Flames at Penguins - 11-27-10
-Hey, guess where we are:
-No, not quite:
-Greetings from a cold, blustery and somewhat snowy day in Pittsburgh. We actually had some minor accumulation of snow:
-That's snow on our back deck. Not chipping paint.
-Downtown:
-Some spare fire hydrants:
-A Mario Lemieux Dan Frawley era Penguins fan walking up towards the arena:
-Consol Energy Center with the Civic Arena looming over the hill:
-The student rush line:
-The ice:
-EN contributor Ron Michalak spotted what we're willing to bet will be the jersey find of the day:
-Bloc Party's "Banquet" greets fans coming into the arena:
-Some jersey sightings. These Miikka Kiprusoff and Alex Kovalev fans have a complicated relationship:
-Tim Wallace Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:
-What an amazing t-shirt:
-This is scary. We spotted on Steve McKenna jersey yesterday. Today... two:
-The new Wilkes-Barre/Scranton third jersey:
-Jarome I_inla:
-Dustin Jeffrey Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:
-Andy Bathgate:
-A rare Alex Goligoski No. 13:
-Here's an all-timer. Bryan "Bugsy" Watson:
-Ron Francis Whalers:
-This might be the find of the year. Chris Kunitz Ferris State:
-Eric Tangradi Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:
-Martin Stra__:
-Ruslan Fed_ _ _nko:
-Mark Giordano, Jarome Iginla, Olli Jokinen and Steve Staios:
-Jaromir _ _ _ _:
-Todd Bertuzzi Canucks:
-The Canucks and Flames are rivals, hence, no jersey foul.
-Johan Hedberg Sweden:
-Daymond Langkow:
-The Civic Arena:
-We can't put it any better:
-Warm ups:
-The Penguins' starters are Craig Adams, Arron Asham, Mike Rupp, Paul Martin, Zbynek Michalek and Brent Johnson.
-Their scratches are Mike Comrie, Eric Godard and Ben Lovejoy.
-The Flames starters are Rene Bourque, Curtis Glencross, David Moss, Jay Bouwmeester and Robyn Regher and Miikka Kiprusoff.
-Their scratches are Craig Conroy, Stefan Meyer and Cory Sarich.
-Jeff Jimerson handles your national anthems:
FIRST PERIOD
18:27: Pascal Dupuis flies in off the left wing and has a chance. He kind of over skates on the play and runs out of room. All he can do is punch a quick shot on net from a bad angle. Kiprusoff boots it out.
16:05: Tim Jackman chops a puck from above the right circle. Johnson eats it up.
15:59: Off a faceoff wing by Matt Stajan, Bouwmeester tosses a wrister on net from the right point. Johnson fends it off with his blocker despite traffic.
15:46: Dupuis deals a puck from the left wing into the slot for Crosby rushing up the slot. Crosby gets behind the defense, moves in, gets hooked slightly by Morrison and crashes into Kiprusoff. Officials immediately award a penalty shot. Crosby takes the puck at center ice, moves in, lifts his right leg, dekes a few times and goes to his backhand. Kiprusoff stays with him all the way and cooly gloves the puck. Clutch save by Kiprusoff early.
13:50: Conner whips a wrister on net from a bad angle on the left wing. Kiprusoff knocks it down. Conner battles through a defender and lightly pushes the puck on net. Kiprusoff covers it. Conner's battle level there allowed him to get two scoring chances there. Granted, they weren't quality shot, but still, they're two pucks on net.
12:04: Off a turnover by the Flames in their own zone, Crosby and Kunitz get denied twice in tight by Kiprusoff.
9:09: Kostopoulos chops a quick one-timer from the right circle to the far side. Johnson is able to boot it out wit his right foot.
8:34: Johnson kicks out a wrister by Regehr from the left point.
7:50: A blast by Zbynek Michalek from the right point is knocked down by Kiprusoff. After a battle for the rebound, Kiprusoff covers to freeze play.
7:28: Mark Giordano blocks a big slapper by Evgeni Malkin in the right circle.
7:05: Matt Cooke guns a shot from the left wing. Kiprusoff boots it out. Malkin is there for the rebound but Giordano forces him to put the wide.
6:52: Giordano flops down to blocks a wrister by Maxime Talbot in the slot. Giordano was a puck magnet that shift.
6:28: The third line draws another penalty. Conner blocks a shot by Anton Babchuk at the right point. it deflects back up ice. Conner cases it down and is held up pretty much all teh way by Babchuk. Conner crashes into the net before he can get a shot off. Babchuk is nabbed for holding. Jokinen serves the penalty for him for some reason. Malkin, Crosby, Kunitz, Paul Martin and Kris Letang take the ice.
5:56: Malkin spins and puts a litte wriste ron net form teh slit. Kiprusoff boots it out with his left leg.
4:57: Kennedy is creating more chancecs on the power play. He gains the offensive zone on the left wing, pulls up near the half wall and deals a pass to the slot. Malkin is there and deflects it on net. Kiprusoff eats it up.
4:28: The Babchuk minor expires. The Penguins were really aggressive on that power play. We're told they had seven shots on net. A very welcome change.
3:28: Dupuis winds up and cranks a slapper from the right half wall. It clunks off the near post and deflects out of play.
2:26: Martin grips and rips a wrister from the right circle. It hits a cluster of bodies and deflects away.
2:06: Kunitz guns a one-timer from the top of the slot. Kipruoff gets it up despite a screen by Crosby.
1:22: Deryk Engelland chucks a wrister towards the net from the right point. Kiprusoff gets a piece of it despite some serious traffic.
0:11: After some serious cycling down low, Conner naps off a backhander from deep on the left wing. Kiprusoff knocks it down.
0:00: End of period. Flames 0, Penguins 0.
FIRST INTERMISSION
-There were two stories to that period if you ask us.
-First, the Penguins were really good. They dominated play. The attacked the zone with speed and put tons of pucks on net.
-Second, Kiprusoff was even better. He's the reason this is a 0-0 games. He has been the best play on the ice so far.
-The Conner-Letestu-Kennedy line is the team's best line right now. It's one thing when Crosby is just playing out of his mind and Dupuis and Kunitz are the beneficiaries of his play. It's another when all three players on a line are in tune with one another and feed off of each other. Conner, Letestu and Kennedy are playing like they've been doing it for five years. They don't have a lot of natural scoring ability, but they are creating tons of scoring chances with their speed, drawing penalties and creating all kinds of havoc down low for opposing defenses.
-The Penguins have a 24-6 lead in shots. Yeesh.
-The Penguins' record for shots in a period is 27.
-Conner and Kunitz each lead the game with four.
-No one for the Flames has more than one.
-Regehr leads the game with 8:04 of ice time.
-Letang leads the Penguins with 7:34.
-The Flames have an 11-10 lead in faceoffs (52 percent).
-Moss is 3 for 4 (75 percent).
-Crosby is 6 for 10 (60 percent).
-Staios and Giordano each lead the game with two blocked shots.
SECOND PERIOD
19:23: Things get off to a rotten start this period as Michalek is nabbed for tripping Jokinen. Craig Adams, Cooke, Brooks Orpik and Letang take the ice.
18:58: Johnson eats up a shot by Niklas Hagman.
17:23: Just as the Michalek minor expires, Rene Bourque rips a wrister from the left wing no where near the cage.
17:07: Iginla gets loose on the right wing and rips a wrister from the left circle to the far side. Johnson boots it out with his right leg. Mikael Backlund tracks down the rebound and chops it on net. Johnson eats it up. Tough saves there for Johnson.
15:07: Hagaman spins off the left wing and whips a wrister on net. Johnson makes the initial save. Kostopoulos collects the rebound in the slot and puts it on net from the slot. Johnson is out of position but Engelland flops down and blocks it. Clutch play by Engelland. Johnson owes Engelland a beer.
13:34: After Asham and Adams kind of force a turnover in the right wing corner in the Flames' zone, Orpik strikes a slapper from the left point wide on the near side. It ricochets around the net and to the right wing. Letang moves in and jabs a quick one-timer towards the net. It hits either Adams and/or Staios in front of the cage. Both players take a tumble as the puck is loose in the right circle. Asham steps up and one-times it by the glove of Kiprusoff. What a crazy sequence. Letang and Orpik get assists. Letang now has 99 career points. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Penguins 1, Flames 0.
11:58: Engelland and Jackman drop the gloves. Here's a match made in heavan. They mostly wrestle around. Engelland gets a few rights in before Jackman trips and falls over with Engelland on top of him. Not a great fight.
11:24: Attendance is announced as 18,317. It is the team's 179th consecutive sell-out.
10:50: As Letang skates offsides on the right wing, Regehr sticks him into the Penguins' bench just after the whistle blows. As he wrestles with Letang, Orpik and Crosby give Regehr the buisness. A small scrum breaks out. No penalties.
9:32: Huge save by Kirpusoff. Michalek booms a slapper from the top of the slot. It's wide to the right of the cage. Crosby collects it, moves around the net and deals a little pass to Kunitz right to the right of the cage. Kunitz jabs a quick little shot which Kiprusoff somehow finds a way to glove. Wow.
8:30: The Michel Therrien Memorial Bingo Roller/Line Combination Machine is in full effect as Malkin is on with Dupuis and Crosby. Goligoski and Letang are on together as well:
7:40: These new lines work. Kunitz gains the offensive zone on the right wing with speed. From the right circle, he cuts inside Bouwmeester and wrips a wrister on net. Kiprusoff makes the initial save. Kunitz collects the rebound and calmly dishes a little pass to Crosby who is wide open on the back door. Crosby punches it in to the wide open cage. What a play by Kunitz. Kunitz and Letang get assists. Letang gets his 100th career point. Crosby extends his scoring streak to 12 games. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Penguins 2-0.
5:41: If you were concerned about Johnson being rusty, don't worry. After he denies a big boomer by Regehr from the left point, he turns away Kostopoulos on the rebound.
4:03: Off a bad line change by the Flames, Malkin gets loose on the left wing. As he rips a shot from the left circle, Babchuk and Brendan Mikkelson and give pursuit. The shot is wide on the far side. That line change was so bad that the Flames had too many men on the ice. Jokinen will serve the minor. Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz, Martin and Letang take the ice.
3:19: Kunitz snaps off a wrister from the right circle. Kiprusoff turns it away.
2:03: The Flames' minor is killed. Not a lot going on there for the Penguins
0:15: Engelland blocks a wrister by Hagman.
0:00: End of period. Penguins 2, Flames 0.
SECOND INTERMISSION
-More of the same there for the Penguins. Only this time, they found a way to beat Kiprusoff.
-They continued to be aggressive. They continued to put pucks on net. They continues to battle down low. This was vintage Dan Bylsma hockey.
-The Flames actually controlled play for the first five minutes or so that period. The Penguins were just able to fend them off and eventually claimed the lead.
-Can the Penguins' defense ice a wing for the fourth consecutive game?
-The Penguins are dominating shots, 36-17.
-Kunitz is leading the game with seven.
-Hagman leads the Flames with four.
-Bouwmeester leads the game with 15:49 of ice time.
-Goligoski leads the Penguins with 15:20.
-The Penguins have a 21-20 edge in faceoffs (51 percent).
-Moss is 5 for 7 (71 percent).
-Crosby is 11 for 19 (58 percent).
-Engelland and Giordano each lead the game with four blocked shots.
THIRD PERIOD
18:05: After some more solid cycling down low by the third line, Kennedy lifts a pedestrian wrister from the right wing. Kiprusoff makes the easy save.
17:14: Iginla controls the puck in the right circle. Instead of shooting, he deals a pass to Glencross in the slot. Glencross fends off a defender but can't cleanly handle the puck as Johnson scoops it up. As that happens, Letang checks Backlund from behind into the net dislodging it. Iginla, the ultimate leader, tries to go after Letang but Asham and Rupp hold him off.
16:23: The Flames get a chance to get back into the game as Dupuis is nabbed for tripping Regehr on the left wing in Calgary's zone. Cooke, Orpik, Michalek and Adams take the ice.
16:18: Off a faceoff win, Bouwmeester cranks a slapper from the left point. Johnson punches it away with his blocker.
15:19: After Orpik blocks a shot by Giordano, Adams chips the puck down ice with a backhander.
14:23: The Dupuis minor is killed. The Flames did next to nothing that two minutes.
13:23: Johnson fights off a blast by Bouwmeester
12:44: The Penguins get a chance to ice this game away as Stajan is called for tripping Malkin at the Flames' blue line. The JV power play of Kennedy, Letestu, Conner, Michalek and Goligoski take the ice.
11:12: Crosby gains the zone on the right wing and taps a backhander to Kunitz on the left wing
11:01: Letang guns a slapper on net from the right circle. Kiprusoff eats it up. A scrum breaks out in the crease with Malkin and Bouwmeester in the middle of it.
10:48: Game. Set. Match. Letang keeps a puck in at hte blue line with a nice play. He moves it to Malkin in the left circle. Malkin moves it back to Letang at the right point. Letang taps a pass to Martin. Martin unleashes a one-timer from the top of the slot. Crosby is in front on a screen and get a piece of it. It deflects by Kiprusoff and into the cage. It's Crosby's 200th career goal. Martin and Letang get assists. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Penguins 3-0.
9:46: A scrum breaks out in the left wing corner in the Penguins' zone. All five skaters are involved. Engelland gets a double minor for roughing. Iginla gets a single minor also for roughing. Malkin will serve one of Engelland's minors. The Flames have a five on four power play. Orpik, Malkin, Adams and Dupuis take the ice.
8:30: Bouwmeester gains the offensive zone on the right wing and snaps off a wrister. Johnson steers it away.
7:58: Johnson gloves a dumpin attempt and whips it back down ice for a clear. Fans offer a sharp applause.
7:46: The Flames' power play expires. Once again, they did next to nothing with that opportunity.
6:57: There goes the shutout. After Letang fails to clear the puck out of the zone from the right wing corner, Tangray deals a puck down low to Bourque in the slot. Bourque has Johnson dead to right and dekes him from on the forehand. Bourque lifts a wrister by a helpless Johnson's. Letang owes Johnson a beer. Tanguay and Bouwmeester get assists. Things get a tad more interesting down the stretch here. Flames 3-1.
5:47: Glencross has a chance from the left of the cage but Johnson comes away with a tough save and goes all Johnny Bower by slapping the rebound away in mid-air with his stick.
3:33: Rupp whips a shot on net from the left wing on a sharp angle. Kiprusoff boots it out.
2:37: Kunitz tracks down a oose puck on the right wing in the Flames zone. he grips and rips a wrister wide on the far side.
2:13: Johnson denies Iginla down low on a nice chance. During a commercial stoppage, "Cotton-Eyed Joe" is busted out:
1:54: Do or die here for the Flames as Letang is called for holding Morrison. The Flames call a time out to get organized. Kiprusoff is pulled for an extra attacker. Orpik, Michalek, Adams and Dupuis take the ice.
1:34: After Michalek slides down and blocks a chance by Morrison on the left wing, Adams recovers the puck and chips it down ice for a big clear.
1:14: Iginla blast a one-timer from the left point. It hits a body in front. Tablot collects the rebound and chips it down ice.
0:58: Tangay re-directs a pass on net from teh slot. Johnson boots it away with his left foot.
0:36: We have the first hat trick in Consol Energy Center... by who else? Sidney Crosby. Orpik chips a little pass up the left wing boards in his own zone. Crosby is at the point and lifts it all the way down thec ice into the empty cage for one of us:
Hats litter the ice:
-Orpik get the only assist. The "Woo-Hoo!" song plays. Penguins 4-1.
0:00: End of game. Penguins 4, Flames 1.
POSTGAME
-Amazing how things can turn around in a matter of weeks. It wasn't too long ago, many were questioning if Dan Bylsma had hit his expiration date. An now, there isn't a hotter team in the NHL. After a spotty first month-plus start to the season, the Penguins are on a tear right now.
-Sidney Crosby is kind of good at hockey. He now has a 12-game scoring streak. At the moment, he leads the league with 40 points, two more than Steven Stamkos of Tampa Bay. The Lightning faces the Panthers tonight. It's not a coincidence this team's hot streak is coming on the heals of Crosby's torrid pace. He's carrying this team right now.
-Once again, the defense sealed a win late. The Flames got a late goal, had a power play and were just attacking the Penguins' offensive zone. A key block by Michalek helped them kill some time late. Ever since that late collapse against the Hurricanes last Friday, the defense has stepped up, especially late in games.
-Brent Johnson was outstanding, especially considering he hadn't played since that dreadful 7-4 loss to the Bruins, Nov. 10. If it weren't for a bad turnover by Letang in his own zone, Johnson gets a shutout.
-The Flames offered some pretty high praise for Crosby. Kiprusoff said, "How he scored tonight, he paid the price. He was around the net. He didn't do any fancy goals. He's one of the top players in the league."
-When asked if there is a way to neutralize Crosby, Giordano said: "I don't think so. If there is, no one's figure it out yet. He seems to find the spots. I thought our game plan was to play him hard and I thought we were playing him hard. He's one of those guys who gets a chance and he'll make it count. He's the best player in the game for a reason and he's tough to play against."
-Iginla outright said Crosby was the "best in the game right now."
-Crazy stat regarding Crosby. This is the third consecutive year he has scored a hat trick on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Last year, he had three goals and two assists in an 8-2 rout of the Rangers, Nov. 28. In 2008, he had three goals and an assist in a 4-1 defeat of the Devils, Nov. 29.
(Kudos to @MarkECib for the heads up.)
-Another odd statistical quirk, Engelland and Jackman had a fight exactly one year ago, Nov. 27 when Jackman was a member of the Islanders:
{youtube width="480" height="295"}DUSqaYdUdZI{/youtube}
(Kudos to @OTlevel7 for the heads up.)
-Killjoy alert: The Flames were pretty bad. They simply had very little energy and didn't match the Penguins' compete level.
-Kiprusoff was pretty dang good. His teammate really let him down.
-We love this third line of Conner, Letestu and Kennedy more and more each game. They use their speed and battle down low for everything. They made a tired Flames blue line work tonight.
-Letang was pretty strong today. But he did have the one turnover which led to the Flames' only goal.
-Kunitz was really sharp today. He pretty much created Crosby's second goal by himself.
-The Penguins ended up with a 43-31 lead in shots. Yeesh.
-Goligoski, Orpik and Talbot were the only Penguins skaters who failed to get a shot on net.
-Kunitz led the game with seven shots.
-Bouwmeester and Hagman each led the game with four shots.
-Bouwmeester led the game with 24:55 of ice time.
-Orpik led the Penguins with 24:03.
-The Flames controlled faceoffs, 36-30.
-Jokinen, who was really quiet, and Moss were each 7 for 11 (64 percent).
-Talbot was 5 for 9 (56 percent).
-Giordano and Engelland each led the game with six blocked shots.
-Crosby now has six regular season hat tricks.
-Letang's second assist was his 100th career point. He now has 101 points. He moved ahead of Blair Chapman (98) and Colby Armstrong (98) for 78th place on the team's career scoring list. He's also the 78th play to score 100 points for the franchise.
-Orpik (85 points) moved ahead of Darius Kasparaitis (83) for 94th place.
-EN reader Jeff Shiring spotted this Gilles Meloche California Golden Seals jersey:
-Finally, EN reader @SkyStroll spotted an odd pair of Crosby and Jonathan Toews fans:
