Hurricanes at Penguins - 01-22-11
PREGAME
{youtube width="480" height="295"}l1wZ05sD6yw{/youtube}
Greetings from an icy Pittsburgh. It's in the teens and there's a lot of this stuff around:
-Lots of Steelers spirit around too. The dinosaur in front of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh is sporting a Troy Polamalu jersey, hairdo and he's chomping on a Jets logo:
-Consol Energy Center:
-Here's a rack of replacement glass:
-That white piece of paper on the side is a "guide" of some sort on what piece fits where:
-The ice:
-The Staals are brothers:
-Former Penguin and Hurricane/Whaler Paul Coffey:
-Sigh... we guess we can suspend this jersey foul for a day at least:
-Jaromir Jagr:
-Manicures are being offered:
-Cam Ward:
-Kevin Stevens:
-Hurricanes goaltending coach Tom Barrasso still has at least one fan here:
-Rick Tocchet:
-Former Hurricanes forward Craig Adams:
-Peter Taglianetti:
-Matthew Barnaby:
-Arron Asham:
-Georges Laraque:
-EN reader @pensfan1989 spotted this atrocious jersey foul:
-Jersey of the Night: Francis Whalers:
-Warm ups:
-The Penguins' starters are Matt Cooke, Tyler Kennedy, Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Brooks Orpik and Marc-Andre Fleury.
-Their scratches are Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Deryk Engelland.
-The Hurricanes starters are Erik Cole, Sergei Samsonov, Eric Staal, Jamie McBain, Joni Pitkanen and Cam Ward.
-They have no scratches.
-Jimerson is never a healthy scratch:
FIRST PERIOD
17:53: Talbot picks up a puck in the neutral zone, gains the Hurricanes' blue line on the right wing, cuts to the slot and whips a wriste ron net. Ward fights it off.
16:49: Cole sneaks off the left wing and taps a backhander on net. Fleury fights it off.
15:30: Any hopes of seeing Dustin Jeffrey in an elevated role are snuffed out in the early going at least as Mark Letestu is firmly entrenched between Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz.
15:05: Dupuis gains the offensive zone on the left wing and cranks a slapper from the half wall no where near the net.
14:05: Letang controls a puck behind the Penguins' net. He chips a cross ice pass to the left point to.... Jussi Jokinen. Jokinen sneaks in net and snaps off a wrister/pass to the slot. Brandon Sutter is above the crease and re-directs it on net. Fleury sticks with the play and robs him with a nifty glove save. Letang owes Fleury a Moulson for that. Plays like that are why Letang's not yet a true candidate for the Norris Trophy.
12:26: Jay Harrison chops a slapper from the left point to the far side wide of the cage.
10:27: Fans begin to bo a lost soul in a Mark Sanchez New York Jets jersey. During a commercial stoppage, Styxx's "Renegade" is played in honor of the Steelers:
8:39: Samsonov flips the pukc out of play from his own zone. That's two minutes for delay of game. Letestu, Alex Goligoski, Jordan Staal, Alex Goligoski and Letang take the ice.
8:34: Letestu wins the faceoff cleanly in the right circle. Goligoski gets the puck at the right point. He moves it to Letang at the left point. Letang cranks a one-timer Ward knocks it down and covers as Letestu and Kunitz crash in.
6:39: The Samsonov minor expires with out much of a threat from the Penguins.
6:16: Jeff Skinner moves the puck from behind the net to the crease and is denied down low by Fleury.
5:55: Asham gains the offensive zone on the right wing, cuts across the slot and flips a backhander on net from the left circle. Ward fights it off. Adams and a defender crash into the net dislodging it.
5:34: Samsonov whips a wrister from the right circle wide to the far side.
4:12: Tuomo Ruutu appears to get away with slash on Jeffrey in the left wing corner in the Hurricanes' zone.
4:00: Zbynek Michalek tackles Skinner in the left wing corner in the Penguins zone. That's two minutes for holding. Jordan Staal, Talbot, Paul Martin and Brooks Orpik take the ice.
2:39: Cole snaps off a wrister from the left point. Fleury eats it up.
2:26: Matt Cooke snaps off a wrister from the left wing. Ward boots it to the corner.
2:00: The Michalek minor is killed. Not a lot going on there for the Hurricanes.
0:02: Cole floats a pass from the right wing through the slot to the back side of the crease. Chad LaRose is there he's a step late as he attempts to tap the puck behind Fleury.
0:00: End of period. Hurricanes 0, Penguins 0.
FIRST INTERMISSION
-That wasn't quite full on EN baby boring, but that period was pretty lean on action. Neither team really pressed the issue offensively and there weren't a ton of mistakes by either squad.
-Allow us to further the case for Dustin Jeffrey to get some time on the top line.
-Neither goaltender was tested all that much.
The Penguins have an 8-6 edge in shots.
-Goligoski, Sutter and Skinner each lead the game with two shots.
-Joni Pitkanen leads the game with 8:52 of ice time.
-Letang leads the Penguins with 8:48.
-The Hurricanes have a 12-9 lead in faceoffs (57 percent).
-Eric Staal is 6 for 10 (60 percent).
-Letestu is 4 for 6 (67 percent).
-Jordan Staal leads the game with two blocked shots.
SECOND PERIOD
19:04: Asham pumps a slapper from the right circle. Pitkanen blocks it with his stick.
17:58: Goligoski chops a slapper from top of the slot. LaRose blocks it.
17:21: Joe Corvo lifts a wrister from the slot. Fleury fights it off.
16:23: Eric Staal challenges Paul Martin one-on-one off the left wing. Staal snaps off a wrister. Martin deflects it out of play.
14:59: Ben Lovejoy chops a slapper from the right point. It hits a cluster of bodies in front.
14:24: Jordan Staal circles around the net, emerges in the left circle, spins and whips a wrister on net. Ward fights it off as Kennedy and Cooke crash in. Ward covers to freeze play.
13:47: Kunitz works his way up the left wing and chips a puck to the crease. Letestu streaks towards the cage and tips it on net.
12:32: After some serious mucking and grinding down low by Rupp, the puck slides out to the crease. Talbot chops the puck on net. Ward covers it.
12:25: Jeffrey wins the faceoff clean in the left circle in the Hurricanes' zone. The puck comes to Goligoski at the left point. He one-times it on net. Ward punches it out. Asham recovers the rebound and puts it back on net. Ward rejects that as well. Two scoring chances created by Jeffrey.
10:56: Kennedy snaps off a pass from the right wing corner in the Hurricane's zone to Martin moving in from the left point. Martin fans a bit on the shot and the puck slides in on net. Ward covers to freeze play.
9:56: Ruutu snaps off a wrister from the right circle. Orpik kneels blocks it.
9:42: Ian White sneaks into the right circle and snaps off a wrister. Orpik blocks that as well.
9:08: Conner is nabbed for holding White. Jordan Staal, Michalek, Orpik and Cooke take the ice.
7:55: Talbot and Skinner collide just inside the Penguins' blue line. Skinner is a little slow to recover.
6:32: Kennedy battles for control of the puck down low along the left wing. He fights off a checker and drives to the net. He's denied down low by Ward.
6:12: Kunitz chips the by Harrison in the neutral zone. He tries to skate by Harrison who holds him up. An official's hand goes up. Harrison is sent off for holding. And Kunitz too for unsportsmanlike conduct. Kunitz tried to sell that and got nabbed. Four on four.
4:37: Jordan Staal chops a slapper from the right wing circle. Ward says no.
4:19: Kennedy zips in off the left wing and lifts a backhander on net wide to the far side.
4:12: The penalties to Harrison and Kunitz expire.
3:58: On a delayed penalty, Cole chips a puck up the right wing and chases after it. He gets by Goligoski and snaps off a wrister to the far side. It deflects off the shaft of Fleury's stick under the butt end and flutters towards the net. It bounces out. Officials rule a goal. Cole and teammate celebrate. A brief video review shows the puck actually clunk
3:40: Cooke pushes a puck up out of the defensive zone and gets held up by Jamie McBain. That's two minutes for interference. Four on four for 1:42.
3:16: Jordan Staal fends off a check from Corvo and snaps off a wrister from the left circle. Ward kicks it out.
3:03: Orpk chops a slapper from the left point. Ward boots it out.
2:57: Letang sneaks in from the left circle and goes to the backhand. Ward says no.
2:46: Finally. Orpik slisde a puck from the left point to Jeffrey at the right. Jeffrey surveys the ice and whips a wrister to the far side. It sneaks through traffic and sbeats Ward on the far side. Ward had no chance on that goal. There were too many bodies in white and blue screening him. Orpik and Letang get assists. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Penguins 1-0.
2:21: Kunitz races up the right wing, gains the offensive zone and snaps off a wrister to the far side. It hits off the far post and ricochets out to the circle. Michalek picks it up and pumps a slapper on net. Ward boots it out.
0:53: Attendance is announced as 18,305. It is the team's 191st consecutive sellout.
0:11: Cooke pushes a puck up the right wing, pulls up in the faceoff circle and whips a wrister at the cage. Tim Gleason blocks it and tosses Cooke to the ice for his trouble.
0:00: End of period. Penguins 1, Hurricanes 0.
SECOND INTERMISSION
-Things opened a little bit that period. Both teams took some chances. Hitting picked up a bit. All around, that was a much more entertaining period.
-Is it too late to get Dustin Jeffrey into the all-star game?
-Cam Ward was outstanding that period. The Penguins generated quite a few chances down low but just couldnt' find a way by Ward outside of a nice screen shot.
-The Penguins have an 18-14 lead in shots.
-Jordan Staal, Goligoski and Skinner each lead the game with three shots.
-Letang and Corvo each lead the game with 17:45 of ice time.
-The Penguins have a 21-18 lead in faceoffs (54 percent).
-Letestu is 7 for 11 (64 percent).
-Sutter is 6 for 11 (55 percent).
-Martin leads the game with three blocked shots.
-Gleason and Pitkanen each lead the Hurricanes with two.
THIRD PERIOD
19:18: Cooke lifts a wrister from above the right circle. Ward punches it out of play wth his blocker.
19:11: Big save by Ward. Dupuis chops a slapper from above the left circle. It's wide on the near side. Kunitz recovers the rebound and attempts a wraparound with his forehand on the other side of the cage. Ward slides to his left and holds it out with his left foot.
17:57: Cole is nabbed for interference after he knocked down Lovejoy in the slot in front of the Penguins' net away from the puck. Martin, Letang, Letestu, Staal and Kunitz take the ice.
17:37: That was beautiful. Martin pushes the puck up ice. He deals to Letang in the neutral zone. Letang gains the offensive zone and deals to Kunitz racing up the left wing. Kunitz deals to Letestu in the slot. Ward overplays Letestu and leaves the right side of the cage open. Letestu shoots against the grain into the open cage. That was some pretty passing. Kunitz and Letang get assists.The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Penguins 2-0.
16:33: Kennedy circles out of the left circle and flicks a backhander on net. Ward holds it out. Talbot crashes in but can't find a rebound.
15:10: "Search and Destroy" by Iggy Pop and the Stooges is played:
14:29: Jokinen is denied in tight twice by Fleury on a loose puck.
13:28: Corvo is dumped in the right wing corner in the Hurricane's zone by Cooke.
13:17: Big chance here for the Hurricanes as Orpik is sent off for roughing LaRose along the left wing boards in the Penguins' zone. Do or die for Carolina with Orpik, one of the Penguins' best penalty killers, off the ice. Dupuis, Jordan Staal, Martin and Michalek take the ice.
12:32: Game. Set. Match. Staal pushes the puck up ice and deals a backhands pass to Dupuis at the Carolina Blue line. Dupuis walks in on Ward and lifts a backhander by his glove hand. Joni Pitkanen was a total dog on that play. Dupuis got the pass at the blue line and Pitkanen quit. Staal and Martin get assists. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is ever a dog. Penguins 3-0.
11:16: Just as Orpik's minor is killed, Jordan Staal uncorks a wrister from the slot. Ward punches it away with his blocker.
8:20: Conner zips up the left wing boards and snaps off a wrister to the far side. Ward gets a piece of it.
8:09: Following a minor skirmish near the Hurricane's net, Ruutu is sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct. Kunitz, Martin, Letang, Staal and Letestu take the ice.
7:12: Letang chops a one-timer from the right point. Ward fights it off.
6:49: Eric Staal recovers a loose puck to the right of the Penguins' cage and is denied in tight by Fleury.
6:09: Ruutu's minor is killed.
5:29: "Cotton-Eye Joe is busted out:
-Forgot to mention our encouter with this gentleman:
4:39: Conner snaps off a sneaky little wrister from the right circle.
4:25: So much for the shutout. Jiri Tlusty deals a little backhanded pass from the slot to the left wing. Sergei Samsonov has a flashback to 2001 and seems to remember he used to be a 30-goal threat. Tlusty gets the only assist. The Hurricanes are back in this. The "Brass Bonanza" is played in our hearts. Penguins 3-1.
4:06: During a stoppage, a significant scrum breaks ouat the Penguins' blue line with Kunitz and Skinner in the middle of it. Kunitz stuck an elbow in Skinner's mouth. Officials drag them off one another. FSN Pittsburgh shows a replay of those two earlier colliding earlier. Apparently Kunitz took execption to a perceived trip. Kunitz get a double minor for roughing. Skinner a single roughing minor. Kennedy will serve one of Kuntiz's minor. Talbot, Cooke, Michalek and Orpik take the ice.
3:10: Orpik drops his buddy Cole in front of the Penguins' cage.
2:06: The Hurricane's power play expires.
1:40ish: Ward is pulled for an extra attacker.
1:20: Pitkanen snaps off a slapper from the left circle. Fleury challenge the shot and kicks it out with his right
0:57: EEEhhhh..... Corvo pounds a slapper from the right point. Fleury boots it out. Eric Staal is right there for the rebound and punches it by hte left leg of Fleury. A nice dirty goal. Corvo and Pitkanen get assists. The Penguins call a time out to get organized. Penguins 3-2.
0:23: Ward is pulled for an extra attacker.
0:15: The Hurricanes push the puck up ice. After a scrum in front, Cole has a clean chance in the slot but whiffs. Adams is able to push it up ice off the boards and ices the puck.
0:00: End of game. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Mike Lange informs us of Elvis' whereabouts. Penguins 3, Hurricanes 2.
POSTGAME
(Look carefully on the video board. Fleury is wearing a Steelers helmet for his post-game interview with Dan Potash. Solid.)
-That surprisingly became an entertaining game. Things were dead for the first 25 minutes or so then it slowly opened up. In the end, it felt like a March game between two teams fighting for playoff positioning.
-Dan Bylsma talked this morning about special teams in the tomorrow's Steelers' game being key. Well they were huge in tonight's game. The Penguins inconsistent power play found a way to generate a goal and Dupuis' shorthanded goal turned out to be the game-winner.
-Depth was key for the Penguins as well. This team is in dire need to secondary scoring with the absence of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They got it tonight from two role players and a minor-league call-up.
-The late push by the Hurricanes was a little concerning. The Penguins got a little too lax late and allowed the Hurricanes a chance to tie the game.
-The discipline was also a little disconcerting. Kunitz took a something of a selfish penalty when he attacked Skinner trying to even up a personal battle.
-We thought both goaltenders were outstanding. Ward more so than Fleury. That said, Ward can't give up that shorthanded goal to Dupuis. Dupuis showed backhand all the way and toasted Ward.
-The Hurricanes have played the Penguins' tough all season, but the Penguins would chew this team up in a postseason series. They just don't have the grinders to deal with the Penguins' style of play. The Penguins dominated the boards most of the night.
-The Penguins led in shots, 31-26.
-Jordan Staal and Skinner each led the game with five shots.
-Corvo led the game with 26:58 of ice time.
-Letang led the Penguins with 26:11.
-The Hurricanes had a 31-29 edge in faceoffs (52 percent).
-Letestu was 11 for 18 (61 percent).
-Eric Staal was 16 for 29 (55 percent).
-Lovejoy led the game with five blocked shots.
-Gleason, Pitkanen and Corvo each led the Hurricanes with two.
-Dan Bylsma moved into a tie with Scotty Bowman for coaching wins for the Penguins with 95.
-Dupuis (99 points) moved ahead of Talbot (98) for 81st place on the team's all-time scoring list.
-Kunitz moved ahead of Darius Kasparaitis and for 97th place. Both players have 83 points but Kunitz (36) has more goals than Kasparaitis (15).