Pens Sun-Burnt in Florida...

Jonathan Farzalo | Pittsburgh Penguins

Mar 6, 06:02 PM | Hype this story!
1 2 3 Tot.
1 1 0 2
 
Tot. 1 2 3
5 3 1 1
 
Summary
What a lackluster night for the Black and Vegas Gold.  From the drop of the puck they played exactly like the logo on their chests…flightless.

What should have been 2 points quickly turned into one of the worst performances, effort-wise, of the season.  Nobody looked like they were ready and willing to play this game, including Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin….and especially Marc-Andre Fleury (who was yanked after allowing 3 goals in the first period).  Fleury’s rebound control was horrendous and he once again proved why he is "Mr. Rebound".  The Pens never seemed to get anything going offensively and were stuck in their own end "attempting" to get the puck out all night.  Too many errant passes, missed checks, and poor coverage led many of Florida’s opportunities tonight.

If this team is the contender people keep pumping them up to be, they didn’t show it this evening.  Perhaps they are waiting for Hossa, perhaps they were flying high from Sid’s return and the win in Tampa, perhaps they just had a bad night.  Whatever the case may be, this team can not afford to play like this down the stretch, nor in the highflying NHL Playoffs.

This was a game I definitely should have watched wearing sunglasses…as the lamp at the Penguins end of the ice was lit so much that it hurt my eyes.  I would have fit right in, as it appeared the Penguins had spent the day at the beach…good thing, they needed the sunscreen as much as I needed my sunglasses during this game.
 
Three Stars
# Player Team Pos. Stats
1 Weiss FL C Goal and Assist
2 Booth Pit LW Goal and Assist
3 Anderson FL G 25 Saves
 
Stat Line
  Shots Faceoffs Power Plays
  1 2 3 OT Total Won Lost Converted Total
Pittsburgh 9 10 8 X 27 24 27 1 5
Florida 19 10 13 X 42 27 24 0 2
 
Scoring Summary
Per. Time Team Goal Assist Assist
1 04:19
04:58
06:19
17:54		 FL
FL
Pit
FL		 David Booth
Rostislav Olesz
Ryan Malone
Stephen Weiss		 Stephen Weiss
Brett McLean
Hal Gill 
David Booth		 Nathan Horton
Olli Jokinen
Petr Sykora
Magnus Johansson
2 03:34
09:02 		 FL
Pit		 Brett McLean
Kristopher Letang		 Olli Jokinen
Sergei Gonchar		 Bryan Allen
Sidney Crosby
3 19:08 FL Bryan Allen    
 
Penalty Summary
Per. Time Team Player Penalty
1 04:52
04:52
06:45
08:33		 Pit
FL
FL
Pit		 Laraque, G.
Belak
Montador
Sydor		 Fighting (maj) – 5 min
Fighting (maj) – 5 min
Boarding – 2 min
Holding – 2 min
2 06:58
10:32		 FL
FL		 Horton
Johansson		 Hooking – 2 min
Hooking – 2 min
3 04:54
14:55
16:30		 FL
Pit
FL		 Montador
Letang
Johansson		 Slashing – 2 min
Tripping – 2 min
Holding – 2 min

Comments

  1. Ashley Gallant

    Mar 7, 07:42 AM

    Welcome to FF, Jonathan!

    You’re right, the Pens certainly can’t play like this in the coming weeks. They have yet to lock a spot in the playoffs, and they certainly don’t want a repeat of last year’s playoffs. If they play a lazy game for the rest of the season, it will be nearly impossible to wake up and turn up the intensity for the post-season. Hopefully it was just a blip in the big picture.

  2. Jonathan Farzalo

    Mar 7, 08:40 AM

    Thanks for the welcome msg.

    I don’t know what got into me last night, it sure wasn’t the Pens…but after the game I was livid. I understand there are good days and bad days, I have them, everybody has them and these guys are only human. But lets be honest here, when was the last SOLID 60 minutes of play? Win or lose, it hasn’t been a solid 60 minutes from all lines all game in I don’t know how long. Unfortunatly I think it snuck in and made them feel like they could be lazy…like the kid in school who doesn’t have to try to get A’s and B’s, then gets to college and can’t cut it in his old routine. THAT’S THE PENS. They will NOT be able to cut it in the Playoffs (college) with what they have done, effort wise, in the Regular Season (gradeschool).

  3. Ashley Gallant

    Mar 7, 10:28 AM

    Yep, the team that wins the Stanley Cup will be the team that (a) is talented and (b) works each and every shift. Take a shift off, and the other team will make you pay for your laziness.

    After all, the teams that make the playoffs are good teams and the slackers are weeded out in the first round.

    Let’s hope the Penguins can reverse their slacker ways.

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