Penguins at Devils - 12-31-11
PREGAME
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-We have to post this video for today as well:
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-Happy New Years. Hopefully 2012 goes better for you than 2011 went for the Penguins' power play.
-The Penguins' starters are Chris Kunitz, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Deryk Engelland, Brooks Orpik and Marc-Andre Fleury.
-They have no scratches.
-The Devils starters are Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora, Dainius Zubrus, Mark Fayne, Henrik Tallinder and Martin Brodeur.
-Their scratches are Eric Boulton and Matt Toarmina.
FIRST PERIOD
19:50: Off the opening faceoff, Elias puts a wrister on net from the slot. Fleury knocks it down and covers.
19:02: Ilya Kovalchuk winds up and chops a slapper from the right circle. It hits Engelland on the right leg and hobbles him a bit. Ouch.
18:33: Jordan Staal coasts up the right wing on a two-on-one with Tyler Kennedy in the slot against Bryce Salvador. Salvador slides down to take the pass away. Staal fails to shoot and pretty much just loses it behind the cage.
16:58: Cam Janssen pushes the puck up the left wing one-on-one with Zbynek Michalek. Michalek goes stick on puck and knocks the puck away from Janseen.
15:52: Malkin whips a quick wrister on net from the right circle. Brodeur fights it off.
15:44: Orpik chips a shot from the left point. Craig Adams in in the slot and re-directs it on net. Brodeur fights it out. The rebound hopt to the right circle. Malkin is there and punches it back on net. Brodeur eats it up.
15:05: Elias takes a pass in the right circle, slows down and rips a wrister on net. Fleury fights it off.
13:24: Tim Sestito controls the puck in the right wing corner and is knocked over on a cross check from Orpik. Two minutes. Orpik looks disgusted with the call. Michalek, Ben Lovjeoy, Staal and Pascal Dupuis take the ice.
12:52: Dupuis taps the puck up ice up the right wing. Staal chases after it, recovers the puck in the neutral zone, gains the offensive zone and fends off a check from Elias. As he approaches the net, he loses control of the puck.
11:29: Simon Despres forces Adam Henriqe into a turnover in the left circle. Cooke is able to recover the puck and chop it out of the Penguins' zone.
11:18: As the Orpik minor expires, Mattias Tedenby puts a wrister on net. Fleury fights it off.
10:34: Lovejoy chases down a loose puck on the right wing and chops it wide on the near side.
10:01: Chris Kunitz gains the offensive zone on the left wing, winds up and cranks a slapper over the cage.
9:38: The great Joe Vitale hustles up the right wing and taps a pass to Kennedy in the right circle. Kennedy hurries his one-timer and cranks it over the cage.
8:43: Michalek chops a half slapper from the right circle wide to the far side.
7:48: Malkin races up the right wing and deals a pass to Neal in the slot. Neal snaps off a wrister which hits a stick and deflects wide.
6:56: Cooke has a chance in the right circle. He gets hooked a bit and chops a shot over the cage.
6:25: Tedenby hustles after a puck in the Penguins slot, slides to his knees and whips a wrister on net. Fleury kicks it out. What an effort by Tedenby.
5:57: Kennedy chucks a shot on net from the right point into a cluster of bodies in front of the cage. It deflects out.
5:17: Adam Larsson chucks a wrister from the right point. it hits ff the far post and ratltes around in the crease. There's a battle for the puck. Orpik appears to "hike" it through his legs out of the blue paint like a long snapper in football. Officials blow play dead and rule Orpik covered the puck in the paint.s That's a penalty shot. Orpik protests but the officials aren't having it. Ilya Kovalchuk, one of the most dangerous players in hockey, gets the chance to take the penalty shot. He races in on net and simply snaps off a wrister through the five hole of Fleury. What a lethal shot. The "Hey Song" is played. Devils 1-0.
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5:09: Petr Sykora sneaks up the left wing and centers it to the slot. Elias is there and chops it on net. Fleury knocks it dead and covers to freeze play.
4:59: Off the ensuing faceoff in the left circle, Zubrus has a chance just to the left of the crease but he snaps it off wide of the cage.
4:27: Malkin pushes the puck up the left wing. Zubrus mashes him into the boards and holds him up. He's called for elbowing. Cooke, Staal, Kennedy, Dupuis and Despre take the ice. Dupuis works the right point.
4:14: Despres and Fleury fumble a handoff behind the Penguins' net. Henrique hustles after the puck and has a scoring chance but get a clean shot off.
3:51: Henrique chops a clearing attempt up to the neutral zone. Zach Parise hustles after it and is off to the races. Fleury challenges with a poke check and forces Parise wide to the rigth wing corner. He tries to recover the puck but Dupuis flies back to mash him into the boards.
3:08: Malkin races into the offensive zone down the slot and taps a pass to Neal on the right wing. Neal grips and rips a wrister which Neal fight soff.
2:46: Niskanen rips a wrister from above the left circle. Brodeur fights it off. Neal recovers the rebound, spins and deals a pass to Malkin. Malkin appears to have wide open net but whips it wide to the near side. Kunitz looked like he was about to start celebrating once Malkin released the puck.
2:27: Niskanen deals a drop pass to Malkin in the left circle. Malkin booms it on net. Brodeur fends it off. The rebound ends up on Malkin's stick again at the left half wall. Malkin chops it on net. Brodeur eats it up. Zubrus' penalty expires. The Penguins had some chances were incredibly sloppy.
2:03: Arron Asham is called for slashing Tedenby. He apparently said something to the officials on the way to the penalty box as he's given an additional unsportsmanlike contuck penalty. Staal, Dupuis, Michalek and Orpik take the ice.
1:38: This just gets worse for the Penguins as Staal is called for slashing Parise. The Devils will have a full five on three for two minutes. Cooke, Adams and Orpik take the ice.
0:42: Kovalchuk booms a one-tmer from the left point. Adams slides down to block it. Oof.
0:23: The Devils strike. Kovalchuk snap off a wrister from above the left circle. It hits a body in front and deflects to Elias on the back door of the crease. He sweeps it behind Fleury but it clunks off the far post. It deflects off Fleury's back side and slides into the cage just as Clarkson taps it in. Oof. Clarkson gets credit for the goal. Elias and Kovalchuk each get assists. The Devils will still have 45 seconds of five-on-three power-play time as Asham's first penalty is taken off the boards. Cooke, Adams and Orpik take the ice. Devils 2-0.
0:00: End of period. Devils 2, Penguins 0.
FIRST INTERMISSION
-After an inital burst, the Penguins were horrendous that period. They looked like they celebrated New Year's Eve last night. They were incredibly sloppy.
-Fleury is the only player in white who had nothing to be ashamed of that period. He's a big reason this isn't worse than 2-0.
-The Penguins can't shoot straight today for some reason.
-Deryk Engelland has apparently not returned to the after taking that shot off the leg from Kovalchuk.
-The Neal-Malkin-Kunitz line needs to do more.
-The Devils have a 10-9 lead in shots.
-Malkin leads the game with four shots.
-Elias and Kovalchuk each lead the game with three.
-Orpik leads the game with 8:22 of ice time.
-Kovalchuk is right behind him with 8:19.
-The Devils have an 11-6 lead in faceoffs (65 percent).
-Elias is 5 for 7 (71 percent).
-Staal is 2 for 3 (67 percent).
-No one has more than one blocked shot.
SECOND PERIOD
20:00: The Devils will still have 22 seconds of five-on-three power-play time on fresh ice. Orpik, Michalek and Adams take the ice.
19:38: Staal's minor expires. The Devils still have 1:35 of five on four power-play time.
18:30: Engelland has returned to the game.
18:22: Asham's second minor expires. They were lucky to only give up one goal to the Devils during that long penalty kill.
18:02: Pascal Dupuis is apparently now missing from the bench for unspecified reasons.
17:36: Neal chops a bouncing puck from above the right circle. Brodeur gloves it.
17:01: Kennedy settles a bouncing puck in the right circle and snaps it off Brodeur's lid with an audible "clack."
16:20: After a turnover by Despres in the right circle, Elias deals a pass to Zubrus in the slot. Zubrus whiffs a bit on his one-timer. Fleury is able to eat it up.
15:33: Another penalty for the Penguins. They're playing like they need to fill a quota for the 2011 calendar year. Niskanen hooks up Parise in the right circle of the Penguins' zone. Staal, Michalke, Orpik and Adams take the ice.
14:45: Staal pushes the puck up the right wing against Kovalchuk, he makes a move by Kovalchuk and cuts to the slot. Brodeur appears to poke check it away before he can shoot.
14:11: Off a give and go with Travis Zajac, Sykora snaps off a wrister from the right circle. Fleury fends it off.
13:33: The Niskanen minor expires. The Devils did little with that chance.
12:20: Neal gets hauled wown in the slot by Clarkson and crashes into the Devils' net back first. He's smarting a little bit. Clarkson heads to the penalty box for hooking. Despres, Dupuis, Staal, Cooke and Kennedy take the ice.
12:13: Despre corrals a loose puck on the right half wall, spins and whips a wrister on net. Brodeur gloves it.
11:56: Henrique has a chance in tight but can't beat Fleury's right leg.
10:22: Kovalchuk races in off the left wing to the slot and whips a wrister which Michalek blocks. The Clarkson minor expires. That was a wasted opportunity for the Penguins.
9:24: This guy made a willing choice to leave the house looking like this:
8:59: Asham blocks a shot by Sestito in the left circle. He heads to the locker room limping. It looks like he took the puck off his right knee.
8:03: Kennedy races up the left wing on a partial breakaway. Cooke trails the play and basically slows down to hold up Salvador to give Kennedy a clean look at the cage. Kennedy snaps off a high wrister. Brodeur stacks the pads and knocks it down. What a save.
7:40: Malkin deals a pass to Kunitz on the right circle. Kunitz snaps off a wrister which Fayne appears to deflects wide with a stick.
6:50: Steve Sullivan booms a slapper from the left point. Brodeur kicks it out with ease.
5:56: This lady decided to leave the house looking like this today:
5:27: Kennedy, back on a line with Cooke and Staal, chucks a wrister at the cage from the left wing. Staal re-directs it on net. Brodeur scoops it up.
4:25: Malkin snaps off a wrister from the left circle wide to the near side.
2:38: Kovalchuk airmails a wrister from the neutral zone. Fleury kicks it out.
1:55: Neal grips and rips a wrister from the slot. Brodeur kicks it out.
0:00: End of period. Devils 2, Penguins 0.
SECOND INTERMISSION
-The Penguins were better that period. They seemed to feed off killing those penalties at the start of the game.
-They still aren't generating nearly enough heat on Brodeur. This is classic Devils hockey. They're really preventing the Penguins from generating any sustained attacks.
-Fleury continues to be the Penguins' best player.
-While the Penguins are having trouble generating offense, why are they relegating Steve Sullivan to third-line duties?
-Dupuis did not play at all that period.
-The Penguins are leading in shots, 21-15.
-Malkin leads the game with five.
-Kovalchuk leads the Devils with four.
-The Devils have an 18-20 edge in faceoffs (53 percent).
-Staal is 7 for 9 (78 percent).
-Elias is 9 for 14 (64 percent).
-No one has more than one blocked shot.
-Dupuis is questionable to return due to an "upper-body" injury.
-Volchenkov is missing for undisclosed reasons.
THIRD PERIOD
18:22: The year of penalties continue as Cooke is called for interference against Parise. A kill here is mandatory for the Penguins. The great Joe Vitale, Michalek, Orpik and Michalek take the ice.
16:56: Henrique taps a pass from the slot to Kovalchuk in the left circle. Kovalchuk chops a slapper on net. Fleury fends it off.
16:22: Cooke's minor is killed. The Devils didn't really press the issue there.
15:01: The Penguins get another chance. Engelland knocks Ryan Carter off the puck in the right circle of the Penguins' zone, circles around pushes the puck up the left wing. Carter holds him up. That's two minutes. Sullivan, Niskanen, Neal, Malkin and Kunitz take the ice.
14:44: Asham is questionable to return due to a leg injury.
13:11: Staal snaps off a wrister from the left circle off the side of th ecage.
13:01: The Carter minor expires. The Penguins failed to record a shot on net.
11:59: Malkin races into the offensive zone, challenges, Fayne one-on-one, fights his way through a pseudo-tackle and snaps off a wrister. Brodeur fights it off. Fayne is called for holding. Malkin, Kunitz, Neal, Sullivan and Niskanen take the ice.
11:49: Kunitz lifts a wrister from a bad angle on the goal line from the right wing. Brodeur eats it up as Kunitz crashes in.
11:19: Parise snaps off a wrister from the left circle. Fleury fights it off.
10:52: Sullivan swats a puck from the left circle on net. Brodeur eats it up.
10:42: Niskanen booms a slapper from the left half wall. It hits a body in front an ddeflects away.
10:35: FINALLY. Niskanen takes a pass at the left point, hesitates and fires a slapper wide on the near side. It takes a hop off the end boards and deflects to the left of the crease. Kunitz is there and smacks it into the cage by the glove of Brodeur. Niskanen and Sullivan get assists. Devils 2-1.
10:14: Clarkson spins from behind the net and whips a wrister from the left circle. Michalek blocks it.
6:14: After four stagnant minutes, Neal controls a puck behind the net and is tossed to the ice by Larsson.
5:59: HUGE SAVE! Fleury just gave his team a chance to stay in this game. Sykora taps a feed from the left circle to Elias to the right of the crease. Fleury slides to his left and kicks out Elias' shot with his left skate. Remember that save.
4:53: Engelland chucks a wrister from the right point wide to the near side of the cage.
4:27: HUGE SAVE AGAIN! Kennedy takes a drop pass from Staal in the right wing corner and snaps off a pass to Cooke in the slot. Cooke jabs a shot on net. Brodeur fights it off with his glove hand. WOW!
3:48: Lovejoy whips a wrister from the slot wide to the right of the cage.
2:21: Staal whacks a backhander from the slot wide of the cage.
1:34: Malkin flies back on a backcheck and stals a pass rom Eliast. He reversehi ce,g alops into the offensiv ezone and taps a pass to Knitz on the right wing. Kunitz whips a wrister on net. Brodeur knocks it down and cover to freeze play. What a play by Malkin.
1:20: Fleury is pulled for an extr aattacker
1:15: Kunitz guns a one-timer from the right half wall. Tallinder blocks it and clears the rebound down ice.
0:49: Game. Set. Match. Staal turns the puck ove rin his own zone. Elias chips a pass from the right point to Parise in the slot. Parise chips it into the open cage for one of us:
Elias and Kovalchuk get assists. Devils 3-1.
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0:31: The great Joe Vitale lofts a wrister from the left point. Brodeur gloves it.
0:00: End of game. Devils 3, Penguins 1.
POSTGAME
-The Penguins played pretty good for last 30 minutes of that game. Too bad most games are generally 60 minutes.
-This was a sloppy, incomplete effort by the Penguins which was only made worse by the injuries to Deryk Engelland, Pascal Dupuis and Arron Asham. Thankfully for them, they have nearly a week to rest up and reset things.
-Fleury deserved better. He played his butt off today. His teammates just let him down.
-The scary thing is, if the officials don't award Ilya Kovalchuk a questionable penalty shot, this is a totally different game.
-Defensively, the Devils are still the Devils. They might not clutch and grab and trap as badly as the championship-caliber Devils, but they still limit what you do defensively.
-The Penguins' power play did get a goal today, but it was still putrid. It just doesn't look like a threat right now.
-Engelland was strong in his first game back from a suspension. He could have been very helpful Thursday against the Flyers.
-The Penguins had a 30-21 lead in shots.
-Evgeni Malkin led the game with six shots.
-Kovalchuk led the Devils with five.
-Mark Fayne led the game with 24:23 of ice time.
-Malkin led the Penguins with 23:59.
-The Devils had a 26-25 edge in faceoffs (51 percent).
-Jordan Staal was 10 for 13 (77 percent).
-Patrik Elias is 10 for 17 (59 percent).
-Engelland, Adam Larsson and Adam Henrique each led the game with two blocked shots.
-Highlights: