Fedotenko's 3 Assists Lead Pens To Victory
Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins
Sep 26, 11:31 PM | Hype this story!
Ruslan Fedotenko, trying out as Sidney Crosby’s left winger, tallied three assists and earned the number three star of the game as the Penguins came from behind to beat the Maple Leafs 5-4.
An early deficit was far from the biggest concern for the Penguins, already without defensemen Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar for the long haul. In a short period of time, Hal Gill, Kris Letang and Brooks Orpik all showed signs of injury. Orpik (shaken up after a hit) and Letang (puck to the face) returned, while Gill (bruised knee) sat out the balance of the game.
With the win, the Penguins closed out the North American portion of their preseason, with a flight to Europe less than 24 hours away.
Prior to their departure, general manager Ray Shero and his management staff will trim the roster to 24 players — one more than typically allowed for the regular season.
Tonight, Janne Pesonen, Bill Thomas, Alex Goligoski and Paul Bissonnette were given a chance to showcase their skills with one last chance of grabbing one of what appears to be three openings.
Pesonen (one goal) and Goligoski (two assists) impressed with their offensive talents, while Bissonnette continued to prove his toughness, once again earning a five-minute fighting major for a scrap with Ryan Hollweg.
The remaining Penguins goals were scored by Mark Eaton, Crosby, Letang, and Matt Cooke — the first goal of the preseason for everyone.
Toronto’s goals were scored by Dominic Moore, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Luke Schenn, and Tomas Kaberle.
The three stars of the game were:
3. Fedotenko, LW, Pit – 3 assists
2. Moore, C, Tor – 1 goal
1. Corsby, C, Pit – 1 goal, 1 assist
Comments
Alex Kirshner
Sep 26, 11:38 PM
Let me be the first to endorse Ruslan Fedotenko to play the left wing with Sidney Crosby and Miro Satan.
He was just outstanding tonight.
He was all over the place.
In other news….
I love Matt Cooke already. Guy’s a gamer.
Goligoski looked much better tonight.
Crosby is still a monster.
Fleury was shaky at best.
Gill better not be hurt too badly.
Letang has blossomed even since last year.
Gonchar WHO? Look at Eaton scoring goals!
(That last one was sarcasm)
DS
Sep 26, 11:59 PM
I was AT the game….
Thank you, hockey gods, LeGame is okay.
...didn’t notice the USS going missing, though.
MARK EATON scored a goal. I so wish that it really counted.
I wouldn’t call MAF shaky…he was pretty solid and square to the puck…I think only one goal might’ve been him…fortunately Toskala was worse. :D (Hey, outshot by more than 10, .900 SV%...I do believe that’s a stolen win.)
He didn’t seem very happy tonight, though…even before the game started.
Goose was ehhhhh….took a penalty to stop a breakaway; I think he still looks somewhat like the hesitant rook that he is.
Sid crashing the net – sweet.
Dunno about Feds being “all over the place”, but he certainly kept getting up in the faces of all the Leaves….
WOOOOOOOOOOO CARDIAC KIDS. Don’t care how you win, just so you do it. (Playing the game like it counts helps.)
Nick Labriola
Sep 27, 12:42 AM
Not to nitpick, but you put “Corsby” for the #1 star. :D
Eric Politowski
Sep 27, 01:22 AM
I’d like to see Bissonnette and Pesonen make the team.
Matt Bodenschatz
Sep 27, 01:44 AM
DS, thanks for your thoughts from inside the arena. Much appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Nick, laptop keyboards and I don’t get along :)
DS
Sep 27, 02:27 AM
Oh, insights? ;) I have more insights….(and it was a pretty great game to be at, in the end.)
Mostly that nobody on either side looked like they were taking the game very seriously to begin with, but then letting the Leafs score shorthanded, letting the Leafs have a two-goal lead, letting the Leafs set up in front of MAF like a power play at EVEN strength = NOT. GOOD. Too much time in their own zone, not enough in the other guys’. And of course the usual ‘a little too much looking for the perfect play and pass as opposed to GET THE PUCK TO THE NET’. It should be noted that they were significantly later than the Leafs returning to the bench for the final period…(I always like to imagine MT is giving them what-for in these situations)
Sid and Satan seem to be finding each other…hopefully Sid’s usual “just stick with me” MO continues to pay dividends into the regular season. Peso can score, and just seems very determined with the puck (in a TK kind of way – or maybe that’s why they made good linemates). Tanger will hopefully continue TO SHOOOOT.
And yet, sitting there in the third period with under eight minutes to play, I was prepared to accept my first live Pens loss, even without it technically counting…and yet something inside me kept wondering whether they had the will tonight to decide it was worth it; to get the win. I hope MT was yelling about getting the fire back in their eyes. Preseason or not, I’m glad they decided it was.
Hi, boys. It’s good to see you back.
Now keep it up.
Dabich
Sep 28, 11:34 AM
I think DS would make a GREAT writer for the column :)
Love all the info, keep it coming!
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