Slugfest Ends In Victory For Penguins

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Sep 22, 11:32 PM | Hype this story!
1 2 3 OT SO Tot.
2 0 1 - - 3
 
Tot. 1 2 3 OT SO
2 1 1 0 - -
 
Summary
Images of Sergei Gonchar favoring his left shoulder after a late hit by David Koci clearly were in the forefront for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who dressed a more rugged roster than was seen Saturday night.

So, with flying fists and a clicking power play, the arctic birds stormed into Tampa Bay and pulled out a victory over the Lightning.

Just as Tampa Bay did Saturday, the Penguins refrained from sending most roster regulars on the trip, though Kris Letang, Max Talbot, and Tyler Kennedy suited up and notched the team’s three goals.

Newly-acquired forward Ruslan Fedotenko tallied a point in his black and gold debut, while converted left winger Paul Bissonnette made a statement racking up 20 penalty minutes, which included two fights against Koci.

With the win, the Penguins split their preseason series with the Lightning, leaving just two more preseason games before the team travels to Europe for some international action and the start of the 2008-09 season.

Below are the official three stars.  While I didn’t get a chance to watch or listen to the game, and though statistics don’t tell the whole story, I must admit, they seem a bit odd.  One would think Letang and/or Goligoski, both with two points, would have found a way onto the list, but apparently not.

Anyway, on to the stats…
 
Three Stars
# Player Team Pos. Stats
1 Thomas Pit RW 1 assist
2 Curry Pit G 15 saves, 1.00 Sv%
3 Jokinen TB LW 1 goal
 
Stat Line
  Shots Faceoffs Power Plays
  1 2 3 OT Total Won Lost Convert Total
Pittsburgh 9 6 5 - 20 23 25 2 6
Tampa Bay 15 17 5 - 37 25 23 0 3
 
Scoring Summary
Per. Time Team Goal Assist 1 Assist 2
1 0:46
14:36
18:19		 TB
Pit
Pit		 Jokinen, 1
Letang, 1 (PP)
Talbot, 1		 Artyukhin
Goligoski
Fedotenko		 -
–
Thomas
2 2:56 TB Ouellet, 1 Tyrell Wishart
3 4:54 Pit Kennedy, 1 (PP) Letang Goligoski
OT - - - - -
 
Penalty Summary
Per. Time Team Player Penalty
1 2:03
2:03
4:13
7:09
11:01
13:49
15:03
19:18
19:18		 TB
Pit
TB
TB
Pit
TB
TB
TB
Pit		 Konopka
Boogaard
Artyukhin
Artyukhin
Henrich
Szczechura
Malone
Konopka
Richmond		 fighting – 5 min
fighting – 5 min
interference – 2 min
hooking – 2 min
charging – 2 min
tripping – 2 min
high sticking – 2 min
fighting – 5 min
fighting – 5 min
2 7:42
14:32
14:32
16:23
16:23		 Pit
TB
Pit
TB
Pit		 Engelland
Koci
Bissonnette
Malone
Fedotenko		 hooking – 2 min
fighting – 5 min
fighting – 5 min
interference – 2 min
boarding – 5 min
3 4:12
4:12
4:12
4:12
4:12
4:12
4:12
4:12		 TB
Pit
TB
Pit
TB
Pit
TB
TB		 Konopka
Henrich
Koci
Bissonnette
Koci
Bissonnette
Koci
Konopka		 fighting – 5 min
fighting – 5 min
fighting – 5 min
fighting – 5 min
game misconduct – 10 min
game misconduct – 10 min
slashing – 2 min
game misconduct – 10 min
OT - - - -

Comments

  1. TIM

    Sep 23, 01:47 AM

    Seems like the Letang/Golgo combo worked out well. Seems like they will make a nice pairing in the future.

  2. Ashley Gallant

    Sep 23, 10:03 AM

    If anyone has access to TSN and hasn’t already heard, the Toronto-Pittsburgh game will be broadcast tomorrow night at 7:30 PM ET after Molson That’s Hockey.

    I just heard it last night, so I thought I’d pass it along…and I truly don’t mean to ‘rub it in’ for those who can’t catch the game.

  3. TK Penguin

    Sep 23, 10:10 AM

    The Letang Gogo pairing was only on the powerplay.

    Thomas got the first star because, as of the end of the game, he was credited with a defletion goal on the Letang shot (giving him 1 goal and 1 assist). I guess the changed it after the game.

    Curry got the 2nd star because he was a STUD in net. And Jokinen got the 3rd because he played real well and happens to play for TB.

  4. Matt Bodenschatz

    Sep 23, 10:38 AM

    Tim, I’d be surprised to see Goligoski and Letang ever paired for anything other than power play ice time in the future. They’re similar players and best serve the team on separate lines, each paired with a more defense-oriented partner.

    Ashley, you’re not fooling anyone, you just want to rub it in :)

    TK, thanks for the analysis, especially on Curry. He didn’t let anything by him, which is a good sign, but he also didn’t play the entire game, and the Penguins never trailed the Lightning. Typically that wouldn’t result in the naming of one of the three stars, that’s all I was pointing out. As for Thomas, I was following the box score for the majority of the third period, and, as of that point, Thomas was not on the scoresheet with a goal, so the decision to change it came much earlier than the end of the game.

  5. Ashley Gallant

    Sep 23, 02:28 PM

    haha I really hope it didn’t come across like that, though I realize it probably did. I’m just happy that I’ll actually get to watch a Pens game.

  6. Bobby

    Sep 24, 09:43 AM

    The game tonight will be reaired on NHL network thursday 6:30 am and 2:00 pm. If you want to watch and don’t have tsn.

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