Penguins Fall to Those #%@! Islanders, 5-4, in OT

Funny how things work sometimes. On Monday night, the Penguins got Grade-A goaltending from Arturs Silovs to go with a sub-par overall performance. On Tuesday night, we gave a Grade-A effort, but received shaky netminding from our heretofore Rock of Gibraltar, Stuart Skinner.

That’s the way the puck bounces, I guess.

Too bad. Last night’s contest was truly a joy to watch. It had the riveting intensity and feel of a playoff contest. Except for some infrequent lapses, I thought we were pretty much on the Islanders from start to finish. Unfortunately the final result, a 5-4 overtime loss, had an all-too-familiar feel given our checkered history against the Fish Sticks.

The Pens took the lead at 12:09 of the first period on red-hot Anthony Mantha’s 20^th goal of the campaign. Courtesy of a slick, one-hand-on-his-stick setup from Justin Brazeau.

It appeared we’d carry that lead into the first intermission when BANG-BANG, our hosts struck twice in the final 79 seconds. The go-ahead tally by rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer on a long-range bomb just four seconds before the horn.

The first indication that Skinner wasn’t on his game.

Unphased, the Pens came out with guns ablazin’ in the second period. Egor Chinakhov beat Ilya Sorokin with an absolute laser from inside the left circle at 3:52 to knot the score at 2-all.

We grabbed the lead at 14:09 on a goal by Bryan Rust that was part greasy, part WOW. Making like Mike Lange’s bulldozer in a construction yard, the gritty winger plowed his way along the boards before bouncing off a check by Schaefer and taking up residence near the net. Sidney Crosby followed the cycling suit and slipped a short pass to Rusty, who had the skill and smarts to bank the puck in off the back of Sorokin’s glove from behind the goal line.

Still, you had to know those pesky Isles weren’t going away. As former Pens tough guy Bob “Battleship” Kelly so colorfully and aptly noted, “they’re like a disease you can’t get rid of.” And so it was. With Ilya Solovyov providing a perfect and unfortunate screen in the slot, Mat Barzal beat Skinner from downtown 8:37 into the third period to tie the game at 3-apiece.

Again our guys shoved back. Just over two minutes later, Brazeau came up BIG again with a handsy redirect of a Brett Kulak shot/pass.

As much as I hoped that would be enough, I had a sinking feeling it wasn’t. Sure enough, with just under five minutes left in regulation Ryan Pulock walked through a seam and beat Skinner from the top of the left circle.

Still, my prayers were answered (sort of) when we hung on to earn a point and force overtime. However, Kulak gambled and drove to the net in the opening minute, in the process trapping all three Pens deep and sending Bo Horvat rambling up ice on a breakaway. To Kulak’s credit, he hustled like mad to get back, but Horvat had too much of a head start. The husky Isles forward beat Skinner high glove for the OT winner.

Puckpourri

While I’m on the subject, following a brilliant eight-game run, Big Stu’s shown his warts over his past two starts to the tune of 10 goals allowed on 43 shots. A Tristan Jarry-esque .767 save percentage.

Why Jarry-esque you ask? With an .872 save percentage out west, our former No. 1’s having troubles of his own. Recently, the Edmonton native had the temerity to call out his teammates for not defending hard enough. Never a good look for a goalie.

Perhaps I should be more gloom-and-doom, but there was so much to like about our play. We outshot the Isles, 35-23, which I think is a pretty fair representation of the action. We did everything but secure the second point.

The top line displayed some hop, thanks to Rusty’s return. We got contributions across the board, as nine skaters picked up at least a point. The Big Line (minus one) was huge (pun intended). Our fourth line? Pest city, as usual.

And Chinakhov? My goodness, is this kid impressive. Not just the world-class shot but the world-class speed as well. Eight goals in 17 games says it all.

This is the first time I had a chance to focus on Solovyov. I must say, I was impressed with what I saw—at least right up till the time he took away Skinner’s eyes on the third Islanders goal. Good size, good stick, good skate. Physical to boot.

Despite the loss, the Pens (28-15-12, 68 points) continue to hold second place in the Metro by a point over the Islanders with two games in hand. Beware the piping hot CBJ, who’ve won six in a row under new coach Rick Bowness. They’re in fourth place with 63 points.

Thank the Dear Lord we acquired Chinakhov before Bowness got to work with him.

We wrap up our pre-Olympics slate on Thursday night against the vastly improved Sabres in Buffalo. Should be a barn-burner. I’m still hoping to reach the break with 70 points.

In Memoriam

Jim Morrison, one of the early Pens, recently passed away at the ripe old age of 94. An all-star defenseman for Toronto in the ‘50s, “Pappy” toiled for nearly a decade in the AHL as a mainstay of the Quebec Aces before joining the Pens for two seasons (’69-71) at age 38.