The Daily Bongo

Game Recaps for the Current Pens Season




Sunday, February 5, 2012 -- Afternoon

Pens Lose to the Devils
The Pens have had issues beating the New Jersey Devils in recent years, and this afternoon's game was no different. Marc Andre Fleury started the game for the Pens, but he was pulled at the start of the second period when he let in his third goal of the game (and a short handed one too, which really put the nail in the coffin). Brent Johnson went in, and the Pens quickly got a power play goal from Matt Niskanen. But then around eight minutes later, the Devils scored again with a goal from Zach Parise. Evgeni Malkin managed to get a goal to bring the Pens within two of the Devils, but it was too much to make up so late in the game. The Devils went on to win with a final score of 5-2.

Fifty Third Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Devils 		1st
0
2 		2nd
1
2 		3rd
1
1 		Final
2
5

Saturday, February 4, 2012 -- Evening

Pens Win With Fleury
The Pens were in Boston to play the Bruins in an early afternoon game. Marc-Andre Fleury was back between the pipes, and surprise of surprises, the Pens won this one. Evgeni Malkin and Matt Cooke got goals to give the Pens a 2-1 win.

Fifty Second Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Bruins 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
1
1 		Final
2
1

Thursday, February 2, 2012 -- Afternoon

Pens Lose a Close One
Surprises of surprises, Marc-Andre Fleury, after an eight game winning streak, was pulled from the back-to-back home/away series with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dan Bylsma decided that Brent Johnson needed a turn between the pipes to spell Fleury. Johnson didn't do a bad job; he only let in one goal. The problem is that James Reimer, the Maple Leafs goalie, had a shut out. The Pens suffered a loss, but let's hope that they pick up their winning ways again. Final score: Pens 0 - Maple Leafs 1. ng right? Then Evgeni Malkin got a goal and things were looking up again. Minutes later, Malkin got a second beautiful goal from his stomach to give the Pens a 5-3 lead. Vinnie Lecavalier got frustrated because of Malkin's play, and tried to pick a fight. It didn't help that Lacavalier tried to sucker punch Malkin as the refs were holding them. As Malkin said afterwards, he didn't want to fight, he wanted to play hockey. Welll, Malkin continued to play hockey by getting an empty net goal from the blue line to get a natural hat trick. Pens won with a final score of 6-3.

Fifty First Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Maple Leafs 		1st
0
0 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
0
1 		Final
0
1

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 -- Evening

Pens Win
I missed the Pens game because I was teaching class and then came home sick. Well, I didn't miss all of it. I did see the end of the last period. So I saw Joe Vitale and Evgeni Malkin score to tie the game. There was no score in overtime, so it went to a shootout. Marc-Andre Fleury is stellar in the shootout, and he held the Toronto Maple Leafs to no goal. And Evgeni Malkin got the winning shootout goal for the Pens. Great ending to the game.

Fiftieth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Maple Leafs
Pens 		1st
0
0 		2nd
2
1 		3rd
2
3 		OT
0
0 		SO
0 (0-3)
1 (1-3) 		Final
4
5

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 -- Evening

Upcoming All-Star Break
The Pens were in Saint Louis to play the Blues for their last game before the All-Star break. The Pens' James Neal and Steve Sullivan got goals for the Pens in the second period. The Blues tied things up with Patrik Berglund scoring a goal in the second period, and then scoring on a penalty shot in third period. There was a weird call against Matt Cooke in the last minute of regulation. Cooke got a boarding penalty, but it didn't look as if Cooke hit Barret Jackman. In fact, Cooke was beside Jackman, but Jackman quickly hit the glass, fell into a ball, and covered his face. It really looked like Jackman threw himself into the glass and did an acting job to draw the penalty. If Cooke did the deed, I would call him on it, but it really looked innocent to me. Regulation ended in a tie, and the game went into overtime. Marc-Andre Fleury made several stellar saves in OT. No score in OT meant a shootout. Kris Letang did not score, but Evgeni Malkin did. Unfortunately, the Blues got a goal by TJ Oshie. James Neal missed, but then Chris Kunitz scored to give the Pens a 3-2 win.

Forty Ninth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Blues 		1st
0
0 		2nd
2
1 		3rd
0
1 		OT
0
0 		SO
1 (2-4)
0 (1-4) 		Final
3
2

Sunday, January 22, 2012 -- Evening

Pens/Caps Rivalry
The Pens had an early afternoon game against the Washington Capitals. This matchup used to be a hot rivalry, but with Sidney Crosby out, and Alexander Ovechkin not producing, things have cooled down immensely. Kris Letang showed why he is a valuable member of the team when he scored a goal. A minute later on a face-off by Michal Neuvirth, Evgeni Malkin passed the puck back to James Neal, who shot a rocket at the net to get another goal. Unfortunately, Brooks Laich, Alexander Semin, and Ovechking got goals. James Neal managed to tie things up with his second goal of the game. Regulation ended in a tie. 1:31 into overtime, Neal shot the puck at the net, and Malkin got the rebound behind Neuvirth to win the game for the Pens. Final score: Pens 4 - Caps 3.

Forty Eighth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Capitals
Pens 		1st
0
2 		2nd
2
0 		3rd
1
1 		OT
0
1 		Final
3
4

Friday, January 20, 2012 -- Evening

Pens and the Canadiens
The Pens played back-to-back with a game this evening against the Montreal Canadiens. Because Kris Letang got a concussion from a hit by Max Pacioretty in the last game between the teams, there was a sense of retribution in this game. Chris Kunitz got in a fight with Pacioretty, and in the power play that followed, Letang got a goal. Unfortunately, all that did was tie the game since the Canadiens had already scored. Then the Canadiens scored again immediately after to get the lead back. The Habs were on fire this evening. They got two more goals in the second period, including one from Pacioretty. Maybe Marc-Andre Fleury wasn't as sharp as he could have been after playing two nights in a row. Dustin Jeffreys got two goals in a row, then with less than three minutes left in the game, Evgeni Malkin tied the game. Regulation ended in a tie! No score in overtime, so we had a shootout! Letang went first and, goalie, Peter Budaj, stopped him. Fleury stopped David Desharnais. Malkin got the puck past Budaj. Fleury was solid against Andrei Kostitsyn. James Neal missed on his chance. It was down to Fleury stopping Scott Gomez, and Fleury did the job. Pens win with a final score of 5-4.

Forty Seventh Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Canadiens
Pens 		1st
2
1 		2nd
2
1s 		3rd
0
2 		OT
0
0 		SO
0 (0-3)
1 (1-3) 		Final
4
5

Thursday, January 19, 2012 -- Evening

Pens on a Winning Streak
The Pens traveled to New York to play the hot Rangers. The Rangers are leading the league, and some, like the owner, are claiming that they will win the Stanley Cup. Well, the Pens said something else this evening. With Kris Letang spending 24 minutes on the ice and scoring a point on his first game back after being off for two months with concussion, the Pens went on to a 4-1 win. Chris Kunitz, Richard Park, and Evgeni Malkin all got goals, with Malkin getting two. Malkin now leads the NHL in scoring. Good game. Tomorrow, it's back in Pittsburgh to play the Montreal Canadiens.

Forty Sixth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Rangers 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
3
0 		Final
4
1

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 -- Afternoon

Pens Win in a Shootout
I had a class last night, so I didn't get to see the Pens and Carolina Hurricanes. Instead, I had to see the late night recap. The Hurricanes scored quickly, and it wasn't until the end of the first period that Evgeni Malkin tied things up. From there, the game was scoreless through regulation. Nothing happened during overtime, so we had a shootout. The Pens won when Evgeni Malkin and James Neal both scored. A boring game, but it was a 2-1 win for the Pens.

Forty Fifth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Hurricanes
Pens 		1st
1
1 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
0
0 		OT
0
0 		SO
0 (1-3)
1 (2-3) 		Final
1
2

Sunday, January 15, 2012 -- Late Afternoon

Malkin Plays Hockey
The Tampa Bay Lightning went from playoffs last season to last in the Eastern Conference this year. The problem for the Lightning is goaltending. Dwayne Roloson and Mathieu Garon are basically just okay goalies. So I had a ton of hope that the Pens would pull through on this one. Things were looking good in the first period when James Neal and Richard Park both got goals. Then in the third period, James Neal got his second goal of the game to give the Pens a 3-0 lead. Then within a span of a little under five minutes (4 minutes and 50 seconds), the Lightning got three goals to tie the game. Time to start worrying right? Then Evgeni Malkin got a goal and things were looking up again. Minutes later, Malkin got a second beautiful goal from his stomach to give the Pens a 5-3 lead. Vinnie Lecavalier got frustrated because of Malkin's play, and tried to pick a fight. It didn't help that Lacavalier tried to sucker punch Malkin as the refs were holding them. As Malkin said afterwards, he didn't want to fight, he wanted to play hockey. Welll, Malkin continued to play hockey by getting an empty net goal from the blue line to get a natural hat trick. Pens won with a final score of 6-3.

Forty Fourth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Lightning 		1st
2
0 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
4
3 		Final
6
3

Friday, January 13, 2012 -- Evening

Pens Finally Win!
The Pens really needed a win to get them out of their losing doldrums. The first period against the Panthers was scoreless, but less than two minutes into the second, Steve Sullivan scored for the Pens. Then in the last minute of the same period, Evgeni Malkin gave the Pens a 2-0 lead. As soon as the third period started, Tyler Kennedy scored. The Panthers managed to get one past Marc-Andre Fleury. James Neal finally got another goal to give him his 22nd goal of the season. The Pens finally broke their losing streak with the 4-1 win.

Forty Third Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Panthers 		1st
0
0 		2nd
2
0 		3rd
2
1 		Final
4
1

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 -- Evening

Pens Lose Yet Again
The Pens traveled to Washington to play the Capitals this evening. The Pens performed to their usual standard of late. They had difficulty scoring. In the past few games, the Pens were lucky to get a single point. Tonight's game was a close one. The Capitals got a goal in the first period, and then Marc-Andre Fleury kept the puck out of the Pens' goal. The Pens continued their losing streak, with the final score: Capitals 1 - Pens 0.

Forty Second Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Capitals 		1st
0
1 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
0
0 		Final
0
1

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 -- Evening

Neal Plays Against Senators
The Ottawa Senators were in town this evening to play the Pens, and the first shock of the day was when James Neal participated in the morning skate. The Pens claimed that Neal did not break his foot. Supposedly, he just has a bone bruise, and the "break" in the x-rays might have been a past injury. Speaking as someone who has broken a bone in the foot, I really have issues believing the Pens. But at least Neal is back on the ice.

Brent Johnson as in goal for the Pens. At the end of the first period, the Senators got two goals, then Jason Spezza got a goal at the start of the second. After that, it was bye-bye Johnson. The Senators got another goal before Evgeni Malkin finally managed to score one for the Pens. The Pens weren't able to score any more goals though, and they had their fifth loss in a row. Final score: Senators 5 - Pens 1.

Forty First Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Senators
Pens 		1st
2
0 		2nd
2
1 		3rd
1
0 		Final
5
1

Saturday, January 7, 2012 -- Evening

Pens Back to Back
The Pens were in action again tonight against the New Jersey Devils. Marc-Andre Fleury was back in goal for the Pens. Evgeni Malkin scored first, giving the Pens a 1-0 lead in the first period. As seems to be usual for the Pens lately, things went downhill from there. In the second period, Fleury thought he had the puck secured, but he didn't, and Adam Henrique tied things up for the Devils. Then Ilya Kovalchuk and Dainius Zubrus both got goals. The Pens lost another one with a final score of 3-1. Unfortunately, Jordan Staal joined the ranks of the injured with the knee injury he suffered in yesterday's game.

Fortieth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Devils
Pens 		1st
0
1 		2nd
2
0 		3rd
1
0 		Final
3
1

Friday, January 6, 2012 -- Evening

Pens Lose Another Game
The hot NY Rangers were in town this evening to play the Pens. Since the Pens are in the same division as the Rangers, a win against them was a must. The match started out positively with the Pens scoring first on a Ben Lovejoy goal in the first period. The Pens were really outshooting the Rangers, but then the tempo changed when Brad Richards got a goal towards the end of the first period. In the second period, Brandon Dubinsky got a short-handed goal for the Rangers to give them a 2-1 lead. The Rangers got another goal in the third period, and it was obvious the Pens were struggling. James Neal almost got a goal, but Chris Kunitz had interfered with Henrik Lundqvist, so the goal was called off. The Pens were outshooting the Rangers; they just couldn't get anything behind Lundqvist. Towards the end of the third period, there was a scary moment when Mike Rupp ran into Jordan Staal's left leg. Staal lay on the ice for a while, then was helped off the ice. The Pens lost this one with a final score of 1-3.

Thirty Ninth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Rangers
Pens 		1st
1
1 		2nd
1
0 		3rd
1
0 		Final
3
1

Saturday, December 31, 2011 -- Evening

Lackluster Pens
The Pens were in New Jersey to play the Devils this afternoon, and it was a lackluster performance. The Devils took an early 2-0 lead, and even though the Pens started to pick up their play in the third period, it was not enough to bet Martin Brodeur. The Pens lost with a final score of 3-1. The team has been in the doldrums lately, and I think that if it weren't for the injuries, people would be questioning the coaching of Bylsema. I know that I question it because even with the injuries, he still has Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal. I would imagine that as more players come back to the team, there might be more questions if the level of play doesn't pick up. Sidney Crosby is out indefinitely, if he ever does come back since he is suffering concussion symptoms again. Kris Letang also has a more severe concussion than originally thought. The frustrating thing about Letang is that he came back after the hit to play, and score the winning goal.

Thirty Eighth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Devils 		1st
0
2 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
1
1 		Final
1
3

Thursday, December 29, 2011 -- Evening

Jagr Back in Pittsburgh
Jaromir Jagr and the Philadelphia Flyers were in town this evening to play the Pens. The crowd turned out to mostly boo Jagr, but I have to admit that I'm conflicted over the whole thing. i appreciate Jagr for the outstanding player that he is. Granted, he is a bit of a drama king, but that makes Jagr all the more interesting. Jagr gave an interview to a group of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia reporters that the Post Gazette published. I have to say that Jagr's comments about the Pens' interest in Tyler Kennedy struck a cord with me. If I were Jagr, and I was was trying to make a deal with the Pens, and the Pens told me that they were waiting to hear what Kennedy was doing, I would wonder what role I would play with the Pens. If a third liner is more important than Jagr, he was right in thinking that he would take a back seat to said third liner. Jagr is a first or second line player. If the Pens weren't interested in that, the Flyers were.

When the game started, the Pens were the first to score with a goal by Jordan Staal, 44 seconds into the game. The Pens then went off of their game, allowing goals from Kimmo Timonen in the first and from Jagr and Matt Read in the second period. The game still had a period to go, and Evgeni Malkin scored a goal to bring the Pens close to tying the game. The Pens pulled Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the game, but instead, Max Talbot got an empty net goal to seal the deal for the Flyers. The Flyers win with a final score of 4-2.

Thirty Seventh Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Flyers
Pens 		1st
1
1 		2nd
2
0 		3rd
1
1 		Final
4
2

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Back from Christmas Break
The Pens were back from the Christmas break with a game at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes scored first, with the only goal in the first period. But then James Neal got a goal to tie things up in the second period. The Pens really broke out in the third period, with goals from Steve Sullivan, Pascal Dupuis, and Jordan Staal. The Hurricanes did manage to get another goal in the third, but the Pens went on to win with a final score of 4-2.

Thirty Sixth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Hurricanes
Pens 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
1
3 		Final
2
4

Friday, December 23, 2011 -- Evening

Pens in Winnipeg
The Pens were in Winnipeg to play the Jets this evening. The first two periods were fairly even in scoring. In the third period, the Pens pulled away, with goals form James Neal, Jordan Staal, and Pascal Dupuis. Pens win with a final score of 4-1.

Thirty Fifth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Jets 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
3
0 		Final
4
1

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 -- Evening

Blackhawks in Town
The Chicago Blackhawks were in town to play the Pens this evening. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Pens. As usual, Fleury had a good performance. Evgeni Malkin was on fire, making himself a presence in the game, winning faceoffs and assisting on all three Pens' goals. The Blackhawks came on in the third with goals by Jonathan Toews and Viktor Stalberg, but it was too little, too late. The Pens won with a final score of 3-2. Pens goal scorers: Chris Kunitz, James Neal, and Tyler Kennedy.

Thirty Fourth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Blackhawks
Pens 		1st
0
1 		2nd
0
2 		3rd
2
0 		Final
2
3

Saturday, December 17, 2011 -- Evening

Back to Back Games
The Buffalo Sabres were in town this evening to play the Pens. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Pens. The Pens came out shooting, scoring three goals in the first 10 minutes, which resulted in Ryan Miller being pulled from goal. Recent call-ups from the AHL, Jason Williams and Simon Despres got their first career NHL goals. Evgeni Malkin scored the third goal. After pulling Miller, Thomas Vanek scored for the Sabres. It was obvious that the Pens were dragging after their 10 minute scoring burst. With 2:30 left in the first period, Malkin got his second goal of the game. Ryan Miller started the second period, and within seconds, James Neal scored off an assist by Malkin. In the third period, the Sabres started to come back with two goals in a minute and half. But then Malkin got his hat trick goal, and Chris Kunitz scored shortly after that. The final score was Pens 8 - Sabres 3. Fleury got his 200th NHL win, and he was congratulated by the team. Fleury is the fourth youngest goalie to reach 200 wins.

Thirty Third Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Sabres
Pens 		1st
1
4 		2nd
0
2 		3rd
2
2 		Final
3
8

Saturday, December 17, 2011 -- Afternoon

Pens Lose in Ottawa
I was not feeling well on Friday evening, and I fell asleep before the Pens game. I did miss a whole lot of scoring, which was ultimately a lose for the Pens. The Ottawa Senators went on a scoring rampage with the Pens in the second period, and Brent Johnson was pulled from the net after letting in five goals. The Senators won with a final score of 6-4.

Thirty Second Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Senators 		1st
0
0 		2nd
3
5 		3rd
1
1 		Final
4
6

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 -- Evening

Crosby-less Pens
The Pens were at home to play the Red Wings this evening, but they were there without Sidney Crosby in the lineup. Crosby has had a return of concussion-like symptoms, and he will be out for an indefinite period. This is really bad news for Crosby, even though he says that this instance of the symptoms is not as severe as the last. At least Crosby has hope, but it does make me concerned that he might never be able to play like he did in the past. And that is a sad day for all hockey fans.

Unfortunately, the Pens weren't able to beat the Red Wings this evening. Evgeni Malkin got a goal in the first period to give the Pens an early lead, but then the Pavel Datsyuk got a flakey goal in the second, and then Johan Franzen scored one, and Danny Cleary got two to give the Red Wings a 4-1 win.

Thirty First Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Red Wings
Pens 		1st
0
1 		2nd
1
0 		3rd
2
0 		Final
4
1

Saturday, December 10, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Beat Islanders
The Pens played the New York Islanders this evening. As is usually with the Islanders/Pens games, it was a high scoring game. The Islanders scored first and took a 2-0 lead in the first period, but then the Pens came back to tie the game up before they went into the second period. The Pens started to pull away once the second period started. After the Islanders had a goal in the second period, but Pens just shut down the Islanders. Goals for the Pens came from Steve Sullivan, James Neal (2), Pascal Dupuis, Matt Cooke, and Paul Martin. Final score: Pens 6 - Islanders 3.

Thirtieth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Islanders 		1st
2
2 		2nd
2
1 		3rd
2
0 		Final
6
3

Thursday, December 8, 2011 -- Evening

Jagr Against the Pens
Jaromir Jagr played the Pens for the first time this season. The Pens were in Philadelphia to play the Flyers without Sidney Crosby. Crosby had knee on knee contact with Chris Kunitz in the Bruins' game on Tuesday. The problem was a knee problem. Crosby wasn't feeling good afterwards, so they tested him to make sure the concussion wasn't back. Crosby didn't travel with the team, and he'll miss the next two games.

The Pens came out with a lackluster display in the first two periods. Marc-Andre Fleury made some nice saves, but the Flyers were up 3-0 by the middle of the second period. James Neal got a goal in the last few minutes of the second, and then Evgeni Malkin got another eight minutes into the third period. Unfortunately, the Pens couldn't get another goal to tie the game. The Flyers win with a final score of 3-2.

Twenty Ninth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Flyers 		1st
0
1 		2nd
1
2 		3rd
1
0 		Final
2
3

Tuesday, December 6, 2011 -- Morning

Pens Lose to Bruins
The Pens were in Boston last night to play the Bruins. The Bruins have been a hot team lately, and they are 9-0-1 in the last ten. The Pens weren't able to stand up to them in last night's game. The Bruins had a 3-0 lead in the third period before Matt Cooke was able to score the Pens' only goal. Final score of the game: Bruins 3 - Pens 1.

Twenty Eighth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Bruins 		1st
0
0 		2nd
2
1 		3rd
1
0 		Final
3
1

Saturday, December 3, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Battle
The Pens were still on their road trip this evening. Tonight, they played the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes have been slumping lately, mostly because Eric Staal has not been scoring. it seems that the hit that Eric put on his brother Marc Staal almost a year ago, resulted in Marc Staal getting a concussion. Marc hasn't been back on the ice, and folks are figuring that it has had a psychological impact on older brother Eric. Think of it, if you were the older brother, and you did something that had such a negative physiological impact on your brother. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes coach suffered the same fate as Bruce Boudreau, and on the same day. So the Hurricanes also have a new coach.

Brent Johnson was in goal for this game, playing his 300th NHL game. Johnson was hot in the first period. Even though the Pens were playing sluggish hockey, Johnson came them in the game by stopping all the pucks that came his way. Craig Adams got the first goal in the second period, with an assist by Sidney Crosby. The Hurricanes tied things in the second, and the game was tied going into the third period. Arron Asham and Pascal Dupuis got goals for the Pens to give them a 3-1 lead. Jamie McBain got his second goal of the game for the Hurricanes to bring them within one of the Pens. James Neal scored what looked like a goal, but it was called off because Evgeni Malkin fell over Brian Boucher, preventing him from playing the puck. As Bob Errey and Paul Steigerwald said, the Pens have had an issues with interference calls. It sucks because Neal did a great job playing the puck. Poor Jordan Staal got whacked in the face by the puck, and had to be helped off the ice by the trainer and Matt Cooke and a couple of other players. In the last minutes of the game, the Hurricanes started to draw penalties by diving. One of the worst was Eric Staal grabbing Pascal Dupuis' stick and falling down. The Hurricanes had a 5 on 3 advantage. With 17 seconds on the clock, there was a huge scrum on the ice with the puck under Brent Johnson. Brooks Orpik jumped in like Superman lying on the line right in front of the goal. With a flurry of shots against them, the Pens managed to hold things together and keep the Hurricanes from scoring. The Pens won with a final score of 3-2.

Twenty Seventh Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Hurricanes 		1st
0
0 		2nd
1
1 		3rd
2
1 		Final
3
2

Thursday, December 1, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Play Caps
The Pens took the train from New York to Washington, DC. I think that they have done that in the past; at least I remember seeing video of the players on the train before. I was interested in this game because I wanted to see how Dale Hunter looked as new coach of the Capitals. Craig Adams got a surprising goal for the Pens in the first period. The Pens had 13 shots on goal to the Capitals 4 in the first period. The Capitals brought their game up a notch in the second period, getting a goal off of 11 shots on goal. Chris Kunitz got a goal in the third period to give the Pens a one goal lead. Fortunately for the Pens, the Capitals suck, and replacing Bruce Boudreau with a junior hockey league coach/former Capitals player, was a stupid idea. The Pens outshot the Caps, with the Pens having 35 shots on goal to the Caps 17. Yep, 17 over three periods. The Pens get the win with a final score of 2-1.

Twenty Sixth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Capitals 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
1
0 		Final
2
1

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Lose to Rangers
The Pens were in New York to play the Rangers without Kris Letang. Letang was sent back to Pittsburgh with a broken nose. He was also going to get further testing; I suppose to make sure he didn't have a concussion. The Pens scored first with a goal by James Neal. Unfortunately, the Rangers scored four goals in the second period. Evgeni Malkin got a goal at the end of the second, and Pascal Dupuis got one in the third period. That wasn't enough to tie things ups. The Rangers won with a final score of 4-3. On Thursday, the Pens will be in DC to play the Caps, sans coach Bruce Boudrea who was fired yesterday.

Twenty Fifth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Rangers 		1st
1
0 		2nd
1
4 		3rd
1
0 		Final
3
4

Saturday, November 26, 2011 -- Evening

Letang Controversy
The Pens played back to back games with a trip to Montreal to play the Canadiens this evening. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Pens, playing in back to back games, probably because it was Montreal. The Pens scored quickly with Evgeni Malkin getting a goal in the first 21 seconds of the game, with an assist from Sidney Crosby. The Canadiens managed to get a 3-1 lead with two goals in the first and another in the third. Pascal Dupuis got a goal in the second, and then Jordan Staal got a goal in the third to tie things up. At the end of the third period, Kris Letang took a shot to the head from Max Pacioretty, which knocked him down and bloodied him. Letang got back into the game for the overtime, and scored the overtime goal. There was controversy over the goal because Carey Price tucked the puck under his pads, but there was no whistle and Pascal Dupuis knocked it free, and Letang knocked it in. The Canadiens thought that it was not a goal, but you play until the whistle. That's what the Pens did, and they won. Final score: Pens 4 - Canadiens 3.

The head shot by Pacioretty was controversial. Pacioretty did not get a penalty from it, even though he blindsided Letang to the head with his shoulder. After the game, some of the Canadien sports guys were asking Crosby how Crosby could elbow Nick Foligno in yesterday's game, but then call out about the hit on Letang. Crosby did a great job of explaining the differences. Pacioretty blindsided Letang when Letang was playing the puck, and Pacioretty put a shot on Letang's head with his shoulder. Foligno had been interfering with Fleury, falling all over Fleury, and in the ensuing scrum, when Crosby was sticking up for his goalie, Crosby elbowed Foligno and caught him in the jaw. As Crosby said, that's what you get when you get into a scrum. Foligno is an agitator, and got what he deserved in a scrum. The Pens aren't like the Buffalo Sabres. The Pens stand up for their goalie and don't let him get abused by the other team. Ryan Miller has been out for over a week with a concussion that he suffered because of a shot by the Boston Bruins' Milan Lucic. Pacioretty should be hanging his head in shame because he wanted to have Zdeno Chara arrested for the hit Chara put on Pacioretty that resulted in Pacioretty's broken neck last year.

Twenty Fourth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Canadiens 		1st
1
2 		2nd
1
1 		3rd
1
9 		OT
1
0 		Final
4
3

Friday, November 25, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Feast on the Senators
After a lackadaisical game before Thanksgiving, the Pens came out to play tonight. Granted, they were lucky that their opponent was the Ottawa Senators. The Senators are in eleventh place in the Eastern Conference and last in the Northeastern Division. The Senators scored first, but within the first nine minutes of the game, the Pens had four goals, and Senator goalie, Craig Anderson, was pulled in favor of Alex Auld. Sidney Crosby had three assists in the first period and a penalty in the first three minutes of the third period, for throwing an elbow at Nick Foligno for falling all over Marc-Andre Fleury. In the scrum that ensued, Fleury managed to get in a well-concealed punch to Foligno's stomach. Goal scorers for the Pens: Chris Kunitz, Tyler Kennedy, Steve Sullivan, Evgeni Malkin, Pascal Dupuis, and Jordan Staal. Final score: Pens 6 - Senators 3.

Twenty Third Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Senators
Pens 		1st
1
4 		2nd
1
1 		3rd
1
1 		Final
3
6

Wednesday, November 23, 2011 -- Evening

Pens' Blues
Sidney Crosby did not suffer any ill effects from Monday's game: only some sore muscles and tiredness. Of course, that is what you would expect after playing a full game for the first time in 320 days. Sid was back on the ice this evening for the Pens and St. Louis Blues game. The Blues got the only goal in the first period. Then there was no more scoring until the third period. Evgeni Malkin was the force in the third period. First he got an assist on Steve Sullivan's goal. Then he assisted on James' Neal goal to tie things at 2-2. The game ended in a tie, so it went on to overtime. Unfortunately, the Blues got one past Marc-Andre Fleury in overtime to give them a 3-2 win.

Twenty Second Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Blues
Pens 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
1
2 		OT
1
0 		Final
3
2

Monday, November 21, 2011 -- Evening

Sidney Crosby scores at 5:24 in the first period
Sid the Kid Returns
Sidney Crosby returned to the ice tonight against the New York Islanders, and the news media had a huge presence at the game. TSN sent a slew of reporters, and the game was added to the Hockey Night in Canada schedule. When Sid took the ice, and the fans all held up their "Welcome Back Sid" signs that the Pens' handed out to fans before the game. Sid started the game, and his line came out flying, which, of course, had everyone screaming. After only 55 seconds on the ice, Sid almost had an assist on a Chris Kunitz shot. at 5:24 into the first period, Sid came charging down the ice, with three Islanders on him, and scored his first goal of the season! The whole arena exploded. Then later in the first, Sid fed the puck to Brooks Orpik who got the goal!

Three minutes into the second period, Sid had an assist on an Evgeni Malkin goal. It was great to see Malkin, Sid, and James Neal on the ice together. Steve Sullivan scored goal number four for the Pens with an assist from Malkin and Neal. In the third period, Sid shot the puck at Anders Nilsson, the Islanders goalie. The puck shot off of Nilsson's chest and into the net. Of course all of the attention on Sid doesn't put the spotlight on Marc-Andre Fleury, who was doing a great job in net, grabbing pucks out of mid-air to keep the Islanders scoreless.

Towards the end of the third period, the Pens started to feed the puck to Sid in the hope that he could get a hat trick. The clock ticked down to 20 seconds. Sid was on the ice, and the Pens were trying to feed it to him, but Sid could not get the hat trick. Fleury did get the shutout! It was the second of shutout for Fleury this season and 21st of his career. Crosby completed the game, looking good and healthy. Crosby was looking for the game puck at the end of the game, not for himself, as he said in his post-game presser, but for Fleury because it was a shutout. That's Sid for you: thinking of his buddies first. Sid's total ice time: 15:54. Sid got the first star of the game, Pascal Dupuis got the second star for his three assists, and Fleury got the third star for the shutout. Final score: Pens 5 - Islanders 0.

Twenty First Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Islanders
Pens 		1st
0
2 		2nd
0
2 		3rd
0
1 		Final
0
5

Sunday, November 20, 2011 -- Afternoon

Pens Lose in Florida
The Pens didn't have a good experience on their dads' road trip in Florida this year. Not only did the team loose to the Lightning, but last night, they also lost to the Florida Panthers. There was some sloppy play throughout the game. Chris Kunitz and Jordan Staal got the only goals for the Pens. Final score was Panthers 3 - Pens 2. The dads were probably glad to go home because of the poor game play and lousy weather, with clouds, winds, and rain.

Twentieth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Panthers 		1st
1
1 		2nd
1
1 		3rd
0
1 		Final
2
3

Thursday, November 17, 2011 -- Evening

Dads' Trip
The Pens took their dads with them when they went on their Florida trip today. The dads have been spending a weekend with their sons ever since Ray Shero becamse general manager. Tonight's game was against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have developed a reputation for incredibly boring play. The Lightning have implemented the neutral zone trap, and that means that games tend to be low in shots on goal and in goals. The system worked on the Pens. The Lightning were able to keep the Pens from the net, and some sloppy turnovers didn't help either. Tyler Kennedy scored a goal in the third for the Pens, but it was too little too late. The Lightning won with a final score of 4-1.

Nineteenth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Lightning 		1st
0
1 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
1
2 		Final
1
4

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Win
The Colorado Avalanche were in town, and they took off in the first period against the Pens. By the end of the first period, the Avalanche were leading 3-1. Fortunately, the Pens were just getting started. Jordan Staal got the goal in the first period, then Pascal Dupuis scored in the second. The Pens were down 3-2 starting the third. Then Brooks Orpik, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, and Kris Letang got goals to give the Pens a 6-3 win. The third period was great fun. I love to see a good scoring game with lots of action.

Eighteenth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Avalanche
Pens 		1st
3
1 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
0
4 		Final
3
6

Saturday, November 12, 2011 -- Evening

Pens versus Hurricane
The Pens traveled to Carolina to play the Hurricanes tonight. Brent Johnson was in goal, giving Marc-Andre Fleury a rest. The Hurricanes scored first with a goal by Jeff Skinner. Then Tuomo Ruutu scored two goals in the second period to give the Hurricanes a 3-0 goal lead. The Pens may have been down, but they weren't out. Jordan Staal scored two goals, the second being a short handed goal. Then Chris Kunitz tied the game. Things were starting to look up for the Pens, but then Eric Staal and Chad Larose scored to give the Hurricanes the win with a final score of 5-3.

Seventeenth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Hurricanes 		1st
0
1 		2nd
0
2 		3rd
3
2 		Final
3
5

Friday, November 11, 2011 -- Evening

Dallas Stars in Town
The Dallas Stars were in town to plan the Pens this evening. There has been talk for several weeks that Sidney Crosby was going to be back on the ice for the November 11th game. However, yesterday, the news came out that Crosby would not be back this weekend. It seems that he is close, but still not quite ready. The Stars are one of the hottest teams in the NHL this season, winning 11 of their 14 games. Eric Nystrom scored first for the Stars, giving them a 1-0 lead in the first. After getting two power play goals called off by Toronto, James Neal scored to tie things in the first. Then in the third period, the Pens came out to play. Neal got his second goal of the game, a power play goal, and then Matt Cooke got tripped up and was awarded a penalty shot. Cooke did a great job, coming at Kari Lehtonen and lifting it over Lehtonen's leg. The Pens had a 3-1 lead. with seconds left to go in the game, Evgeni Malkin tried to feed the puck to Neal so Neal could get a hat trick. Unfortunately, it didn't work. It shows you the sort of guy Malkin is. He could have gotten an empty net goal, but he wanted to help Neal get the hat trick. Malkin is a decent guy. The Pens won with a final score of 3-1.

Sixteenth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Stars
Pens 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
0
2 		Final
1
3

Sunday, November 6, 2011 -- Morning

Pens versus Kings
The Pens has another late night game against the LA Kings last night. Steve Sullivan scored a power play goal in the latter part of the first period to give the Pens a 1-0 lead. However, the Kings came back to tie things up in the second period, and Simon Gagne gave the Kings a 2-1 lead in the third. Fortunately, Chris Kunitz scored with less than three minutes in the game to tie things up. As we have seen so many times with the Pens, the game went into overtime and a shoot out. Fortunately, both Kris Letang and Kunitz scored in the shoot out to give the Pens a 3-2 win.

Fifteenth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Kings 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
1
1 		OT
0
0 		SO
1 (2-4)
0 (1-4) 		Final
3
2

Friday, November 4, 2011 -- Evening

Pens in San Jose
The Pens were in San Jose last night to play the Sharks. The Pens haven't had much luck against the Sharks when they play in San Jose, and haven't won against them there since 1997. The Pens came out strong, getting two goals in the first two minutes of the game. Unfortunately, the Sharks weren't so eager to give up. The game went into overtime, and then a shoot out. The Sharks won with a shoot out goal from Ryane Clowe. Kris Letang was back on the ice, and wound up playing for 30 minutes. But Ben Lovejoy broke his wrist and will probably be out for several weeks. The final score of the game: Pens 3 - Sharks 4.

Fourteenth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Sharks 		1st
2
0 		2nd
1
1 		3rd
0
2 		OT
0
0 		SO
0 (0-3)
1 (1-3) 		Final
3
4

Saturday, October 29, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Start Road Trip
The Pens started their second Western road trip of the season in Toronto with a match against the Maple Leafs. Marc-Andre Fleury was given a rest, and Brent Johnson was in goal for the Pens. The Maple Leafs scored first with a power play goal on an Evgeni Malkin penalty, but Matt Cooke tied things up with a goal in the second period. But the Leafs came right back with a second power play goal when Evgeni Malkin was out on a penalty. If there's one thing that Malkin needs to do, it's stop taking stupid penalties, especially since it penalizes us. Fortunately, Chris Kunitz tied things up with an assist from Malkin. Unfortunately, every time the Pens would score, the Leafs would respond. The Leafs won with a final score of 4-3.

Thirteenth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Maple Leafs 		1st
0
1 		2nd
2
1 		3rd
1
2 		Final
3
4

Thursday, October 27, 2011 -- Evening

Pens/Islanders Rematch
The Islanders came to town have a rematch with the Pens. Marc-Andre Flery was in goal for the Pens, and he was doing a great job in goal. The Islanders took a 2-0 lead into the third period, but the Pens' Chris Kunitz and James Neal scored to tie the game and take it into overtime. The game was finally decided in a shootout. Fleury stopped all three Islander players, and Evgeni Malkin, playing his second game in a row, scored the winning shootout goal to give the Pens a 3-2 win.

Twelfth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Islanders
Pens 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
1
2 		OT
0
0 		SO
0 (0-3)
1 (1-3) 		Final
2
3

Tuesday, October 25, 2011 -- Evening

Fleury Gets a Shutout
The Pens were in New York to play the Islanders this evening. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal, and he has been playing stellar hockey in October. Usually, Fleury starts off slow, and finishes with a flourish. Let's hope that his high this month doesn't mean he will suck at the end of the year. Tonight, he got a shutout against the Islanders. Pascal Dupuis, Richard Park, and Jordan Staal got goals to give the Pens a 3-0 win.

Eleventh Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Islanders 		1st
1
0 		2nd
1
0 		3rd
1
0 		Final
3
0

Saturday, October 22, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Play the Devils
The Pens played the New Jersey Devils this evening. Martin Brodeur was not in goal for the Devils because of a shoulder injury. Instead, Johann Hedberg, former Pen, was in goal. The first two periods were the usual boring Devil play, with the Pens getting only three shots on goal in the second period. Jordan Staal got a power play goal in the first, and that was the only goal until Patrick Elias scored for the Devils. The goal was controversial because a penalty was called against Elias, and he got his stick on the puck, scoring the goal. That goal really fired up the Pens who took off after that with a goal by Chris Kunitz, Staal, and James Neal. Jordan Staal got his 100th career goal. The Pens won with a final score of 4-1.

Tenth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Devils
Pens 		1st
0
1 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
1
3 		Final
1
4

Thursday, October 20, 2011 -- Evening

Orpik Plays
The Montreal Canadiens were in town this evening to play the Pens. Brooks Orpik was back on the ice after recuperating from his hernia surgery. James Neal continued his scoring streak with a goal in the first period. Arron Asham, in his 700th career NHL game, got his first goal of the season in the third period. The Pens got the win with a final score of 4-1.

Ninth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Canadiens
Pens 		1st
0
1 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
1
1 		Final
1
3

Tuesday, October 18, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Against the Wild
The big news for the Pens was that Kris Letang received a two game suspension for boarding Alexander Burmistrov in last night's game against the Jets. If the NHL wants to crack down on potential brain injuries or situations that may lead to brain injuries, they have to crack down on everyone. The Pens were in Minnesota this evening to play the Wild. After the disappointing loss last night, the Pens came out to play. Chris Kunitz, Jordan Staal, James Neal, and Pascal Dupuis all scored goals giving the Pens a 4-1 win.

Eighth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Wild 		1st
0
0 		2nd
2
1 		3rd
2
1 		Final
4
1

Monday, October 17, 2011 -- Evening

Pens Play the Jets
The Pens were in Winnipeg to play the Jets this evening. Tyler Kennedy was not on the ice because he had concussion symptoms after journeying to Winnipeg. Evgeni Malkin also sat out the game, nursing his sore knee. Onto the game! The Jets had not won a game so far this season, and the atmosphere with the home game was like a Stanley Cup final. The Jets got to an early lead with two goals in the first period. Zbynek Michalek got one of the goals back for the Pens in the second. The third period became a hard fought battle between the teams. It was great to watch on TV because the Jets fans were so hungry for hockey and a home team win that they were cheering their hearts out. I could almost hear them here in Pittsburgh, and I don't mean from the TV broadcast. Even though the Pens tried valiantly, they were unable to get the tying goal. The Jets got their first win of the season with a final score of 2-1.

Seventh Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Jets 		1st
0
2 		2nd
1
0 		3rd
0
0 		Final
1
2

Saturday, October 15, 2011 -- Evening

Malkin Out Again
The Buffalo Sabres were in town, but Evgeni Malkin wasn't on the ice for the Pens tonight. Malkin is nursing his sore knee again. I think that he can manage a game or two, but then the stress of playing takes its toll. Marc-Andre Fleury was back from his little illness, but he didn't seem as sharp as he was last week. James Neal and Jordan Staal scored for the Pens, but the Sabres won with a score of 3-2. James Neal has been on a a scoring streak, and he leads the NHL with goals.

Sixth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Sabres
Pens 		1st
2
0 		2nd
0
1 		3rd
1
1 		Final
3
2

Thursday, October 13, 2011 -- Evening

Pens versus Caps
The rivalry was on at Console Energy Center when the Pens played the Washington Capitals. The pre-game ceremony honored the players from the KLHL team, Lokomotiv, who lost their lives in the plane crash in Russia a few weeks ago. Mario Lemieux dropped the ceremony puck for Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin. The Pens also had stands in the area where the wives, girlfriends, and children of the players were selling Lokomotive remembrance wrist bands. Obviously, Malkin was back from his knee soreness, but Marc-Andre Fleury was out with an illness. Brent Johnson was in goal, and he did a good job.

James Neal was hot in the game. He got a goal in the first period with an assist from Steve Sullivan and Malkin. The Capitals came back with goals in the second period by Mike Knuble and third period by Ovechkin. Drama happened in the third period when Arron Asham got into a fight with Jay Beagle five minutes into the third period, and laid Beagle out with two hits to the jaw. Beagle got both a roughing and a fighting penalty to give the Pens a power play. Neal got a second goal, with an assist by Malkin, to tie things up with less than four minutes left in regulation. The regulation ended in a tie, and the game went into overtime. Unfortunately, the Capitals got their only power play in the game during overtime, and Dennis Wideman scored for them. At least the Pens get a point from the overtime loss. Final score: Pens 2 - Capitals 3.

Fifth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Capitals
Pens 		1st
0
1 		2nd
1
0 		3rd
0
1 		OT
1
0 		Final
3
2

Tuesday, October 11, 2011 -- Evening

Pens' Home Opener
The Pens opened their season at home this evening. Both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby were out of the game. Crosby with his concussion and Malkin with an undisclosed lower-body injury from the Calgary Flames game on Saturday night. I wonder if the injury is related to the knee surgery from early in the year. Marc-Andre Fleury was back in goal for the Pens. Pascal Dupuis, Matt Cooke, Richard Park, and James Neal all scored to give the Pens a 4-2 win.

Fourth Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Panthers
Pens 		1st
0
1 		2nd
1
2 		3rd
1
1 		Final
2
4

Monday, October 10, 2011 -- Early Morning

Pens versus Oilers
Evgeni Malkin was a late scratch against the Edmonton Oilers Sunday evening. Malkin was pulled in the third period of Saturday's game. The cause is a lower body injury. This game is the last of the Western Canada series for the Pens, with the home opener this coming Tuesday. Brent Johnson was in goal for the Pens, giving Marc-Andre Fleury a rest. Kris Letang got a power play goal for the Pens in the first period. The Oilers scored in the final few minutes of the third period to tie up the game. After another scoreless overtime, the game went into a shoot out. Unfortunately, none of the Pens were able to score, and the Oilers got one past Johnson. Final score: Pens 1 - Oilers 2.

Third Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Oilers 		1st
1
0 		2nd
0
0 		3rd
0
1 		OT
0
0 		SO
0 (0-3)
1 (2-3) 		Final
1
2

Sunday, October 9, 2011 -- After Midnight

Pens versus Flames
The Pens are still in Canada, and this evening, they played the Calgary Flames. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Pens, but will probably sit out tomorrow's game against the Edmonton Oilers. The Flames had a 1-0 lead going into the second period, when the Pens exploded, scoring four goals off of 16 shots. Most important is that the Pens held the Flames to only five shots on goal. Evgeni Malkin almost got thrown out of the game when he got involved in a roughing and his jersey came over his head. Kris Letang was thrown out of a game last year for the infraction of not tying down his jersey, but Malkin got away with it. Then Matt Cooke was elbowed in the head by Cory Sarich. The team started a scrum over that, and Cooke went off the ice. The new rule is that anyone with a head hit has to go to a quiet room and be evaluated. Cooke made it back to the ice for the third period. The Flames made a mini-comeback in the third period, scoring two goals. Fortunately, the Pens were able to take control of the final minutes, culminating in an empty net goal by Jordan Staal with four seconds left in the game. Final score: Pens 5 - Flames 3.

Second Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Flames 		1st
0
1 		2nd
4
0 		3rd
2
1 		Final
3
5

Friday, October 7, 2011 -- After Midnight

Pens Season Opener
The Pens opened their season in Vancouver against the Canucks. The game didn't start until 10 p.m. EDT. That was okay, though, because I was staying up to put in my pre-order for the iPhone 4S with Sprint. The Pens came out with energy. Matt Cooke had said in some pre-season interviews that he was committed to changing his goonish ways. Obviously, he meant it. Cooke scored the first goal of the game, and then scored a short handed goal on an Evgeni Malkin penalty. The Pens had a one point lead going into the third period, but the Canucks tied things up. After a scoreless overtime, it was time for a shootout. Malkin was first up for the Pens, and he scored. Marc-Andre Fleury had more composure this year than last year at this time, and he held off the Canucks. Kris Letang sealed the deal with his shootout goal. All in all, it was a promising start to the season for the Pens. Final score: Pens 4 - Canucks 3.

First Game of the Regular Season

Goals
Pens
Canucks 		1st
2
1 		2nd
1
1 		3rd
0
1 		OT
0
0 		SO
1 (2-2)
0 (0-2) 		Final
4
3