Kennedy Leads Pens Past Sens, 4-3 (OT)

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Oct 4, 06:52 PM | Hype this story!
1 2 3 OT SO Tot.
1 1 1 1 - 4
 
Tot. 1 2 3 OT SO
3 1 2 0 0 -
Attendance: 13,699
 
Summary
Tyler Kennedy opened the scoring just 38 seconds into the game off a pass from Evgeni Malkin an closed it off with a beauty with 25 seconds left in overtime.

"It’s always nice to get the first win under your belt to get the season going," Kennedy said to Dan Potash in a post-game interview on Fox Sports Pittsburgh.

The Penguins controlled the game early, reminiscent of their playoff dominance against the Senators just a few short months ago.

But, unlike the playoff series, Ottawa turned up their intensity with a few Jarkko Ruutu initiated hits, and Shean Donovan potted the even-up goal.

The second period became one of specialty hockey, as the teams traded shorthanded goals — one from Evgeni Malkin and another from Jason Spezza — and Ottawa tallied a power play goal off of Dany Heatley’s stick.

Even more surprising than Kennedy’s two-goal performance as a replacement for the injured Petr Sykora, and more surprising than a second period featuring two shorthanded goals is the player who scored the third goal for the Penguins.

Down three goals to two with just under four minutes remaining in regulation, the Penguins desperately needed an offensive spark from the blueline.

Enter Sergei Gonchar Rob Scuderi, with his first goal in more than 90 games.

The Penguins were blanked on seven power play attempts, while the Senators tallied one in six tries.

Senators goalie Martin Gerber turned aside 31 of 34 shots in the losing effort, while Marc-Andre Fleury earned the win for Pittsburgh with a 27-save performance.

The Penguins will again take the ice against the Senators again tomorrow afternoon at 2:30.  This time they will serve as the home team.

"It creates good battles out there because you play six periods," Kennedy said.  "It’s good for the fans."
 
Three Stars
# Player Team Pos. Stats
1 Kennedy Pit RW 2 G (GWG)
2 Spezza Ott C 1 G (SH), 1 A
3 Malkin Pit C 1 G (SH)
 
Stat Line
  Shots Faceoffs Power Plays
  1 2 3 OT Total Won Lost Convert Total
Pittsburgh 10 12 5 3 30 28 32 0 7
Ottawa 10 12 9 4 35 32 28 1 6
 
Scoring Summary
Per. Time Team Goal Assist 1 Assist 2
1 0:40
9:13		 Pit
Ott		 Kennedy, 1
Donovan, 1		 Staal
McAmmond		 -
Kuba
2 3:18
12:15
17:55		 Pit
Ott
Ott		 Malkin, 1 (SH)
Heatley, 1 (PP)
Spezza, 1 (SH)		 -
Spezza
Volchenkov		 -
Kuba
–
3 3:56 Pit Scuderi, 1 Crosby Satan
OT 4:35 Pit Kennedy, 2 - -
 
Penalty Summary
Per. Time Team Player Penalty
1 2:54
4:16
10:"44
13:03
16:10
17:20		 Ott
Ott
Ott
Ott
Ott
Pit		 McAmmond
Phillips
Kelly
Spezza
Neil
Taffe		 holding – 2 min
puck over glass – 2 min
holding – 2 min
holding – 2 min
boarding – 2min
interference – 2 min
2 2:54
8:45
11:38
16:05
19:24
19:54		 Pit
Ott
Pit
Ott
Pit
Pit		 Orpik
Heatley
Godard
Phillips
Eaton
Gill		 interference – 2 min
holding – 2 min
hooking – 2 min
slashing – 2 min
hooking – 2 min
puck over glass – 2 min
3 11:50 Pit Letang holding – 2 min
OT     None  

Comments

  1. Steve

    Oct 4, 08:46 PM

    Wow, did the PP ever look feeble without Gonchar running the point. Great to get the win even though they didn’t play the best game. Two points are two points and all the better against the Sens. Now let’s get two more tomorrow boys…

  2. Alex Kirshner

    Oct 4, 08:52 PM

    Steve-

    I wouldn’t worry too much yet about the PP.
    I see Goligoski getting significant time there, tomorrow, and he’s a good upgrade on Sydor. Once Malkin gets some time under his belt back there, his shear offensive skills will take over.

    And hey, who needs this Gonchar character anyway? We have a newly found offensive weapon…Rob Scuderi.

  3. Pens1967

    Oct 4, 09:08 PM

    KENNEDY!

    And Scuds, too! :)

  4. Ashley Gallant

    Oct 4, 09:26 PM

    It’s hard to say much about the PP just yet because the guys are still trying to iron things out. As Alex said, I wouldn’t worry too much about the PP just yet.

    And seriously…Scuderi?!?? I had to take a second and third look because I didn’t believe it at first haha

  5. Eric

    Oct 4, 09:34 PM

    Scuderi will never be the scoring threat that Bergevin was.. :)

    I don’t think the ice helped anyone. It was in pretty bad shape most of the game.

    It wasn’t pretty, but I’ve definitely seen uglier. A win is a win, is a win.

  6. Brice

    Oct 4, 10:14 PM

    Loved the game! All the goals were so special. Kennedy’s first was an early goal, Malkin’s was his first shorty, Scuds got his first in so many games, and TK’s second won it for the team. Simply amazing!

    P.S.- I am a fellow blogger, and was curious, how did you make those stat boxes?

  7. Matt Bodenschatz

    Oct 5, 02:02 AM

    Brice, I use HTML to create tables, then insert the code into the site.

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