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The Penguins, hockey and more, by the PG's Seth Rorabaugh. |
PREGAME
-Greetings from a carbon copy of of yesterday's wonderful day weather wise. It's in the high 50s, sunny and there isn't a cloud in the sky. This is more of a late October day than it is an early January evening.
-Dahntahn:

-The old silver barn:

-Tonight's barn:

-The ice:

-The rink:

-A few sights around the arena. A Darius Kasparaitis jersey:

-Colby Armstrong:

-A couple of one-time Penguins/Devils players. Mike Rupp:

-Arron Asham:

-Ben Lovejoy is your IceTime cover boy:

-Fans walking off Center Avenue:

-The Devils have a few fans here. Martin Brodeur:

-Patrik Elias:

-Zach Parise "Christmas" jersey:

-Dainius Zubrus and Ilya Kovalchuk:

-And these yahoos:

-Tom Barrasso:

-Jeff Taffe Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:

-Jay Caufield with an autograph:


-A man who was a hero for the Penguins in the 1999 playoff upset of the Devils, Martin __raka:

-Colin McDonald has a fan from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the house:

-Jersey Foul of the Night: We don't even know what to say:

-Jersey of the Night: Courtesy of long-time EN reader Lowell Murray, Dan Lacouture:

-Warm ups:



-The Penguins' starters are Chris Kunitz, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Paul Martin, Zbynek Michalek and Marc-Andre Fleury.
-Their scratches are Arron Asham and Jordan Staal.
-The Devils' starters are Patrick Elias, Petr Sykora, Dainius Zubrus, Adam Larsson, Bryce Salvador and Martin Brodeur.
-Their scratches are Cam Janssen, Tim Sestito and Travis Zajac.
-No Jimerson. No photo.
FIRST PERIOD
19:18: Neal pushes the puck up the right wing and snaps off a wrister from along the boards. Parise goes stick on puck and deflects it wide.
18:09: Matt Taormina whips a wrister at the cage from the left point. Fleury fights it off with his glove hand. During a scramble for the rebound, Fleury is run over by Kovalchuk who gets a slight shove in the back from Brooks Orpik. No call. That's a questionable non-call.
17:15: Eric Boulton barrels his way up the right wing and flings a backhander on net. Fleury punches it to the crease. Nick Palmieri punches it on net from in front of the crease. Fleury fights it off. Another bad rebound off a shot from a bad angle.
15:45: Malkin taps a pass to Engelland at the right point. Engelland chops a half slapper which Brodeur boots out.
15:12: When the Penguins need him the most, Evgeni Malkin delivers. Martin corrals a puck on the left wing boards and slides a pass to Malkin at the left point. Malkin winds up and cranks a one-timer which glances off the underside of Brodeur's glove and flies into the net. Brodeur appeared to have a clear look at that puck. He needs to make that save. Martin and Kunitz get assists. The "Woo-Hoo!" song and the "Malkamania" videos are played. Penguins 1-0.
13:09: Steve Sullivan controls a puck behidn the net and tries to jam in a forehand wraparound attempt from the left of the cage. No dice.
10:10: Lovejoy is deep on the right wing and flings a wriste wide on the near side.
9:36: Kennedy smacks Ryan Carter to the ice in front of the scorers booth.
9:11: Off a steal by Kunitz in the neutral zone, Malkin gains the offensive zone on the right wing and leave a drop pass for Engelland at the right point. Engelland steps up and blasts a one-timer on net. Brodeur makes the save. he allows a little rebound which Malkin chops on net. Brodeur collects it.
6:15: Steve MacIntyre is up to three shifts tonight. Uh oh.
5:56: Colin McDonald shoves Henrik Tallinder to the ice behind the Devils net.
5:49: After an icing call, Devils coach Peter DeBoer calls a timeout to give his players a breather.
5:45: Two disallowed goals for the Penguins in two nights. Off a faceoff in the right circle of the Devils' zone, Malkin wins the faceoff and chops the puck at the crease. Brodeur fights it off. The puck flutters in the air and Neal kind of underhand swats it into the cage. No goal. That would've have worked in handball but not hockey.
4:45: Michalek chucks a wrister from the right point. Kunitz is in front and re-directs it juuuuusssttt wide.
3:22: Richard Park puches the puck up the right wing oalong the boards, gains the offensive zone and snaps off a low wrister which Brodeur kicks out.
2:04: Tallinder chips a puck from the left point which hops up and strikes Engelland in the face. Engelland is staggered a bit but stays in the game.
0:00: End of period. Penguins 1, Devils 0.
FIRST INTERMISSION

-The Devils controlled things for the first 4-5 minutes of the game before the Penguins starting pressing the issue and maintained the bulk of puck possesion in the Devils zone.
-Overall, it was a pretty boring period. There were several stretches of stagnant play.
-The lone highlight, beyond Malkin's goal, might have been MacIntyre getting upwards of three shifts.
-The Penguins have a 12-3 lead in shots.
-Deryk Engelland leads the game with four shots.
-Malkin has three.
-None of the Devils has more than one.
The Penguins have a 10-6 lead in faceoffs.
-Malkin is 4 for 5 (80 percent).
-Steven Zalewski is 3 for 6 (50 percent).
-No one has more than one blocked shots.
-Looks like Dan Bylsma is using some different lines and defensive pairings:
Kunitz - Malkin - Neal
Cooke - Dupuis - Adams
Sullivan - Park - Kennedy
MacIntyre - Vitale - McDonald
Martin - Michalek
Engelland - Orpik
Lovejoy - Niskanen
-The Devils lines are
Zach Parise - Adam Henrique - Ilya Kovalchuk
Petr Sykora - Patrik Elias - Dainius Zubrus
Mattias Tedenby - Steve Zalewski - David Clarkson
Eric Boulton - Ryan Carter - Nick Palmieri
Bryce Salvador - Adam Larsson
Henrik Tallinder - Mark Fayne
Matt Taormina - Kurtis Foster
SECOND PERIOD
19:29: Martin chops a loose puck from the left point. He fans a bit on the shot and the puck slides into the slot. Dupuis hacks it on net with a backhander.
19:06: Big save. From the right point, Kovalchuk taps a pass to Parise in the left circle. Parise spins and swats a shot to the far side. Fleury kicks it out with his left foot.
15:21: After a few stagnant minutes of play, Kovalchuk snaps off a wrister from the right wing. Martin goes stick on puck and deflects it out play.
15:15: Off a faceoff win in the right circle, Toarmina booms a slapper from above the left circle. Fleury kicks it out with a "thud."
13:55: Malkin wins a puck battle behind the net with Tallinder and taps the puck to the crease. It skids loose to the right circle. Kuntiz jumps on it and booms a one-timer Brodeur fights it off.
13:04: Adam Henriqe spins off a check from Martin in the right circle and whips a backhander on net. Fleury denies it.
12:07: Bryce Salvador chucks a wrister from the slot. It hits a stick and flutters wide of the cage. Boulton skates in backwards and knocks over Fleury. That's two minutes. Malkin, Neal, Kunitz, Niskanen and Steve Sullivan take the ice.
12:03: Off a faceoff win in the left circle, Niskanen booms a slapper from above the right circle. It hits something and deflects out of play.
11:44: Neal slides a pass from the right corner of the Devils' zone to Sullivan at the left point. Sullivan booms a slapper which Brodeur stretches out for and snags with a glove. What a save.
11:21: Uh... what? Sullivan sumbles a puck at the right point and Henrique picks it up and races up ice on a breakaway. He chugs in on net and shoots low. Fleury makes the save initially but Henrique is able to drag the puck away from Fleury poke the rebound by his left leg just as the whistle blows. Officials don't really signal anything at first. They confer and rule a goal was scored. A wonderful play by Parise to force the turnover and even better play by Henrique to keep the puck alive. Parise gets the only assist. The Penguins allow their second shorthanded goal in as many nights. Devils 1, Penguins 1.
11:11: This power play horrible right now. Off the ensuing faceoff, the Devils dump the puck behind the Penguins' net. Fleury tries to play it but allows it to slide around the boards to Kovalchuk on the right half wall. Kovalchuk hurries a wrister at the cage. Fleury is able to scramble back in time to make the save. Ugly.
10:31: Niskanen wires a one-timer from the left point. Brodeur gets a piece of it.
10:21: Niskanen whips a wrister on net from the left point. Brodeur fights it off. Kunitz is there for the rebound but can't get a clean shot off.
10:09: As the Boulton minor expires, Kovalchuk gets loose on another breakaway. With Martin on his backside, He whisp a wrister on net. Fleury fights it off. Just brutal.
10:01: The Penguins call a time out to get organized. They look awful right now.
9:42: Malkin galops into the offensive zone, pulls up on the right wing wall and slides a pass to Engelland at the right point. Engelland whips a wrister on net which Brodeur fights off.
8:42: Mattias Tedenby drives to the net. Lovejoy sort of dives and takes out his legs. Tedenby crashes into the net dislodging it. He's smarting a bit. Attendance is listed as 18,594. It is the team's 229th consecutive sellout.
8:37: Off the ensuing faceoff, the Devils strike, Parise circles around with the puck in the right wing corner and deals a pass to Kovalchuk At the top of the slot. Kovalchuk booms a one-timer which burns Fleury on his blocker side. Fleury might have been screened there. What a shot. Parise and Henrique get assists. Devils 2-1.
8:03: Kovalchuk snaps off a wrister from above the right circle. Fleury makes the save. Henrique and Parise each have a crack at the rebound but can't get a stick on it.
4:44: After another stretch of stagnant play, Dupuis snaps off a wrister from the right circle. Larsson blocks it wide.
4:33: Dupuis snaps off a wrister from the right circle. Brodeur kicks it out to the slot. Cooke is right there for the rebound but overskates the puck allowing it to slide through his legs.
3:44: With Malkin driving to the cage, Neal floats a wrister on net from the right circle hoping for a rebound presumable. Brodeur kicks it to the left corner.
3:20: Kunitz settles a puck in midair in front of the crease. Instead of shooting, he forces a backhand to Neal in the left circle. Neal is a step slow and can't get a clean shot off. Kunitz needs to shoot that, even if its a low percentage chance.
2:09: McDonald whips a wrister from the left wing corner. It hits a body in front. Orpik jumps on the rebound in the slot. but blasts it wide.
2:04: Heading the other way on another breakaway, Kovalhcuk booms a slapper from the slot no where near the net.
0:11: Off a faceoff win in the right circle Niskanen whips a wrister at the cage. Zubrus blocks it in the slot.
0:03: Niskanen corrals a loose puck at the left point and flings it on net. Brodeur knocks it dead and covers.
0:01: Of a facoeff win by Malkin hte left cirlce. Kunitz cranks a slapper from the right circle. Brodeur kicks it out.
0:00: End of period. Devils 2, Penguins 1.
SECOND INTERMISSION

-That was just ugly. One failed power play by the Penguins turned this game around quickly.
-This power play has been just brutal the past two nights. Not just ineffective, brutal. Two shorthanded goals on consecutive nights is in excusable.
-What is it about Steve Sullivan that he is relagated to third-line duties right now? He could really help this team with an elevated five-on-five role considering some of the injury issues.
-The Penguins have a 29-20 lead in shots.
-Kovalchuk leads the game with seven shots.
-Engelland and Malkin each lead the Penguins with five shots.
-Malkin leads the game with 15:59 of ice time.
-Larsson is right behind him with 15:57.
-The Penguins have a 23-13 command of faceoffs (64 percent).
-Malkin is 11 for 15 (73 percent).
-Henrique is 5 for 10 (50 percent).
-Larsson leads the game with two blocked shots.
THIRD PERIOD
19:44: And the Penguins are in a rough spot early this period. Malkin is called for tripping against Fayne. Park, Dupuis, Orpik and Michalek take the ice.
18:32: Weeeeeeeeooooowwwww.... What a play. What passing. From the left point, Kovalchuk distributes the puck to Elias in the right circle. Elias takes the pass in the right circle and snaps off a pass to Zubrus to the right of the crease. Zubrus re-directs it on his forehand by the right leg of a helpless Fleury. Just dazzling. That's the game pretty much. Elias and Kovalchuk get assists. Devils 3-1.
17:25: As Brodeur freezes pthe puck, MacIntyre and Boulton try to start something. Officials hold each party at bay.
16:53: Michalek booms a slapper from the right point. It hits Neal up high and staggers him. Neal is shaken up and lumbers to the bench in some discomfort as play continues.
15:55: Orpik striks a slapper from the right point. Brodeur punches it away.
15:24: Zalewski backhands a shot from the right circle. Fleury holds it out.
15:00: Lovejoy chucks a wrister from the top of the slot. Brodeur fights it off. McDonald has a chance with the rebound but can't get a stick on it.
14:52: Lovejoy booms a slapper from the right point. Brodeur kicks it out.
13:56: Neal is back on the ice and makes a nice strip off a puck off Tallinder in the left circle of the Penguins zone. Great back check.
12:53: Kovlachuk snaps off a wicked wrister from the right circle. Fleury punches it away.
12:06: Tallinder chops a slapper from the right point. It hits Neal who is hobbling a bit.
11:34: McDonald floats a wrister from the right wing. Brodeur steers it away.
11:05: Sullivan has a hance in tight off a nice pass from McDonald but can't punch it by Brodeur.
10:52: Kennedy picks up a puck ou of a pile in the left wing corner and tries to jam it low under Brodeur. No dice.
9:29: Park flings a backhander from the right circle wide to the near side.
8:53: Michalek flings a wrister from the right point which hits a stick in front a deflects out of play.
8:38: Carter snaps off a wrister from the left circle. Martin goes stick on puck and deflects it out play.
7:40: The Penguins get a chance as Tallinder taps a puck out of mid-air out of play. He's called for delay of game. He barks at the official but to no avail. Makin, Neal, Kunitz, Niskanen and Sullivan take the ice. This is a must-score here for the Penguins.
7:08: Kunitz rips a wrister from the right point. It hits something on the way to the net and is kicked out by Brodeur.
6:22: Malkin winds up and cranks a one-timer from the right circle.
6:20: Kunitz and Salvador get engaged near the net. Salvador is called for slashing. Kunitz for slashing. Four on three for 40 seconds.
5:31: Tallinder's minor is killed. That was the Penguins last hope.
5:01: Boulon chucks a wrister on net from the slot. Fleury fights it off. Boulton follows up on his rebound and flings it wide.
4:53: Van Halen's "Right Now" is played:
4:38: Kennedy winds up and cranks a slapper from the right point. Toarmina goes stick on puck and deflects it wide of the cage.
4:13: Niskanen chops a slapper from the top of the slot. Brodeur gloves it despite having Kennedy bump into him.
1:41: Fleury is pulled for an extra attacker.
1:06: Neal snaps off a wrister from teh slot. Brodeur fights it off. Park is to the left of the cage but can't get a clean stick on the rebound.
0:00: End of game. Devils 3, Penguins 1.
POSTGAME

-This was kind of similar to last night's game. The Penguins got up early, made some mistakes, got down and were beaten by a superior Atlantic Division foe.
-We said it last night but we'll repeat it. The Penguins are no better than the fourth-best team in this ultra-competitive division.
-Special teams were huge tonight. The Devils got a shorthanded goal and a power-play goal. The Penguins got neither.
-The shorthanded goal by Adam Henrique pretty much flipped this game around. The Penguins controlled the game for the most part until that. Henrique scored and the Devils were off an running.
-Henrique admitted he and Zach Parise applied a little extra pressure to Steve Sullivan at the right point on the Penguins' power play since he was a forward. That forced the turnover which led to Henrique's breakaway goal.
-On the Devils' beautiful power-play goal in the third period, Elias admitted his team lined up incorrectly off the faceoff, but still scored despite that error. Wow.
-We just saw some comments in EN colleague Dave Molinari's game story from Brooks Orpik. He blasted the team. Wow. Please check it out after midnight.
-The Penguins threw a bunch of shots on net, but a ton of them were from the perimeter. "Junk shots" if you will. An all-star like Martin Brodeur will have a field day with those.
-The Penguins switched things around defensively tonight and it seemed to help out a litttle bit. Orpik and Matt Niskanen didn't seem like a good fit. They just didnt' have a good feel for each other. Orpik seemed a little better alongside Deryk Engelland.
-We still don't understand why Sullivan is on the third line. He's a top-six forward or nothing else. They need to give him a chance on the second line because of his offensive creatitivity.
-Adam Henrique is your classic Devils player. Drafted, developed in the minors and proficient in all three phases of the game. Just like centers such as Zach Parise, Travis Zajac and Scott Gomez.
-You can't really blame Marc-Andre Fleury. He rebounded after a poor game Friday. His teammates left him out to dry tonight.
-The Penguins led in shots, 42-27.
-Ilya Kovalchuk led the game with eight shots.
-Evgeni Malkin led the Penguins with six.
-Paul Martin led the game with 25:25 of ice time.
-Adam Larsson led the Devils with 23:41.
-The Penguins had a 34-21 lead in faceoffs (62 percent).
-Malkin was 17 for 26 (65 percent).
-Henrique was 8 for 15 (53 percent).
-Martin, Ryan Carter, Kurtis Foster, Larsson, Dainius Zubrus and Matt Toarmina each led the game with two blocked shots.
-Fleury appeared in his 400th career game.
-Highlights:

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