Usually, I have some sort of theme for my game summaries. Sadly, in the wake of the Penguins’ gritty, scintillating, come-from-behind 4-3 shootout victory over the Canadiens last night, I confess I’ve got zippo.
Nada. Nothing.
Guess I’m still in shock…in the best of ways.
When the Pens crawled out of the starting blocks at a snail’s pace I wasn’t the least bit surprised. After all, it was second game of back-to-backs and we’d pretty much emptied the energy stores the night before against Arizona. Truth be told, I kind of expected us to lose.
What I didn’t expect? That our Pens would display the grit, tenacity and snarl of a junk-yard dog that hadn’t been fed for a few days.
As I’d mentioned, the contest didn’t start too well for our guys. With our top line fleeing the zone six minutes in, Erik Karlsson delivered a picture-perfect breakout pass, albeit right onto the stick blade of hulking Hab David Savard. The l-o-w scoring defenseman lumbered down the slot and beat Alex Nedeljkovic glove side.
Six minutes later the Canadiens bull-rushed our fourth line and third defensive pair, leading to a goal by rookie d-man Jayden Struble.
At this stage, it truly looked like it would be one of those nights. We appeared to be skating in Quikrete. Heck, even Nedeljkovic…usually cat-quick…was moving like the tin man from The Wizard of Oz before Dorothy found his oil can.
However, as he has done so often throughout his career and this season in particular, Sidney Crosby brought us back from the brink. Eighty-seven seconds (how appropriate) after the Habs went up 2-0, Sid flew in on the forecheck and picked poor Kaiden Guhle’s pocket behind the net, then fed onrushing Drew O’Connor. Habs goalie Sam Montembeault made the initial stop, but Crosby somehow found the puck during the ensuing scramble and chipped it home from a sharp angle.
Unfortunately, the Canadiens soon regained their two-goal edge as Sean Monahan nudged the puck over the goal line with Marcus Pettersson in the box.
Down 3-1 entering the second period, I figured we were toast. But this team has something last season’s bunch was lacking. Namely, tensile strength and moxie. Not to mention a power play that’s suddenly clicking.
With Montreal serving a bench minor, Crosby (who else) freed the puck from an extended scrum and moved it quickly to Jake Guentzel. Sid alertly slid to the left circle for a return pass before putting the puck on a platter for his sidekick in the high slot. Jake did the rest, ripping it past Montembeault to make it 3-2.
Again, brilliant work by our captain.
Leave it to Sid to bring us all the way back, again on the power play. After taking a short pass from Karlsson, Crosby beat Montembeault with a wicked wrister from the high slot at 11:02. Sid nearly struck again at the end of the period, but his would-be buzzer beater came a half-second too late.
The puck would not cross either goal line again until the shootout. Nedeljkovic, who found that oil can I referred to earlier, was incredibly sharp, turning aside 11 shots in the third period and nine more in a crazy-quilt overtime while his teammates killed off a bonehead and potentially soul-crushing tripping penalty to Evgeni Malkin.
With Ned on top of his game, I felt confident entering the shootout…until Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield bested him on the first two Canadiens attempts. Fortunately, they were equaled by Kris Letang in the leadoff spot and Crosby batting second.
Thus began a 12-round odyssey that was about as tense and lengthy as the game itself. Monahan beat Nedeljkovic in round seven, but great Dane Lars Eller mercifully matched him for the good guys.
Finally, in round 12, little-used Jansen Harkins popped off the bench and somehow found a hole to beat Montembeault and set off an emotional victory celebration.
Puckpourri
The stats were all Canadiens, according to Natural Stat Trick. They bested us in shot attempts (73-62), shots on goal (42-30) and scoring chances (43-31) and nearly doubled us in high-danger chances (19-10). But the Pens prevailed.
Crosby’s first goal brought to mind color man Colby Armstrong’s “most skilled grinder” description from years earlier. Is there another player who combines the varying elements of Sid’s game, not to mention the incredible attention to detail he brings night after night? I think not.
The more I focus on Sid, the more in awe I am. What a magnificent…and complete…player.
On the flip side, does anyone take dumber penalties at worse times than Geno? I love him, but…grrrr!
Sid’s game-tying goal appeared to deflect off either Valtteri Puustinen or old friend Mike Matheson. Heady and crafty, Puustinen has made a huge difference on the power play. Speaking of, we’re suddenly getting bodies to the net, with Guentzel providing a screen in front on the tally.
Following up on my tensile strength comment, the Pens are actually playing with a bit of an edge, thanks in no small part to kids Jonathan Gruden and John Ludvig. The former threw a booming check along the wall in the third period on an unidentified foe and the latter whispered sweet nothings into the ear of Habs forward Michael Pezzetta, who’d tried to turn Sid into a lounge chair.
It’s been ages since we’ve had guys who consistently stood up for the team.
A pat on the back to Mike Sullivan, who seems to be pushing the right buttons of late. In particular, like the fact that he’s using speedy Vinnie Hinostroza with Sid and Jake, while reuniting Eller with DOC and Radim Zohorna on the third line.
Plain and simple, the trio has chemistry, and they’re difficult for foes to handle due to their collective size.
On Deck
The Pens (13-12-3) take on the Maple Leafs (15-6-5) in Toronto on Saturday night. We’re currently two points out of the second wild-card spot.
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