Penguins/NHL
Penguins prevail defeat Lightning 3-2
Third Period Notes
Penguins up 3-2 with 5 minutes remaining in the third period. The Penguins have taken the crowd out the game
Janne Pesonen is making too many moves at the blue line and needs to dump it deep and use his speed. O’Brien stepped up on him and just poked the puck away. This has been a problem with Pesonen since the camp opened up.
Penguins jump out to the lead. Tyler Kennedy scores with assist to Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski
Two fights at the same time. You don’t see this much
Koci vs Bissonnette – Even: Bissonnette handled himself very well. Got a few nice rights in.
Konopka vs Henrich – this one was over within seconds – edge Konopka
Richmond moves the puck quickly. He is hitting the open man with NHL caliber efficiency
Eric Godard had a rare shift at the begining of the period. I don’t know if I’ve seen him have more than 5 shifts tonight.
The Penguins have to be floured with the play of John Curry tonight. He has kept this game tied
Live updates
End of Second Period 2-2
2nd Period Score Sheet
TB Goal – Michel Ouellet (assits to Dana Tyrell)
Shots on goal – Lightning 32 – Pittsburgh 15
Second Period Notes
Stamkos and Vrbata have been the Lightning’s top forwards. Malone hasn’t done anything special but he knows his role. He has supplanted himself in the front of the net all game long
Sabourin and Curry have kept the Penguins in the game
Tyler Kennedy is frustrating at times. He has had at least two or three prime scoring chances and missed the net on both occassions.
Andrej Meszaros has been dominating tonight. well see what he does when he has to go up against the likes of Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin but Meszaros will be a great pickup for the Lightning.
5 Minute – Major boarding penalty to Ruslan Fedotenko. Fedotenko didn’t do much tonight. Had a few chances but form what I’ve seen from him in camp and tonight, I don’t see him as a top 6 forward. His role will be playing with Talbot on the third line. Talbot-Fedotenko will be work well off each other. Matt Cooke is expected to play Wednesday
Jokinen may have found his position and looks very comfortable at center. Been solid on face-offs.
Bill thomas and Kris Beech have been the teams best players thus far. Beech has played a solid two-way-game. Taffe and Stone have also played well
third fight of the night: Bissonnette vs Koci – edge to Koci. Bissonnette overmatched in this one.
Janne Pesonen has been invisible in the 2nd period. Has struggled catching puck on the boards when he is being pressured.
Aaron Boogaard is not bad of a player
2-2 midway through the second
Mark Eaton doesn’t look fully recovered to me. Still seems like he is finding his legs. Insiders I’ve talked to indicate he is 100% healthy
John Curry is now in net. Curry tested early and made a big save on O’Brien from a right point shot.
Looks like Therrien is making a switch. Sabourin has been taking out. 22 saves for Sabourin tonight. Great start.
What a game for Danny Sabourin so far. He has made save after save and this is a good sign for the Penguins. This game could easily be 5-2 right now
Stamkos has won 6 face-offs mid way through the second period. He’s looking very good tonight
Kennedy has taking a few draws at center on the penalty kill.
Michelle Ouellet ties the game at 2-2. typical Ouellet goal (One-Timer) Say what you want about him but he can shoot. Nice pass from Dana Tyrell. Tyrell is a player the Lightning really like.
Impressed by Ty Wishart tonight. Sort of reminds me of Goligoski in his ability to move the puck.
I liked what I’ve seen from Adam Henrich’s line tonight. There playing physical and had a very good shift two minutes into the second period. Solid job of cycling the puck and creating opportunites
Taffe has been very good on draws in the the defensive zone.
Ryan Stone made a nice hit at the start of the period on Niskala. Stone doing what he has to do. Forechecking and playing like an agitator. He is yapping a lot tonight.
Start of Game
Live Updates – Pittsburgh leads 2-1 after the first period.
Score Sheet
TB Goal – Jussi Jokinen (Assists to -Evgeny Artyukhin)
PIt Goal – Bill Thomas (assists to Kris Letang & Alex Goligoski)
Pit Goal – Max Talbot (assists to Bill Thomas & Ruslan Fedotenko)
Shots – Tampa Bay 15 – Pittsburgh 9
Fights – Tampa Bay 2 – Pittsburgh 0
Konopka vs Boogaard – edge Konopka
Konopka vs Richmond – edge Konopka
First Period Notes
Janne Pesonen skating well. He is getting quality playing time. So far seems like a pass first player.
The goaltending was solid on both ends. Sabourin made some key saves in the first. Made a point blank save on Vrbata. Kolzig looked good in the first 10 minutes but his rebounds have been an issue.
Steve Stamkos looks like a totally different player than he did Saturday night. Part of the reason might be the linemates he is playing with. Stamkos- Malone – Vrbata have looked good. Vrbata is a player I really like. Vrbata has 35 goal potential playing in Tampa Bay. Vrbata was a player the Penguins targeted.
Danny Richmond playing solid. Looking good on the breakout. Had one turnover but has drawn two penalties. Did get in a get in a fight near the end of the first period. Not sure what exactly started the fight but there was lot of bickering coming from the bench.
Kris Beech playing physical. 3-for-4 on face-offs. His faceoff win led to the Penguins first goal
Bill Thomas making things happen. forechecking well and finding the soft spots in front of the net. Thomas scored the Penguins first goal on the power play although it wouldn’t surprise me to see Kris Letang get credit for the goal. Looked like Thomas didn’t touch it.
Lightning really showcasing Michel Ouellet. Ouellet playing in all situations and playing well. Nashville has a scout in attendence.
Tyler Kennedy looking very good. Good to see Kennedy getting top line power play time. The Penguins top unit is Pesonen – Kennedy – Taffe with Goligoski and Letang playing the points. Goligoski looking at home at the point. Moving the puck up the ice very well and showing a lot of poise. Still appears tentative to shoot. Kris Letang reminds me of Larry Murphy in the way he is keeping the puck in the zone. Made two great plays when the Lightning tried to clear on the power play.
Michel Therrien has Bissonnette – Henrich – Boogaard playing together. Boogaard was trying to stir things up at the begining of warm ups and within 10 seconds of his first shift Boogaard got into a fight with Zenon Konopka. Boogaard scored some early points but I would give the round to Konopka who got in some nice rights near the end of the bout. Boogaard lost his balance abit which Konopka took advantage
Jussi Jokinen got the Lightning on the board 46 seconds into the game. Evgeny Artyukhin made the play knocking Kris Letang off the puck and setting up Jokinen. Therrien was not happy and gave Letang a glare
Bill thomas opened up the game with Max Talbot and Rusland Fedotenko. Fedotenko had a great chance 20 seconds into the game but couldn’t beat Kolzig
Pittsburgh Lines
Fedotenko – Talbot – Thomas
Stone – Beech – Godard
Pesonen – Taffe – Kennedy
Bissonnette – Henrich – Boogaard
D-Pairings
Eaton – Letang
Richmond – Engelland
Gill – Goligoski
1st Power Play Unit
Pesonen – Taffe – Kennedy
Goligoski – Letang
