Blackhawks defeat Pens 2-1 in OT
by Hooks Orpik on Dec 5, 2009 11:14 PM EST
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Sans Sidney Crosby, the Penguins had to dig deep when they faced a Chicago Blackhawks team that used much of the skill and style that Pittsburgh's gameplan.
Much of the night featured a lot of skating, a lot of fast-paced hockey going in both directions and stellar goaltending play by Marc-Andre Fleury (29 saves on 31 shots) and Blackhawks' backup Antti Niemi (32 saves on 33 shots). Old "friend" Marian Hossa opened the scoring when he went hard to the net, collected the puck and put it past Fleury.
The score would remain 1-0 Chicago for most of the game, neither team could solve the defenses of their opponent. Until Dan Bylsma called a timeout with about 1:40 left and let assistant coach Mike Yeo draw a play up. They pulled the goalie and stationed Jordan Staal all the way out against the far boards on the blueline, in an ominous lurking position. Recent call-up Mark Letestu won the faceoff, Evgeni Malkin wheeled the puck around and threw it to the net. Staal swooped in and beat Niemi on the second chance.
It wasn't to be for Pittsburgh on this night. In OT, Kris Versteeg got to a loose puck in the crease before Tyler Kennedy could neutralize him and ended it.
- Without their leading scorer, Pittsburgh struggled to generate points, but it wasn't for a lack of effort or shots. 33 shots on goal were fired at Niemi, led by Bill Guerin's 6 and Kennedy's 5. While taking nothing away from Niemi, who was solid, a bunch of the Penguins shots were coming from low percentage angles and distances.
- Minus Crosby (one of the top faceoff men in the league), the Penguins used nine different forwards for at least one faceoff. Out of all of them, only one had a better than 50% night.
- And that was Crosby's lineup replacement of Mark Letestu. Letestu had a solid night, in addition to his clutch offensive zone faceoff win, he did win 56% of his 16 draws, he had 4 shot attempts (1 getting through, 1 hit a post) and a hit in 13:52 of ice-time. Acquitted himself very well on this night.
- Speaking of, it showed some stones and intuition by the coaching staff to use a guy in his 3rd career NHL game in an important faceoff against old veteran John Madden, who's made a career out of doing things like winning defensive draws. Mike Yeo is an easy (and reasonable) punching bag for Penguins fans....But the unusual and creative play he drew up for the last moment worked exactly to perfection. So you have to tip your cap to him tonight.
- Chicago also earned a cap tip for their hard fought win. They're a good young team with a lot of skill up front, but some of their defensemen shined tonight: Brent Seabrook has 9 hits and 2 blocked shots, Duncan Keith frustrated Pens all night and skated a game high 31:24. Brian Campbell had the primary assists on both goals.
- For teams that don't see too much of one another, unpleasantries were exchanged early and often; highlighted by Keith getting a shot on Matt Cooke that upset Cooke. The hit was to the head, away from the play, and from behind; similiar to what just got Cooke suspended for two games. If the league is truly serious about policing shots to the head, they need to review this tape.
So in a somewhat disappointing fashion that the Penguins claw back into the contest with time running out, just to have Versteeg unleash the dagger in OT. First OT/shootout lose of the year as well. Against a goalie in a little bit of a groove -- Niemi was working on 150+ minute scoreless streak -- it's a night where you have to get out taking what you can get. It's only one point against a similiar team.
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It seems like this was a game where the slight advantage wins it. Usually the Pens play a game of centers and with Staal, Malkin, and Crosby and they’re able to wear a defense down by the third period. That’s why the Pens have a bunch of come from behind wins; they have they luxury of just getting by in the first two periods and then blowing the opposition away in the 3rd because of their big three. With the solid offense and defense of the Hawks tonight and the great play of the Hawks goalie, the Pens played a pretty good game and still came up just short. The difference being missing a third of the big three (primarily in the face-off situation) and the Hawks not panicking when the Pens gave them a good third and a barrage of shots in the second.
That being said, Letestu had a great game. There is no doubt in my mind that he’s the first guy we call up if a forward (not just a center) goes down. Also Malkin had a pretty good game as well; it has seemed that most of the season he hasn’t been nearly as noticeable as he was last season, but tonight he was certainly more than noticeable. I don’t know if he was more noticeable just because Sid was absent, but he was flying out there.
Speaking of “flying”, how much would it suck to be a Flyers fan right now? First game without Stevens and they lose 8-2 at home to a Caps team that was without Ovechkin and it’s biggest super star Chris Bourque.
As I said in the thread, this was an intense low-scoring game. Lots of hits, close chances, great saves – you name it. If this turns out to be a SCF then it won’t disappoint.
I’m curious to see how the league will react to Keith’s hit on Cooke though.
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not only it won’t disappoint, but the League should hope and pray these two teams meet in the SCF. (after we’ve seen 1/3 of the season completed)
Both of them are loaded with offensive talent, play a tight and hard forechecking game and the whole team commits to the defense… and not to forget the financial side – both cities are strong hockey markets…
You have to see it for yourself...
both cities are strong hockey markets…
While this is true, Chicago is a massive media market, which is distinct from a hockey market. That matters more financially in the case of the SCF than being a strong hockey market.
From a marketability standpoint, you could do far worse than these teams meeting in the finals. I’d be disappointed (I’m a native of DC), but it’d be a helluva matchup.
Only YOU can prevent idiots from commenting!
by Knee high to a duck on Dec 6, 2009 9:33 PM EST up reply actions
I disagree that the Keith hit was similar to the hit Cooke got suspended for. Keith clearly targeted his head. Sure it was a shoulder, but it was a shoulder to the head. Unfortunately because it’s Cookie, it will probably not get the attention from the league that it needs.
To say Keith targeted Cooke's just isn't true
Aside from the height difference between the two anyway, Cooke was down playing the puck while Keith was skating upright and it looked like he was trying to hit his shoulder but missed. Either way, as much as I don’t want to lose Keith for any games, the NHL needs to send a message that head shots are unacceptable at anytime- even if you’re hitting a dirty playing runt like Matt Cooke.
Chicagoan in the Lou.
I haven't been on edge all game like that yet this season
If the Hawks and Pens make the SCF, we’re in for a fantastic series indeed.
GG Pens! :)
Chicagoan in the Lou.
good game
That game was intense i haven’t been that excited in a wile. I think the last time was the stanley cup finals loved it and hopefully it will turn in to a new rivalry.
it would be an awesome rivalry, no doubt. I could see Chicago being the new Detroit, in terms of Pens vs. West Coast.
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Of course would have preferred the Pens picking up a deuce rather than the single point, I guess we were all spoiled by their spotless OT record to date. Given that Niemi was on fire and the Pens scored with under 2 minutes to break a shutout and tie it, I’ll take the point!
Mark Letestu showed me more in last night’s 60+ minutes than Bourque showed me in 20-odd games this year. Not just winning that key faceoff, but also just playing hard throughout the game and not looking out of place.
by RCheli on Dec 6, 2009 1:39 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Totally agree. And I like the fact that management noticed this as well. Letestu just guaranteed himself some more playing time in the event the Pens have to make a call up at any other point in the season.
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Just watched the recorded game after abstaining from digital communication for 24 hrs.
Unfortunately I failed to record the following program, thus I missed the last 2 min of the 3rd and OT…all the exciting stuff…
My Thoughts:
Keith’s hit —> Needs, NEEDS to be reviewed. I think everyone is on the same page with that one.
Letestu’s play – I was genuinely impressed by his fire. He capitalized really well on his ice time and I feel like the coaches rewarded him for his grit and hustle. I hope we get to see a bit more of him, but then I think of who he would take minutes away from, and I can’t really think of anyone. Maybe on nights where we don’t need Goddard? I don’t know. He seemed to connect really well with Tenks, not so much with Dupuis, but him and Tenks were creating a lot of opportunities.
Faceoffs – If Sid is the only one who can consistently win faceoffs, I expect more trouble during the intense spring months. Hopefully we just were in a slump.
That one Finnish goaltender – Wow…it always is bittersweet to see a goalie you’re playing against be so good. He had all the right angles and was always where he needed to be. I was hoping that shot he took up high (early in the 2nd I think from Guerin) would rattle him, but he was solid the whole night.
I felt like the refs were letting the guys play after that 1st period whistle fest…lots of chippiness later on, but fewer calls than I thought. Didn’t see the box score, but how many PPs did we get? Didn’t seem like very many.
"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." - George Washington
by Hockey Beard in SLC on Dec 7, 2009 2:33 AM EST reply actions
Cooke Deserved what he got from Keith....
as Cooke is known to be the dirtiest player in the NHL. O and lets not forget what Cooke did before he got laid the #uck out. And the funny thing is the ref never called a penalty on Keith after the hit, until Cooke retaliated. Funny but isn’t the penalty given to the retaliates. Lets talk about your announcers, they wanted keiths head after that clean hit, yet laughed and joked about Malkin jamming the head of Fraiser on the ice. Ahhhh but at the end the better team with the back up goalie and after playing back to back stood up. And to booo Hossa. as classless as your whole orginization.
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