It’s really difficult to be a Pens fan these days.
No, I’m not talking about the injuries. We as a fanbase have gotten used to those over the years.
I’m talking about the on ice product. Did you that there are a finite number of words and a finite number of ways to combine those words in the English language?
After yet another 3rd period comeback, I feel like we collectively as a fanbase have exhausted every single combination and permutation of those words to describe this club. Even when they don’t play particularly well, like last night, they’re still finding that little bit extra to win hockey games.
There’s hardly anything to bitch about anymore without being nitpicky.
Oh, Penguins, you made it so much easier when you sucked.
FIRST PERIOD
For the Penguins, the first half of the period consisted of them not getting shit going in terms of generating offense, largely in part because of what the Canes were doing in the neutral zone. It looked eerily similar to something we’ve seen before:
They were very effective shutting the Pens down by getting 4 guys behind the puck or on the blue line, forcing the Pens to dump the puck in and winning the races to the loose pucks. Combine that with hemming the Pens in their own zone and you have a recipe for an early goal.
https://gfycat.com/ThirstyFoolhardyEider
Crosby and Co. just stuck in their own zone for an extended period of time. Slow to react to the blocked shot and even slower to react to Hanifin’s feed. 1-0
Penguins are 8-4-1 in games they trail at the first intermission.
— Dave Molinari (@MolinariPGH) December 29, 2016
SECOND PERIOD
Twenty-six seconds into the period. Twenty-sixth goal of the season. 1-1
https://gfycat.com/SpryGivingFlyinglemur
Unreal speed from 87 to turn a 2v2 into a 3v2. Can’t place a shot too much better than that either.
With his assist on Sidney Crosby's goal, Justin Schultz is the 1st @penguins Dman with 17 points in a month since Sergei Zubov in March '96
— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) December 29, 2016
Pricing himself out of Pittsburgh one game at a time.
And with that, the game started opening up with a lot of end to end action. One sequence in particular was peak Penguins ice hockey this season. It had almost everything: an injury and a speedy breakaway. Ian Cole blocked a shot and was literally turned into a newt (he got better), but it allowed Wilson to break free on a breakaway, but was robbed by Ward.
https://gfycat.com/WaterloggedFlashyGnatcatcher
That save seemed to breathe new life into the Hurricanes and helped them their footing back in the game. With 7:28 left in the middle third, they’d regain the lead. Aho out-muscled Daley and stole the puck, drawing in Hagelin before dropping it off to Teravainen. Teuvo totally undressed Daley with a nasty move to get a shot on net with Stempniak lurking to cash in on the rebound. 2-1
https://gfycat.com/SparklingMarriedBelugawhale
THIRD PERIOD
Whether it was getting rocked by Daley on the Stempniak goal or a little over-extension on a save late in second; it doesn’t really matter, but Murray was replaced by MAF to start the third period because of something.
Dear everyone,
We don't know why the decision was made to switch goalies. We'll support whoever is in net and will post if we get an update.— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 29, 2016
Sullivan: Murray sustained a lower-body injury in the second period. No additional details. #Pens
— Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) December 29, 2016
But even with their backup in net, it didn’t stop the Pens from tying the game.
Nick Bonino had more wood on him than Remy Lacroix along the wall. He still dug it out and made a play for Kessel to make an elite pass to put it on a tee for Kunitz. 2-2
https://gfycat.com/UntidyAnyIndianrockpython
Despite coming in cold, Fleury was stellar in relief. Made a bunch of key saves to keep the game tied long enough for the Pens to take the lead.
https://gfycat.com/DimpledRingedGlobefish
Towards the end of the second, Hagelin and Kunitz were flipped and it paid immediate dividends. Hornqvist had some heroic shift, laying out to block a shot then supporting Daley along the boards to 6 to get him the biscuit. He got into the zone, cut inside, and hit Hags for the one-T for his second in as many nights. 3-2
https://gfycat.com/GlaringHastyGrosbeak
https://gfycat.com/AltruisticDelightfulLadybug
Deuces.
RANDOM NOTES
- Fleury had to make 19 saves in the 3rd period alone. Murray faced 27 through 40 minutes of game play.
Fleury has won only 1 game in relief in his career. Came Oct. 13, 2007 @ Toronto, 6-4. Made 19 saves in relief of Sabourin.
— Bob Grove (@bobgrove91) December 29, 2016
- Just another 3rd period comeback. Just another goal for Crosby. Just another assist for Schultz. No big deal.
- After giving up 7 powerplay chances against the Devils, the Pens kept their shit together and took 0 penalties last night. Kudos.
- Pens were heavily outshot 46-26. Moreover, the Canes attempted 86 shots, while the Pens attempted just 42. Not a great outing in terms of possessing the puck, but they haven’t had many games like that under Sullivan anyway. Carolina didn’t have a single player under 59% CF%, where Malkin (42.86%), Hornqvist (41.94%), and Oleksy (40%) were the only ones over 40%. Cole (-24) and Ruhwedel (-20) got decimated. Via @IneffectiveMath:
Pens play like their 900th straight New Years Eve game as the Canadiens visit the Paint Can in the last game before the much needed bye week. Do it.
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