Penguins at Bruins - 04-03-12
PREGAME
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-This is a weird game for the Penguins in terms of the opponent. The Bruins have clinched everything they can. They have the Northeast Division title and the second seed wrapped up. They can't move up or down in the standings. What moativation do they have to go full bore tonight?
-The Penguins are starting Brent Johnson tonight. We'll see if his performance in the last two periods against Buffalo Friday was legit.
-Can the Penguins get their defense straightened out tonight?
-The Bruins' lines and defensive pairings according to the Boston Globe are:
Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Rich Peverley
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Tyler Seguin
Benoit Pouliot - Chris Kelly - Brian Rolston
Daniel Paille - Gregory Campbell - Shawn Thornton
Zdeno Chara - Dennis Seidenberg
Andrew Ference - Joe Corvo
Torey Krug - Johnny Boychuk
-The Penguins' starters are Sidney Crosby, Pascal Dupuis, Steve Sullivan, Kris Letang, Paul Martin and Brent Johnson.
-Their scratches are Dustin Jeffrey, Ben Lovejoy, Richard Park and Eric Tangradi.
-The Bruins' starters are David Krejci, Milan Lucic, Rich Peverly, Joe Corvo, Andrew Ference and Marty Turco.
-Their scratches are Jordan Caron, Mike Mottau, Adam McQuaid, Tukka Rask, Tim Thomas and Greg Zanon.
FIRST PERIOD
19:32: The Penguins get a power play very early as Krejci pokes a puck out of play from his own zone. That's two minutes for delay of game. The Penguins decline to go with five forwards on the power play and use Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Chris Kunitz and Crosby.
18:52: Letang chops a one-timer from the top of the slot. It hits a body in front.
18:14: Peverly goes deep on the right wing, goes behind the net and tries to jam in a wraparound attempt on the left side of the cage but can't get a clean shot off.
17:32: Just as Krejci's minor expires, Kennedy booms a slapper from the left wing wide of the cage.
16:08: The great Joe Vitale steals a puck at the Bruins' blue line, turns around and whacks a slapper wide to the left of the cage.
15:24: Neal snaps off a wrister from the left circle. Johnny Boychuk blocks it and appears hobbled a bit afterwards.
14:46: Joe Corvo chops a slapper from the right point. Johnson kicks it out despite traffic.
13:46: Andrew Ference fires a slapper from the left point. Craig Adams challenges and blocks the shot out of play.
13:35: Letang whacks a half slapper from the left half wall. Turco kicks it out. That was the Penguins' first official shot of the game.
12:40: Neal and Lucic mix it up. Both players are sent off for roughing. Four on four.
12:29: Corvo takes a pass in the right circle. With space, he puts a shot wide.
12:19: Letang snaps off a quick backhander from the left circle. Turco holds it out. The rebound hops to the left of the cage. Dupuis jumps on it and sneaks a little pass to the left circle. Crosby snaps off a wrister to the far side by Turco's glove hand. What a shot. Dupuis and Letang get assists. Dupuis' scoring streak is now 15 games, longest in the NHL this season. Somewhere, Mike Milbury just spit out his brontosaurus burger. Penguins 1-0.
11:25: From deep on the left wing, Krejci snaps off a wrister which Johnson bodies away.
10:56: Torey Krug snaps of a wrister from the left circle. Johnson makes the save.
9:03: Bobby Orrpik goes in deep on the left wing and chucks a wrister on net. Turco bodies it away.
8:50: Tyler Seguin gets in deep on the right wing and challenges the net from the left circle on a mini breakaway. Johnson poke checks and manages to knock the puck away.
5:14: Letang trips up Brad Marchand at the Penguins' blue line and prevents a potential breakaway. No call.
5:02: Paul Martin scored?!?! Martin lugs the puck through the neutral zone and deals a pass to Kennedy on the right wing. Kennedy gains the offensive zone and snaps off a wrister. Turco fights it off but allows a rebound to the left of the crease. Martin charges in and whacks at the puck as he's tripped up by Boychuk. The puck flutters up, off the cross bar and behind the goal line. Turco tries to sweep the puck out quickly but officials rule a goal on the ice. Officials review the play. Replays appear to show Martin punching the puck into the cage as he's tripped by Boychuk. After a lengthy review, the goal is confirmed. Kennedy and Letang get assists. It's Martin's second goal of the season. Penguins 2-0.
4:15: After a brutal turnover by Orpik deep in the Penguins' zone, Rolston snaps off a wrister form the left circle to the far side. Johnson kicks it out. Orpik owes Johnson a beer.
3:37: Lucic chops a slapper from a tough angle on the left wing. Johnson fights it off.
3:03: The Penguins get sloppy on defense and pay the price. Rolston snaps off a wrister from the Penguins' blue line. Steve Sullivan blocks it. Dupuis tries to handle the puck but Chris Kelly forces him off it. Benoit Pouliot follows up on the loose puck, blows by Martin en route to the net and lifts a simply perfect backhander over the left shoulder of Johnson and juuuust under the cross bar. There wasn't much room for error on that shot. Some ugly defense by the Penguins. Kelly and Rolston get assists. Penguins 2-1.
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1:29: Seidenberg booms a slapper from the right point wide on the near side.
0:45: Off a backhanded pass from Malkin, Neal chops a one-timer from the left circle. he fans ont he shot and it hops up on net. Turco gloves it easily.
0:00: End of period. Penguins 2, Bruins 1.
FIRST INTERMISSION
-Some good, some bad for the Penguins that period.
-First, the good. The Penguins continue to get offense. And the hitting. They took it to the Bruins with a lot of checks.
-The bad. The defense continues to allow some prime scoring chances. And the power play looked pretty weak.
-Brent Johnson looks pretty sharp thus far. If not for a perfect shot by Pouliot, he has a shutout.
-The Bruins have a 13-10 lead in shots.
-Letang, Krejci and Rolston each lead the game with two shots.
-Letang leads the game with 8:49 of ice time.
-Dennis Seidenberg is right behind him with 8:40.
-The Penguins have a 13-9 lead in faceoffs (59 percent).
-Malkin, Crosby and Patrice Bergeron are each 4 for 7 (57 percent).
-Michalek and Orpik each lead the game with two blocked shots.
SECOND PERIOD
19:42: It doesn't take long for the Bruins to tie it. Ference shoots the puck in from the neutral zone into the Penguins' zone. Letang recovers the puck in the left wing corner but turns it over to Lucic on the left wing wall. Licukc whips it at the cage. I thits somehitn gfron and islite in front of the crease. Krejci jumps on he puck in front of Letang and deals a sneaky pass to Lucic creepng in from the left circle. Johnson fails to read the pass and Lucic snaps the puck by his stick. What a pass by Krejci. Krejci and Peverly get assists. Bruins 2, Penguins 2.
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18:53: HUGE save. Kennedy fumbles the puck on the left wing wall of his own zone. Marchand steals it and motors in on net on a two-on-one with Seguin. He deals to Seguin in the right circle. Johnson slides ot his left and swats away Seguin's shot with his glove hand. What a save. The Penguins are having all sort sof defensive issues.
17:02: Craig Adams whacks a loose puck from above the left circle towards the cage. It hits a body in front.
16:28: Crosby corrals a loose puck on the left wing and whips a feed to the slot. Dupuis is there and pokes the puck over the cage.
16:21: Michalek booms a slapper from the left point. Turco eats it up
16:00: Dupuis races in off the right wing with space and whips a low wrister on net. Turco absorbs it.
14:32: Kennedy snaps off a wrister from the left wing. Turco kicks it away.
13:24: Krug rockets a slapper from the left point. Johnson kicks it out despite traffic.
11:50: Kunitz controls the puck in the left circle, hesitates a bit and snaps off a wrister which Turco knocks dead and covers.
8:36: Andrew Ference used to be a Penguin:
5:53: Cooke steals a puck at the Boston blue line and snaps off a wrister which Corvo blocks it he right circle.
4:57: Sullivan snaps off a rising wrister from the left circle. Turco snags it with a glove hand.
4:28: Crosby floats a shot/pass from the left wing. Turco kicks it out. Sullivan is there for the rebound but chops it over the cage.
3:55: Kennedy has a chance in the left circle and snaps off a wrister. Turco challenges heavily and fights it off.
2:40: Niskanen collects a puck in the right wing corner of his own zone and and chips it around the boards. Paille skate over to make a play and ends up leaving his feet to hit Niskanen. Niskanen crashes to the ice in a heap. Arron Asham skates to Paille to give him some business. Officials manage to hold everyone at bay. Niskanen eventually recovers to his skates and makes his way to the bench in some discomfort. He heads to the dressing room. Paille is called for charging. Letang, Malkin, Neal, Crosby and Kunitz take the ice.
2:31: Malkin fires a wrister from the right circle. Turco makes the save. Peverly is called for high sticking Letang. Letang sold that well. Not sure if that stick even hit his face. Letang, Malkin, Neal, Crosby and Kunitz stay on the ice. The Penguins will have a two-man advantage for 1:51.
2:10: Letang drives a shot from the right circle. Turco makes the save. The puck squirts behind him. Seidenberg pokes it out of danger.
1:49: The Penguins cash in. Letang slide a pass from the left circle to Crosby. Crosby taps the pass to Kunitz int the slot. Kunitz whiffs on the shot. The puck slides to Neal in the right circle who whips a wrister over the glove hand of Turco. It's his 40th goal of the season. Kunitz and Crosby get assists. They will have 1:18 left on a five-on-four power play. Penguins 3-2.
1:33: Neal hits Boychuck behind the Bruins' net. Ference goes after Neal. He drops his gloves and challenges Neal. Neal hesitates for a moment before dropping the gloves. It ends up being a pretty spirited tilt. Neal (6-foot-2, 208 pounds) lands several rights on the smaller Ference (5-foot-11, 189 pounds). Ference hangs in there and eventually tackles Neal to the ice. Ference should be called for an instigating minor but this is the NHL, so they don't call it.
1:01: Letang controls a puck in the right circle and slides a slick pass through traffic to Crosby just inside the left circle. Crosby jabs the feed by Turco's right skate. What a play. Letang and Malkin get assists. Penguins 4-2.
0:00: End of period. Penguins 4, Bruins 2.
SECOND INTERMISSION
-There was a very good start to the period for the Bruins, a bunch of nothing in the the middle, and a very good ending by the Penguins.
-Hard to complain about the Penguins' power play after that huh?
-Johnson continues to be strong. He has had to steal a few goals in this game.
-Is it fair to say Crosby is back?
-The Penguins have a 21-20 edge in shots.
-Letang, Seguin and Lucic each lead the game with three shots.
-Letang leads the game with 16:57 of ice time.
-Seidenberg leads the Bruins with 15:53.
-The Penguins lead in faceoffs, 24-20 (55 percent).
-Staal and Malkin are each 7 for 12 (58 percent).
-Krejci is 5 for 8 (63 percent).
-Orpik leads the game with three blocked shots.
-Corvo leads the Bruins with two.
THIRD PERIOD
19:28: Krug rockets a one-timer from the left point. It hits off Pouliot in the slot and deflects on net. Johnson rights it off despite traffic.
18:45: The Bruins are flying. Seguin takes a pass at the Penguins' blue line and is off on a breakaway. He motors in on net and lifts a wrister way over the cage. The Penguins dodged one there.
17:35: A puck slides to Michalek above the left circle. Michalek chops it on net. It hits a body in front.
17:30: Michalek gets the puck t the top of the slot and booms a slapper wide of the cage.
16:15: Letang whacks a slapper from the left point. Turco fights it off with his glove hand.
15:55: As Bob Errey mentions that Niskanen is not available, Pouliot chips a backhander on net from the left circle. Johnson fights it off.
15:02: Bergeron whips a wrister on net from the left wing. Johnson holds it out despite having Seguin jab away at the rebound.
14:23: Chara chops a slapper from the right half wall. Michalek appears to block it.
13:45: Adams fights off a check from Gregory Campbell in the left circle and chops a shot towards the crease. Asham is in front with his stick on the ice. It hits off this forehand and glances into the cage on the far side by Turco's glove hand. A nice dirty goal. Adams and Vitale get assists. Penguins 5-2.
13:15: Boychuk tries to hit Asham along the right wing boards of the Penguins' zone. They appear to hit knee on knee. Boychuk gets the worst of the contact and lays on the ice in discomfort. Play is halted. An athletic trainer attends to Boychuk. He eventually recovers to his skates but is helped to the bench by Rolston and Kelly. He retreats to the dressing room.
11:56: Another poor display of defense by the Penguins leads to a Bruins goal. Lucic flies up ice on a two-on-one with Peverly against Letang. Letang attends to Lucic. Luici is able to sneaks a backhanded pass from the right circle to Peverly in the left circle. Peverly is able to chop the backhander into the cage by Johnson's blocker on the near side. Paul Martin looked totally lost on that play. Lucic and Krejci get assists. Penguins 5-3.
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9:47: The Rangers have beaten the Flyers, 5-3. They clinch the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference.
9:39: Big chance here for the Penguins. Crosby chops a puck out of play in his own zone. That's delay of game. This is do or die for the Bruins. Jordan Staal, Cooke, Michalek and Orpik take the ice.
7:46: Chara booms a slapper from the left point. Johnson stops it with his chest and covers to freeze play.
7:39: The Crosby minor is killed.
6:41: Seguin snaps off a wrister from the left circle which hits off the side of the net.
4:35: Chara chucks a wrister from the left points. It rises up and catches the great Joe Vtale in the right side of the face. He rolls on the ice in pain while holding his face. Athletic trainer Chris Stewart attends to him. he appears to have a little blood on his neck. Ouch. That looked ugly. He eventually makes his way to the dressing room.
2:49: Seguin chops a one-timer from the left circle. Johnson kicks it out.
1:39: Krug lifts a wrister from a tough angle on the left wing no where near the cage.
1:20: Turco is pulled for an extra attacker.
0:50: Crosby is out with Malkin and Dupuis at the end of the game with the open cage.
0:29: Dupuis is tripped up by Chara. That's two minutes. Kennedy, Staal, Malkin, Orpik and Letang take the ice.
0:00: End of period. Penguins 5, Bruins 3.
POSTGAME
-First things first, there are no updates on the health of Matt Niskanen or the Great Joe Vitale. Dan Bylsma told media in Boston they will be evaluated in Pittsburgh.
-Was it perfect? No. Not by a long shot. But it was a win. And it came at a key time.
-Most importantly, it gave the Penguins a three-point lead over the Flyers in the race for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. If the Penguins beat the Rangers Thursday, they will clinch the No. 4 seed and that will make Saturday's game against the Flyers meaningless.
-And with the Rangers clinching the No. 1 seed, don't expect them to go full bore in that game.
-The best part of this game for the Penguins was Brent Johnson. He was very strong. He stole a few goals and helped his team settle down after surrendering a two-goal lead to start the second period. He has had a very strong response in the two games.
The power play was clicking. And conveniently enough, it happened with Kris Letang back on the point.
-Defensively, the Penguins were messy. That said, they were a little better than they were against the Flyers and the Islanders.
-The pairing of Letang and Paul Martin had a rough night. They just didn't seem to have a ton of cohesion. They were out of position quite a bit and had a few turnovers.
-The Penguins' third line was awfully quiet.
-Tyler Seguin was awfully scary tonight.
-The Bruins led in shots, 29-27.
-Seguin led the game with five shots.
-Letang led the Penguins with four.
-Letang led the game with 23:53 of ice time.
-Dennis Seidenberg led the Bruins with 25:09.
-The Penguins had a 31-29 edge in faceoffs (52 percent).
-David Krejci was 7 for 11 (56 percent).
-Jordan Staal was 10 for 18 (56 percent).
-Brooks Orpik led the game with five blocked shots.
-Joe Corvo led the Bruins with two blocked shots.
-Pascal Dupuis increased his league-best and season-best scoring streak to 15 games.
-Crosby (606 points) moved past Jean Pronovost (603) for fifth place on the franchise's all-time scoring list.
-Letang (168 points) moved past Doug Bodger (167) for 47th place.
-Chris Kunitz (155) moved past Bob "Battleship" Kelly (154) for 53rd place.
-Neal (87th) moved past Chuck Arnason (86th) for 96th place.
-Highlights: