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What preamble to a game seven in the Stanley Cup playoffs could possibly add anything to the obvious tension and excitement that permeates each such game?  Not much, but in this battle between Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh there were some unique story lines.  Would the Penguin defense right the ship after suspect play in two straight losses?  Did Tampa Bay figure something out about the Penguins in those two games?  Will the Penguin power play show signs of life?  Would their forecheck ever reappear, and does Tampa Bay have what it takes to come back from a 3-1 series deficit?  All would be answered on Wednesday night at the Consol Energy Center.

In the first period, with the crowd in a frenzy, the Penguins executed more or less the way they wanted to for the first 20 minutes.  They spent most of their time in the opposing zone and were buzzing at times.  Dwayne Roloson was called upon at times to hold the fort and keep the scored tied for Tampa Bay.  Pittsburgh was also afforded two power plays, however entry into the zone was a problem on at least one of them and they failed to score both times.  When the first intermission buzzer sounded the score was still 0-0, although the Penguins decidedly got the better of the play.

The second period was a bit of a contrast to the first.  After killing another Penguin power play, Tampa Bay got their feet underneath them and began the swift transitions and quick passing that played a large role in their playoff berth this year.  They began getting the puck up ice with speed and at times establishing a forecheck of their own.  During this shift of momentum the Lightning were able to put the first goal of the night on the board when Dominic Moore and Sean Bergenheim combined for a play eerily similar to one they converted on in game 6.  Moore slipped behind the net with the puck and delivered a back door pass to the area he had just vacated and Bergenheim deposited the puck behind Marc-Andre Fleury, who had no choice but to respect the opposite post where Moore was heading.  With 35 minutes left to play in one team's season, Tampa Bay had successfully gained the first lead of the night.  Before the second frame had expired the Lightning were afforded two power plays of their own but Pittsburgh stopped the bleeding and the score remained 1-0 at the second intermission.

With only 20 minutes to play the Penguins were in desperation mode.  With their season on the line, they applied consistent pressure much like in the first period.  Tampa Bay chose to sit back and take a safe approach to the rest of the game, hoping they could weather any storm the Penguins inconsistent offense could muster.  Dwayne Roloson was called upon yet again to make many key saves, and players like Jordan Staal, Chris Kunitz, and others were either stonewalled by Roloson or simply failed to register a shot on goal.  

With time ticking away, Lightning forward Nate Thompson inadvertently broke Chris Kunitz's stick with his own and was assessed a minor penalty with 1:33 left in the game.  It was time for the Penguin power play to come up big when it counts.  Nothing up this point would matter if they could simply cash in for only the second time in thirty five tries.  Unfortunately for Pittsburgh fans, the same problems that have plagued the man advantage for months reared their ugly heads.  Entry into the zone was anemic, slow, and the puck was often jettisoned back into the Penguins zone before any semblance of a set up could be established.  There were a handful of chances though, but again Roloson was there.  With 13.5 seconds remaining the faceoff was placed outside of the Lightning zone and the outlook appeared bleak for Pittsburgh.  The puck was dropped, moved into Tampa Bay's zone but was then quickly cleared.  Time expired, and so did the Penguins' season.

The series loss can't be anything more than bittersweet for fans.  Despite keeping pace in the regular season with injuries to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Penguin power play was the definition of putrid and they struggled to compete with playoff teams.  This series was the matchup most had wanted, so blowing a 3-1 series lead isn't acceptable regardless of injury.  The Penguins have a system that values puck possession and stingy defense, but is it for better or worse?  Puck possession along the perimeter does not guarantee goals or even prime scoring chances.  It will be interesting to see if anything changes, however with Dan Bylsma's track record that is unlikely.  Regardless, with such high standards for the organization more will be expected next year when everyone is healthy.

Check back soon for my end of the season report card and analysis!
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 4/28/11

After Pittsburgh's first attempt to eliminate Tampa Bay resulted in an 8-2 thrashing at the hands of the Lightning, Monday night's game six provided an opportunity for redemption.  Still holding a 3-2 series lead, the Penguins travelled to sunny Florida in the hopes of putting together a full 60 minute effort that was worthy of a second round playoff birth.  Although they started off strong in game five Tampa Bay scored first and the floodgates opened behind Marc-Andre Fleury from there, often through no fault of his own.  The forecheck disappeared and the Lightning continued to score until the final buzzer sounded.  Needless to say some things would need to change.

Strangely enough Pittsburgh never seemed to fully get back on their horse after the previous debacle, although it was anyone's game for the majority of the contest.  The Lightning got the better of the play for much of the first period however the Penguins scored the all important first goal when a dump in play was bobbled by goaltender Dwayne Roloson.  Max Talbot jumped on the loose puck and just before Roloson could reset himself in the crease Pascal Dupuis took a low shot that gave the Penguins the lead.  

This is where many expected the Penguins to establish their forecheck, defensive stinginess, and general control of the game.  In actuality the ice never tilted in any specific direction and eight minutes after the first Penguin tally the Lightning got on the board.  Just as the Penguins had finished killing a Tampa Bay power play, forward Steve Downie delivered a wrist shot from the point that loose in the slot area.  After Ryan Malone's attempt was stopped Teddy Purcell cashed in on the second rebound and the game was tied.  

As the second period began it was clear that at this point in the series both teams had become very familiar with each other.  Neither seemed to be dictating and simply capitalizing on scoring chances seemed like it would be the difference at the end of the day.  With the Lightning cycling down low beneath the Penguins' goal line Dominic Moore seemed to be on his way to a possible wrap around attempt behind the net.  What followed surprised almost everyone but Moore himself.  The checking line center passed against the grain and behind his back to a wide open Sean Bergenheim who easily potted Tampa Bay's second goal of the game.  

For the rest of the second period the Lightning kept the lead highlighted by the help of some amazing saves by Dwayne Roloson.  Early on Jordan Staal finally chipped in a goal this series with a nice wrist shot from the slot that zipped by a screened Roloson.  Unfortunately for Pittsburgh just a minute later Steve Downie would be roaming in front of Marc-Andre Fleury unaccounted for, a problem that has plagued the Penguin defense for much of the series.  Vincent Lecavalier found Downie in front and he was then afforded not one but two shot attempts, and the puck was in before Zbynek Michalek could provide help.  As was the case often in this series, a quick goal shortly following another had swung the momentum in one team's favor.

With fifteen minutes left in the game the Penguins attempted to generate much needed scoring chances, but to no avail.  When the puck took a strange bounce off of the glass partition and came directly to defenseman Pavel Kubina, Ryan Malone saw his opportunity to break free.  As the play settled down and he knew his team would gain possession, Malone darted past the Penguin defense and received a beautiful pass from Kubina.  With Kris Letang in hot pursuit he blazed a slap shot from only 15 feet away which ended up directly under the cross bar, and the Penguins were down by two goals.

The last ten minutes of the game embodied the problems the Penguins have had as of late with the Lightning.  Not enough forechecking and not enough puck possession.  As a result Tampa Bay controlled the puck more and Pittsburgh was unable to get back into the game.  Going home for a crucial game seven, the Penguins must reestablish the hard working mentality that has gotten this far without their star players.  Whether or not Tampa will allow them to execute will determine the fate of this series and for one team, the season.

The Penguins play game 7 at home on Wednesday night at 8PM EST.
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 4/26/11

With the Penguins affording themselves a chance at an early elimination of Tampa Bay in game 5 Saturday afternoon, the big question was:  how will the Lightning respond?  The game took place in the friendly confines of the Consol Energy Center and aside from some mental mistakes in a game 2 loss, the Penguins seem to be getting one over on the Lightning for the vast majority of the series.  Their forechecking system was an effective force in all but the aforementioned second game and Tampa Bay's quick strike offense couldn't muster consistent chances.

On Saturday the Penguins began the game much like their other three playoff wins this year.  They established a strong cycling game that kept the puck away from Tampa's deadly forwards for much of the first fifteen minutes, with some decent scoring chances as well.  With five minutes left in the first it seemed like Pittsburgh was on its way to another textbook system win.  Then the Lightning scored.

After some incredibly nifty passing back and forth from Vincent Lecavalier to Teddy Purcell, Purcell rang a hard shot off of the cross bar behind goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury which bounced directly downwards into the crease.  Simon Gagne capitalized on the loose puck to give Tampa the first lead of the game.  

That was with three minutes left in the first, then 46 seconds later a player we hadn't heard much from made his presence known.  Steven Stamkos found himself on the top of the Penguin crease as Steve Downie delivered a low shot that rebounded directly to Stamkos, who quickly cashed in.  Zbynek Michalek and Paul Martin were both within spitting distance but failed to tie up the star goal scorer, and all of a sudden the Lightning led by two.

What followed in the final two periods was much like game 2, only worse.  The Penguin forecheck seemed to be completely neutralized when they failed again to score first.  The puck possession that Pittsburgh has prided itself upon the last few months vanished, leaving Tampa Bay with free reign over the entire ice surface.  Also, again like in game 2, blown coverages and mental mistakes opened the door for more Lightning goals.  Lecavalier scored his second goal of the series while Gagne and Stamkos each tallied their second of the game.

When all was said and done the Lightning prevailed 8-2, Pavel Kubina chipped in two late goals, Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled for Brent Johnson, and the vaunted Penguin penalty kill continued to struggle, killing only 3 of 7 Tampa Bay power plays.  Mike Rupp and Chris Conner scored in the third period but by then any bright spots were grossly overshadowed by a sixty minute effort that reeked of undisciplined and uninspired play on all fronts.  If the Penguins are to close out this series at any point they need to establish the game that's gotten them here and stifle the Lightning as they have in games 1, 3, and 4.

Pittsburgh flies to Tampa Bay for game 6 on Monday at 7PM EST.
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 4/24/11.

With the Penguins ahead in their playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, it was clear what both teams were about.  Pittsburgh was going to try and control the play with puck possession and rely on their top four defenders to prevent Tampa's quick strike offense from catching fire.  Tampa Bay would rely on their speedy, offensively-gifted forwards to take advantage of any Penguin miscues and to create some chances when none were given to them.

At home and with the prospect of going down three games to one, the Lightning didn't look too interested in tying up the series at first.  The Penguins controlled the puck for much of the first and second periods and the defense refused to back in and give the Tampa forwards any room with which to work.  Pittsburgh was simply executing the plan, and when a power play was awarded to them they finally got on the board with the man advantage.  Tyler Kennedy held the puck in the faceoff circle to the right of goalie Dwayne Roloson uncontested, and then delivered a short side shot that ended up behind the 41 year old netminder.  The entire Penguin organization must have breathed a sigh of relief given that the power play was the one obvious facet of the game that could lead to a Penguins series loss.

Two minutes into the second period an unfamiliar presence in the regular season who has been a huge factor in the playoffs made that presence known once again.  Arron Asham found a loose puck in the slot and delivered a shot lacking much velocity towards the net, where it hit the skate of Lightning forward Nate Thompson and took a strange bounce between Roloson's pads and into the net.  The Penguins now led by two.  

Much of the second played out like the first period with the Penguins more or less dictating play.  Then with two and a half minutes left Tampa Bay's best players came to play.  Vincent Lecavalier delivered a beautiful area dish pass over the Penguins blue line for a streaking Martin St. Louis, who blew past Matt Niskanen and evaded Ben Lovejoy to break in free and get the Lightning on the board.  When time expired in period two things were anything but certain for the Penguins, especially with time remaining on a Tampa Bay power play.

Pittsburgh managed to kill the rest of the power play and managed the puck fairly well while hanging on to the lead.  The Lightning were pressing though and St. Louis' goal had instilled the momentum they had desperately lacked up to that point.  With three minutes left, the dam finally broke.  A wrist shot from defenseman Pavel Kubina made its way through to the Penguin crease and after a mad scramble Sean Bergenheim found the puck and slammed it into the back of the Penguin net.  The game was tied and overtime followed.

Despite some close calls in front of Roloson caused by nifty plays involving Jordan Staal and others a full extra twenty minutes ticked away and a second overtime was to take place.  Three minutes in a player amidst arguably the most pressure of any Penguin came through.  An attempted clear by Tampa Bay was kept in by Paul Martin, and Jordan Staal quickly passed to James Neal who was planted against the right wing boards.  Instead of predictably hanging onto the puck and looking for options Neal heaved a high wrist shot that ticked off of Roloson's glove and ended up under the cross bar and into the net.  It was validation of all the hard work Neal has done and also provided the team contribution he desperately needed to make.

With Wednesday's 3-2 double overtime win the Penguins now have a commanding lead going home to the Consol Energy Center and a chance to end the Lightning's season.  Such games are always difficult though, and oftentimes teams facing elimination are willing to leave it all out on the ice for fear of a summer long break from hockey.  At the same time the Penguins are hitting all the right notes against a Tampa team many felt was a favorable matchup for the depleted Pittsburgh lineup.  If they can stick to the plan and provided Tampa Bay still refused to make adjustments to their game, a second round playoff birth should eventually come to pass for them.

The Penguins play at home in game five at noon eastern time on Saturday.
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 4/21/11.

The first two games of the first round playoff series between the Penguins and Lightning were a tale of two teams.  In game 1 the Penguins successfully executed their forechecking system and stifled Tampa Bay's big guns with puck possession and hard work, earning a 3-0 victory.  Game 2 saw Tampa's vaunted offense take control scoring early and then often resulting in a 5-1 win to tie the series.  The big question for game 3 would be which team would be able to impose their will on the other this time around?  

The answer turns out, was somewhere in the middle.  Despite a couple of close calls around the Penguin net early, Pittsburgh started the scoring when Max Talbot delivered a wrist shot past the blocker of Tampa goalie Dwayne Roloson.  As if scoring first wasn't important enough Arron Asham chipped in yet again shortly thereafter.  Mike Rupp simply embarrassed defenseman Victor Hedman along the Tampa bench, got around him and delivered a cross ice pass to Asham who beat Roloson before he could get across the crease.  It was eerily similar to Asham's previous dagger to Tampa in game one where he scored 18 seconds after Alexei Kovalev.  This time it took him just 46 seconds and the Penguins were off an running with a two goal lead.

With a few minutes left in the first James Neal had a golden opportunity in the slot area but failed to score.  A penalty was called and at first glance it appeared to be an infraction on a Lightning player who knocked Neal over, or another that cross checked Alexei Kovalev directly into Roloson.  Oddly enough the referee was calling Kovalev for goaltender interference despite the fact that he was obviously pushed hard by an opposing player.  Tampa Bay was awarded a controversial power play and though it took them almost the full two minutes Martin St. Louis eventually cashed in making it 2-1 Pittsburgh.

The second period went by without much fanfare but there was some chances exchanged by both teams.  Neal was afforded yet another great chance to score but again failed to register that next goal that he and the Penguin fan base are desperate for him to score.  At the end of 40 minutes the score remained 2-1.

Early on in the third the Lightning entered the Penguins zone in a two on two situation and an off balance Paul Martin took Vincent Lecavalier down to the ice with him earning a holding penalty.  Yet again the Lightning showed why they have the best power play in the Eastern conference.  A low point shot by Eric Brewer was directed cross ice on a nifty redirect by Vincent Lecavalier and again Martin St. Louis was there to bury it.  The score was tied and just like at the first drop of the puck fans wondered which team's philosophy would rue the day.

Tyler Kennedy answered that question just 31 seconds after St. Louis' tally.  Jordan Staal drew an offensive zone face off back to Brooks Orpik who delivered a low, hard shot to the net and Kennedy picked up the loose change to give the Penguins a 3-2 win.  The rest of the third period was a mix of successful Penguin forechecking and zone clearing.  Only in the last 8 seconds did Tampa Bay garner prime chances, with player scrambling frantically in front of Marc-Andre Fleury desperately trying to get a clean shot off.  The Penguins held their ground, a point shot with seconds left was blocked, and the game was won.

With contributions from Talbot and Asham the Penguins continue to rely on grinders to supply scoring, perhaps a bit too much.  At the same time it was a good sign when Tyler Kennedy scored the game winning goal.  Kennedy, Jordan Staal, Chris Kunitz, and James Neal are going to have to contribute to give the Penguins any semblance of a consistent offense.  On the other hand Tampa Bay is in the same boat to some extent.  St. Louis and Lecavalier, as good as they are, cannot be expected to win this series by themselves especially with how defensively sound the Penguins are.  Steven Stamkos continues to look lost in this playoff atmosphere and other players like Ryan Malone, Dominic Moore, and others need to contribute on the score sheet to get the Lightning in the habit of putting up the 3-4 goals they need each game to beat Pittsburgh.  

Chris Kunitz delivered a nasty elbow to Tampa Bay forward Simon Gagne and there has been some buzz about a possible suspension.  We won't know until Tuesday at the earliest, but it's impossible to predict what kind of discipline if any will be invoked.  

Game 4 will take place in Tampa Bay on Wednesday at 7:00pm.
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 4/18/11.

The Penguins have done much better than expected after losing top guns Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.  Coach Dan Bylsma's system that encourages hard work and simple play is a great fit for a team that has incurred key injuries.  The Penguins also still sport very good goaltending and a top defense.  A dip in goal production was still to be expected though, however if nothing else the Penguins have used the league's point system well to their advantage since goals have become a premium.  Their last 3 games have been hit and miss affairs in terms of performance but they've managed to maintain close games and reach overtime to guarantee themselves a point and have a chance at a second.  

The Florida Panthers come into town as one of the worst teams in the league.  A top five pick in this year's entry draft is almost a certainty and general manager Dale Tallon performed a mass exodus of older players at the trade deadline, signifying that the team is starting from scratch.  Nevertheless every point counts and many Florida players must play at a high level to ensure a roster spot next season.  Add to that the fact that they historically have given the Penguins their share of problems when the two teams have faced each other.

Much of the first period felt like the Penguins were still getting their legs after slogging through their last matchup against the defensive-minded Devils.  Lucky for them the Panthers don't have much in the way of offensive talents and as a result many opportunities either missed wide of the net or were gobbled up by Marc-Andre Fleury.  Still, the shots at the end of the first twenty minutes were 11 for the Panthers and 5 for the Penguins.  Needless to say the Pittsburgh coaching staff would demand some more emotion in the last two periods.

For whatever reason the Penguins did not seem to exhibit any more drive than they did in the first period.  They mismanaged the puck at times but Florida was unable to cash in.  In the last five minutes of the second the scoring did start however.  Ben Lovejoy found himself uncharacteristically deep in the Panther zone and wristed the puck and snuck it in above goaltender Tomas Vokoun's left shoulder to give the Penguins the lead.  Shortly thereafter Florida struck back though.  With his back to the net Ryan Carter deflected the puck off of an Alexander Sulzer slap shot which got past Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the game.

The third period came and went with each team exchanging a power play opportunity each but no one capitalized.  James Neal hit the post with a laser wrist shot late in the game but the contest was destined to go to overtime.  The extra frame was the only time the Penguins managed to outshoot the Panthers, and the end game statistics showed 38 shots for the lowly Panthers and only 28 for the Penguins.  Bylsma had to be somewhat disappointed especially since Florida is a struggling team and that the Penguins pride themselves on approaching or reaching 40 shots each time out.  Regardless the chance for two points still presented itself.

The overtime, like much of the game, came and went with little fanfare and the Penguins entered no less than their fourth shootout in a row in the last 8 days.  After Kris Letang and Mike Santorelli missed for their respective teams Alex Kovalev put a nifty head fake and shot on Scott Clemmensen, who had taken Vokoun's place after the starting goalie had seemed to injure his back late in the game.  Kovalev registered the shootout's first goal and Niclas Bergfors then failed to score for Florida.  James Neal then made his attempt for the Penguins and it all had a feel much like the last shootout against New Jersey.  This time Neal kept it simple, skating straight through the slot area and picking a spot to the right of Clemmensen where a wrist shot delivered the puck into the net.  

The result was the fourth shootout victory in a row for the Penguins and another two points.  Oddly enough despite the adversity Pittsburgh has faced they do have a legitimate chance at not only the division championship but that of the conference as well.  They remain only two points behind interstate rival Philadelphia and although the Flyers do have a game at hand, Tuesday's matchup will go a long way to determining playoff position between the two teams.

The Flyers and Penguins meet again on Tuesday at 7 PM ET.
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 3/27/11

As the playoffs loom and points become critical in the standings the New Jersey Devils found themselves in a strange situation after a midseason coaching change.  Out was John McLean whose debut with the team was supposed to signify a culture change with more offense and more excitement.  It simply didn't work and the Devils found themselves in an unfamiliar place:  at the very bottom of the NHL standings.  Former coaching stalwart Jacques Lemaire was convinced to come out of retirement to re-instill the defensive style New Jersey has become known for.  They climbed the standings miraculously, looking like a much different team who now had an outside chance at the playoffs.  After a few recent losses those hopes are all but dashed, but they remain a team that continues to give the Penguins fits, allowing only 10 goals in the last 10 games against Pittsburgh.

If there was one single period of play that ever exemplified Devils hockey that period unfolded Friday night at the Consol Energy Center.  After an initial shift by New Jersey that involved some nice cycling, the last 19 minutes of the first frame was rife with neutral zone play and virtually devoid of scoring chances.  When the horn sounded signifying the first intermission the Penguins had registered three total shots to the Devils one.  Almost needless to say the score was knotted at zero.

The rest of the game played out much like that period.  Shots increased to a barely reasonable level, but the scoring chances did not.  The Devils are notorious for being excessively patient waiting for their chances, but this game brought it to a whole new level.  The Penguins, lacking their top end firepower, were hard pressed to muster the 27 shots they eventually ended up with and the score was again tied at zero as regulation ended.

After an overtime that was far too much like the first 60 minutes that was played the home crowd was mercilessly treated to a shootout, the third in a row for Pittsburgh.  James Neal as the third shooter finally put a puck beyond the goal line and into the net as he crossed from right to left in front of goaltender Martin Brodeur, delivering a wrist shot just under the cross bar when it seemed he had run out of real estate.  Patrik Elias had a chance to keep New Jersey alive but Marc-Andre Fleury stood tall to give the Penguins the win.  Both goaltenders were awarded a shutout, as is customary when a 0-0 game reaches a shootout.

The Penguins play again on Sunday at home against the Florida Panthers at 1PM ET.
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 3/27/11

Historically a hockey game involving the Penguins and the Flyers has always led to a violent culmination of emotion regardless of the score.  Both teams would chip away at each other physically and refuse to back down, and more often than not shortly before the buzzer sounded a lot of after the whistle activities would play out.  It's been one of sports' most fiery rivalries for decades now, but an ironic change took place in the last calendar year or so.  

When current Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette took over for John Stevens he instilled an effective, physical yet disciplined style that has taken the edge off the once so-called Broad Street Bullies.  If that wasn't enough of a startling paradigm shift, if anything these days the Penguins are the aggressors.  They have been amongst the league leaders in fighting majors for most of the year and their rough and tumble bottom end of the lineup ensures they won't be pushed around by anyone that tries.  Nevertheless while Penguins/Flyers match ups may not be as barbaric as they were in the past, they're nonetheless important.  Everyone if jockeying for position in the Eastern conference standings and neither team wants the other to think they may have an edge come playoff time.

Much of the game played like a duel of wits.  This was punctuated by the occasional scoring chance but otherwise there was much more of a "grind it out" feel in this contest than we're used to when interstate rivals clash.  Other than an impressive first shift by the Flyers the first period went by without much of note, however Philadelphia did strike first.  With about five minutes left James van Riemsdyk beat Deryk Engelland around the left side and delivered a centering pass that went off of Flyers captain Mike Richards and into the net.  Due to a strange carom the play was reviewed, but it was ultimately determined that although Richards did make contact on the puck with his skate that it was then deflected in by a stick.  The period ended with the Flyers possessing a one goal lead.

A Penguin power play did carry over into the second period however, where early on Chris Kunitz delivered a cross ice pass to Tyler Kennedy in open space.  Kennedy made no mistake and lifted the puck high over goalie Sergei Bobrovsky's right shoulder to tie the game.  The rest of the period played out like much of the first, with a good bit of up and down play but not much in the way of sustaining momentum for either squad.

Throughout much of the game and especially the second half, Kennedy and James Neal were on a mission to make sure the Penguins did not relinquish and points in the standings to Philadelphia.  Both were all over the ice hitting, shooting, and generally making a difference.  Late in the third the Penguins did end up establishing momentum with a nice cycle game inside the Flyers zone.  Despite three nice looks for Kris Letang, including a between the legs pass from Jordan Staal, he failed to hit the net all three times.  Shortly thereafter the clock ran out and the game entered into overtime.

With an OT very much like regulation a shootout was the inevitable conclusion.  Marc-Andre Fleury stopped Ville Leino and Claude Giroux and then Alexei Kovalev scored as the Penguins' second shooter.  At that point Daniel Briere put one past the Penguins goaltender to keep his team alive.  James Neal and Mike Richards both subsequently missed shots for their respective teams, upon which Chris Kunitz delivered the game winner underneath Bobrovsky, who appeared to have the lower part of the net completely covered.  The puck did find its way into the net however and the Penguins were rewarded with a precious two point victory to stay ahead of Tampa Bay for 4th place in the Eastern conference playoff race.

The Penguins play Friday night at home against the New Jersey Devils at 7:00 PM.
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 3/24/11

Last night the Penguins entered what will most likely end up being their most difficult stretch of games heading into the playoffs.  With matchups against cross-conference rival Detroit and divisional rivals Philadelphia and New Jersey, a Sunday afternoon matchup against the New York Rangers seemed to be the best way to ensure a 2 point victory this week, if only by default.  While not as talented or currently hot as the other aforementioned teams, the Rangers are still a team in a tight battle for playoff position.

The Penguins came out firing against New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, although the quality of shots was highly debatable.  Coach Dan Bylsma, especially without Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, preaches a simple game.  Also, throwing pucks to the net is never a bad idea but there is such a thing as taking it to the extreme.  Amassing large amounts of wrist shots from beyond the offensive face off circles does not help a team win.  In fact, if anything it only communicates a desperate team attitude.  Every time you shoot the puck you must be at least somewhat selective as you risk turning the puck over each time you put it towards the net.  The Penguins do not seem to be fazed by this however and continued to give Lundqvist nothing more than practice shots for much of the first period.  

Artem Anisimov scored first for the Rangers and it was their first shot on the goal.  Meanwhile the Penguins had seven, however none of them were anything close to a serious threat.  Jordan Staal did become a threat later in the period however, taking a feed from James Neal which lead to a clean breakaway.  Staal head faked to the right and put a wrist shot under the right arm of Lundqvist, tying the game.

The second period came and went with little fanfare but when the third period rolled a critical turning point was reached.  Matt Cooke, no stranger to controversial plays, attempted and connected on a flying elbow to the face of Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh.  Without hesitation the referees correctly handed Cooke a 5 minute major penalty and a game misconduct.  Strangely enough the Penguins were the next to score.  While shorthanded Chris Kunitz entered the New York zone close enough to deliver a laser wrist shot just inside the far upper corner of the opposing net giving the Penguins the lead.  

Unfortunately the momentum was short lived.  Shortly after the Kunitz goal Matt Niskanen inadvertently high-sticked Ranger forward Ryan Callahan for a four minute double minor penalty.  Down two skaters the Penguins still managed to hold the lead for much of the 5 on 3 situation, until Marian Gaborik put in a rebound near the net tying the game.  Just seconds later a hard bounce off the back boards behind Marc-Andre Fleury was one-timed by Callahan into the net where Fleury failed to completely cover the near post. 

All of a sudden the Penguins found themselves trailing with roughly ten minutes to play. Pittsburgh did not manage to score through much of those ten minutes but were rewarded a power play late in the game when Kris Letang was roughed up a bit by defenseman McDonagh.  The Penguins power play continued its long drought (2 for 46) and even worse, McDonagh sprung from the penalty box just as the puck was cleared from the Rangers zone. 

The play resulted in a breakaway in which McDonagh registered not one but two shots and then a third from a trailing Derek Stepan, which gave New York a 4-2 lead.  An empty net goal by Brandon Dubinsky ended the game at 5-2 in favor of the Rangers. For much of the game the Penguins and Rangers played a safe, competitive game until Matt Cooke lost control.  His actions continue to reflect poorly on the league and the Penguins organization.  People should not be quick to criticize owner Mario Lemieux however. 

All Lemieux has done in the last few weeks is speak out against plays like this.  He has never asked for special treatment for his team, only that punishment be more severe across the board.  Lemieux has acknowledged that stiffer penalties would affect the Penguins as much if not more than most teams, and if anything he should be revered for actively speaking out against the violent turn the league has taken. The Penguins next game is Monday night at the Detroit Red Wings, 7:30PM ET.
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 3/21/11

After a slight stumble against the Montreal Canadiens this past Saturday, the Pittsburgh Penguins got things back on track Sunday afternoon against the lowly Edmonton Oilers with a 5-1 win.  Tuesday night presented a similar opportunity as they traveled to Ottawa for a contest against the rebuilding Senators.  A Stanley Cup finalist just a few years ago, Ottawa has slowly slipped each year since and subsequently decided at this year's trade deadline that scrapping things and starting over would be for the best.  A few impact players did escape GM Brian Murray's house cleaning however, and no game is an easy win in the NHL.

Truth be told the game played out similarly to Pittsburgh's victory against the Oilers.  The Penguins possessed the puck early and often and Ottawa managed only 9 shots through two periods.  It only took Pittsburgh about ten minutes to get on the score sheet however.  Tyler Kennedy brilliantly steered a Paul Martin shot, which was originally going wide, off the post to the right of goaltender Craig Anderson and into the Senators net to get things going.  Kennedy now has 16 goals on the season and 8 in his last 19 games, well ahead of his usual pace.  

Early on in the second period Jordan Staal was in the right place at the right time just as he was in Ottawa, hovering around the opposing crease and being there to capitalize on a rebound to make the score 2-0.  Despite sometimes underwhelming play, Staal is slightly above his usual point production since Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin left the lineup due to injury.  Ryan Shannon got the Senators on the board with a power play goal, however Brent Johnson remained sharp the entire game and turned in a very solid performance despite the Ottawa only registering a total of 22 shots.  The rest of the scoring would be done by the Penguins.

Ben Lovejoy and Matt Cooke contributed goals before the second period was over, and Zbynek Michalek would bring the score to 5-1 in favor of Pittsburgh.  Never being relied on to produce points, Michalek had gone over 80 games without scoring a single goal but now has 3 in the past 5 games.  His goal would cap the night off and result in the second consecutive 4 goal victory for the Penguins.

While having the luxury of meeting the two worst teams in the league can do wonders for a team, Pittsburgh conversely will have to run the gauntlet after a 4 day break before their next contest.  They face the New York Rangers on Sunday who are desperate to stay in the playoff race.  After that they face the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, and New Jersey Devils all between Monday and Friday.  A bit of lag time now between contests will culminate with 4 highly competitive matchups in 6 days.  With the season entering the home stretch, the standings are about to get very interesting.
Written By Mike Kovach, Submitted 3/15/11