. We should know some of the fallout from this game by then.