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Pens Complete Sweep Of Sabres, Win 7-3 |
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The Battle of Wounded Ankle - Crosby to Sit Tonight...
Sidney Crosby has appeared in three games since returning to the line-up after missing 21 games with a high ankle sprain and it looks like he will miss another. Crosby, who was just settling back into the line-up, is experiencing pain in his right ankle and will miss tonight's contest with the Buffalo Sabres.
Did he come back to soon? I certainly hope not...
This is the second flare up of an old injury in two days, as news of Max Talbot aggravating his high ankle sprain broke yesterday.
The latest setback really depletes the Penguins line-up. They will be minus Sidney Crosby, Max Talbot and Petr Sykora. No news yet on if any additional emergency recalls will be made in addition to the transactions yesterday.
More in a bit...
http://postgazette.com/pg/08072/864429-100.stm
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Amidst all the talk of high ankle sprains there is a game to be played tonight...if there were ever a battle of the walking wounded, it could be this game tonight, as the Sabres are no picture of health themselves.
Tonight marks the fourth and final match up between these two teams on the season. The Penguins have taken the first three games, but have never swept a season series against the Sabres, which dates back to the 1970-71 season.
Something that is in the Sabres favor is that the Penguins have won only one time on a Wednesday this season, posting a 1-6 record. If history is any indication, tonight should be a close game, as 4 of the Penguins 6 Wednesday losses have been one goal.
The Penguins lead the all-time series 61-55-38 and hold a 39-18-20 record on home ice and are 6-1 in their lasst 7 against Buffalo.
As announced yesterday, the Penguins will start Ty Conklin in net this evening and for good reason. THE ANSWER has never lost to his former team, posting a 4-0 record against them. He has never allowed more than one goal in a game against them, and has posted unbelieveable numbers against his old employer this season. (.65 GAA, .980 S%, 98 of 100 saves)
I mentioned earlier that Petr Sykora might not be available for this evening, but he will be in the line-up. He felt that he would not be hurting the team to play and feels that he can contribute.
Sidney Crosby opted himself out of the line-up this evening. His ankle didn't feel right after practice and he didn't want to take a chance. This is pure speculation, but I believe that he would have gone tonight if it were a playoff game. Missing tonight's game gets Sid what equates to almost a full week off. That is also what I believe the team has held Hossa out again tonight. Everyone has a much better chance of being healthy enough to go on Sunday in an important divisions match up against the Flyers.
After tonight, 10 of the final 11 games will be against Atlantic Division foes. Those games will most likely decide what has been a hectic horse race throughout the season between the Penguins and Devils.
I will be appearing on XM 204 this evening during the first and second intermissions, please tune in if you get an opportunity! I am live at Mellon Arena this evening and will be updating as often as I can...
Don't forget the Penguins Hockey Buzzcast tomorrow evening as we welcome Seth Rorabaugh from the Post Gazette's Empty Netters.
A quick playlist for you...
1. James - Laid
2. System of a Down - Know
3. Superjoint Ritual - F&ck Your Enemy
4. Guns N Roses - Don't Cry (Original)
5. Matchbox Twenty - Shame
6. Metallica - Hit The Lights
7. Deathstars - Virtue to Vice
8. The Doors - Love Her Madly
9. The Smiths - How Soon Is Now
10. Tantric - Breakdown
11. Queensryche - Jet City Woman
12. The Academy is... - Same Blood
13. Anthrax - Packaged Rebellion
14. Devildriver - Hold Back the Day
15. Kasabian - Club Foot
16. Matt Nathanson - I Saw
17. Megadeth - Wake Up Dead
18. Canned Heat - Going Up The Country
19. Rise Against - Give It All
20. The Misfits - Resurrection
21. The Shins - Australia
22. Lacuna Coil - Unspoken
23. Cinderella - Shake Me
24. Mike Ness - Big Iron
25. Probot - Centuries of Sin
More later...
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The Penguins and Sabres have played the kind that goes back and forth and features a lot of speed! It took about four minutes for things to get going, but it has been a very entertaining period.
The only scoring thus far was a pretty breakaway by Tyler Kennedy. He took a feed from Pascal Dupuis and got in behind the defense...he wasn't exactly in the clear, but turned on the speed and exploded in alone. He made a deft backhand forehand move and beat Ryan Miller. His only misstep of the period, as he has played a strong game thus far.
In fact, both goalies have done a nice job. Miller has held his net and Ty Conklin is doing what he does against the Sabres...stopping everything.
Evgeni Malkin is flying tonight, though it hasn't amounted to much as of yet. He he looks to have that extra hop in his step...maybe it had something to do with his video clip thanking the fans of Pittsburgh in English. There have been several of those shown thus far because the Penguins have set a franchise record for sell outs in a season with their 35th tonight. They have also sold out 48 in a row overall.
Watching Tomas Vanek is a treat...he is a player that I was enamored with in his draft year. He has touch, great hands, speed...everything!
More soon...don't forget to tune into XM during the intermission!
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The second period got underway with a scary situation...Nathan Paetsch, Buffalo Defenseman, took an elbow on the chin from Georges Laraque. The contact didn't look so bad during live play, but Paetsch was out cold for what seemed like an hour. I hate seeing any player down and out like that...though the stretcher was brought out, Paetsch was able to leave the ice on his own.
Laraque was issued a 5 minute major and a 10 minute game misconduct. The penalty kill that followed brought out the best in Evgeni Malkin. Number 71 came out with the second group of penalty killers and single handedly killed off a minute of the major. It seemed that Malkin had a magnet in his stick, as the puck continued to come back to him again and again. While Malkin wheeled and dealt, doing his best Mario Lemieux impersonation, the Pens drew a power play of their own.
Jeff Taffe promptly scored, deflecting in a Darryl Sydor shot and put the Pens ahead 2-0.
Ryan Miller has had pucks bouncing through his crease all period long, but has been able to keep them out of his net. Miller is keeping it close and the Sabres could turn this around in short order with a goal. However, beating Ty Conklin is a tall order tonight. THE ANSWER has been very good at the other end of the rink.
More in a bit...
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Daniel Paille just made an early third period Petr Sykora goal look huge, as he cut the Penguins lead to 4-2. The Pens were on a power play and he just picked a puck up on the penalty kill and came through the neutral zone with speed and blew a shot past Conklin. It is probably one that Conklin would like a second look at, but Paille did a great job short handed!
I saw a comment about Evgeni Malkin looking like a different player when Sidney Crosby is out of the line-up, but I think the entire team looks different when he is out. The entire group seems to step up and play at a higher level. Why can't the team play at this level when 87 is in the line-up?
Pascal Dupuis has been an amazing pick up. Ok, maybe that is a bit overstated, but he is clearly an upgrade over Army for the role that he is playing. He is fast, has a nice touch around the net and kills penalties with the best of them . Overall, he may end up being a more important acquisition that anyone could dream.
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The flood gates seem to have opened in the third period as we have seen goals from Malkin and Chris Minard. Minard's was his first in the National Hockey League. He had only 1:58 of ice prior to the shift he scored on.
The Sabres aren't going away though...don't count them out. They are fighting through plenty of injuries on the back end and are hanging in there. They have had to use Jason Pominville on the blue line and their d-corps has been dealt the same hand as the Pens forwards.
Will be closing down in the box soon...more post game. Thanks to Peter, Ron and the Jammer over at XM. Always a blast joining you guys!
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Former Penguin goalie, Jocelyn Thibault, entered the game for Buffalo and did what he used to do best in Mellon Arena...allowed a goal. Kris Letang beat him with a shot from the high slot...giving the Pens 7 on the night.
The Sabres quickly answered, but the goal was waived, as the official claimed that he had blown the whistle.
What a night for goal scoring in Pittsburgh. No matter who you are rooting for, the chances have been coming!
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I will get you guys some post game reaction tomorrow morning, due to a battery issue, I am unable to access my recorded quotes! Big Boo for triple A batteries that die without warning.
Coach Therrien was asked post game about the fact the team seems to win and play it's best hockey without Sidney Crosby...he was asked if maybe the stats lie, because how could it be possible that the team would seem to be better without 87. Therrien's response...
"We will win with Sidney Crosby."
Chris Minard was smiling like a butcher's dog in the locker room. There was something so old school about his grin...not sure if it was the gap where a tooth used to be or just the fact that it is always a thrill to see a players elation after scoring his first NHL goal. He said that he sort of blacked out before burying his shot...almost didn't seem real to him. His first call was going to be to his wife, the second to his parents. Called it the moment that every Canadian kid dreams of!
Ty Conklin on whether he thought the reviewed goal was in the net...said with a wry smile on his face: "I guess not since it didn't count."
Ryan Malone, Evgeni Malkin and Coach Therrien thought the 5 minute penalty kill was the turning point in the game.
Evgeni Malkin is enjoying killing penalties...something he did a great job of doing tonight. He is glad that the coach has faith in him and has been putting him out there in those situations.
It is tough to see what Buffalo is going through...as I mentioned earlier, their defense is as depleted as the Penguins forwards are. As much as it stinks to see them fighting so many injuries, it was great to see Mike Weber, a Pittsburgh native, get the call up and the opportunity to play in his home town. He may not have gotten the opportunity otherwise.
Pascal Dupuis is proving to be a huge acquisition. He has done it all and is filling the third line role better than the Crusher or Army every could have. He is playing strong D, moving his feet and generating offense. Great player...
Jeff Taffe is the Penguins unsung hero! He is doing it all...playing the wing, center, scoring big goals and filling in wherever he is needed. Nice to see him running with the opportunity.
More tomorrow...
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