Pens 3 Oilers 2

If you're an Oilers' fan right now, you have to be asking yourself, "What the hell just happened?" How did they blow the break away, and two-on-one to begin the third period? If they score on one of those, the game is pretty much over. How did they shut out a PP including Malkin and Crosby, but then let up a goal to the vaulted Staal/Cooke/Kennedy line? How did they let that line single handily beat them? How did they let a team that was pretty much stagnant for the first forty minutes, completely dominate for the last 20?

Say what you want about this one, but the Oilers' lost this one more than the Pens won this one. Don't get me wrong, the Pens deserve credit for not-giving up, and playing tough/smart hockey after being down by 2-0. But man, I'd be dissapointed right now if I was an Oilers' fan right now.

But as a Penguins fan, I'll take it. A few thoughts.

Malkin played a hell of a game, even though he was held scoreless. Despite taking a dumb boarding penalty that led to a 2-man advantage which eventually led to a goal, Geno was all over the ice setting up chances and causing havoc. He was held pointless, but still earned the third star from the media. A huge step forward for Mean Gene, and if he builds on it, the points will come.

MAF let up a pretty soft second goal, but it was a PP nonetheless. But as I mentioned earlier, he kept the Guins in the game with a couple huge stops early in the third (for the second time in two nights). He stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced despite playing for the second time in 28 hours. Way to put a bad stretch behind him. Viva la Flower.

How big has Dupes been this year? He got another goal tonight (the game winner), which he certainly deserved. He went full tilt into the boards, knocking the puck loose for Staal to collect, and then positioned himself in front of the net for the puck to take a (lucky, but well earned) bounce off of him and into the net. A fine example of how to earn a goal.

The third line... what more needs to be said.

Road wins are road wins, it doesn't matter against who or how we get them. Solid win.

Check out Empty Netters for the live blog and eventually, highlights.

Here's another link about the Steelers' new hire. It shed's a little more light on the situation as compared to my earlier post.

For now, I gotta catch up on some JS.