Penguins 3, Thrashers 1: Pittsburgh ends five-game losing streak

by FrankD on Jan 6, 2009 10:15 PM EST in Game Recaps

"The Pittsburgh Penguins have won a hockey game."
Paul Steigerwald's comment at the final buzzer

Wow, don't sound so surprised. Just kidding, I'm right there with ya Steigy.

I know, it's the Thrashers - but the Penguins needed this one. This team needed a glimmer of hope in any way, shape or form. All it took was one strong outing to end a miserable season-low five-game losing streak.

I'll take it.

Of course it didn't come without some expense. After dishing a right cross that tested the durability of Colby Armstrong's face, Ruslan Fedotenko skated to the dressing room shaking the needles out of his hand in obvious discomfort. This came after Paul Steigerwald double-jinxed Fedo by saying he was the team's best player as of late.

Steigy, try this next time: "Jordan Staal is the best player on the ice by far."

Thanks in advance.

Moments after the Pens watched their Russian winger head to the dressing room they also glanced in discomfort as Pascal Dupuis followed in suit. The Pens best player as of late and one of the best PK guys were gone within minutes. Great.

No matter though. Marc-Andre Fleury was a phantom in net. Minus Ilya Kovalchuk's late third period goal the Thrashers just couldn't beat him. Save after save kept the Pens in this one. Too close on too many occasions? Yeah, you could say that. But at least he was stopping them tonight.

When Fleury wasn't dancing around the crease Petr Sykora was dishing out goal-scoring lessons to the rest of the Pens early on. How many times have we sat anxiously on the edge of our seats waiting for Syko to turn a two-goal night into a hat trick? Well, if you've seen every single one of Sykora's games then 38 - but I was hoping you wouldn't take me literally. In either case mark it 39 now, but it's hardly something to be ashamed of.

Crosby showed a lot of grit out there on the ice tonight. He was hitting, jawing, jabbing, pushing and above all scoring. Sid's three-game scoreless drought ended with a power play goal in the second.

And yes, even the power play came out to play tonight. Yeah that's right, 2-for-6. Technically I'd say 2-for-5 since the final PP came with only 48 seconds remaining in the game, but whatever. Beggars can't be choosers.

Well done boys, well done.

The good: Marc-Andre Fleury's solid game in net.

The better: Petr Sykora's two goals

The best: Evgeni Malkin's three assists - time to open up the lead over Ovechkin.

Next game: Thursday. 8:00. Predators.

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AWESOME!

Seeing as they were in favour as you said earlier, but… I say it’s awesome all the same! <3
Great, great win :)
Just a sigh of relief that they haven’t sunk to a 6th lol

Woo! :)

by AppleSweetRose on Jan 6, 2009 11:02 PM EST reply actions

Yes our team lost and they could have stepped up a little bit harder to outplay the consecutive penalties that should have been called on Pittsburgh but as usual do not get called. Crosby’s antics as of late are disgusting. Punching a guy in the nads, pulling a guys jersey over his head while in the faceoff circle and the high sticking to the face of another player is an outright disgrace by any player. Honestly it sux when your team is on a losing slide and those of us here in Atlanta know that feeling all too well. But please GRIT? I don’t call that grit. In my opinion, Malkin is the star player for the Pens and his numbers and on ice performance reflect that.

by HockeyWench on Jan 6, 2009 11:27 PM EST reply actions

He’s not taking anyone’s crap out there and I admire that. Armstrong tackled him and rocked the helmet off his head, and Crosby’s dirty? He gets slammed to the ice late and pushes someone off him and his actions are dirty? There’s no sense in bringing up the other games with nad punches and all, I wasn’t referencing those. As a stand alone game, this one particularly, Sid wasn’t getting bullied around the ice.

I can understand how people outside the Pittsburgh fan base would think he’s playing dirty lately, but he’s just not putting up with people’s crap anymore. You’re just seeing the low points in the transition of his game. It’s not his style and it’s the cliche example of a player getting “taken off his game,” but so be it. When he starts scoring more often I’m sure it will change.

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by FrankD on Jan 7, 2009 4:53 AM EST up reply actions

“and the high sticking to the face of another player is an outright disgrace by any player”

wow, so a typical hockey penalty, which caused Sid to sit for four minutes in the box, is a disgrace?

If that’s the case the Niclas Havelid is a scum bag for tripping Pascal Dupuis!

by GoingFiveHole on Jan 7, 2009 8:53 AM EST reply actions

Funny you should say, I remember thinking, “Man, Fleury is such a disgrace” when he shot the puck over the boards for a delay of game earlier this season. I don’t know I…I just can’t let it go.

Epic fail…

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by FrankD on Jan 7, 2009 9:04 AM EST up reply actions

not to be cynic ..but im an agitated at the underachieiving bunch of winers we call our team right..9th place? pathetic for a stanley cup contender…we need to suck it up… so we beat atlanta…who cares…get it together pens….u guys have enough talent all over that ice to be the same team from last year, no one is skating and that icludes you Sid…geno looks like a panzy with all those assisits and crosby shoots with no conviction….staaly, HIT the net… and for god sakes therrien… while the hell was Malkin ever playing the point… he looks awkward an uncomfortable and is a liability back there…point him on the half boards and sid in front of the net…run the umbrella on the PP and he can rotate to the point at time for a one timer and back to the half boards for shots as well…crosby can redirect, he is good at that and bang in rebounds…his legs r to strong and u cant move him from in front. put sykore on left wing and let him hover in the slot for one timers distributed in from geno (if he is a right shot) i cant recall…..i could coach this “fat” roster with stacked talent from top to bottom….get it together baby

by jkirk on Jan 7, 2009 10:07 AM EST reply actions

I agree on some points, but I don’t think Geno is a panzy with all the assists. That’s the definition of someone making it happen out there. He pulls in the coverage and finds an open man like any good quarterback in football.

I’ll never deny you’re accusation of Staal though. His cold streaks outweigh his hot streaks ten fold. I begged them to send him down last season with the intent to rattle him up a bit.

Malkin is the best option on the point right now because he really has a killer slapshot. He may not handle the bouncing puck with the same ease as Gonchar, but Gonchar is a pro at it and Malkin was forced into the situation. I think given the course of events this season he’s at least doing an admirable job, although he’s also to blame for a few shortys in the same sense.

Geno’s a left shot. Godard, Kennedy and Zigomanis are our only right-shot forwards. Kinda like the issue we had last season where Letang was the only righty on the point. Boucher at least adds an extra right stick there.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Jan 7, 2009 10:31 AM EST up reply actions