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Pens start flat, but win in a shootout
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Sidney Crosby scoring a power play goal in the third period. (AP Photo)
Tonight, the Penguins looked a lot like they did back on October 7th when they lost 3-0 to the Phoenix Coyotes, but they were able to catch some breaks and then turn it on in the third period.
Sidney Crosby scored two goals in the third period and was the only skater in the shootout to score as the Penguins beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in a shootout.
“We struggled in the first half, but we were able to rebound,” said Crosby. “We stuck with things and I think that shows a lot. Every game is not going to be perfect and we found a way to turn our game around.”
Brent Johnson got the start in goal tonight, but the Penguins had trouble in the first period getting into a rhythm. Passes were off the mark, players were turning the puck over and lines were just not working together.
The Panthers got on the scoreboard first with a power play goal from Steve Reinprecht at 12:39 and continued to outplay the Penguins in the first period.
Just 2:37 later, Florida scored again when Nathan Horton flipped a wrist shot from the left circle which Johnson got a piece of, but the puck trickled behind him and Reinprecht scored his second goal of the game into an open net.
In the first period, the Panthers outshot the Penguins 12-8.
The Pens came out a little stronger in the second period, but neither team was able to get one past either of the goaltenders.
In the third period, the Pens got a lot of help from the Panthers in getting back into the game. The Panthers committed five total penalties and gave the Penguins many opportunities to get back into the game.
Just 2:14 into the third period, Sidney Crosby scored his fifth goal of the season on a one-timed slapshot from the right circle on the power play.
Then with just 3:19 left in the game, Sidney Crosby struck again with a shorthanded goal from Evgeni Malkin to tie the game and send it into overtime.
“We played a short PK (penalty kill), me and Sid on the ice,” said Malkin. “I go behind the net and pass to Sid and Sid made a good shot.”
There was no scoring in the overtime period and Sidney Crosby beat Tomas Vokoun badly in the shootout to give the Penguins their seventh straight win.
Photo Slideshow:
Click the slideshow link below for game photos.
Game Lines:
Forwards
Chris Kunitz – Sidney Crosby – Bill Guerin
Ruslan Fedotenko – Evgeni Malkin – Pascal Dupuis
Matt Cooke – Jordan Staal – Tyler Kennedy
Mike Rupp– Craig Adams – Christopher Bourque
Defensemen
Brooks Orpik – Alex Goligoski
Jay McKee – Martin Skoula
Mark Eaton - Kris Letang
Goaltenders
Brent Johnson - starter
Marc-Andre Fleury
Scratches
Eric Godard - healthy
Sergei Gonchar
Injuries
Sergei Gonchar – out 4-6 weeks (broke wrist – 10/20/09)
Three Stars:
1st Star – Sidney Crosby (PIT) – 2 goals
2nd Star – Evgeni Malkin (PIT) – 1 assist
3rd Star – Tomas Vokoun (FLA) – 41 saves, 0.953 save percentage
Shots On Goal:
Sidney Crosby - 7
Evgeni Malkin – 5
Jordan Staal – 5
Bill Guerin – 4
Chris Kunitz – 4
Kris Letang - 4
Time On Ice:
Alex Goligoski – 26:22
Sidney Crosby – 25:50
Evgeni Malkin – 25:06
Kris Letang – 24:19
Mark Eaton – 22:45
Bill Guerin – 20:55
Next Game:
Saturday, October 24th at 7:30pm vs. the New Jersey Devils at Mellon Arena (televised on FSN Pittsburgh) – Tickets
Notes:
The Penguins outshot the Panthers 43-29… Sidney Crosby played in his 300th NHL game… With the win, the Penguins set a record with the best start in franchise history at 9-1… Evgeni Malkin has 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in his last seven games... Brent Johnson got his first win in goal in a Penguins' uniform
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