Just One of Those Games: Pens Lose 3-2 (OT)

First of all, it's still October, and Sidney Crosby and Brooks Orpik are still not in the Pens line up. Second of all, it's still October and the power play scored a huge third period goal to tie the game and secure a point. Third of all, it's still October and the Pens have yet to lose in regulation, which means they have secured a point in all five games they have played. Finally, the Pens outshot the Capitals 41-19. You can take it to the bank that if the Pens play the way they did in 4 out of 7 games of a playoff series, Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals are on the wrong side of the handshake line once again. They didn't win last night, but they still played some good hockey. There is no need to any type of panic. 

Capitals 3 - Penguins 2 (OT)

The Penguins and Capitals got together for a ceremonial puck drop before the game to commemorate their fundraising efforts to supper Lokomotiv of the KHL family members.  

First Period

The Penguins dominated the game right off the puck drop and clearly looked to the better team. Zybnek Michalek was given the assignment of shutting down Ovechkin early and did a very good job throughout the evening. The defense continued their strong play throughout the first period.

The Malkin, Neal, and Sullivan line hops onto the ice early in the first period and things start to happen. Malkin drew three defenders dished the puck to Steve Sullivan who found James Neal. Neal who is quickly becoming the scoring winger that Pens fans have been dying to have, one-timed the puck past Capitals goaltender Tomas Vokoun to give the Pens a 1-0 lead at 2:27 into the first period.

The Pens would continue to dominate a very tight-checking game and out-shot the Caps 12-3 at the end of the period. 

As the season goes on, the Pens are going to have to gain some of that killer instinct and and score another goal in a period like this in order to put the other team on the run early in games and especially at home. They had two power play opportunities, and a goal from either of them would have been absolutely huge in this game, as the Caps looked deflated when the horn sounded to end the period.

Second Period

Saying that a 2-0 lead after the first makes a lot of sense because the Caps tied the game at 1:20 into the second when Mike Knuble jammed the puck past Brent Johnson. We had a brand new hockey game. 1-1.

The rest of the period was just as tight as the first, and the Pens couldn't convert on another power play. 

The teams would go into the locker-room tied at one goal apiece.

Third Period

Not scoring another goal in the first would hurt the Pens even further because Alexander Ovechkin would deflect a Mike Green shot past Brent Johnson 40 seconds into the third period.

The goal would need review, but from section 225 it was a clear goal and the Pens would be down 2-1.

From the time that the Caps scored their go-ahead goal, you had a sense the Penguins were going to battle until the horn sounded. It almost seemed as if a Penguins goal was coming because Vokoun had to break.

Then Jay Beagle get into it with Letang, which would result in a Penguins power play. The little scrum with Letang led to Beagle dropping the gloves with Arron Asham and this happened:

Say what you want about Arron Asham, but the guy is all class and even the Caps' TV guys even picked up on this. 


The Penguins would not score on the initial power play, but you could feel that they were turning up the heat on the Capitals.


Then with just under five minutes left in the game Paul Martin draws a holding penalty and the Penguins go on the man advantage at a huge moment in the game.


If this was last year, we knew what was coming. The Pens of last year wouldn't capitalize, and the game would have been over. But this is a new year, and and a new-look power play.


James Neal finds himself open, and his wrist shot found its way through Vokoun's five hole, to tie the game at 2 a piece. Biggest goal of the season at the biggest moment of the season to this point.


The game would end with both teams receiving a point and a chance to play for another in overtime. 


Overtime
The teams traded chances early on, and then it happened. The Pens did not allow a Capitals power play the entire game, until Jordan Staal attempted to line up Ovechkin along the boards and tripped him. It looked like a bit of a dive, but Staal has got to know not to put himself in that situation to begin with. 


The Penalty kill tried to take the gas out of Washington's power play unit, but give that team a power play in OT and you are walking down your runway with your head hanging.


Dennis Wideman beat BJ with a one timer to end the game.


POFA's Notes


James Neal is quickly finding his place with this team. After all the hate that developed from last year's brief stint with the team, Neal has found chemistry with line-mates Evgeni Malkin and Steve Sullivan. 


The hate should be gone by now, but Pens fans are becoming more and more irrational every day. However, this kid is doing everything we hoped and dreamed that Eric Tangradi could do. But there will still be haters out there who want a 65 year old winger on this team who can barely skate.


Jordan Staal played a poor game last night. The penalty he took in OT was just not smart hockey. We don't win games without Staal though. End of discussion.


The defense again played lights out, and Ray Shero is looking even more like a genius that he is. 


Arron Asham is the man. Plain and simple. He is the guy you want on the ice when Sidney Crosby returns. He will be the guy to step up and challenge those who try to take runs at our star players. 


The Penguins take on the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night at CONSOL with the puck dropping at 7:00 PM