Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders 02/02/11

Penguins 3, Islanders 0 - Final

  If you had the choice, would you choose a shutout or a knockdown?  We all know what Penguins goaltender Brent Johnson chose when playing the New York Islanders.  He was all set for a shutout when he dropped the gloves with fellow goaltender, Rick DiPetro.

  But let's not get ahead of ourselves.  That did not come until seventeen seconds before the end of the game.  The first period held a different kind of excitement for Pittsburgh fans, the kind that comes when goals are scored.  The 'Burgh was lucky to witness two goals in the first.  It was on the power-play when the Pens got their first up on the scoreboard.  A nice wrist shot from Tyler Kennedy was all that was needed.  A few minutes later, the Pens were celebrating their second goal of the night, a back hander off the stick of Chris Kunitz.  This goal also saw Paul Martin's second assist of the night so far.  The first period also saw the likes of Mike Rupp, Konopka and Schremp gracing the penalty boxes, each with two minutes for Roughing.

 Although no goals were scored the excitement of the first was carried in to the second, in the form of penalties.  At 2.37 in the second, Pens' and Islanders' fans alike got their first taste of blood, with Mike Rupp and Konopka bashing heads.  There were also a few other minor penalties throughout the second twenty minutes but nothing of great importance.

  And then to the third we go' this period had it all!  Goals, penalties and fights.  The first nineteen minutes were nail-biting for Pitt fans, as they watched with baited breath to see if the boys could defend their two-goal lead.  But they need worry not.  Although he isn't the Penguins' starting goaltender, Brent Johnson was immovable between the pipes.  Defending shot after shot, Johnson was rewarded for his hard work when Max Talbot, with the help of Craig Adams, scored an empty-netter, bringing the score up to 3-0.  Everyone thought it was over.

 Silly us.  With just under twenty seconds remaining in the game, Johnson and DiPetro decided they wanted to dance.  The dropping of the gloves was in response to a hit on forward Matt Cooke, which was completely unnecessary.  With the goaltenders fighting, and everyone else pushing and shoving, it was an interesting last twenty seconds.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders 25/01/11

Penguins 1, Islanders 0 - Final

  And they just keep rolling.  Second win in a row for the Pens, without the two-headed monster that is Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.  Both Sid and Geno have now officially pulled out of the All-Star Game, puck drop 7.30pm on Sunday, and have been replaced.  So now we're down to two Pens on the All-Star Roster; but, if this game is anything to go by, then we have still got two strong players representing us.

  Marc-Andre Fleury, who is predicted to be one of the first tenders to be drafted by the All-Star Captains on Friday night, stopped an incredible 29 shots from 29, earning himself the 1st star, and, some might say, more importantly his 18th career shutout!  Let's go Flower!  Down at the other end of the ice, the Islanders' goalie, Poulin, managed to get himself the 2nd star, with 30 saves from 31 shots.  Poulin was lucky to be playing at all; he would have been back in the minors, had it not been for Nabokov getting suspended for failing to report to the Islanders, after being claimed on waivers.

  Although the first period was scoreless, it was definitely exciting.  Within the first thirty seconds, we had seen our first fight of the night.  Tyler Kennedy, not someone who we usually see dropping the gloves, got into a little rough 'n' tumble with the Islanders' No. 36, Travis Harmonic.  Everyone knew it was going to be a physical game, but who could have predicted that the guys would start throwing their weight around so quickly?  But that wasn't the only fight of the period.  At 1.53 - only one minutes, twenty-six seconds after Kennedy got down and dirty - Arron Asham was going at it with Zenon Konopha.  What has gotten into these guys???

  With more scratches, although we did have Ben Lovejoy back, it is amazing we are playing so well; but what do you expect from the Pens.  This game was the fifth win in six games, all without Crosby, who has missed nine games altogether now.  But then again, the Islanders haven't won in Pittsburgh since the December of 2007.  So we kinda had the advantage...

  And we put that advantage into full effect, in the third.  After a relatively dull second period (especially after the first two minutes of the first), Penguins came out in the third, ready to win.  And win they did.  At 8.35, nearly half way through the third, Asham shot the puck at the net, only to have Poulin get a pad to it.  Unfortunately for the Islanders, Poulin wasn't as lucky with the rebound.  The puck had presented itself at the stick of Craig Adams, after rebounding off Poulin's pad; the Pens No. 27 didn't waste the opportunity.  With an open net, Adams had an easy slot, giving Pittsburgh the lead. 

  The rest of the game past without incident, earning the Black and Gold team the two points.  We're still behind the Cryers but we won't be for long.  So Pens, rest up over the All-Star Break, cheer on Flower and Letang, and come back refreshed and ready to win!