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Apologies for the late recap on this one.  I'll try and keep this short and sweet, but hopefully that doesn't reflect poorly on how awesome this game really was.

There was plenty of concern heading into this one.  I mean, with Evgeni Malkin, Sergei Gonchar and Tyler Kennedy injured, it wasn't so much a matter of concern or doubt surrounding the team as it was optimistic uncertainty.  We all know the Pens have the depth to get through a run of injuries like this, but how would they make it work?

Needless to say, it did't look too good right out of the gate.  Columbus jumped to an early lead on what was just a pretty, ridiculous, almost impossible goal from Rick Nash.  Or as Bob Errey would go on to say countless times on the night, "The Monster Nash."  From his knees after the Pens thought they took him out of the play.  Just sick.

Next thing you know it's 2-0 on yet another Nash goal.  Chris Kunitz came up big shortly after on a play that is still being drawn up.  Kunitz broke past the D on a breakaway and was hauled down, but the ref didn't signal a penalty.  He still manages to get a shot on net but the puck is stopped and after a Crosby attempt winds up behind the net.  Sid takes it, centers it to Kunitz and it's 2-1.  Can't explain why Mason was diving for the puck at this point, nor can I really explain how this all came together, but it did.  It wasn't pretty but it definitely worked.

If you've been watching the Penguins for at least the past three or four years then you know it's never over when they're down a goal or two.  This was the setting for the third period as Pittsburgh came out to a 3-1 deficit.  Normally you'd like to see that gap closed a bit by the 10-minute mark, but the Pens still couldn't get anything past Mason.  Five minutes, nothing.  Finally right around the three-minute mark, Ruslan Fedotenko picks up a rebound and sends it home into a wide open net.  3-2.  39 seconds later the Pens enter the zone and Alex Goligoski puts a shot on.  Goal.  3-3.  That's the sickening reality of this team.  That's how they work.  They're that good.

In overtime Kris Letang tries to put a power move on Mason for the game winner but somehow the puck doesn't cross the line.  The Pens head into a shootout and that's that.  Sid once again scores the only goal in the SO to improve his season SO record to 4-for-4 and give the Pens their eleventh win of the year.  What a way to get the win.  Sid's shootout goals are starting to really take form.  He's waiting till the last second to let it go and you can almost feel the goalie's pain as he stresses over how to play it. 

Not a bad game for Brent Johnson either, who picked up his second win of the season. Both have come on the shootout so the guy has really had to work for them out there.  Not a solid game all around for the Pens but definitely a morale boost in response to all the injuries hitting the team.