Despres. Despres. Despres. The kid set the tone early then finished it off late. Tons of confidence. And the Pens played a complete game (for the most part). Big time bounce back game. Some people will obviously be crying because the Pens didn't score 8 power play goals on each PP, but whatever. They can suck it. They did score a PPG though, so that's progress. Those same people will probably try telling you there's a goalie controversy or something too, but again, they can suck it.
Not taking anything away from Vokoun because he was good last night, but MAF is the #1. Oh, by the way, the Rangers DID hit like 18 posts last night, so let's try to keep the shutout in perspective a little bit.
First Period
Pens started the Crosby line. They did some shit. Puck ends up in behind Vokoun's net, Despres puts a big hit on some joke to turn the puck over. Pens go down the other way. Geno hits Letang with a beauty pass in the slot. Saved. Tang gets his rebound, swings back to the point, gives Despres a shitty pass that he handled, kept in, found 71 down low with a perfect pass. Malkin doesn't miss. 1-0, 1:24 into the game.
Pens got a power play a couple minutes later after the 4th line destroyed some lives. Shocked that Nash could actually fit in the box. People complaining about Geno on the point before the face off. Whatever. Power play was shit until they got set up. Even the biggest Malkin fanboys couldn't complain about it after it got set up. It looked good. The movement was there for once. The Ryan Whitney Play almost worked to Letang from Sid too. Big save from Lunqvist.
Del Zotto boarded Sid somewhere in there because he's a joke. Pens had to kill a Too Many Men penalty, which was nothing because the Rangers power play is worse than the Pens. Then at the end of the period, The Worst Staal (yes, worse than that loser Jared) decided to be a dick. He and Geno got sent to the box. 4 on 4 to end the period/start the second.
Second Period
Dan Girardi took a penalty 22 seconds in for being a douche. Letang had the first Cherry Blossom of the night.
The King made a huge save on Malkin after he came flying out of the box. Steigerwald said The Monster Nash again. That shit needs to stop.
LOL Zotto hooked up Sutter when the Rangers were on the PP. TK tried pulling the puck between his legs...again. TK failed...again. Hands like cement trucks.
When Cooke's penalty expired, Sid failed at another cross-ice pass. Stepan and Hagelin went the other way. Letang and Sid caught them. Hagelin tried pushing Vokoun in the goal. Nothing doing.
Teams traded power plays late in the period. Lundqvist threw a temper tantrum because Sid touched his flow or something. Vokoun came up big for the Pens. Geno and Jeffrey had a good chance after the kill, but Geno tried to force a pass to DJ on the 2 on 1. Someone said something like it's because Geno respects DJ. Yeah. Right.
With a minute left, the Rags turned the puck over to Dupes. He found 87. Sid with a breakaway from about the red line. Hit the brakes, slowed up, went top shelf. But Lundqvist made his like 2nd save of the game.
Rags got called for Too Many Men at the end of the period and Torts was stunned.
Third Period
Pens PP was all business to start the 3rd. Neal found Malkin to enter the zone. Geno dropped to Sid. Sid with a gross shot-pass to Neal in front. Just EW on the deflection. 2-0
One of the best deflections you'll ever see.
Rangers started getting a bunch of chances. Gaborik had a nice little tip in front that hit the post. No idea how you let him drift in behind without getting picked up, but no harm, no foul.
Midway through the period, Despres made his first real mistake of the night, taking a hooking penalty. At the end of the kill, Dupuis cheated big time thinking Stralman was going to pass to Staal up high, Stralman ripped a shot instead off the post. Close call. Puck gets cleared, Dupes and Staal in a race for it. Staal vomits. Dupes finds Despres out of the box. Rookie defenseman one-on-one with one of the best goalies in the game. Frenchie cool as shit goes backhand and smokes the King. 3-0.
Can't find a video of the goal on YouTube. Check the highlights. It was sick. To see a ROOKIE DEFENSEMAN show the stones to pull that off, fucking right.
Pens had a late PP. Last time they had a power play up 3 against the Rangers, Disco sent out 4 forwards and got scored on short-handed. Last night, he sent out Paul Martin and Kris Letang. No shorty.
Pens just killed off the game. Vokoun earned the shut out. Boom.
Highlights:
Notes:
1) If Malkin being on the point is such a big deal, might be time to split him and 87 up. Can't really hurt at this point, can it? No idea who gets Neal and Letang in the divorce though.
2) Quiet, solid effort from the freed man Bortuzzo. He got his ass handed to him on one shift, but we can handle one shift per night over EVERY shift (see: Lovejoy, Ben). Engo looked A LOT more comfortable playing with someone that's not Ben Lovejoy too. Night and day really. We'd be really confident in the D if they kept Brian Strait too. We don't want to harp on this, but we've really seen all that Engelland has to offer. We like Engo, don't get us wrong, but Strait has more to offer in terms of growth long term than Engo.
3) There is no goalie controversy. Shut up.
4) The Pens have a goaltending luxury most teams would KILL for. THERE IS NO GOALIE CONTROVERSY. Shut up.
Pens play the Devils Saturday at 1.
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