If you're a team and you want at least a point, then look forward to your scheduled game against the Penguins. Four of the Penguins' seven games have been overtime excursions, whereby the Penguins have walked away the victor in three of those occasions.
This has to be said and it has to be said now: I am a jinx. Let the following comment from the open thread pose as evidence:
I posted that at 8:28. The Bruins subsequently scored not even 10 seconds later. I am a jinx. Way to go Frank, way to go. At least it didn't matter too much in the end.
Following a sick Crosby/Malkin to Satan goal in the first, action quited down to the pace of a Devils game for the second. And, following my second period jinx, the one-all game was just non-stop, end-to-end hustling from both teams.
In overtime the Penguins had a golden opportunity with nearly two minutes remaining to work the power play til the end of the game. But the opportunity didn't last long, as Jordan Staal was called for slashing on Boston's Dennis Wideman. No lie - if "attempt to castrate" were a penalty in the NHL, that would've been the call.
Ultimately the Penguins and Bruins faced off against each other in a 3-on-3, which no doubt looks like a game of pond hockey on the overtime rink surface. But to accentuate matters even more, the Penguins more or less had a 3-on-2 thanks in part to a Patrice Bergeron broken stick. And yet, Tim Thomas stayed on top of his game and took it to a shootout before Petr Sykora and Evgeni Malkin each notched a marker for the 2-1 SO win.
Dany Sabourin played like a Vezina candidate (half-serious statement), stopping 35 of 36 shots faced in near circus fashion. Some of them were shot straight to the chest, while others were really an effort on his part. Overall a great first start of the season. Given Michel Therrien's loyalty in the past he may opt to start Sabu Thursday against the Hurricanes.
The good: Sykora and Malkin on the shootout. Beautiful work.
The bad: I'm slightly concerned about the defense. The Penguins are letting up the most shots in the league, giving up on average 31 shots a game.
The ugly: Four first period penalties? Again? Come on.
Next game: Thursday, 7:30, Hurricanes