As I said last game, this isn’t what I would call a live blog by any mean, as I will not be providing complete play-by-play of the action. There are plenty of folks that have taken over those responsibilities since I first began live game blogs back in 2006. What we will be doing here is giving you a collection of observations on what is going on in the building…thoughts, analysis, chicanery, and what not…
A quick shout out to my pal Tony Ferrante, The Confluence, he is covering his first game in the Consol Energy Center this evening. As a matter of fact, he is tearing up a kielbasa grinder right beside me.
The warm up are in the books and the teams are about 13 minutes from facing it off here. It will be interesting to see how things shake out between these two teams after playing such an emotional playoff series last spring. Not to open old wounds, but the Penguins dropped that one in seven games. Even though there is no doubt in my mind that the Canadiens deserved to win that playoff series, it is still a bit of a head scratcher. The Birds never made the necessary adjustments and looking back it seems that they might have just been thinking that they would eventually break through. Ironically that is the same thing that felled the Washington Capitals…
When these two teams come together tonight, they do so at the start of a season, in a meaningless October game. I realize that it will count in the standings, but it is still very much a game that isn’t vital to either side. Will the emotion be there? Will each side be able to generate half of the excitement of the games this past spring? I certainly hope so.
The Penguins have been carrying a lot of resentment since then, as many of them still look at that series as a missed opportunity — which it very well might have been. They are also looking for their first win in their new barn, something that alluded them on Thursday evening. Those two things along should be enough to generate the need chutzpa.
The Canadiens on the other had, want to show that they weren’t a flash in the pan. That they can be just as effective as they were back in May with Carey Price in goal. Can they do that?
Well, we are about to find out, as we are mere moments away from facing this one off… stay tuned for more as we roll on here at the CONSOL Energy Center…
The above is a shot of the ice during the singing of the Canadian national anthem.
Apparently Hilary Duff is in the house this evening…
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The Penguins are the first to the sin bin this evening, as Mike Rupp was issued a minor for roughing…
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Maxim Lapierre must have said something inflammatory regarding Hilary Duff, as Mike Comrie threw off the mitts to give him a piece of his mind. Unfortunately it wasn’t the best fight that I have ever seen, but the Penguins event game production staff did a great job of throwing out a quick soundtrack… the rhythm guitar crush of the Metallica’s – ONE.
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Your Pittsburgh Penguins are seemingly refusing to shoot the puck tonight. They have had some great opportunities breaking into the zone, but are passing up far too many shooting opportunities. It is worth noting that they are outshooting the Canadiens 7-1 in the early going.
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An odd occurrence to report… Evgeni Malkin was skating around with something that looked like a flag hanging from his backside. We had some trouble figuring out what it was, but it turned out to be one of the ads from the boards. It came free as Geno passed and it stuck to his pants. He played close to his entire shift with the ad attached before it came free…
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Interesting fact of the night… PK Subban is apparently the new guy that Pittsburghers love to hate. He has been booed each time he has touched the puck this evening. I assuming that grudge was born via this spring’s happenstance moment that left Jordan Staal with a severed foot tendon. I wouldn’t have dreamed that he would join the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Marian Hossa, Jaromir Jagr etc…
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The Penguins have again surrendered the opening goal of the game… this time Mike Cammalleri gets it from Plekanec and Kostitsyn…
Mike Cammalleri would be the leading scorer in the league if he was able to play against the Penguins on a nightly basis…
1-0 Canadiens…
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After a series of shoving matches, including an push in the back of Sidney Crosby from Max Lapierre and one that put Carey Price on his wallet, the Penguins got themselves a power play opportunity… Josh Gorges to the bin…
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Moments into the power play, Mike Comrie caught a fallen PK Subban in the face with stick, which resulted in a 4:00 minute penalty.
First period close to expiring…
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Moments into the second period, the teams were playing at 4 men per side. Crosby and Malkin found themselves working a give and go in front of Carey Price. Malkin started and finished it as he rifled a one timer under the glove of Price to tie this one at 1-1….
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Sidney Crosby took a shot off of his inner knee earlier that looked pretty painful. Though he went to the bench following the incident, he has remained in the game and is showing now signs of the blast now…
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The Penguins power play is getting maddening… mainly for Alex Goligoski’s reluctance to shoot the puck from the point. I am not sure why he has been passing on most of his shooting opportunities… early last season when he was the sweet heart of fantasy poolies due to his quick start, it was due largely to a quick shot from the point. Hopefully they can break him… and soon!
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Two periods are in the book and the two teams have combined for 2 goals… It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens get the better of the penalty calls in the third period, as the Penguins had a significant advantage in the second period… The Birds have again had a ton of chances, but have not been able to break through, even during a close to 4:00 minute span on the power play that resulted in a :16 second two man advantage…
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The Penguins power play is now 0-10 on the season… aaaaach!
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Make that 1-10… still… AAAACH!
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I don’t want to say this, but the game is starting to look an awful lot like one in which a late Montreal goal will win it. The Penguins just can’t seem to get one behind Price and the Habs seem primed to cash a late opportunity…
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Mark Letestu just told me to shut my mouth… in fact, I think his exact words were: “Stay out of the prediction business Metzer!”
Letestu just buried it after taking a pass while streaking down the slot…he quickly went backhand, forehand before firing a shot through Price and into the net…
2-1 Penguins…
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I will be closing things down in a few to head down to the rooms… look for more post game!
