I like being right but I really hate when I'm right and wish I was wrong. That happened in tonight's game against the Islanders where number-one pick John Tavares picked up his first NHL point as part of a secondary assist on a Mark Streit first period PP goal. Before long he'd also get his first NHL goal in the second period to put the Isles ahead 2-1.
Of course Sid started the scoring off first, beating Dwayne Roloson five hole (sweet pic above). Ruslan Fedotenko dished a pretty pass off the boards that sent Sid in on a breakaway and the rest was gravy.
Fedotenko is another story, as he was on the receiving end of a big hit from Brendan Witt. Jay McKee stood up for him, a bold step from one of Pittsburgh's newest additions. McKee received a game misconduct for his actions, and both he and Tenk went off to the dressing room. That penalty opened up the first scoring opportunity for New York, a 5-on-3 PP that led to the aforementioned Streit goal. Any concern that Fedotenko suffered an injury was squashed when he returned for the second period.
A slick steal off Gonchar's stick opened up a John Tavares breakaway - a one-on-one drive right towards Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury held his ground and denied JT, much to the chagrine of Nassau Colliseum. If Tavares buries that one you know for a fact that it'd be all over the highlight reels not just tonight, but likely for most of the season.
The second closed out with the Islanders still holding a 2-1 lead. You had to think that Dan Bylsma was going to use the second intermission as an opportunity to get these guys back in the same place.
No better chance could've presented itself than in the form of a power-play opportunity less than a minute into the third. Roloson made some key saves, the Islanders' D blocked a ton of shots and the Pens came up empty with the man advantage for the third time.
Retribution came shortly after when the Penguins won a faceoff to the right of Roloson. Mark Eaton put a loopy shot on net that deflected off an Islander stick and turned into a goal. Lucky break. 17 seconds later? Not so much. The Islanders charged back quickly to make it 3-2.
With four minutes to go, 3-2 Islanders, Fedotenko hammered away in front of the net and eventually chipped one in off an Islanders player to tie it at three.
Islanders couldn't finish out on the PP, a chance that came after Bill Guerin took a slashing penalty with about three minutes to go. The Pens had a few close chances as well before sending this one into overtime with fears of a Tavares shootout-winning goal filed away in the "I sure hope not" department.
That fear grew even greater when after five minutes of scoreless play the shootout list was made and both teams faced off with their top shooters. Jeff Tambellini missed for the Islanders, Letang scored for the Pens, Tavares shot WIDE of the net and Crosby put it away. Game, set, match Pittsburgh - but man were they lucky to get a point out of this one, let alone two.
Discipline, or lack thereof, really was the name of Pittsburgh's game tonight. That much was evident on New York's first two goals, which came on the power play. By the end of the night they had six chances with the man advantage, scoring only on those first two.
Are the emotions getting the best of this team right out of the gate?