Bruins at Penguins - 12-05-11

-EN reader @SammyNos spotted this terrible jersey foul:

 

FIRST PERIOD

19:16: Zdeno Chara Cranks a slapper from the top of the slot wide of the cage.

19:07: Horton controls a puck at the top of the slot and whips it on net. Fleury eats it up.

17:42: And the Penguins catch a break early. Rich Peverly pushes the puck up the right wing and leaves a drop pass for Adam McQuaid at the right point. McQuaid steps up and pounds a slapper on net. Just as Fleury attempts to make a play, Chris Kelly crashes in behind Robert Bortuzzo and kicks the right skate of Fleury. The puck trickles into the net. The red line goes off but an official immediatley waves it off. The rule interference on Kelly. No goal.

16:07: Off some hard work by Tyler Kennedy in the left wing corner, Cooke whips a wrister on net from teh left circle. Thomas eats it up.

14:33: The Penguins play a puck into the right wing corner of the offensive zone. Dupuis races after it by the lumbering Chara. Chara blocks his path just enough to force Dupuis into a holding penalty. Slick play by Chara there. Brooks Orpik, Cooke, Staal and Paul Martin take the ice.

13:03: Cooke steals a puck off Nathan Horton on the left wing wall of the Penguins' zone and chips it down ice for a clear. Marvelous defensive play.

12:27: As Dupuis' penalty ends, Matt Niskanen chips a puck down ice to him on the right wing wall. Dupuis hustles in on net and chips a wrister on net. Thomas kicks it out.

11:36: Benoit Pouliot is fed a pass on the right wing. He gets a step on Despres but Despres makes a nice poke check to knocks the puck away. As they battle for the puck behind the net, Despres hacks the stick out of Pouliot's hands. That's two minutes for slashing. Orpik, Staal, Cooke and Martin take the ice.

9:53: A puck flutters out of play into the Penguins' bench. Dan Bylsma catches it and tosses it to a kid in the front row.

9:46: Off a faceoff win, Chara deals a pass from the left point to Boychuk on the right point. Boychuk booms a slapper. Despite a screen, Fleury eats it up.

9:40: Chara flings a wrister on net from the left point. Fleury kicks it out. Marchand is in front but can't punch in the rebound.

9:36: The Despres minor is killed. Another good effor by the Penguins.

9:25: It's a shooting gallery for the Bruins. Boychuk booms another slapper. Fleury fights it off again despite a screen.

9:15: What a save! Malkin chips a feed from the left point into the slot. Dupuis is there and whacks it on net. Thomas fights it off and covers the rebound.

8:34: Pouliot has two chances in tight but can't beat Fleury.

8:18: Off a give and go with Chris Kunitz, Sidney Crosby is denied in tight by Thomas.

7:50: Niskanen has a wrister from the right point blocked by Kelly.

7:41: The Penguins get a chance on the power play as Gregory Campbell is called for interference against Steve Sullivan. Crosby, Malkin, Martin, James Neal and Sullivan take the ice.

6:22: Malkin dances up ice from the neutral zone, muscles his way through a check from Boychuk and moves into the slot. His wrister is fended off by Thomas.

5:41: The Campbell minor is killed. Not a lot going on there for the Penguins.

5:24: Kennedy snaps off a wrister from the right circle. Thomas kicks it out.

3:49: Niskanen flings a wrister fromthe right point wide on the near side.

3:18: Chara chops a half-slapper from the right point wide on the near side.

2:24: Cooke and Dennis Seidenberg races after a loose puck behind the Bruins' net from opposite directions and send each other flying to the ice. Heck of a collision.

1:54: Andrew Ference chops a one-timer from the left point wide to the far aide.

1:23: Ference pounds another one-timer from the left point which hits a body in front.

0:29: Boychuk blast another one-timer from the right point. It hits a stick in front and deflects out of play.

0:18: Lucic whips a wrister from the right point. It hits a body in front and deflects over the cage.

0:00: End of period. Bruins 0, Penguins 0.

FIRST INTERMISSION

-The Bruins had the better of the play that period. They maintain puck possession in the Penguins' zone and threw a ton of shots at the net. Granted, they had the benefit of two power plays, but they were the better team that period.

-The Penguins did a good job defensively of limiting the quality scoring chances for the Bruins. Most of Boston's shots were low percentage shots from the perimeter. Very few were from anywhere near the net.

-The Penguins have quite a bit of depth on defense when healthy but the Bruins might challenge them for deepest blue line in the league. Having someone like Andrew Ference on the third pairing is evidence of that.

-The Bruins have an 11-6 lead in shots.

-Pouliot and Boychuk each lead the game with three.

-Crosby leads the Penguins with two.

-Martin leads the game with 10:44 of ice time.

-Chara leads the Bruins with 9:55.

-The Bruins have an 11-9 edge in faceoffs (55 percent).

-Patrice Bergeron is 6 for 10 (60 percent).

-Malkin is 2 for 2 (100 percent).

-Boychuk and the great Joe Vitale each lead the game with two blocked shots.

-During an intermission interview with Root Sports' Dan Potash, it appeared Crosby was sporing a welt on the right sight of his face.

SECOND PERIOD

19:46: Seidenberg cracks a one-timer from the right point. Fleury traps it against his chest.

18:48: Milan Lucic tries to line up Paul Martin in the right wing corner of the Penguins' zone. Martin dodges the check. Lucic gets nothing but boards and staggers to the ice.

17:38: Despres grips and rips a wriste from above the left circle. Thomas kicks it out.

17:25: Cooke pounds a slapper from the right

17:09: Marchand and Martin chirp at each other in the Penguins' crease. Those two might have the two worst noses in the NHL.

17:03: The Bruins get dirty and cash in first. A shot by Shawn Thornton from the right left circle is blocked an fulutter up over the cage. Paille beats Bortuzzo to the puck and just chops it with a backhander towards the crease. Campbell hustles to the puck before Adams and forces it to flutter over the the left skate of a stretched out Fleury. The Bruins earned that goal. Paille and Thornton get assists.  Bruins 1-0.

16:46: Marchand takes a run at Niskanen behind the Penguins net. He ends up slew footing Niskanen and dropping him. An official puts a hand hand up. As Fleury leaves the ice on a delayed penalty, Niskanen challenges Marchand. They drop the gloves in the Penguins zone. Niskanen gets his right arm free from his jersey and jabs Marchand with a few rabbit punches to the back of the head. Marchand plays defense and wiggles free landing a a few. The fight goes on for an eterity with Niskanen slipping. Both players head to the penalty box for fighting. Marchand gets a minor for slew footing. Seguin will serve it. Martin, Sullivan, Neal, Malkin and Crosby take the ice.

15:51: Thomas gives Neal a slash to the skates in front of the crease. Neal staggers a bit. Chara comes over and just shoulders him to the ice. That's two minute for interference. The Penguins will have a five on three for 1:10. Kunitz, Crosynea, Malkina nd Stullivan take the ice.

15:40: From the right of the cage, Neal taps a feed to the top of the crease. Kunitz punches it on the cage. Thomas covers and freezes play as Kunitz is shoved on top of him by Seidenberg.

15:05: Sullivan fumbles a puck in the left wing corner. Ference fends off Crosby and Sullivan and chips the puck down ice for a big clear.

14:48: As Marchand's minor is about to expire, Malkin collects a puck to the right of the cage, circles around into the slot by a diving Ference and Kelly and snaps off a wrister which Thomas fights off.

14:16: Boychuk and Campbell each have a chance in tight but Fleury poke checks Boychuck's pass.

15:24: Crosby winds up and cranks a slapper from the left circle. Thomas eats it up.

13:51: The Chara minor is killed. The Penguins missed a big chance there.

12:42: What transition. Off a turnover by Orpik  from his own zone, Peverly leads a rush the other way and deals a centering pass to Pouliot. Pouliot lifts a wrister which toasts Fleury's glove hand. What a shot. Put that one on Orpik. Peverly gets the only assist. Orpik could make a case for one. Bruins 2-0.

12:10: On a delayed penalty, Chara booms a slapper from teh left poitn which clanks off the near post.

11:56: Rough spot here for the Penguins as Despres is called for tripping Pouliot. That's his second minor of the night. Orpik, Martin, Staal and Dupuis take the ice.

9:56: Two minutes later and the Bruins accomplish little with that power play. The Penguins needed that kill badly.

7:52: From the left circle, Dupuis swats a one-timer from the left circle. Thomas fends it off.

7:22: Dupuis fend soff  stick check from Boychuk in the left circle and whips a wrister on net. Thomas says no.

7:00: Attendance is announced as 18, 585. It is the team's 222nd consecutive sellout.

6:08: Chara booms a slapper from the left point. Fleury traps it despite having a few Bruins crash in.

4:51: Off some nice work by Kennedy int he left wing corner, Niskanen rips a wrister from above the right circle. Thomas knocks it dead despite traffic and covers to freeze play.

3:54: Big chance here for the Penguins with a two-man advantage. On a rush into the Penguins' zone, Pouliot clips Fleury with a hip check to the head. Fleury falls over. The official puts a hand up. In transition on the delayed penalty, Neal rushes up the left wing wall and his held up by Peverly. That's two minutes for hooking. Pouliot gets a minor for goaltender interfernece. The Penguins will get a two-man advantage for a full two minutes. Crosby, Malkin, Sullivan, Neal and Kunitz take the ice. They have to get at least one goal here.

3:04: From the left cirlce Crosby taps a psass to Neal in the right circle. Neal puts a one-timer on net. Thomas save. The rebound hops to Sullivan in the left circle. Sullivan has a wide open net but before he can pull the trigger, a flailing Seidenberg pokes the puck away. What a defensive play!

2:56:  Malkin whips a wrister on net from the left circle. Thomas eats it up.

2:45: Crosby cranks a slapper from the left circle. Thomas kicks it out.

1:54: The five on three is killed. The Penguins simply failed there.

1:25: Staal rushes up the right wing and draws two defenders. He taps a centering pass to Kennedy in the left circle. Kennedy lifts a wrister which Thomas denies.

1:19: Off a faceoff win, Adams sneaks a centering pass to Asham in the slot. Asham cranks a one-timer which Thomas kicks out.

1:09: Dupuis chops a half slapper from the left circle. Thomas eats it up.

0:00: End of period. Staal is given an interference minor at the end of the period. Bruins 2, Penguins 0.

SECOND INTERMISSION

-Through 20 minutes, the Penguins just don't deserve to win this game. They've had two lengthy five-on-three power play and they've barely even threatened the Bruins.

-You have to wonder how much of a difference Kris Letang could have made that period.

-Don't take anything away from Tim Thomas. He's been outstanding. But it would be a stretch to say the Penguins have made him work for too many of his saves.

-The Neal-Malkin-Sullivan is once again rather quiet.

-The injuries on defense look like they have caught up to the Penguins. They have had plenty of mistakes on the blue line tonight.

-That said, the Bruins aren't exactly getting goals from their stars tonight. Both goals came from the bottom two lines.

-The Penguins have a 23-19 lead in shots.

-Dupuis leads the game with five shots.

-Boychuk and Pouliot each lead the Bruins with four.

-Martin leads the game with an absurd 21:34 through two periods! Dang.

-Chara leads the Bruins with 17:30.

-The Penguins have a 25-24 edge in faceoffs (51 percent).

-Krejci is 6 for 8 (75 percent).

-Crosby is 10 for 19 (53 percent).

-The great Joe Vitale, Kelly and Boychuk each lead the game with two blocked shots.

-The NHL is expected to make an announcement on re-alignment tonight.

THIRD PERIOD

20:00: The Bruins will have a full two-minute power play on fresh ice. Dupuis, Martin, Adams and Orpik take the ice.

19:43: Krejci has a chance in tight and is robbed by Fleury.

18:53: And that should finish the game. Patrice Bergeron coasts up the right wing, undresses Niskanen one-on-one and taps a pass to Seguin on the left wing. Seguin snaps off a wrister which Fleury doesn't have a prayer on. What a play by Bergeron. Bergeron gets the only assist. Bruins 3-0.

15:28: Dupuis has a chance from the slot but chops it wide to the left of the cage.

15:21: And it just keeps getting better for the Penguinas Kunitz is called for tripping Marchand at the Penguins' blue line. Staal, Kunitz, Martin and Orpik take the ice.

14:16: Adams races in off the left wing and snaps off a wrister from a tough angle. Thomas fends it off.

13:14: Crosby and Kunitz collide in the neutral zone and are slow to recover. Both players slowly recover to their feet and make their way to the bench. Neither heads to the locker room. Replays show them striking each other with a knee on knee hit.

11:18: Malkin races into the offensive zone, ducks a hit by Chara then is dropped on a hit by Paille. The Penguins jump Paille in the right wing corner. Malkin is bleeding a bit above his lip. Paille's helmet appeared to strike Malkin's face. Athletic trainer Chris Stewart attends to Malkin. Malkin recovers ot his feet and is escorted to the locker room by Stewart.

11:03: Krejci fends off a furious backcheck by Crosby on the right wing, cuts to the slot and whips a backhander on net. It clangs off the left post and bounces out.

9:37: Staal chops a bouncing puck from the slot. Thomas kicks it out.

9:06: What a play by  the great Joe Vitale. He forces Seidenberg into a turnover on the right wing wall of the neutral zone, taps it up ice and gains the offensive zone. he has a two-on-one with Cooke against Joe Corvo and deals a pss to Cooke just above the crease. Cooke taps the puck over the left leg of Thomas. What an effort by Vitale. He gets the only assist. The "Woo-Hoo!" has been waiting to play all night. Bruins 3-1.

{youtube width="465" height="345"}iRyO26H3GhM{/youtube}

8:52: Thomas fends off a wrister by Kennedy in the left circle. A scrum breaks out. Thomas punches someone in a black jersey. All heck breaks loose. Kennedy jumps ito the pile like Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Vitale and Campbell separate from the pile and fight. Campbell lands the majority of punches. Vitale lands one big right which appears to stagger Campbell. They wrestle some more before Campbell falls over in exhaustion. This place is going nuts. Vitale and Cambpell are the only penalized players.

7:39: Martin chops a slapper from the left point. Thomas makes the save bobbles the rebound. Neal hacks at the puck but can't bury it.

6:50: Neal lofts a wrister from the top of the slot. Thomas covers and freezes play.

6:34: Marchand trips up Alexander Picard behind the Penguins' net. No call.

5:56: Dupuis winds up and cranks a slapper from the right wing. Thomas punches it away.

5:21: Sullivan races up the right wing and cranks slapper from the right wing. Thomas kicks it out to the left circle. Kennedy is there and punches a one-timer off the mark.

5:09: Malkin is back and lifts a wrister from the right circle. Thomas traps it against his chest. During a stoppage, Van Halen's "Right Now" is played:

{youtube width="465" height="345"}EMOuIhhRHfA{/youtube}

3:49: Orpik is in deep and drops Corvo with a stiff check into the left wing corner boards.

2:48: Malkin fights off a stick check from Lucic and swats a shot from the slot. Thomas covers to freeze play.

2:09: After an offsides call, Neal and Chara exchange shoves. Marchand sticks his nose in and gets a swat to the head fro Neal. No call.

1:59: Kennedy races in off the right wing and snaps off a wrister which Thomas fends off.

1:53: Staal collects the rebound and deals a pass from the left circle to Kennedy in the slot. Kennedy's wrister is fought off.

1:27: After a turnover by Niskanen in the neutral zone, Krejci cranks a slapper from the right circle over the cage.

0:55: The Penguins call a time out to get organized. Fleury is pulled for an extra attacker.

0:27: Malkin launches a one-timer from the top of the slot which hits a body in front.

0:00: End of game. Bruins 3, Penguins 1.

POSTGAME

-One team came with with a full compliment of weapons and is in the midst of a 15-game point-scoring streak. The other came in with three AHL defensemen and inconsistency, especially on special teams. Guess who won.

-The Bruins made no secret that they identified the Penguins' banged up defense as a target. Head coach Claude Julien said, "There’s some injuries back there and at this point, that’s probably their weakest link and they know that and everybody else does too." As a result, they were able to force the Penguins' blue liners into several mistakes and they converted those mistakes into goals.

-The Penguins' special teams simply failed them tonight. They have two LONG five on three power plays to work with and just looked completely impotent each time with the man advantage. And the power-play goal by the Bruins at the start of the third period was a killer.

-The Bruins also did a marvelous job of matching up well on defense against the Penguins' top two lines. Despite having the first change after a whistle as a road team, the Bruins were able to put a good pairing of defensemen on either of the Penguins' top two lines and really limited the play of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

-The differences in play by each team's blue line was startling. The Bruins have a competent veteran in Andrew Ference on their third pairing tonight. The Penguins dressed three defensemen who were in the AHL just over a week ago.

-Pascal Dupuis might have been the Penguins' most dangerous offensive weapon. Good for Dupuis. Bad for the Penguins.

-If not for a bad turnover by Dennis Seidenberg and an outstanding effort by Joe Vitale, Tim Thomas has a shutout.

-Thomas did not have to work for too many of his saves tonight. the Bruins did a solid job of collapsing around their net and forced the Penguins to throw a lot of low-percentage "junk" shots on net. Thomas will take that all day.

-Don't take anything away from the Bruins in this game. They earned this two points. They got physical. They went to the high traffic areas and they got some dirty goals. They are an impressive team.

-Fleury was okay in this game. You could make a case he could have made a save on Benoit Pouliot's goal, but Fleury's teammates didn't give him much help.

-The Penguins led in shots, 45-27.

-Malkin and Tyler Kennedy each led the game with eight shots.

-David Krejci, Johnny Boychuk and Pouliot each led the Bruins with four.

-Paul Martin, who was one of the better players for the Penguins tonight, led the game with 29:43 of ice time.

-Zdeno Chara led the Bruins with 25:43.

-The Bruins had a 39-36 edge in faceoffs (52 percent).

-Bergeron was 16 for 31 (52 percent).

-Crosby was 15 for 31 (48 percent).

-Boychuk led the game with three blocked shots.

-Dupuis and the great Joe Vitale each led the Penguins with two blocked shots.

-Matt Cooke passed up Andy Bathgate and the great Dick Tarnstrom for 79th place on the franchise's all-time scoring list. All three players have 103 points but Cooke (46) has more goals than Bathgate (35) and Tarnstrom (28).

-Brooks Orpik tied Troy Loney for 11th place on the franchise's games played list with 532 career games. Ron Francis is 10th with 533.

-Game summary.

-Event summary.