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Well that was some debut, kid. Brian Gibbons became the first Penguin since Luca Caputi in 2009 to score in his NHL debut. He added an assist on Sutter's goal for good measure, and only missing for the Gordie Howe hat trick was a fight. Even the Boston Globe wasn't 100% distracted by the Patriots "unexpected loss" narrative and noticed the shining debut of Braintree, MA, native and former Boston College standout.
Here's your recap from Pens Initiative. Here's another one from HockeyBuzz. I like Geno Machino, and his demonstrative proof that skating in circles does, in fact, produce goals. People on twitter are busy breaking down the Ducks lone goal and figuring out who was at fault. Yeah, it was a good old defensive breakdown that left Getzlaf all alone with a puck and half an empty net in front of him, but also yesterday, Letang saved a goal, Maatta saved a goal, for the most part the Penguins fought to help Flower and he took care of the rest. Last night was a textbook definition of team win.
Many people assume that Alex Ovechkin's scoring frenzy has to do mostly with power play. Here to refute that notion are our friends from Japer's Rink. Deep down inside, we all know Ovi is the most dangerous guy on ice, any ice, with Stammer out indefinitely with a broken tibia. At any rate, we'll find out tomorrow. Weirdly and strangely, I have a good feeling about it.
Some more news and views from around the NHL:
- Down Goes Brown sets the record straight on five hockey facts, in Everything You Know is Wrong.
- Martin St. Louis plays game 1000 tonight. Here is a well-deserved tribute to the little engine that could.
- Vancouver Canucks are baffled by lack of puck luck. Sounds familiar, so I thought I'd include it here.
- Young NHL centers are struggling at center duties, but that's not really the end of the world.
- Here is what Brendan Shanahan thinks constitutes goalie interference.
- Rick Nash is returning tonight for the Rangers, just on time to face the Bruins.
- And lastly, the NHL plans another "all access" series called NHL Revealed tied in to star players participating in the Olympics and Stadium Series. Let me guess: Sidney Crosby. Alex Ovechkin. Patrick Kane. Can't wait.