HEATHER WAMPLER – OVATHLETICS.COM
The Penguins met with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. They played without center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Sergei Gonchar again. Both players did participate in the morning skate and are hoping to return for Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Thrashers. Defenseman Kris Letang was resigned for another four years.
2:22 into the opening period the Pens got a great power play opportunity when Lightning ‘s defenseman Matt Lashoff is given a five minute major for boarding and a game misconduct for hitting Pens left winger Ruslan Fedotenko from behind. His boarding penalty was served by left winger Todd Fedoruck. Feds was taken off the ice and into the locker room. The Pens power play unit fought hard but the Lightning’s penalty killers were more determined and stopped them from scoring. Center Max Talbot had a great chance at 6:06 to start the scoring when he took a pass from left winger Pascal Dupuis but was robbed by Lightning’s goaltender Mike Smith. Pens goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury gets his own chance at showing off his skill for a good five minutes after stopping a few great shots. Left winger Alex Ponikarovsky gives the Lightning their first man advantage of the game at 11:45 when he’s sent to the box for interference. There was four-on-four play at 14:40 when Pens left winger Chris Kuntiz and Lightning’s center Nate Thompson are both sent off for unsportsmanlike penalties. Pens defenseman Jordan Leopold gives the Lightning their second power play for the night. Unfortunately this time the Pens are unable to hold them back. Center Steven Stamkos gets a good pass from right winger Martin St. Louis and is able to beat Fleury for the first goal of the night at the 17:00 mark. Defenseman Kurtis Foster received the second assist. The Pens were given one more chance to score when they were given a power play opportunity at 18:02 when Fedoruck is penalized for there being too many men on the ice. The Pens outshot the Lightning 9-6.
The Lightning wasted no time getting a two goal lead against the Pens. 29 seconds into the second a St. Louis pass deflected off a skate and went straight for Lightning’s right winger Steve Downie, who was able to beat out Fleury. Stamkos received the second assist. Pens left winger caused quite a stir shortly after Smith saved a shot on him. With eight men pushing and shoving on the ice he was the only one to receive and roughing penalty at 1:59. Hmmm. The Pens are given yet another opportunity to cut the lead at 6:46 when Lightning’s goaltender Smith is penalized for holding, right winger Mark Parrish served in his place. Pens veteran right winger Billy Guerin gives them a bit of a boost at 12:51 when dropped sticks and gloves with NHL penalty minutes leader center Zenon Konopka. Both players received five minute fighting majors. The crowd had no problem letting the refs know about Lightning right winger Brandon Bochenski going penalty free after slashing the stick right out of Cooke’s hands at 18:22. The Pens just could not catch a break. Stamkos is called for a tripping penalty at 18:45. That could have been five-on-three play, which would have given the Pens a huge advantage to getting that one needed goal. If they could have gotten that one it could have been a major game changer. As the horn sounds there is more pushing and shoving. Roughing penalties are given to Pens Guerin and Lightning’s defenseman Andrej Meszaros. The Pens outshot the Lightning 9-6.
The third period was the nail in the coffin for the Pens. Cooke received the first and only penalty of the period at 5:06 for high-sticking. If the Pens didn’t kill the penalty there was absolutely no hope for them. Luckily they did but that didn’t change their luck. Despite getting the puck to the net a bit more during this period they didn’t shoot enough. During the entire game my husband and I sat there screaming “SHOOT THE PUCK!”, normally the secret ear pieces that connect our screaming to the Pens players works, but not this time. They ignored our pleas to please shoot the puck. The Pens were shut out again despite outshooting the Lightning 27-17.
The Pens are barely holding onto the lead in the Eastern Atlantic Division with 95 points while the New Jersey Devils have 94. Both teams have playoff spots. The Philadelphia Flyers hold onto third with 82 points while the New York Rangers hold onto fourth with 78 points and the New York Islanders hold onto fifth with 72. The Washington Captials clinched the Eastern Conference title with 105 points, with the Buffalo Sabres holding second with 96 points and the Pens coming in at third while the New Jersey Devils grabbed the fourth playoff spot. The San Jose Sharks are a mere point behind the Capitals and clinched the Western Division. The Chicago Blackhawks are second with 101 points, followed by the Vancouver Canucks with 96 and finally the Phoenix Coyotes with 100. Henrik Sedin is taking a strong lead for point’s leader with 104 points, followed by none other than Alex Ovechkin and his 101 points. Captain Sidney Crosby is still hanging in third with 96 points followed by Nicklas Backstrom with 91.
The Pens take on the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday, April, 3 @ 1 pm @ the Mellon Arena.
