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Pregame
Same lineup as last game, with the exception of Marc-Andre Fleury getting in the net.
Ready for some day-time hockey. Let's Go Pens! pic.twitter.com/mTvXQANt5L
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 19, 2017
1st period
James Reimer flopping around like crazy in the early going. The Penguins putting pressure on him but failing to get one in the net.
After the first TV timeout the Pens honor Jaromir Jagr for his achievement of making the Top 101 Players list with this great video. The crowd mostly stands and gives a nice ovation which he acknowledged.
Thank you for everything you did for us, @68jagr. pic.twitter.com/iSzo5qTTSi
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 19, 2017
The Pens strike for a first goal on one of the craziest goals you'll ever see. Phil Kessel chips the puck OVER the net from back behind the cage. As it flutters down, Patric Hornqvist knocks it baseball style into the net. Low percentage type play for Kessel to try, but hey when you're that skilled why not? 1-0 Pens.
⚾️ Take me out to the ball game.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 19, 2017
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack.
I don't care if I never get back. ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/GnXAX7rFMX
The linesman gets injured because everyone even associated with the Penguins must suffer endless pain and maladies. He is able to return for the start of the 2nd period
Shots tied at 7. Pretty blah period but nice to at least take a lead out of it into the intermission.
2nd period
The Pens draw 3 power plays but are unable to convert. Game remains pretty sloppy and segmented for a 1:00 PM start, both teams look about half asleep.
Sidney Crosby gets on the board with his 38th goal of the season shortly after Fleury makes his best stop of the game so far on a 2-on-1. Ian Cole does really well to start the transition and the top line takes it from there.
Reimer in pretty bad positioning here and then he just whiffs on making the glove save. NHL goalies are usually so solid, rare to see one like this sneak through but that Crosby guy also has a pretty good shot too, I suppose.
Simply the best. pic.twitter.com/88z7eQ67yI
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 19, 2017
Jussi Jokinen takes Brian Dumoulin into the boards from behind, he would leave the game to get checked out. Somehow in the ensuing scrum the Penguins don't even get a power play as a result with teams evening up penalties. Only in the NHL.
Regardless, the Conor Sheary - Crosby - Jake Guentzel lines works magic again and the captain scores his league leading 39th goal of the season.
NHL Goal Leaders →
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 19, 2017
Crosby: 39
Marchand: 37
Tarasenko: 34
Malkin: 33
Kucherov: 33 pic.twitter.com/9vDQ669xVh
Shots end up 18-14 in favor of the Penguins after 40 minutes.
3rd period
Dumoulin, thankfully enough, is back to start the period.
Tom Sestito takes a completely unnecessary penalty immediately following an offensive zone faceoff early in the 3rd but Pittsburgh kills it off.
Crosby completes his hat-trick (and 40th goal of the season!) coming off a nifty backhand pass from Guentzel. Yep, that will work nicely. 4-0, time for the hats.
Crosby has 80 points for the 8th time in his career (4th straight season). He also has 40 goals for the 2nd time in his career. Wow. pic.twitter.com/wobPWWmM91
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 19, 2017
Tom Kuhnhackl continues to play well, and walks around Keith Yandle, forcing the defenseman to take him down and take a penalty but nothing comes of it.
Fleury has to make a big save on Jonathan Huberdeau and does. Wow, forget he was even in this game at all.
The Panthers get another power play late and they put their 4th line out there. Hey gotta try something, after already going 0 for 3 and the team looking flat. It didn't work either, as nothing did for them today.
Pens hold on to get Fleury his shutout.
Some Thoughts
- Nice to see Hornqvist get on the board, due to injury and a cold streak it's his first goal since February 9th. Need to have him heat up a little particularly at even strength. Interesting to see him on a line with Kessel now, giving each a more skilled winger to work with than they would have on separate right wings.
- Nick Bonino took an accidental elbow to the head by Jagr after a 2nd period faceoff and briefly left the bench (presumably for a concussion check) but was able to return fairly quickly. Hopefully nothing becomes of that moving forward.
- Fun to watch Sheary - Crosby - Guentzel gel right before our eyes. 3 offensive minded players and watching them operate with the puck is a thing of beauty. They're seemingly creating at least a scoring chance on nearly every shift. Each of them are over a point per game in the last seven games.
- Guentzel picked up all 3 primary helpers on the Crosby goals. The 3rd pass was a thing of beauty. Only his 34th career NHL game played but he's so smooth and slick he feels like an old pro out there already.
- Sid was scoring the goals but he wasn't the only one on the line firing (with 8 shot attempts on the night). Guentzel had 8 shot attempts (5 on goal), Sheary had 2. 18 total shot attempts from the first line, many coming from dangerous locations? Yeah, you'll take that any day of the week.
- Maybe it was being down their best defenseman in Aaron Ekblad or the weird start time, but Florida just seemed to go through the motions on this game. For a team that practically has to win all their remaining games to give themselves a shot at a playoff berth, I expected a better effort to be honest.
- Pittsburgh's scoring 4 goals a game on home ice, just absurd stuff no matter what and especially with Malkin and Letang missing some time.
- Washington won last night, Columbus is on their way at press time to a win this afternoon, so the Pens needed this one to keep pace. Luckily this one was pretty much a no-doubter.
- Will Fleury need a shower after this? Might not have broken a sweat. Good on him, he deserved to have a nice, quiet game. Seemed more like bad FLA play than good Pittsburgh defense, but either way we'll take it.
Next game on the road in Buffalo on Tuesday night. For now, nice to revel in the latest of another special moment provided by Crosby.