With 8 games left, the road to the playoffs doesn’t get any easier for the Penguins. The NHL season is a war, and boy, have the Pens had their share of casualties along the way. Still, they’re finding way to gather some points in the standings in the face of the AHL team they’re icing nightly.
Still, back-to-back shootout losses totally suck.
They suck because shootouts in general suck. But they especially suck because you can’t help but feel that these dropped points are going to come back to bite the Pens once the playoff matchups are set in stone.
The good news, however, is they seem to be getting healthier.
The bad news, however, is that they get another injury every time a guy comes back.
But who knows. Maybe these shootout losses won’t mean dick when Malkin, Hagelin, Letang, Daley, Maatta, and Hainsey come back. Maybe these shootout losses won’t mean dick when 87 skates around PPG with Dubinsky’s head on a spike.
LINEUP
Apparently Scott Wilson got hurt against Ottawa, so the timing of Rust’s return worked nicely. Gaunce inserted back in as well, bumping Frank Corrado and his 5:54 of ice time out.
Welcome back, @rustyyy_92! Let's Go Pens! pic.twitter.com/Ueif3j61yu
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 24, 2017
FIRST PERIOD
For the first half of the period, you can unequivocally say that the ice was tilted in the Pens favor. They certainly had more jump than expected after playing a long game the night before. Rust almost went full Crostard with a goal on his first shift back from injury, but Halak stoned him. Josh Ho-Sang may have been the only player on the ice last night to match the jump Rust had. And no, there will not be a “rusty” pun.
About 3 people booed when Josh Ho-Sang just touched the puck. Everyone else either didn't notice or wasn't offended by his number.
— Jonathan Bombulie (@BombulieTrib) March 24, 2017
Pens got a powerplay halfway into the period when Kulemin went off for slashing Kuhnhackl, which seemed to help the Islanders surgically remove their heads from their asses and remember they had a hockey game to win.
And, at the buzzer, they thought they had gotten on that path. Jason Chimera made some uncharacteristically great play to feed Brock Nelson on the back door. Quine was driving the net and made contact with MAF to prevent him from getting across. Sully challenged. No goal.
https://gfycat.com/DopeyFirmDingo
Gotta say, Dougie Weight has a point. Probably should’ve been a goal. Doug Weight is basically everyone when the league won’t let 3v3 OT continue.
SECOND PERIOD
So while the Islanders were still sulking about not having the lead, the Penguins would respond just 1:54 into the second to actually take the lead. Kessel and Cullen with the hard work along the boards to sustain some pressure and open up a Cam Gaunce point shot through traffic for his first as a Peng. 1-0
https://gfycat.com/HappyHelpfulAcornweevil
But 3 minutes later, Gaunce would set the Isles up to tie things up by not getting the puck in deep as the Pens went for a change. Like, if Steve Harvey and Rita Repulsa had a child, it would be that exact play from Gaunce. 1-1
https://gfycat.com/CluelessJaggedBobolink
About 4 minutes later, the Pens starting getting some sustained zone time and looks at the cage, but Halak was on his game. When the Islanders finally cleared and got to transition, they dialed up another rip over Fleury’s shoulder. Lee-Tavares-Bailey put the Pens through the spin cycle with some nice passing, even though the Pens had more guys in the zone than the Isles did. Kunitz literally skated right by Lee as he came back into the zone and watched Bailey pass the puck instead of picking Lee coming late. 2-1
https://gfycat.com/HoarseAstonishingChrysalis
Sully again challenged, this time for offside. You can see Lee lift his skate up as Bailey crosses the line, but Bailey waited until Lee got it back down before he touched the puck. Good call.
https://twitter.com/DennisTFP/status/845431125379956736
But Crosby and Co. weren’t to be outdone by some pretty passing and put together a string of their own with 6:19 left. Sheary and Rust doing the damn thing right at the blue line to get into the zone was Grade A beef. Unlimited grit from Rust to take a hit to make the play to 43. Crosby with his 42nd and 8th in his last 7 games. 2-2
https://gfycat.com/FineAfraidHypsilophodon
Unfortunately for the Pens, the Islanders wouldn’t fuck off and fall into the Atlantic. Tavares got away with a little hold and picked Ruhwedel’s pocket as he fell down, drew Cole in and fed Cizikas for the go-ahead with 4.5 seconds left. All started from Phil and Bones giving the puck away to Cizikas in the neutral zone. 3-2
https://gfycat.com/FailingValidBorzoi
THIRD PERIOD
Pens looked gassed and dead for most of the third period and didn’t do themselves any favors by having to kill a penalty midway though. But just when they looked like they weren’t going to get that tying goal, they did. Gaunce making up for his fuck up earlier, walking his way to the net for Cullen to Dad Dick the Isles down and ensure both teams would take home a point. 3-3
https://gfycat.com/SpanishBrokenHerring
OVERTIME/SHOOTOUT
Pens were all over the Islanders through overtime and had more than enough chances to end it, but it was the Islanders taking home the full 2 points in the shootout instead because we can’t have nice things like unlimited 3v3 OT.
Beauvillier and Tavares would open up the scoring on either side of Kessel being stopped by Halak.
https://gfycat.com/PeriodicConsciousCrustacean
https://gfycat.com/AllRepentantGoose
Crosby gave the Pens a chance with a goal and Fleury kept the Pens alive with a big save on Ladd, but Halak stoned Bonino to take it home.
Game.
NOTES
- Pens drop to 5-5-2 in last 12 against the Islanders when training after 2.
- Fleury with a fine game, making 43 saves.
- The shootout is a dumb thing that shouldn’t exist.
Pens sit just a point back of the Caps and two points ahead of the Jackets, having played one more game than each of them. Big week ahead as the Pens host the Flyers tomorrow and Blackhawks Wednesday before a big date at MSG with the Rangers.
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