HEATHER WAMPLER – OVATHLETICS.COM
The Pens met with the New Jersey Devils for the final time this season and for the sixth time they lost. Forwards Evgeni Malkin and Eric Godard as well as defenseman Jay McKee were scratched from the game. I was excited going into the game. I though there is no way they can lose six games against the Devils. Apparently yes, they can. In non Penguin related news, the Caps head coach Bruce Boudreau made a rather ridiculous excuse for Ovechkin’s hit on Blackhawks Campbell. It was the boards that cause the damage. Not Ovechkin. Don’t you hate it when those pesky boards jump out at players during a dirty hit?
The only good thing about this game was that the Pens were able to score first. Right winger Billy Guerin took a bad shot from the side, which Devils goaltender Marty Brodeur was able to kick away. Left winger Chris Kunitz grabbed the rebound and wristed the puck in. Kris Letang received the second assist. The Pens were able to hold onto the lead for the first half of the period. They made their first mistake at 10:51 when they turned the puck over at their own blue line. Devils center Dainius Zubrus was able to get the puck and had a great breakaway chance. He faked out Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for a wrister over the goal line. He was assisted by Patrik Elias. With less than two minutes left in the period the Devils were able to gain the lead. They caught the Pens in the middle of yet another line change at 18:18. Defenseman Paul Martin picked up a pass meant for a Penguins. He was able to get a breakaway chance and threw it in by Fleury. I was really surprised that there were no penalties. That was one thing I was expecting, a high penalty game. The Pens did outshoot the Devils 11-9 by the end of the first.
The second period wasn’t much better than the first. 1:30 in the Pens had their first power play opportunity which they did nothing with. Devils right winger David Clarkson is sent to the box for interference. 2:43 in Fleury did manage to make an amazing glove save on Devils center Travis Zajac after the puck was turned over in the neutral zone. The Devils struck early. 3:09 had them getting yet another turnover and another breakaway. This time Fleury wasn’t able to stop the puck. Devils left winger Patrik Elias was able to send the puck soaring in for a 3-1 lead over the Pens. The Pens received yet another power play opportunity at 7:39 when Devils right winger Brian Rolston was sent off to the box for tripping. The Pens were still unable to score. The Devils were able to build their lead even more. They were able to get a four-on-two. Zajac threw the puck at the net but Fleury blocked it straight to left winger Zack Parise who was there to slam the puck in. Former Penguin Marty Skoula received the second assist. With the Devils ahead by three, head coach Dan Bylsma finally made the choice to pull Fleury and put in backup goaltender Brent Johnson. Johnson was tested within the first minute of being in the game but managed to keep the puck out of the net. The Pens were outshot 6-5.
The Penguins were desperate going into the third. They knew they had to score. 5:23 saw them cutting the Devil’s lead by a goal when defenseman Alex Goligoski made an incredible pass to left winger Ruslan Fedotenko who was able to throw a shot through Brodeur’s legs. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was the first to head off to the sin bin for interference on the goalkeeper at 9:12. There was a bit of a hairy moment at 13:31 when Devils center Rod Pelley sent Goligoski into the boards from behind. Gols went face first into the boards awkwardly and stayed there for a few minutes. He did eventually get to his feet shakily and head to the bench. Defenseman Kris Letang is also sent to the box for roughing. Bylsma made the decision to pull Johnson at the two minute mark which was a bad idea. Devils center Rob Niedermayer scored an empty net goal at 18:47 assisted by Parise. The Pens outshot the Devils 10-4 at the end of the third.
The Pens and Devils are now tied for the top spot of the Atlantic Eastern Division with 87 points. The Pens really need to pick up the slack for the rest of the season if they intend on staying up top. The Philadelphia Flyers are still an extremely distant third with 77 points followed by the New York Rangers in fourth with 71 points. The New York Islanders are pretty far down there at fifth with 67 points. The Washington Capitals are still the top of the Atlantic Conference with 103 points. Since the Devils swept the Pens during the regular season they retain second followed by the Buffalo Sabres with 82 points. The Pens are coming in at fourth followed by the Ottawa Senators with 79 points. Alex Ovechkin is still holding onto the top of the points leaders with 96 points but Henrik Sedin is catching up to him fast with 94 points. Crosby is still holding onto third with 87 points with Nicklas Backstrom on his heels with 85. Martin St Louis and Joe Thornton are tied for fifth with 81 points. Crosby has scored 21 points out his past 26 games. Not too bad.
The Penguins take on the Boston Bruins @ The TD Garden @ 7:00 pm for their final away game.
A bit of trivia for you guys who do read my articles. Did you know the Boston Bruins played their first NHL game in 1924 and are one of the original six? Pretty cool huh.
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