Finally a Pens Win

The Pens came out on a mission tonight. They were shooting everything, backchecking like they wanted it, The Defense was incredible, the offense was clicking and the Goaltending was amazing.

The Game started with Fedotenko getting robbed in front by Leighton a minute. It took about that long for Colby to start throwing his nose around. He hit Fedo into the boards. What happens next? Fedo breaks his hand on Colby's chin. It sucks to lose Fedo to injury, but that was a nice punch. Colby wouldn't be done throwing with the physical stuff around.

Malkin and Sykora would team up to miss the net 10 seconds after the fight. The Pens are generating good chances, for some reason the puck isn't going in the net for them. Godard miss a back door tip in off a nice pass by Talbot. Another missed opportunity for the Pens.

The Thrashers get their first chance of the night, Marc Andre Fleury makes a big save on Marty Reasoner. Last game that puck was in the net for some reason.

The first Power play of the game comes at the 15:17 mark and it is of the 4: minute variety. Crosby gets his stick up in someones face. There must have been some blood. Whitney would get the best opportunity on the the Thrashers Power play as he goes coast to coast to put a shot of the pipe to the left of the Thrashers goalie. Fleury robs Kovalchuk on the doorstep. The Pens would end up killing off the double minor on Crosby.

Colby and Crosby get into it behind the net in the middle of the first period. OMG are they still friends? It looks like they hate each other. Armstrong would come out of that with a 2:00 Penalty for something, who cares the Pens are on a power play. The Thrashers would kill the Penalty. The Pens are still 0 for ever.

Kennedy would get a beautiful chance from the left side, Thrashers goalie makes an incredible save, thats the way it's going right now i guess. The Pens would come out of that play with another power play to work with.

And then it happens. the 2:50 mark brings something that us Pens fans probably forgot about. A power play goal scored by number 17 Petr Sykora. (Steigy, quit calling him Petr Gun, really. its not a very good nickname)

Staal would get a good chance seconds after the Power play goal from a Tyler Kennedy pass, no dice.

The End of the Period saw the Pens trying to get some hits on Colby Armstrong to settle him down, Orpik barely misses a big hit into the boards, Malkin would end hauling him down, that was blatant interference that wasn't called. I'll take it.

The first period comes to a close with the Pens playing one of the better periods that I've seen in a while. this game should be at least 3-0 by now. There were a few missed opportunities early in the first.

The second period was a bunch of nothing for the first half. not many shots, no power plays, no goals. just some up and down hockey and some go defense from both teams, but it would open up about the 8:00 mark. Sykora would get his 2nd goal off a face off win by Malkin. That was just a sweet play all around, The Thrashers goalie almost gets it with his glove, but it finds its way into the net. 2-0 Pens

Satan was hauled down with 6:00 left in the 2nd to give the Pens another opportunity on the Power play. Kennedy would grab a post behind Leighton, but Malkin would unload a slapper tha Crosby deflects into the net. Thats 2 power play goals in one game for the Pens. I've seen everything now.

3:00 the Linesman would have the biggest hit of the period. at the far right of your screen you see Matt Cooke getting knocked on his ass. Wow, that has to be a little embarrassing.

The 2nd period would end with Fleury making another big save to keep the Thrashers off the scoreboard.

Fleury picks up right where he left off, making another big save about a minute into the third period. 1 minute or so later he has to do it again. The Thrashers were really putting it to the pens early in the 3rd period.

5 minutes into the 3rd someone puts Crosby on his ass, so Godard does what he is there for, he tries to get the guy to drop them, but hes afraid, he skates to the bench crying for his mommy.

Fleury again makes a big save 8:00 minutes in. Fleury has come up big in the 3rd period, this game could easily be tied up right now.

a bench minor against the Thrashers at the 10:00 mark puts the Pens on a Power play. Could they score 3 power play goals in one game? unheard of. To top it off Satan gets hauled down behind the net to give the Pens a 2 man advantage for 35 seconds. The Thrashers would kill the 5 on 3 and Whitney would end the 5 on 4 by slashing someone out near the blue line.

Kovalchuk would end FLeury's shut out bid with a goal off a wrist shot from the Blueline. Thats right, a WRIST SHOT FROM THE BLUELINE. oh well 3-1 Pens. Fleury would come up big seconds after the Kovalchuk goal to keep it a 2 goal game. IF the Thrashers would have scored there all bets were off.

The Pens would have to kill one more penalty late in the game, and Fleury would have to come up big a few times on Eric Christiansen. they get the job done and the game is all but over.

A slashing call late in the game gives the Pens a power play for the last 47 second to ensure a win.

The Pens played a good game out working the struggling Thrashers most of the night. It's a win against the Thrashers so take it for what its worth, but a win is a win and the Pens needed one desparately.


GO Pens