Tonight's game is going to be a huge test for the Pens who have let their last two games slip through their hands. The Penguins are in Nashville to face the Predators and this game is going to be a tough one if they Penguins don't change their ways. The previous two games (Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings) the Penguins held a commanding lead, but as the game ran on the Penguins let their lead slip. They didn't play a full 60 minute game and went on the defense quickly after gaining the lead. Tonight the Penguins will have to dig deep and keep putting the pressure on the Predators even if they have a huge lead, because we all know that no lead is safe in the NHL.
The Penguins will see a familiar face on the enemy team as this will be the first match-up between the two teams, since the Penguins traded James Neal for Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling. Both Hornqvist and Spaling played a combined 660 games for the Predators, so this will be weird seeing their former team also. For the game tonight the Predators are giving out Neal bobble heads to fans. So far this season the numbers for the traded players look like this:
Patric Hornqvist: 4 Goals, 4 Assists, 8 Points, 1 Power Play Goal, and 1 Game Winning Goal
Nick Spaling: 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 2 Points, and +1 Rating
James Neal: 5 Goals, 5 Points, 1 Game Winning Goal, and 26 Shots
On the goal front Marc-Andre Fleury will start in the net tonight after getting some rest. The Predators look like they will have Pekka Rinne as their netminder. This is how the two goalies stack up against each other when they face one another:
Marc-Andre Fleury: 5-2-1, 1.94 Goals Against Average, and .923 Save Percentage
Pekka Rinne: 1-2-1, 3.55 Goals Against Average, and .867 Save Percentage
As for stats for the Penguins, Sid has a total of 14 points against the Predators. He seems to do well at putting up points against them, but usually that isn't a problem for him. Evgeni Malkin is riding a 6 game assist streak, which is currently the longest in the NHL so far this season. The Penguins power play has fallen to 36.4%, but it's still deadly. The Penguins will look to capitalize on the power play to get this number back up.
 |
| Letang battles a Red Wing / Pittsburgh Penguins |
The Penguins will have to come out ready to fight and not let up until the final whistle! Lets Go Pens!
The Pens lineup is as follows:
Forwards
Kuni, Sid, Hornqvist
Duper, Geno, Comeau
Spaling, Sutter, Downie
Sill, Goc, Adams
Defense
Ehrhoff, Martin
Maatta, Letang
Scuderi, Despres
Flower in the net!
Play By Play
PENS 3 Predators 0
PENS 3 Predators 0
3rd Period
0:00- PENS WIN 3-0 OVER THE PREDATORS!!! FLOWER EARNS HIS FIRST SHUTOUT OF THE SEASON! 29TH SHUTOUT IN HIS CAREER FOR #29! THE PENS PLAYED A FULL 60 MINUTE GAME AND CAME OUT WITH THE WIN!
0:21- Pens are caught with too many men on the ice and the Predators get a late PP.
2:52- The defensive effort by the Pens has been top notch. They look much better in this period then in the last two games.
5:25- The Predators will get an offensive zone faceoff after the Pens have iced the puck. Mike Johnston calls a timeout.
7:21- Flower has made some great saves, but the Pens have done a great job of limiting the Predators shots.
8:27- Flower comes up with a huge pad save!
10:33- Neal lasers a shot and it rings off the right goal post! Flower gives the post some love after that.
14:01- With that goal Duper notches his 400th career point!
14:35- DUPER SCORES!!! Sid keeps the puck alive behind the net and feeds to Downie in front! Rinne makes the save, but Duper puts up the rebound putting it in the net! 3-0 Pens!
17:57- GENO SCORES ON THE PP!! Sid makes a beautiful pass up to Geno who just redirects the puck pass the outstretched pads of Rinne! 2-0 Pens!
18:56- PP time for the Pens as Maatta draws a penalty.
20:00- The Pens need to stay focus! This time they need to wrap it up in the third! Lets Go Pens!
2nd Period
0:00- Second period ends and the Pens still hold a 1-0 lead over the Predators!
2:24- The Pens kill off another Predators PP.
4:24- The refs catch the Pens with too many men on the ice and the Predators get another PP chance. Downie will serve the penalty.
4:47- Martin gets a clear shooting pass to the net. Martin's shot bounces up over the net.
5:30- Sid wrist a shot through traffic, but it goes wide of the net.
8:18- Letang comes flying down the wing and his shot is fought off by Rinne!
10:06- The Pens keep improving their PK as they kill off the Predators PP.
12:06- After all that work by the Pens the Predators will have a chance on the PP to tie this game up. Downie takes a hooking penalty.
12:45- The Pens PP comes to an end.
13:25- Kuni gets in behind the Predators defense, but Rinne stands strong to make the save.
14:45- First PP of the game will go to the Pens as Jokinen will sit for interference.
16:12- The Predators are doing a good job of keeping the puck down in the Pens zone. The Pens have only been able to just clear the puck and that has been pretty much it.
20:00- Second period time! The Pens need to keep on the gas pedal and not let up or the Predators will make them pay! Lets Go Pens!
1st Period
0:00- PENS WIN 3-0 OVER THE PREDATORS!!! FLOWER EARNS HIS FIRST SHUTOUT OF THE SEASON! 29TH SHUTOUT IN HIS CAREER FOR #29! THE PENS PLAYED A FULL 60 MINUTE GAME AND CAME OUT WITH THE WIN!
0:21- Pens are caught with too many men on the ice and the Predators get a late PP.
2:52- The defensive effort by the Pens has been top notch. They look much better in this period then in the last two games.
5:25- The Predators will get an offensive zone faceoff after the Pens have iced the puck. Mike Johnston calls a timeout.
7:21- Flower has made some great saves, but the Pens have done a great job of limiting the Predators shots.
8:27- Flower comes up with a huge pad save!
10:33- Neal lasers a shot and it rings off the right goal post! Flower gives the post some love after that.
14:01- With that goal Duper notches his 400th career point!
14:35- DUPER SCORES!!! Sid keeps the puck alive behind the net and feeds to Downie in front! Rinne makes the save, but Duper puts up the rebound putting it in the net! 3-0 Pens!
17:57- GENO SCORES ON THE PP!! Sid makes a beautiful pass up to Geno who just redirects the puck pass the outstretched pads of Rinne! 2-0 Pens!
18:56- PP time for the Pens as Maatta draws a penalty.
20:00- The Pens need to stay focus! This time they need to wrap it up in the third! Lets Go Pens!
2nd Period
0:00- Second period ends and the Pens still hold a 1-0 lead over the Predators!
2:24- The Pens kill off another Predators PP.
4:24- The refs catch the Pens with too many men on the ice and the Predators get another PP chance. Downie will serve the penalty.
4:47- Martin gets a clear shooting pass to the net. Martin's shot bounces up over the net.
5:30- Sid wrist a shot through traffic, but it goes wide of the net.
8:18- Letang comes flying down the wing and his shot is fought off by Rinne!
10:06- The Pens keep improving their PK as they kill off the Predators PP.
12:06- After all that work by the Pens the Predators will have a chance on the PP to tie this game up. Downie takes a hooking penalty.
12:45- The Pens PP comes to an end.
13:25- Kuni gets in behind the Predators defense, but Rinne stands strong to make the save.
14:45- First PP of the game will go to the Pens as Jokinen will sit for interference.
16:12- The Predators are doing a good job of keeping the puck down in the Pens zone. The Pens have only been able to just clear the puck and that has been pretty much it.
20:00- Second period time! The Pens need to keep on the gas pedal and not let up or the Predators will make them pay! Lets Go Pens!
1st Period
0:00- First period ends and the Pens lead the Predators 1-0!
0:29- Martin does a great job of getting the puck away from Neal's reach at the side of the net.
1:30- Predators were held to no shots for 10:50 by the Pens during this period.
2:47- The Pens step up a good play and Hornqvist disrupts Rinne giving Maatta a good chance on net. Maatta's shot ends up going high and wide.
3:44- Hornqvist and Spaling get a nice ovation as the Predators play a video tribute from their days with the Predators.
5:44- The Predators had two good back-to-back shifts, but the Pens are able to avoid any danger.
9:31- Geno with great reach to get his stick on the puck in mid-air after Rinne saved Geno's initial shot. Rinne just barely gets his pad out to make a second save on Geno.
10:32- Despres has laid two huge hits on Nystrom.
13:39- SID SCORES! Sid attempts a cross ice pass to Kuni, but it doesn't connect! Maatta is able to keep it alive off the boards and brings it to the net! The Pens crash the net and Sid gets the last whack to put it past Rinne! 1-0 Pens!
14:29- The Predators have four shots so far, but the Pens haven't been able to register one.
15:44- The Pens are looking for a way to enter the Predators zone and keep control of the puck. They may need to just drop it in.
20:00- The puck has dropped in Nashville and this game is on! Lets take it to the Predators! Lets Go Pens!
0:29- Martin does a great job of getting the puck away from Neal's reach at the side of the net.
1:30- Predators were held to no shots for 10:50 by the Pens during this period.
2:47- The Pens step up a good play and Hornqvist disrupts Rinne giving Maatta a good chance on net. Maatta's shot ends up going high and wide.
3:44- Hornqvist and Spaling get a nice ovation as the Predators play a video tribute from their days with the Predators.
5:44- The Predators had two good back-to-back shifts, but the Pens are able to avoid any danger.
9:31- Geno with great reach to get his stick on the puck in mid-air after Rinne saved Geno's initial shot. Rinne just barely gets his pad out to make a second save on Geno.
10:32- Despres has laid two huge hits on Nystrom.
13:39- SID SCORES! Sid attempts a cross ice pass to Kuni, but it doesn't connect! Maatta is able to keep it alive off the boards and brings it to the net! The Pens crash the net and Sid gets the last whack to put it past Rinne! 1-0 Pens!
14:29- The Predators have four shots so far, but the Pens haven't been able to register one.
15:44- The Pens are looking for a way to enter the Predators zone and keep control of the puck. They may need to just drop it in.
20:00- The puck has dropped in Nashville and this game is on! Lets take it to the Predators! Lets Go Pens!
No comments:
Post a Comment