Penguins Get Help in Win Over Caps

Jonathan Farzalo | Pittsburgh Penguins

Mar 9, 03:03 PM | Hype this story!
1 2 3 Tot.
0 2 2 4
 
Tot. 1 2 3
2 0 2 0
 
Summary
What started out as Crosby vs Ovechkin, and as I said I’m not a fan of it, quickly turned into Pittsburgh vs Washington, and that’s how it should be.  These are two teams on different missions right now, one, Pittsburgh, is a near lock for a playoff spot, while Washington is sitting on the outside looking in.  From the drop of the puck this game was physical, and at first it really looked like the officials were going to let the teams play, but that all changed in the 2nd period where 6 total penalties were called.  

The story was more of the same for the Pens, lack of production on the powerplay (0-5), and what can really only be called lack of chemistry at even strength.  The chemistry bothers me less, as it will come, with Crosby still fresh off his injury, players are readjusting.  However, all lines looked to be pushing hard and trying to win every battle…I even saw Ryan Whitney get physical and take the hit to make a play.  No really, I swear.  

The first period was extremely back and forth and it really had the look and feel of a playoff match up, as was pointed out by the "amazing" NBC commentators. But the Pens were outplayed and if I had to take a winner I’d say Washington won the first period.  Especially with the shots, taking it to Marc-Andre Fleury every opportunity they got…Ovechkin just doesn’t pass up a chance to fire it.  The second period seemed to be like the first for the Pens, that was until Washington got on the board and the game just went crazy.  The Pens decided that they should see how their 5-3 coverage on the Penalty Kill looks right now, and gave the Capitals two 5-3 chances.  Turns out, it doesn’t look so hot, perhaps our great Penguins staff should explain to the players that taking a penalty WHILE down a man isn’t advised….that means you Brooks Orpik.  Again, if I had to choose a winner, the Capitals won period two.

Period three goes to the Penguins.  They seemed to turn it on, and in the 2nd half of the 3rd just dominated the puck.  Until that is, an old Pittsburgh Penguin friend reared its ugly head…the all mighty "Too Many Men on the Ice" call.  Ahhhh yes.  Something that I don’t think has been as big of a problem the 2nd half of the season as it was all of last year and at the beginning of this year.  But there it was, and while Washington HAD just gotten away with the same thing, I’m not sure, but Gonchar looked like he got away with one on Ovechkin right after.  Luckily it had little effect on the Pens and they kept battling through till the end.

With little time left in the game the Penguins and Capitals were tied at 2, when the Penguins threw the puck towards the net.  It hit off of a few sticks, legs, skates, and eventually it landed right in front of a Capitals player…who cleared it into his own net.  The celebration by Crosby (who got credit for the goal) and the rest of his line was down right hilarious, as anyone watching NBC would attest.  At one point he asked Dupuis, "did he shoot that into his own net?"  To which he replied, "yea", which gave Crosby a facial expression that would make a mime laugh out loud.  Both players then had a good chuckle about it.  

Malkin and Staal sealed the deal with an empty-netter that Malkin unselfishly fed Staal to bury.  

Hey whatever it takes guys, whatever it takes. 
 
Three Stars
# Player Team Pos. Stats
1 Malkin Pit C 3 Assists
2 Ovechkin Wash LW 2 Assists
3 Crosby Pit C 2 Goals
 
Stat Line
  Shots Faceoffs Power Plays
  1 2 3 OT Total Won Lost Converted Total
Pittsburgh 4 9 13 X 26 22 39 0 5
Washington 11 22 5 X 38 39 22 2 7
 
Scoring Summary
Per. Time Team Goal Assist Assist
1 - - - - -
2 07:23
08:42
18:08
19:46 		 Wash
Pit
Pit
Wash		 Brooks Laich
Petr Sykora
Sidney Crosby
Alexander Semin		 Semin
Malkin
Malkin
Ovechkin		 Ovechkin
Taffe
Gonchar
Federov
3 19:32
19:47		 Pit
Pit		 Sidney Crosby
Jordan Staal
Malkin		  
 
Penalty Summary
Per. Time Team Player Penalty
1 03:15
04:43
09:29
17:56		 Pit
Wash
Wash
Pit		 Talbot
Semin
Green
Ruutu		 Hooking – 2 min
Roughing – 2 min
Hooking – 2 min
Charging – 2 min
2 05:00
06:01
12:19
16:06
18:55
19:31		 Pit
Pit
Wash
Wash
Pit
Pit		 Sykora
Orpik
Morrisonn
Fedorov
Gill
Orpik		 Holding – 2 min
Slashing – 2 min
Tripping – 2 min
Slashing – 2 min
Cross Check – 2 min
Roughing – 2 min
3 09:04
15:02		 Wash
Pit		 Laing
Bench Minor		 Kneeing – 2 min
Too Many Men – 2 min

Comments

  1. Ashley Gallant

    Mar 9, 03:44 PM

    That “Did he shoot it into his own net? He shot it into his own net!!!” quote by Crosby just made my day. I love the way he plays with so much passion. It’s definitely nice to have him back in the lineup.

  2. Tim

    Mar 9, 03:53 PM

    Please tell me someone has a clip of this and they will upload it to youtube. I just got home from work and miss the game. Great win especially all since all the teams we are fighting with won last night. How did Fleury look?

    Tim

  3. Ashley Gallant

    Mar 9, 04:36 PM

    Tim

    Here you go, the highlight of the game.

    Backstrom scores on his own net

    Watch Huet and Ovechkin crumple to the ice…

  4. jon s

    Mar 9, 05:39 PM

    Did they say that Ovechkin punched Malkins agent in the face this past summer….

  5. Ashley Gallant

    Mar 9, 06:04 PM

    Jon – yeah, it was reported that Ovechkin punched Malkin’s Russian agent, Gennady Ushakov, in the face last summer and broke his jaw. Not sure how true it all is, though.

  6. Jonathan Farzalo

    Mar 9, 06:34 PM

    I heard that on the broadcast as well…

    it’s weird, it was always reported they were friends, and i even remember at one point last year, someone did an interview with Malkin and Ovechkin acted as his interpreter…

    interesting how things change over the course of a season…and how rivalries are built…it’s a much more interesting story than Crosby vs Ovechkin, IMO

  7. Tim

    Mar 9, 08:43 PM

    Thanks Ahsley! That story is very bizarre I thought those 2 were close friends. Still it could have been a misunderstanding and has nothing to do with those 2 but some outside things.

  8. Jonathan Farzalo

    Mar 9, 08:51 PM

    MAF looked, okay, not amazing, little rebound trouble…it IS fleury though.

    I remember 1 key save on Ovechkin from a cross ice pass through the D…huge save…think it was during a PK.

  9. DaBich

    Mar 11, 01:51 PM

    Hey, I wanted to say, you’re doing a great job, Jonathan. The new faces here are really helping add more “color” to the Factor =D

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