Hurricanes at Penguins - 01-17-12

-Always true:

-For some reason, there's an empty phone booth in the Zamboni rampway:

-The ice:

-The rink:

-Asham is not expected to play tonight due to an unexplained ailment.

-Some sights from around the building. If you wear a Craig Adams jersey, we're going to post it:

-No Jimerson. No photo.

FIRST PERIOD

18:43: From the right wing corner Chris Kunitz deals a pass to Zbynek Michalek at the right point. Michalek whacks a slapper wide to the near side. 

18:06: Former Penguins forward Alexei Ponikarovsky runs over Michalek in the left wing corner of the Penguins' zone and steals the puck. He tries to deal it to the slot but Michalek recovers to steal it back.

17:49: Jamie McBain again? All he does is score against the Penguins. Jussi Jokinen chased down a puck in the left wing corner. He turns and attempts to deal a pass to just above the crease. He kind of fans on the pass and it slides by a cluster of bodies above the blue paint. McBain locates the puck between the hashmarks and rips a wrister by the blocker of Fleury who challenged the shot heavily. It's McBain's seventh career point in nine games against the Penguins. It happened off a fluky pass. Fleury needs to make that save. Jokinen and Jeff Skinner get assists. Hurricanes 1-0.

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17:22: In a puck battle in the left wing corner of the Carolina zone, the great Joe Vitale (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) hops up and jabs Bryan Allen (6-foot-5, 226 pounds) to the ice with a stiff shoulder check. Vitale wants to stay in the lineup.

16:46: Eric Staal hustles up the left wing wall and whips a wriste ron net. Fleury knocks it dead and covers.

15:22: Dustin Jeffrey coasts up the pright wing and chucks a wriste ron net. Ward fights it off.

15:13: Pascal Dupuis chops a one-timer from the left circle on net. Ward says no.

14:53: Lovejoy take sa pass ta the right point and pumps a slapper on net. Ward eats it up.

14:40: Richard Park chops a slapper on net from the right circle. Ward kicks it out with his left leg.

11:57: Off a turnover by Jay Harrison in the right circle of the Penguins' zone, James Neal recovers a loose puck, circles around and snaps off a pass up to the right wing wall in the neutral zone hoping to spring Evgeni Malkin off on a breakaway. Faulk is playing center field in front of his blue line and deflects the puck out of play with a poke check.

10:24: Allen snaps off a wrister from the left point. It hits a sakte or two in the slot and deflects on net. Fleury kicks it out.

8:16: Vitale smacks Allegn again, this time into the right wing boards of hte Penguins' zone.

8:10: Adams chucks a wrister from the left wing on net. Ward says no.

6:45: Paul Martin chops a slapper from the right point. Derek Joslin blocks it.

6:38: Andreas Nodl pushes the puck up the left wing boards in the neutral zone. As Kunitz approaches, Nodl dumps it into the offensive zone. Kunitz mashes him into the boards in front of the scorers' booth. Nodl falls, gets up and lumbers to the bench in discomfort.

6:18: With a stoppage, a scrum develops at the right point of the Hurricanes zone. All five players group up. Tim Gleason and Deryk Engelland pair up and drop the gloves. They wrestle for a second or two then start chucking right punches. They just go full-out "rock-em, sock-em" and pump repeated rights. What a show. They kind of tire out and allow the officials to step in and break it up. That might have been the most entertaining Penguins' fight of the season.

5:55: Ponikarovsky hustles up the right wing and backhand taps a pass to the slot. Skinner is there and jabs it on net. Fleury reads the play all the way and fights it off.

5:17: After Sullivan makes a brutal pass in his own zone, turning it over. Tuomo Ruutu has a chance to the right of the cage. Fleury is able to slide to his left and kicks it out with his left leg. Sullivan owes Fleury a beer.

4:59: Kunitz rockets a one-timer from the left circle. Ward kicks it out.

2:38: Kennedy motors up the right wing and whips a wrister on net. Allen blocks it. Kennedy kind of swats the rbound at the cage. Ward covers to freeze play.

2:21: Michalek chops a slapper from the right point. It hits a body in front and deflects wide.

1:57: Michalek pumps another slapper from the right point. Brandon Sutter slides down to block it. Ouch.

1:22: Oh. Wow. Just.... stunning. Malkin cranks a one-timer from the right circle. Ward makes the save. Staal tries to collect the rebound but Malkin swipe it right off him in the right circle. Malkin sneaks in on net. Ward crouches down leaving juuuust enough space above his left shoulder and the cross bar. It's all Malkin needs to do some damage. He puts just enough touch on the puck and lofts it over Ward's right shoulder. WOW. There might be five players on earth who can do that. And one of them is in the owners' suite tonight drinking wine. Matt Niskanen and Martin get assists. The "Woo-Hoo!" song and the "Malkamania" video are played. Hurricanes 1, Penguins 1.

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0:33: Dupuis whips wrister from the right circle. Ward says no.

0:26: Malkin recovers the rebound behidn the cage, muscles his way to the right circle, spins and whisp a wrister on net

0:00: End of period. Hurricanes 1, Penguins 1.

FIRST INTERMISSION

-That was a pretty even and entertaining period all around. Usually these teams play close games. Both squads skated the puck and put plenty of rubber on net. Each goaltender made some tough saves. And there was plenty of hitting.

-Joe Vitale is playing like his family has been kidnapped and their freedom is dependent on strong forechecking. He's been a healthy scratch for a few games and he wants to stay in the lineup. He's doing everything he can to prove to the coaches he can play.

-Jamie McBain. Penguin killer.

-Evgeni Malkin. Every team in the league killer.

The Penguins have a 13-10 lead in shots.

-Dupuis leads the game with four shots.

-Ruutu and Staal each lead the Hurricanes with two.

-Martin leads the game with 8:28 of ice time.

-Harrison leads the Hurricanes wth 7:44.

-The Hurricanes have a 6-5 edge in faceoffs (55 percent).

-Park is 2 for 2 (100 percent).

-Staal and Skinner are each 2 for 3 (67 percent).

-Allen and Martin each lead the game with two blocked shots.

SECOND PERIOD

19:02: Malkin collects a loose puck in the left circle, and snaps off a fantastic pass to Martin on the back door of hte crease. Martin has an easy goal but taps it right into Ward's right leg. Argh. He has to bury that.

17:21: On a delayed penalty Sullivan controls the puck in the left cirle and whips a pass to the slot for the great Joe Vitale. Vitale is a step slow and can't get a stick on the puck.

17:12: Ponikarovsky runs over Fleury in the crease. That's two minutes for goaltender interference. Neal, Malkin, Kunitz, Niskanen and Sullivan take the ice.

16:48: Kunitz backhand taps a pass from the right circle to Neal to the right of the crease. Neal tries to jam it in but Ward says no.

16:35: Malkin barges up the left wing and leaves a drop pass for Neal in the left circle. Neal steps up and hammers a one-timer. Ward boots it out.

16:16: Ward is tuned in. Neal takes a pass from Malkin the slot, glides to the left circle and lifts a wrister ot the near side. Ward gloves it.

15:27: Kennedy races the puck up the right wing and snaps off a wrister from the right circle. Allen blocks it over the cage.

15:12: Ponikarovsky's minor is killed. The Penguins shot the puck a ton that two minutes.

14:04: Engelland whips a heavy writer from the right point. Ward boots it out.

13:33: Dupuis deals a pass from the left wing wall to Martin, Martin cuts in around a defender and whips a backhander on net. Ward fights it off despite a pile-up in the crease.

13:25: Staal races up the right wing and snaps off a wrister to the far side. Fleury's right leg rejects it.

12:59: Malkin zips the right wing, gains the offensive zone, cuts to the slot and deals a pass to Neal. Neal whips a wrister on net. Ward says no.

11:21: McBain booms a slapper from the right point. Eric Tangradi blocks it wide.

10:55: From the neutral zone, Tangradi taps a pass to the right cirlce. Kennedy grisp and rips it off the far post. Argh.

10:04: Adams whips a wrister on net from the right circle. Ward kicks it out.

7:55: Ruutu is mashed into the boards in front of the Penguins' bench by Orpik.

6:55: From deep on the right wing wall, Sullivan deals a pass to the crease. Park is there but can't quite get a stick on it. Dupuis is backing him up and swat sit on net. Ward kicks it out.

6:35: Ponikarovsky chucks a shot on net from the left wing wall. Fleury gloves it.

6:26: A defensive breakdown by the Penguins gives Skinner a plum chance in the slot. He takes the pass but fumbles it a bit at first. He regains controls and whips it on net while tumbling. Fleury kicks it out. If Skinner could have gotten the initial shot off, that might be a goal.

5:24: Neal has a puck stolen at the right point. that creates a partial breakaway for Patrick Dwyer. He hustles up the right wing and snaps off a low wrister. Fleury's left leg kicks it out.

3:53: Skinner has a wrister from the left circle blocked by Orpik.

3:46: Dupuis' slapper from the left circle is blocked by McBain

3:26: Martin takes a pass from Jeffrey above the right circle and chops a half slapper on net. Ward steers it to the right wing corner.

2:35: Sullivan swats a half slapper from the right wing on net. Ward fights it off.

1:09: Martin is nabbed for tripping Dwyer at the Penguins' blue line. Tough time to take a penalty. Jeffrey, Adams, Michalek and Orpik take the ice. Jeffrey is asked to skate some hard minutes here on the penalty kill.

0:04: Skinner pushes the puck up the left wing, draws two defenders and deals a nifty backhanded pass to Harrison alone in space above the left circle. Harrison slides a pass down low to Staal along the goal line. Staal cuts around a sliding Orpik and jabs a backhander on net. Fleury kicks it out with his right leg. Tough save.

0:00: End of period. Hurricanes 1, Penguins 1.

SECOND INTERMISSION

-More of the same that period. More run and gun hockey. Both teams are skating the tar out of the puck.

-They might as well not even have a neutral zone when these two teams play. They barely use it.

-The funny thing is, for all this skating, both teams are really relying on their goaltenders a bunch. Fleury and Ward have each been brilliant.

-James Neal sure likes to shoot the puck.

-The Penguins have a 24-18 lead in shots.

-Dupuis leads the game with five.

-Staal leads the Hurricanes with three.

-Harrison leads the game with 17:06.

-Malkin leads the Penguins with 15:59.

-The Hurricanes have a 14-10 lead in faceoffs (58 percent).

-Park is 5 for 5 (100 percent).

-Brandon Sutter is 4 for 5 (80 percent).

-Allen leads the game with five blocked shots.

-Orpik leads the Penguins with three.

THIRD PERIOD

20:00: The Hurricanes will have 51 seconds of power-play time to work with on fresh ice. Michalek, Orpik, Adams and Cooke take the ice.

19:09: Martin's minor is killed without a threat from the Hurricanes in this period.

17:41: Martin settles a loose puck behind the Penguins net and banks it off the right wing boards and out of danger as two Hurricanes bear down on him. That's a fantastic but underrated play which won't show up in the score sheet.

17:31: As Dupuis snaps off a wrister from the right circle, Jeffrey bumps into Ward in the crease. That's two minutes. Kind of a silly penalty by Jeffrey. Cooke, Adams, Michalek and Orpik take the ice.

17:00: Joslin chops a slapper from the left point. Fleury kicks it out.

16:32: Harrison pumps a slapper form the right point. Fleury rejects it.

16:18: Shorthanded, Dupuis races up the right wing and snasp off a wrister. Ward traps it against his chest.

15:28: Dupuis pushes the puck into the offensive zone on the left wing killing off the rest of Jeffrey's penalty and tosses a wrister on net. Ward fights it off.

15:17: Jeffrey lifts a wrister from the right circle over the cage.

15:00: Attendance is announced as 18,535. It is the team's 231st consecutive shutout.

14:32: Off a steal by Malkin below the goal line, Neal snaps off a wrister from just to the right of the crease. Ward swats it away with his glove hand. Wow. Game saver.

13:06: Kennedy lofts a wrister from the right wing to the far side. Ward kicks it out with his right skate.

12:58: Skinner races after a loose puck in the neutral zone and BOOM! He's leveled on a shoulder-to-shoulder hit by Orpik just as he taps the puck forward. Skinner is on the ice face down for several minutes. Play is halted. An athletic trainer attends to Skinner, who is two games removed from a lengthy absence due to a concussion. He eventually recovers to his feet and retreats to the dressing room with the trainer. That looked ugly, but legal. Officials give Orpik a bogus interference minor. What an awful call. Skinner made contact with the puck then Orpik hit him. Martin, Michalek, Adams and Cooke take the ice.

12:13: Harrison takes a pass above the right circle and pumps a shot on net. Fleury eats it up.

10:48: Orpik come out of the box and whips a wrister on net from the right circle. Ward eats it up. Allen give the business to Orpik in the right wing corner. Orpik isn't having any of it and gives it back. A scrum develops but nothing comes of it.

10:00: Vitale and former Penguin Tim Brent collide in front of hte Hurricanes bench and smack into an official sending him over the boards into Carolina's bench. Ha.

9:56: Vitale is a pinball. He smacks Joslin with a solid shoulder check to the ice.

9:46: Vitale and Brent drop the gloves in front of the Hurrican'es creas.e They have each other twisted up pretty well but are able to land a few directs rights to each other's faces. Brent gets the better of the shots in. The fight ends with Vitale falling on his back behind the Carolina net with Brent on top. Vitale has a bloody nose. Give that one to Brent. Kind of a weird time to have a fight.

8:26: Harrison whips a wrister on net from the right point Fleury fights it off and loses track of it for a moment. It squeakes through his gear and rolls juuuuust wide of the left post. It ends up on the netting. Fleury covers to freeze play.

7:22: Off a give and go with Park, Dupuis whips a wrister from the right circle over the cage.

5:53: Jeffrey has a shot from the right circle blocked. Kennedy settles the puck and whips it off the right side of the cage.

5:18: Skinner is back apparently. He fpushes the puck up the left wing wide but can't get off a shot thanks to a stick check from Engelland.

4:54: After a collision in the crease with Jeffrey and Ponikarovsky, Ward kind of knocks his own mask off but continues with the play. Juuuust as officials blow play dead, Kennedy snaps off a wrister. The  Hurricanes take exception and jump Kennedy in the right wing corner. This game has gotten testy late.

4:21: Sullivan pumps a slapper from the right wing. Ward says no.

2:54: Martin controls a puck on the right wing, surveys the net and deals a shot/pass to the crease. Jeffrey and McBain drive to the net. It hits off one of them and deflects wide.

2:30: Ben Lovejoy has not played since 8:22 of the third period. No idea why.

1:09: Sullivan takes a pass on the left wing and has acres of ice to work with. Instead of shooting, he forces a bad cross-ice pass which is broken up.

0:16: Nodl chips a lpuck on net from the left wing corner. Fleury kicks it out. Jokinen follows up on the rebound and punches it on net.

0:08: Dupuis snaps off awrister from the right circle. McBain blocks it.

0:00: End of period. Hurricanes 1, Penguins 1.

THIRD INTERMISSION

The Penguins have a 35-24 lead in shots.

OVERTIME

4:46: Malkin challenges Joslin one-on-one in the right circle and snaps off a wickeld wrister Ward kicks it out.

4:32: Staal has a chance in tight but no dice.

3:28: After Kennedy makes a nice rush into the offensive zone, Kennedy snaps off a wrister from the right circle. Ward kicks it out.

2:49: Brandon Sutter chips a backhander from the right circle wide on the near side.

2:23: Staal picks up a loose puck on the right wing, barrles by Martin. Martin leaps down to force him into a bad shot. Fleury fights it off and kicks out a rebound attempt by Ruutu. Lovejoy skates the puck out of danger. What a save by Fleury.

1:56: The Hurricanes call a time out after an icing call to get a breather.

1:23: Malkin races up the right wing off a turnover. He cranks a slapper from above the right circle wide on the near side.

0:35: Off a give and go play with Jeffrey, Martin tries to sneak a backahnder through the five hole of Ward. Ward closes the gates.

0:14: Off a faceoff win in the right circle, Gleason pumps a slapper from the left point. Malkin leans down and blocks it.

0:02: Malkin roars into the offensive zone and cuts the slot. He leave a drop pas fro Dupuis. Dupuis snaps off a wrister. Gleason leans down to block it.

0:00: End of period. Hurricanes 1, Penguins 1.

FOURTH INTERMISSION

-This has had some playoff level intensity tonight.

SHOOTOUT

-Malkin gets the call first. he takes the puck gow slidlgy tot he right, cuts to the creas and slides smoothly to his backhand push the puck under Ward's glove. Penguins 1-0.

-Jussi Jokinen is one of the best in the business. He goes in with speed, goes to his backhand and lifts a shot by Fleury's glove hand. Lethal. Hurricanes 1, Penguins 1.

-Kunitz moves in on net and snaps off a wrister. Ward says no.

-Skinner gets the nod. He winds his way in on net, busts out a handful of dekes and is denied by Fluery's right leg.

-Neal moves in on net, goes slightly to his right, cuts to the crease and snaps off  deadly wrister by Ward's blocker. What a shot. Penguins 2-1.

-Staal has to score. He goes to his right move si onetgoe sin deep with a forehand move, gets Fleury tofall back on his butt and moves to his backhand. Fleury's right leg denies his shot. End of shootout. Penguins 2, Hurricanes 1. End of game. Mike Lange informs us of Elvis's whereabouts. That lame 'PITTTTSSSBURRRGGGHHHH" song is played. Penguins 2, Hurricanes 1.

POSTGAME

-First things first, Jeff Skinner said he was "fine" after the game. He said he check out with the doctor after Brooks Orpik's hit. Of the hit, Skinner said, "I saw him coming. I thought I could chip it in and get by him. Then when I realized I couldn’t, I got my hands up to protect myself as quick as possible. I felt fine the rest of the game."