Game #22 - at Ottawa Senators

Game 22
Penguins (14-7-0, 28 pts) at Senators (9-6-3, 21 pts)


Scotiabank Place

Why does it matter?
The Sens would have to be considered one of the surprises of the season so far. The Pens want to continue to build on their recent success.

Questions to be answered

• Can either team generate some consistent offense? Both teams have struggled for shots. The Pens have had a rough go of that lately, while the Sens haven't been able to get it going consistently all year.
• Will Sarge be able to get back and help the power play right out of the gate?
• The Sens do not draw many penalties. Can the Pens stay out of the box?
  

Keys to the game

• Hope Spezza continues to struggle. He's a Penguin killer.
  
• Leclaire has been inconsistent. Much of the Sens success will be tied to his performance.
• Ignore Ruutu.
  

Penguins 5, Ducks 2

So what happened?
You never want to say it was an easy game, but the last time the Pens had one this easy was against the Habs before Halloween. The Ducks were anxious to self-destruct tonight with bad penalties and worse turnovers. The Pens were willing to let do it. Both teams had some great scoring chances, but the Pens had the better ones in that they finished theirs.

Who scored?
Cooke (3,4), Guerin (5), Staal (5), Skoula (1)

Any surprises?
The young defensemen from Wilkes-Barre really acquitted themselves well. Lovejoy played big minutes on the power play while Engelland and Guenin were solid. Sure is nice to confirm that the Pens have some depth.

Any change in the standings?
Yep - the Devils lost to the Flyers, so:
Division: 1st (tied with New Jersey)
Conference: 1st (tied with New Jersey and Washington)
League: 2nd (tied with New Jersey, Washington and Los Angeles)

Who's next?
On the road for three straight, starting with Ottawa on Thursday.

Notes:

• Giguere really looked bad early on, but he recovered to hold the fort for a little while until the Pens broke it open in the third.
• When your three stars are Staal, Cooke and Engelland, you know it's a good night for the role players.
• The Ducks could be pretty good if they could stay out of their own way.
• Getzlaf would drive me nutty if he played here with all of the stick infractions. There's no reason to take dumb penalties like that.
• After the early 2-0 lead, the Pens seemed to step it down a notch, allowing the shorty to Marchant and giving the Ducks some hope.
  

Game #21 - vs Anaheim Ducks

Game 21
Ducks (6-9-3, 15 pts) at Penguins (13-7-0, 26 pts)


Mellon Arena - Pittsburgh

Why does it matter?
Keep the momentum going. Geno came back from injury and the Pens got the W. The Ducks have not been very good this year. The Pens should win this game.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Finally got some offense and a W against the Bruins. If you told me they'd allow 5 and still win, I probably would have said you're crazy, but they did.
  
• Ducks - Three straight losses on their 4 game road trip which wraps up here in Pittsburgh.
  

Questions to be answered

• Will we see any results from the power play? Ever?
  
• Can the Wilkes-Barre guys chip in? I'm thinking specifically of Letestu, who is a good goal scorer.
  
• Can the Pens get traffic in front of Hiller?
• Can the Pens lose anyone else to injury? Goligoski is out 2-3 weeks. That leaves 2 of the top 6 D in the starting lineup.
  

Keys to the game

• Establish extended possession in the offensive zone on a consistent basis.
  
• Keep the Ducks top line (Perry, Getzalf, Ryan) bottled up in their own end.
  

Penguins 6, Bruins 5 (OT)

So what happened?
This was a huge win for the Pens. They badly needed one. It took some last second magic to make it happen, but they earned two points.

Who scored?
Mckee (1), Dupuis (4,5), Crosby (10), Eaton (2)

Any surprises?
Sid and Geno both go off for three points each on Geno's return to action. Oh yeah, and the biggest goal of the year so far. Just watch this:


Any change in the standings?
Division: 2nd
Conference: 3rd
League: 5th

Who's next?
Quack, Quack. Monday night.

Notes:

• Thomas was not good when it mattered. He allowed the tying goal to Guerin and misplayed the puck on the winning score by Dupuis in OT. Boy, does he have a temper or what? I've seen goalies react before, but he was a bit over the top.
• Letetsu had a nice debut with two hits and a +1.

Game #20 - vs Boston Bruins

Game 20
Bruins (8-7-3, 19 pts) at Penguins (12-7-0, 24 pts)


Mellon Arena - Pittsburgh

Thomas was a bit confused after the 1-0 loss to Florida on Thursday, saying "We deserved two points." Last time I checked, the team that WON deserved two points, Timmy.

Why does it matter?
The Pens badly need a win. Also - something about some guy named Geno playing.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Don't ask. Seriously. Injuries and losing have been bad lately.
  
• Bruins - They played much better on their home stand, but now they go back out on the road where things have been ugly for them.
  

Questions to be answered

• Can Geno's return spur the power play?
  
• Will it matter, given that three of the top 6 on the blue line are missing?
  
• Can the Pens get the trapping teams out of the trap? These last two games have been painful to watch.
  

Keys to the game

• Continue the solid effort from the second period of the Jersey game.
  
• Thomas has allowed one goal in his past three starts (not counting shootouts). Find a way to beat him.

Devils 4, Penguins 1

So what happened?
A few posts and cross bars. A few turnovers. A few blown chances on the power play. All that led to another loss for the Penguins.

Who scored?
Fedotenko (4)

Any surprises?
Early in the third, with the Pens on the power play, Fedotenko was going back into his own zone to play the puck. Parise knocked him down from behind, 10 feet away from the puck. No call.

Any change in the standings?
Remains to be seen at the conclusion of tonight's games. At the very least, the Pens move to second place in the division.

Who's next?
More happy times at the Igloo on Saturday against the Bruins. Maybe if they move the line for icing to the defensive blue line it would kill the trap (meaning, all you have to do is get the puck out of your own zone and you can dump it).

Notes:

• I could have been reading a book instead of watching this game (or, heck, scraping nails on a chalkboard). Blech.
  

Game #19 - vs New Jersey Devils

Game 19
Devils (12-4-0, 24 pts) at Penguins (12-6-0, 24 pts)


Mellon Arena - Pittsburgh

Parise is awsome, but who at Upper Deck comes up with these things? The FUTURE? Really?

Why does it matter?
It's a game for first place in the division. The Pens lost earlier this year to the Devils. You don't want to lose another game to a potential division contender.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Don't ask. Seriously. Injuries and losing have been bad lately.
  
• Devils - The Devils still haven't lost on the road and are 9-1 in their past 10 games.
  

Questions to be answered

• Will the Flightless Birds score a goal?
  
• How will the defense fare with Gonchar, Letang and Orpik out? Lovejoy will get his first action of the season tonight.
  
• Can Sid find a way to break through?
  

Keys to the game

• Adjust the style of play to stop trying to make the pretty play. Keep it simple and crash the net.
  
• Score first and force the Devils to come out of their trap a bit.
  

Bruins 3, Penguins 0

So what happened?
The Pens played a good game tonight. The effort level was there. The results were not. Crosby and Staal fired wide on good scoring chances and one bounce towards the Bruins net just didn't go in for the Pens. Tim Thomas won this game for the Bruins. Marc Andre needs to do that for the Pens right now, because their offense just isn't there.

Who scored?
Nobody... again.

Any surprises?
Staal on the first line looked pretty good. That was the best line for the Pens as far as generating pressure in the offensive zone goes.

Any change in the standings?
Remains to be seen at the conclusion of tonight's games.

Who's next?
Back home (finally) to play more "Break the Trap" hockey against the Devils.

Notes:

• Orpik was hurt tonight. He left early in the first period after being shoved into the boards. The Pens cannot afford more injuries.
  
• Am I the only one that hears "Ballroom Blitz" in my head every time the announcer said "Byron Bitz"?
• As bad as things seem right now, it's not the end of the world. It's just the regular season and it's just a slump. Things will get better.
• Two shots in the first period doesn't cut it. The Pens seemed to think so too, because they had 25 over the final two.
  

Game #18 - at Boston Bruins

Game 18
Penguins (12-5-0, 24 pts) at Bruins (7-7-2, 16 pts)


TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

A very talented player, Bergeron hasn't been the same since missing most of 07-08.

Why does it matter?
The Pens need to get back in the winning column. The Bruins are a good team to play to do just that.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - After splitting the first two games of the West Coast trip, it was a nightmare ending when the team was out scored 10-2 over the final two games.
  
• Bruins - The Bruins are the model of inconsistency this year. They have not yet won 2 in a row and
  

Questions to be answered

• Can the offense score goals against the Bruins trap? Despite their inconsistency, the Bruins have allowed two or fewer in the past 6 games.
  
• Can Sid find a way to get through the extra attention he's receiving with Geno out and generate some offense?
  
• It would be nice to come home with a win, wouldn't it?
  

Keys to the game

• Stay focused - every goal against the Bruins counts, given the way they play defense.
  
• Special teams are magnified - find a way to score on the power play.

Sharks 5, Penguins 0

So what happened?
Right from the start, this was not a good night for the Pens. Rupp was tripped on a scoring chance in the slot about 20 seconds in with no call. It didn't get any better from there. Before all was said and done, Fleury was pulled, Letang was hurt and the Pens had lost two straight for the first time under Dan Bylsma.

Who scored?
Nobody

Any surprises?
The Pens had several good chances in the early-going, but couldn't cash in. I guess we can't call that a surprise given their recent mini-slump.

Any change in the standings?
Division: 1st (two point ahead of New Jersey)

Conference: 1st (tied with Washington)

League: 2nd (tied with Washington)

Who's next?
Back east to play the team with the worst power play in the NHL, the Boston Bruins. Game is on Tuesday night.

Notes:

• The Sharks are really good, but it's just the regular season.
• When Fleury was pulled, you were thinking that maybe if they could find a way to get a goal... but then Johnson allowed one and you knew that was it.
• Hopefully Letang isn't badly hurt.

Game #17 - at San Jose Sharks

Game 17
Penguins (12-4-0, 24 pts) at Sharks (11-4-2, 24 pts)



HP Pavillion, San Jose, California

Setoguchi has been hurt, but he's a dangerous goal scorer when healthy.

Why does it matter?
Another tough road game against a top team for the Pens.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The Kings were simply the better team on Thursday. The Pens will look to get back on the winning track.
  
• Sharks - The Sharks started 3-3-1. They're 7-1-1 since and have allowed no more than two goals in a game for the past 6 games.
  

Questions to be answered

• With a power play that is on the fritz, can the Pens generate enough quality scoring chances to win this game?
  
• Can Fleury step up and steal a game? He has been really good in the early going, but has no shutouts yet. Now would be a good time...
  
• With losses in two of their past three, the Pens are in danger of their first slump of the season. Can they avoid it with a W in San Jose?
  

Keys to the game

• Find a way to beat Nabokov.
  
• Special teams - both power play units have been poor lately.

Game #16 - at Los Angeles Kings

Game 16
Penguins (12-3-0, 24 pts) at Kings (9-4-2, 20 pts)


Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

Two great young defensemen.

Why does it matter?
It's not quite the Clash of the Titans, but these are two of the top teams so far this season.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The Pens won a thriller over the Ducks on Tuesday. Their power play continues to struggle, while the role players have stepped way up.
  
• Kings - The Kings are coming off of a nice road win at Phoenix and have points in 7 straight games.
  

Questions to be answered

• LA limits the shots against them - they've allowed 31 in the last two game combined (that's really low). Can the Pens generate consistent offense?
  
• What is up with the power play? I know they're short-handed right now, but they still have some good talent out there.
  
• Neither team has taken many penalties of late. Who will win the battle at even-strength?
  

Keys to the game

• Despite the low shot totals, the Kings allow their share of goals. Jonathan Quick has average numbers.
  
• Keep Kopitar in check - he's the leading scorer in the NHL so far this year.
  
• Make it a team effort again.
  

Penguins 4, Ducks 3

So what happened?
A back-and-forth game where nether team ever held more than a one goal lead. It also featured a parade to the penalty box during the first period by the Ducks. Fleury made several great saves and Sid stacked the pads to make another huge save when Fleury was out of position. Team play was the story of the night - everyone chipped in.

Who scored?
Rupp(4), Letang (1), Goligoski (6), Dupuis (3)

Any surprises?
Only that FSN was as amazed by a third period save on Lupul as everyone else was - they updated the score by accident! Check it out:
Fleury has just made the save on Lupul.


FSN changed the score to 4-4!! They changed it back pretty quickly, but still - pretty funny!



Any change in the standings?
Nope - first in the NHL with 24 points.

Who's next?
The West Coast swing continues at LA on Thursday.

Notes:

• Doesn't it seem weird for Koivu to be a Duck?
• That didn't seem like it should be Letang's first goal...
• Goligoski has 6 already... I know he has been scoring, but see my previous comment about Letang.
• Ryan Whitney with almost 29 minutes of ice time, leading everyone by far. Nice to see Ryan as a top defensemen in the league.

Game #15 - at Anaheim Ducks

Game 15
Penguins (11-3-0, 22 pts) at Ducks (4-6-2, 10 pts)


Honda Center, Anaheim, California

The leading goal scorer on each team.

Why does it matter?
The Pens are coming off of their third loss of the season. They are starting a West Coast swing, something that plagued several recent opponents like Columbus and Minnesota.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The Pens look to avoid being snake bit by another hot goalie, which is what happened on Saturday against the Wild.
  
• Ducks - The Ducks have been struggling mightily (ha!) and are just 2-5 at home on the young season. They have too much tale
  

Questions to be answered

• Can the Ducks limit the chances against them? Hiller has a good save percentage and a bad GAA - that usually means tons of shots. Indeed, the Ducks have allowed at least 32 shots in every game this season.
• Will the return of Tyler Kennedy mean the third line will be reunited? If so, who will center the second line?
  
• Can the Pens win the special teams battle? The Ducks are hot on the power play, though they will take penalties (11 PP chances given to Toronto a few games back)
  

Keys to the game

• Keep the established formula going - throw tons of shots at the Ducks - they're used to allowing them.
• Stay out of the box.
  
• Contain Perry.
  

Game #14 - vs Minnesota Wild

Game 14
Wild (4-9-0, 8 pts) at Penguins (11-2-0, 22 pts)


Mellon Arena - Pittsburgh

Two good defensemen. Burns can be excellent on the offensive attack while Orpik is more of a defensive guy.

Why does it matter?
Minnesota is the home of GM Chuck Fletcher and coach Todd Richards, both out of the Penguins system. They're trying to build in a fashion similar to Pittsburgh.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The Pens earned two points with a late rally last night in Columbus. The team has been amazingly good (and probably lucky) in the early going this year.
  
• Wild - The early season for the Wild has not been kind, but they did have a nice win over the Rangers last night at home.
  

Questions to be answered

• Can the Wild win back to back games for the first time this season?
• Can the Wild win on the road for the first time this season?
• Can the Pens beat a team they should beat at home?
• Who will have more hits, Clutterbuck or Orpik?

Keys to the game

• Avoid the slow start.
  
• Execute on the power play.

Game #13 - at Columbus Blue Jackets

Game 13
Penguins (10-2-0, 20 pts) at Blue Jackets (6-5-0, 12 pts)

Nash is really good, but not as good as the two on the other card...

Why does it matter?
This game would have been more interesting two weeks ago when Columbus was 5-1. Now they're 6-5 and playing really poorly. This game is interesting if only to see how much the Hockey Gods can heap on the Pens before they crack.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - After blowing out Montreal on Wednesday to finish out their home stand, the Pens will face an additional test as Geno will miss 2-3 weeks. Good thing Sid is playing well.
  
• Blue Jackets - As noted, the Jackets have gone into the crapper and have allowed 26 goals in the last 5 games.
  

Questions to be answered

• Can the Jackets rebound? They had a miserable road trip and lost the dreaded "first game back" on Wednesday. No more excuses now.
• What will happen, especially to the power play, with no Gonchar and no Malkin?
• Speaking of the power play, the Jackets have been terrible on the PK lately. The Pens seemed to get things going against Montreal on the PP. Will it continue?
  
• Can Sid carry the load, and who will center the second line?
  

Keys to the game

• Take the Jackets out of the game early. They're used to giving up a ton of scoring, so get them early and often
  
• Stop Rick Nash.
  
• Get some offense for Brent Johnson.
  

Game #12 - vs Montreal Canadiens

Game 12
Canadiens (6-5-0, 10 pts) at Penguins (9-2-0, 18 pts)


Mellon Arena - Pittsburgh

Something a bit different for the card image today...

Why does it matter?
Montreal historically has played an up-tempo game with lots of skating, which makes for a more entertaining brand of hockey. A victory means extra tax dollars spent in Montreal to patrol the bridges...

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The Pens are struggling through their first semi-tough stretch of the season. They lost on Saturday and have put themselves in a hole in two straight.
  
• Canadiens - The Habs are hot, winners of four straight at home. It's not as good as it seems, though, because three of the four wins were against the Isles and Thrashers.
  

Questions to be answered

• Can the Habs win against a good team? Aside from their OT wins over Buffalo and the Rangers, their other victories aren't exactly a Murderer's Row.
• Can the Pens get off to a good start in a game after struggling to do that for the last two?
• The power play without Gonchar? It's 1-10. Can it get better? When you watch Letang and Goligoski, you'd think it has to - those guys are good.
  
• Can the Pens solve Jaroslav Halak?
  

Keys to the game

• Both teams have been stingy in allowing shots lately. Whoever can dictate their style will have a big advantage.
  
• Make the Habs earn it.
  
• Halak hasn't faced an offense like this one yet.
  

Devils 4, Penguins 1

The Devils scored first in this one, and that led directly to the typical Devils snooze-fest. They lined up in the neutral zone, between the red line and (just inside) their own blue line. The Pens couldn't beat the trap on any kind of consistent basis all night.

The Pens game of forechecking and pressure in the offensive zone was a non-starter, mainly because they were unable to establish any kind of consistent possession.

If you're wondering if the game was as boring as it sounds, it was.

The Devils should be forced to start every game at a 1-0 deficit, just to prevent that soul-sucking, God-awful deadly boring style of hockey.

Next up: The end of the homestand against the Habs on Wednesday.

Game #11 - vs New Jersey Devils

Game 11
Devils (5-3-0, 10 pts) at Penguins (9-1-0, 18 pts)


Mellon Arena - Pittsburgh

Two pretty good players that entered the league in the same year - 05-06.

Why does it matter?
It's an early divisional game against the Devils. Isn't it always gratifying to get a lead and make the Devils come out of that miserable trap?

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The Pens gutted out a tough win last night over the Panthers.
  
• Devils - The Devils started slowly but have won 5 of their past 6 games and are 4-0 on the road. Zach Parise is hot right now, with 6 points in the last three games (4 + 2).
  

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens force the Devils out of the trap?
  
• Does the team need Godard tonight? I'm going with no, considering Mike Rupp will probably be fired up to play his former team.
  
• Can the Pens take advantage of their chances on the power play and get in Marty's head?
  

Keys to the game

• Jersey has almost no scoring from the blue line (no goals by a defenseman yet this year).
  
• Contain the Devils at even-strength.
  
• Keep going after Brodeur.
  

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

It sure looked early like tonight was going to be a repeat of the Coyotes game. The Panthers were having success in frustrating the Pens. The Pens took two penalties and were down 2-0 coming out of the first period.

The Pens started to turn the tide during the second, but weren't able to make a change in the scoreboard. Fortunately, thanks to some great saves, Brent Johnson didn't let it get any worse.

Then the third period started and the Panthers handed the Pens FIVE power plays, including some extended time with a two-man advantage. The Pens capitalized to make it 2-1 at the very end of the two-man opportunity. They couldn't do anything else on the PP, however. To change things up, they took a penalty and put Florida on the power play. It worked, as Sid and Geno teamed up to tie the game short-handed. It was Sid's first short-handed goal in his 300th game.

Both teams had some chances late in the third and through the OT, but it came to the shootout. Sid made Vokoun look bad (which wasn't easy tonight) and Johnson stood tall, giving the Pens the win.

Sid and Brent were the MVPs for the home team, no doubt.

It was a nice debut for Skoula, who played just over 17 minutes. Borque chipped in with some solid ice time as well.

Next up: New Jersey visits the Igloo tomorrow night.