In a game rife with playoff implications and rough stuff, the Penguins started on the wrong foot yesterday against the Senators at PPG Paints Arena and it cost ‘em.
Just who the wrong foot belonged to was a matter of debate. Sens forward Tim Stützle appeared to make contact with Alex Nedeljkovic’s left skate as Tyler Kleven’s drive from center point sailed past after redirecting off Noel Acciari’s skate. Pens skipper Mike Sullivan issued a challenge, claiming goaltender interference.
No dice said the replay officials.
Shane Pinto struck with just seconds to go on the ensuing power play to make it 2-0 for the bad guys, barely five minutes into the contest.
Tempers flared. Michael Bunting and Pierre-Olivier Joseph engaged the Sens’ Nick Cousins and Zach Ostapchuk in a rough-fest, and vice versa, resulting in six minor penalties. Drake Batherson went off for high-sticking at 8:55, following in relatively short order by Matt Nieto for slashing.
The lid blew off at 15:19. Kris Letang attempted to body an onrushing Cole Reinhardt off the puck and got blasted into the net instead. As Tanger and Reinhardt verbally jousted, Nedeljkovic gave the Sens’ forward a chop with his goaltender’s blade. Kevin Hayes cross-checked Reinhardt and Batherson rushed in to defend his mate. A scrum ensued resulting in unsportsmanlike conduct penalties to Ned and Batherson.
Still, the Pens received a power play late in the period and a chance to cut the Sens’ lead. However, with Sidney Crosby embroiled in a cross-checking exchange with Ridly Greig in the Ottawa zone, Pinto cashed in again off a 2-on-1 break shorthanded. Peeved to the max by the turn of events, Crosby slashed Thomas Chabot at the horn to earn yet another penalty.
With Sid parked in the sin bin to begin the second period, it took the Sens all of 41 seconds to score, albeit under shady circumstances. Although Ned appeared to have the puck smothered amid a sea of mostly black-and-gold clad bodies, Brady Tkachuk—freshly de-helmeted during a net-front tussle with Marcus Pettersson—was allowed to play on. Digging like a coal miner, the Sens’ captain pried the puck loose for Batherson to bury.
(After reviewing Rule 9.6 regarding players without a helmet, the refs made the right call.)
The final indignity came at 7:06 when Claude Giroux snapped off a long shot from the point. Ned appeared to have the biscuit squeezed between his pads, but looks can be deceiving. The puck had actually trickled through, a fact duly noted by Stützle, who swooped in to sweep it home.
Five-zip Sens.
Bye-bye Neddy. And the Pens, for that matter.
Puckpourri
It was just a weird game from start to finish. Once again, we yielded a goal on the first shot of the game, the ninth time it’s happened this season. I mean, what other team does that?
Still, you had to feel sorry for Ned. He battled as always, but wound up yielding those five goals on only 17 shots. Ouch. Tristan Jarry made five saves on five shots in relief.
At the opposite end of the ice, Sens rookie Leevi Merilainen stopped 29 shots to post his first NHL shutout. Which gives him one more than our goalies combined.
Evgeni Malkin missed his third-straight game.
With the penalty kill trending toward Hades, could we puh-lease send Nieto to the press box (or waiver wire)? Not to pick on the guy, but “Niets” contributes nothing offensively.
While we’re at it, drop Cody Glass (great metrics, zippo production) down to fourth-line center and promote Blake Lizotte to the third line.
Today we host the Lightning. To say we need a win is…well…you pick the descriptor.
At 1-2-3 (a countdown to oblivion?) in our last six games, we’re trending in the wrong direction at the wrong time. At least if the goal is to make the playoffs.
Hard to tell with this team and the organization in general.
