Hurricanes Stave Off Never-Say-Die Penguins in OT, 6-5

It was fairly evident in the early stages of what ultimately would be a 6-5 overtime loss to the Hurricanes that our Penguins didn’t have their ‘A’ game.

Indeed, our hosts pretty much poured over us like Escuminac maple syrup over a stack of flapjacks from start to finish. That’s bound to happen to a team on the tail end of a grueling, five-games-in-nine-days road trip that spanned three time zones.

Yet like a power pitcher in baseball who takes the mound without his best fastball, our guys relied on guts and guile and nearly grabbed two points in a game they had no business winning. Their never-say-die, fighting spirit is simply off the charts.

Enough preamble ramble. The ‘Canes grabbed the lead at 9:34 of the first period on a shorty by Jordan Martinook. Thanks to some stellar early work between the pipes by Stuart Skinner that prevented a blowout, the Pens rallied to knot the score midway through the second period on a goal by returning captain Sidney Crosby.

The ‘Canes retook the lead at 16:51 on Jordan Blake’s 20^th of the campaign to set up a barn-burner third period.

While working on a 5-on-3 power play, Erik Karlsson tied the score at 2-all just 59 seconds in with absolute bomb from the high slot. Taylor Hall reclaimed the lead for the ‘Canes at 3:27.

Like a bolt of black-and-gold lightning, Bryan Rust blocked a Jaccob Slavin shot at our blue line and outraced the ‘Canes defender up ice before depositing a shake-and-bake backhander between Frederik Andersen’s wickets.

Three-three.

Cue the ‘Canes again, as Logan Stankoven beat Skinner with a snap shot on the power play at 12:59. Less than two minutes later, at 14:46 to be exact, Karlsson made an incredible (incredulous?) sprawling play at the ‘Canes blue line to keep the play alive. A good thing, because sniper Sebastian Aho was flying the zone in anticipation of a breakaway.

Then Erik the Great gathered in a pass from Parker Wotherspoon at the right circle, deked a flailing Aho out of his athletic supporter and buried another bullet from the high slot.

Before you could blink, Ilya Solovyov broke up a ‘Canes rush and sent Anthony Mantha and Ben Kindel scurrying away on a 2-on-1. Kid Kinde took a pass from Big Moe and lashed the puck past Andersen to give the Pens a 5-4 lead!

How I hoped (and prayed) we could hang on and complete the comeback.

Alas, it wasn’t to be.

Ex-Ranger K’Andre Miller beat Skinner through traffic at 17:09, knotting the score at 5-5 and forcing overtime.

Our Pens dominated the 3-on-3 action until we didn’t. With 29 seconds to go, Aho set up Sean Walker for the OT winner.

This was one time when a loss didn’t feel like one. As one of our TV announcers so aptly put it, our guys “emptied the tank.” Valiant in defeat, they gave every shred of themselves. In the end, that’s all you can ask.

Puckpourri

How dominant were the ‘Canes? They out-attempted us, 82-52, and out-shot us, 44-35.

It isn’t often you can single out a goalie who yields six goals for praise. Such is the case for Big Stu, who kept us in the game early and gave us a chance to win.

Crosby paced the Pens’ forwards with a goal and a helper. Welcome back, Sid!

Karlsson tallied three points (2+1) and continued with his absolutely masterful play. EK65 now has five goals and 17 points in his past 11 games. Mike, if you happen to read this, you were so right about Erik (and I was so wrong).

His dramatic return to Norris Trophy form reflects well on coach Dan Muse. Not so well on former skipper, Mike Sullivan. Give an assist to Wotherspoon, who’s freed Erik up to do his thing.

In the streaking Swedes department, Rickard Rakell (two assists) is riding a seven-game points streak. RikRak has a pair of goals and nine points over that span.

Like linemates Crosby and Rust, he brings a lunch pail mentality and does a lot of the dirty work that generally goes unnoticed but contributes on the score sheet.

Speaking of doing the little things that lead to success, we’re going to miss Blake Lizotte, out for at least a month with a hand/wrist injury. Especially on the PK.

Standings-wise, the Pens (34-18-16, 84 points) still hold second place in the Metro by a single point over the Islanders. We’re two points up on Eastern wild-card teams Boston and Detroit. Three ahead of the CBJ, who have a game in hand.

Up next, the Jets and ‘Canes again in back-to-back matinee matchups at PPG Paints Arena this weekend.

I’ll close with an observation and a quote. The Pens remind me a lot of…well…the Islanders. The ultimate compliment. Like the Isles, we simply don’t quit.

The quote?

After his Pens were vanquished by the Blues in the 1970 Stanley Cup Semi-Finals, coach Red Kelly said, “You feel bad about losing, but you never feel bad when you’ve given everything you have and that’s what this team did. This club has more heart than any club in the world.”

Ditto our current Pens.