Yinzers,
I typed in a search term of "Martin Erat" from the Nashville Predators and this is one of the images that showed up...I had to post it. Anyway, this weekend posted a couple of heart-breaking defeats for the Pens. Both games went to overtime, one went to a shootout, therefore the Pens did manage to squeeze 2 points out of the weekend, but it was still a heart-breaker.
On Friday, the Pens "welcomed" Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers to town for a Friday night fight dahntahn. 17,132 were on hand to watch this Atlantic Division bout. Sidney Crosby continued his point streak with 2 goals on the night: his first at 6:42 in the first from Billy Guerin and Geno Malkin and his second coming as the equalizer at 3:53 in the third period from Sergei Gonchar on the power play. The meat of the goal samich was two slices of Ranger goals in the second period. Brandon Dubinsky and Vaclav Prospal added their 13th each. The second period was also highlighted by a fight between the Cookie monster and Chris Drury. With the game tied at the end of regulation, we head to OT. Olli Jokinen ended the overtime period at 1:02 when he put one past Brent Johnson, thus stealing a point from the Pens.
Yesterday, the Pens played their last game before the Winter Olympic break. The Nashville Predators rolled into Pittsburgh to play their fourth Atlantic Division opponent in as many games. Coming off of a 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, the Predators were out for prey. I must say, this game was one of the most entertaining games of the year, thus far. The action was end-to-end all game. Scoring opened up at 14:43 by none other than Sidney Crosby on the power play. Nashville put their first goal home at 0:34 in the second period off of the stick of Martin Erat. Matt "Cookie Monster" Cooke then answered at 2:09 with his 12th of the season. The Predators answered 12 seconds later from an unlikely source: 4th liner Jordin Tootoo, with just his third of the season. The third period saw an answer from the Penguins unlikely source: Brooks "Free Candy" Orpik caught goal fever for the first time in over 100 games. The Predators then answered at 12:17 from Shea Weber to tie it up and force OT. The overtime period was all Penguins as they had a power play for most of the OT period. It was the most exciting, frustrating, sphincter-tightening two minutes of the game with chances just trickling wide. The shootout then commenced. Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby failed to score in the shootout and Cal O'Reilly and Martin Erat banked one each, stealing the extra point away from the Pens.
The Pens will not play again until after Winter Olympic break. Therefore, your new Monday and Thursday updates will be for the common man...the Olympics.
To begin, the biggest news in Olympic hockey this weekend was Canada versus Slovakia. Canada, arguably the best team in women's hockey besides the United States, slaughtered Slovakia to the tune of 18-0 putting up 68 shots on goal to the Slovak 9. It was just unfair.
The mens games begin on Tuesday afternoon, so there will be blogs.
Lets go World,
B Brog
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