Live at Mellon Arena: Pens v Caps

The players are on the ice for the warm-up and Karpuszka has the jams pumping! Your starting goaltenders are Semyon Varlamov and Marc Andre Fleury and if they each play the way they are capable of we should be in for a intriguing night. Not only would we see end to end offensive action, but we would get highlight reel save after highlight reel save.

Alex Ovechkin just exited the ice to a an outpouring of boos from the Mellon faithful, which is probably a good indication of how things will go each time he touches the biscuit this evening. Two of the three games between these two teams have been sent to overtime late in regulation and that could very well be the case again tonight. It just seems that these two teams bring out the best in one another and they are actually built to play against one another.

There was a definite playoff vibe outside the building as a ton of fans had congregated on the grass and surrounding sidewalks. They will eventually make their way into the building, but the weather brought them all down early for pre-game festivities. Many of them were toting handmade signage disparaging Alex Ovechkin or Alex Semin, really the same sort of thing that we all see so often in whichever building this series is playing out on that given day.

Though this isn’t a must win for either team, you would think that each squad would want to make a statement. The Capitals want to take all four games to show how far they have come, while the Penguins would like a victory to remind the Caps of how far they still need to go. Personally, I still think that this could be a preview of an Eastern Conference Final between these two teams, but that is still a long way off.

The Penguins will have the benefit of being the more rested team here this evening, as Washington knocked off the Bruins last night. However, fatigue doesn’t usually factor in as much as you would think when these teams meet, as they are so amped for the match up.

Get your snacks, beers and or sodas ready, as we are just about ten minutes away from face-off. Join me here as I bring you all of the action live from Mellon Arena as it happens…

More soon…

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Evgeni Malkin was a late scratch… joining Chris Kunitz and Eric Godard.

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Geno Machino is actually out sick this evening. There weren’t any other specifics given to us other than that.

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Both teams came out with some jump and were up and down the ice… the Caps have had the better of the opportunities thus far and are outshooting the Penguins 5-1.

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They are currently showing a montage of Pens/Caps highlights on the jumbotron to the Sick Puppies tune “Going Down.” A tune like that sort of sets the mood of this match-up…

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The Penguins lead the all-time series between these two teams 90-79-19.

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The Caps are having some trouble in getting the puck out of their zone. They have turned the puck over to Penguins forwards at the blue line twice in the last few minutes.

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The Caps just gave the puck away along the boards again. A clearing attempt was intercepted by Pascal Dupuis and he immediately dumped it down into the zone and the Penguins came close to getting a chance.

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Alex Semin burns the Penguins again… that kid is ON FIRE as of late. He came with speed through the neutral zone and made a move around Alex Goligoski. Go Go lost his edge for second and that allowed Semin to move around him and take off down the wing. Jordan Leopold could not get over in time and Semin quickly went backhand to forehand and flipped the puck into the short side corner. Fleury didn’t make a move… bad play all the way around…

1-0 Caps…

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Boy are these TV timeouts longer when the game is on Versus…

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The Penguins got the first power play of the night. Alex Ovechkin was called for cross checking… however, the Birds can’t really seem to get the PP going. The best chance came very late when Sidney Crosby found Alexei Ponikarovsky in the slot, who fired a one timer along the ice that almost beat Varly. Varly didn’t seem to have a good feel for where the puck was, but he was in good position and his left pad knocked the puck out of harm’s way.

1-0 Caps…

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After one period, the Penguins trail the Capitals1-0. The Birds did get things going a bit as the period wore on and found a way to put some pucks on goal… they now trail 10-9.

Though the Penguins seemed to find their legs ar0und the halfway point of the first, I think you have to give that one to the Caps. Especially based on the way that they came out of the gates. They look hungry…they lose a little bit based on some of the sloppy plays in their own zone, however they scored the goal and had the better of the chances…

Marc Andre Fleury made some nice stops, but he barely moved on the Semin goal. He seemed to misread his angle a bit there and might have thought that he was a bit further out and or closer to the post.

Varlamov seems to have worked that hitch out of his glove a bit…which is a good thing. He is definitely a special talent and injuries aside, would have been starting for this team all season… just my opinion.

Stay tuned for more as it happens…

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Wow… Marc Andre Fleury just let in some junk. Mike Knuble was coming down the right wing and let a snap shot loose. The puck hit Fleury’s pads and just trickled through him and in… a snail, tortoise, and slug all crossed the goal line before that puck. However, it is 2-0 Caps…

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The Birds just set Sergei Gonchar up at center point for his patented slapper but it went just wide. He actually looked to have beaten Varly with it, but it banged off of the boards and out.

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The Penguins are back on the power play as Mike Knuble was called for holding…

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The Caps just allowed Sidney Crosby to take a great shooting lane and he went for it…he took a few quick strides into the right face-off dot before letting a wrister fly that beat Varlamov.

Moments later Tomas Fleischmann got a puck in the slot and picked a corner on Marc Andre Fleury, pushing the Caps back up by two…

3-1 Caps…

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While Fleischmann was scoring the goal, Alex Semin was getting broken along the boards by a Penguin. It looked as if he took a shot to the face and he was down for quite some time recovering. He was able to skate back to the bench, but he didn’t look comfortable.

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The Penguins have made a goaltending change, pulling Marc Andre Fleury in favor of Brent Johnson. Fleury just didn’t have his game tonight…

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The first shot that Johnson faced came from the blade of Alex Ovechkin… AO galloped into the zone and let a wrister fly along the ice that Johnny kicked away with his left toe.

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Jordan Leopold gets his second goal in a Penguins jersey… getting the puck in Gonchar’s office and letting a slapper fly. It hit Shaone Morrisonn in front of the net and deflected through Varlamov and in.

3-2 Caps…

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The goal seemed to ignite a fire under the boys and they just drew another penalty with some hard work in front of the net. This time it was Eric Fehr…

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The power play came up empty… and the sides are back to even strength. Get ready for the Penguins penalties in the third period…they have yet to take one and there is no way they are getting through the game without one.

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Matt Bradley just knocked a puck behind Brent Johnson on the rush. Quintin Laing flipped a puck towards the net and Bradley fought off a check, freed his stick up and knocked the puck towards Johnny, changing the direction enough to put it through him.

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Two periods are in the books and the Penguins find themselves trailing 4-2…

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The third period is just about to get underway…

Can the Birds tie it up?? Evilpens… thoughts??

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The Capitals again turned the puck over at their blue line… this time Sidney Crosby took it into the zone, pushed it to Pascal Dupuis, who found a Jordan Leopold streaking into the zone… Leopold let a slapper fly that beat Varlamov and has his team back to within one…

4-3 Caps…

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With the assist Crosby has reached 100 points for the season… there was a delay shortly after the goal for a glass repair and the crowd got a MVP chant going for Crosby…

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Bill Guerin gets on the scoresheet! Unfortunately it was for highsticking a Cap…

The Caps won the face-off and immediately cashed in on the power play… Ovechkin picked the puck up in the slot and fired it past Johnson…

5-3 Caps…

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14:27 remaining in the game… the Penguins just iced the puck…

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I am a bit behind here…

Let’s just say that Sidney Crosby looks angry and has slipped into a zone…however, he doesn’t have much support down there in the offensive zone.

The Caps have been buzzing around the Pens zone and came dangerously close to picking up their 6th goal of the game… the Backstrom, AO, Semin line just had a shift that made the Pens D look as if they were standing still…

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We have hit the 2:35 mark… I will be heading down to what is sure to be a gloomy dressing room shortly… stay tuned for more post game…

28 thoughts on “Live at Mellon Arena: Pens v Caps

  1. This team is a Cluster**** of Epic Proportions

    Horrible 50 Dollar Crack whore Goalie

    Pathetic Defensemen

    Embarrassingly Horrible Wingers, BUT hey you Kool-Aid Drinkers keep listening to Ray Ray we have the Best combo of top 3 Centers in the League

    Horrific PP

    If I was Sid Or Geno I would Tell Ray Ray in the Offseason Either Trade Staal for wingers who can actually score for Me & Geno or Trade ME !!!

  2. No Metz MAF the 50 Dollar Crackwhore didn’t misread his Angle he went down AGAIN & good Goal scorers Go Up high On him every chance they get

    number 1 Rule in Goaltending DON’T GET BEAT SHORTSIDE HIGH !!!

  3. Again 50 Dollar Crackwhore again, I hope everybody goes to the Playoff games EARLY because this Team will lose in the 1st round !!! Regardless of WHO they play

  4. he didn’t have his Game??? REALLY do you people in the media All drink Ray RRay’s Kool-Aid Metz?? Come On you’re MUCH BETTER than that !!!!!

  5. I am not drinking Kood-Aid brother… just calling it like I see it. Fleury didn’t have his game tonight… not at all.

    I realize that he has his faults, but he has stolen his share of points for this team…other times they have bailed him out… he is never going to be a guy who posts a sub two goals against average and a .980 save percentage… but he will make a big save when he has too as proven by his performance in the Stanley Cup Final… he did play a part in that Championship.

    There are times where he just seems like he isn’t mentally ready… I really think that this team is in his head to some extent, as evidenced by the shoot out in the last meeting. He got beat with the same move three times…

    As far as his first goal tonight… he didn’t go down… he did nothing for that matter… He sort of shrugged at the puck as it whizzed by him… at least according to what I saw.

    You know me brother… I will bash the kid when he deserves to be bashed and tonight he almost singlehandedly put his team down by 3…

  6. I am just sick & Tired of the Media Blowing Shero & letting him get away with Murder!! He out & Out LIED to them during the Conference cal to Pgh. when they fired MT & hired Morphine Bylsma saying that the Reason that Yeo wasn’t Fired is because Bylsma wanted him to stay so there was some continuity with the Players !! Wait WTF a Guy that you didn’t feel confident enough in naming HC has enough Pull with you to keep a coach who should have been fired 1st before MT & Savard were

  7. Signing Staal who is NEVER going to be anything more than a 3rd Line Center to a Ridiculous 4 mill a Year deal, Signing Ryan Whitney to a 4 mill a Year deal & then trading him for a 3rd Line Winger making 3.75 mill a Year Kunitz, Gogo to a 1.3 Mill a year deal & is PUTRID to put it nicely & VASTLY overpaid Letang

  8. Who is going to play wing next season Guerin ?? No way in Hell…. wait Ray Ray is the GM, Fedostinko NO way in hell

    Poni ?? has he been any more than anybody thought he’d Be

    Nick Johnson ?? Please !! Tangradi ?? hahaha He was a 3rd Line Checking Line winger until Caputi was traded

  9. They got the 3 best Centers in the League according to the Media !!! Hows That, Notice that Staal has Been INVISIBLE again as a 2nd Line Center !! Shocked ?? I am Really Shocked : )

  10. that’s the only way OV can score ….he’s a sniper and never plays defense, just another reason Russia LOST

  11. Bird’s need to do a better job on DEFENSE that why they lose to these teams.

  12. NO they Need Wingers who can ACTUALLY Live off 2 Generational talents at Center, But The Shortbus window licking retard media has buffoons like you believing in the NO Wings & 3 Center Offense, You CAN NOT with a Salary Cap tie up 21.4 Mill a year at 1 ****** position

    4 Mill a Year for a 3rd Line Center & that is ALL he will EVER be

  13. 3rd Line CENTER Genius, What Happens every time he is the 2nd Line Center ……………………………………. HMMMMMMM Nothing He Is INVISIBLE !!!!

  14. thats why you have a salary cap so you dont have ONE team that wins all the time like MLB YANKEES with crosby and malkin thats all he would EVER be they just need to let guerin and poni go and spend $$ else where

  15. 3 Mill a year !! You are Old enough to understand that Kunitz is Making 3.75 Mill a year !!! That is the Kind of winger you will get for 3 Mill a year

    & Kunitz is Matt Cooke 2.0

  16. Truthfully, Staal has taken strides forward in each of his seasons in the league. He has become one of the best defensive forwards in the league and his offense is coming.

    Let’s not lose site of the fact that he is 22 years old… will he ever be a 40 goal man? No… but if he becomes a guy who can shut down top lines, while picking up 50 to 60 points… i will take that.

    They definitely need to address the wing situation next season… maybe stir in a 30 goal guy or two rather than continuing to retain the 15 to 20 guys… Even with Sid and Geno, they still need some help…

  17. maybe you should try another team bandwagoner or better yet go watch tiger play golf cause your so miserable your not worth talking to.

  18. Little Boy I was watching the Pens Before you were Born, Probably before Your Mommy & Daddy Knew each other

    Metz he is NEVER going to be anything more than he is Now, Which is a 3rd Line Center!! Is he the Best 3rd Line Center ?? Most Likely but with Paying Sid & Geno a Combined 17.4 Mill a year You CAN NOT afford to Pay a Guy 4 mill a year to be a 3rd Line Center

    It is a Situation that as I posted above is only going to get worse Next Season, Who are they going to sign ???? Give Me some Names !! Because there aren’t Many good Wings that they will be able to afford

  19. then stop whining like a 5 year old and I am not a kid and I dont cry at everything that goes wrong like you are. GROW UP

  20. Boys,

    Lets try and find some positives here….

    We are going to the playoffs, from the looks as the 4th seed. I think we won it from there last year.

    We are not playing great but it is possible to turn it around.

  21. No it ‘s Not Walshy!! They are done !! I have Been saying this for about 60 Games Horrible Wingers, Bad Defensemen, Horrific PP. & I think they are emotionally & Mentally Whipped

  22. How In Gods name does Bill Guerin get the 3rd Most Ice time for Pens Forwards last Night ??? Good ****** God Bylsma you are as Bad as MT

    9 L P. Dupuis 0 1 0 0 2 16:20
    11 C J. Staal 0 0 -2 0 4 21:29
    13 R B. Guerin 0 1 -3 2 3 18:45
    17 C M. Rupp 0 0 1 0 1 09:27
    23 L A. Ponikarovsky 0 0 -2 0 3 16:47
    24 L M. Cooke 0 0 -1 0 2 15:20
    25 C M. Talbot 0 0 -2 0 0 13:34
    26 L R. Fedotenko 0 0 0 0 3 17:26
    27 R C. Adams 0 0 1 0 1 10:47
    48 C T. Kennedy 0 0 -2 0 2 15:02
    87 C S. Crosby (C) 1 2 0 0 2 27:01

    How in ****’s name does he get the second most TOI of all forwards

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