Penguins 3, Bruins 2 - Final
Well, what can I say about this game? Five goals, plenty of penalties, a fight and great goal-tending; do I need to say anymore? I think that about summarizes this match-up.
The shining stars of this penguins/bruins match-up come in the forms of Jordan Staal and Marc-Andre Fleury. Staal, playing his sixth game of the season after missing the first thirty-nine due to injury, proved that he is back, in spectacular fashion... He accumulated a goal (his second of the season) and an assist (his third), both of which gained him two points and a +1 rating. And Marc-Andre Fleury... where to start!
Not only did the Flower stop a season-high 44/46 shots, he managed to grab himself a spot in the Compuware three stars. Fleury was on fire, stopping shots that would have beaten most, including a pair of huge, saves, from Dennis Seidenberg, in the final minutes of play.
The first of the Penguins three goals came from Chris Kunitz, at 10.57 in the 1st period, after Kunitz, Matt Cooke and Jordan Staal played an entertaining game of hot potato, before Kunitz slid it home. Staal, who got his third assist of the season, received the puck from Cooke -who was fresh out of the penalty box- drew, Rask over to the left, before passing across to Kunitz, who emptied the puck into a relatively empty net - earning his fifteenth goal of the season.
Although the rest of the 1st period was scoreless, it wasn't uneventful. With 4.50 left in the period, no. 27, Craig Adams, decided to drop the gloves, with Gregory Campbell - the B's no. 11. Campbell managed to land a few good blows, knocking Adams to the ice, but he didn't stay down for long. Adams was back up on his feet almost instantly, turning the tables on Campbell, giving him a seat on the ice. Both receive five for fighting.
After an exciting end to the 1st period, Pascal Dupuis kept the atmosphere alive by doubling the Pens lead, just forty-one seconds into the 2nd. Evgeni Malkin and Zbynek Michalek both picked up assists, Geno with his twenty-first and Michalek with his seventh. A run from Kunitz gets the puck into the Bruin's end, who passes to Malkin on the right, then to Michalek at the point. He try's a slap shot, which is deflected but Dupuis is there to slot the rebound in between Rask and the left pipe. Malkin tries to follow up on the breakaway but his attempt is foiled by Rask, who managed to stop 33/36 shots.
However, Boston aren't to be underestimated, as we saw on January 10th. Dennis Seidenberg shot the puck past the Flower at 11.28, with Michael Ryder following in his lead, at 11.41. At the end of the second period, the score remained tied at 2-2.
But the Pens weren't going to let Boston get to them. With Fleury solid in goal, the Penguins worked on getting that third goal... and score they did. With an assist already under his belt, Jordan Staal shot the puck into the net, just over three minutes into the 3rd period. The pass coming from Cooke behind the net, all Staal had to do was get it past Rask, which, of course, he did.
With the Pens in the lead, Boston pounded the Pittsburgh net but Fleury held strong. Final score: Penguins 3, Bruins 2 - Job Done.
Who says we can't win without Crosby, who we all hope gets better soon!
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