Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Pens beat wild, 4-2

Crosby had a four-point night, while Malkin added two goals and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. It was a strong peformance by the line of Crosby-Malkin-Malone, netting three even strength goals, while the Pens added a power-play goal in their lone opportunity to do so, while killing off the two opportunities the Wild had. Crosby extended his point streak to 10 games, tying his career long, and the team extended its power-play goal scored streak to 11 games. (At least one PPG for in each game this season)


Stats update, game 11 (Only Malone, Talbot, Hall, & Scuderi in plus territory, but Malkin, Ruutu, Laraque and Kennedy are now Even)
Name GP G A P +- PIM
Malkin 11 5 12 17 E 10
Crosby 11 5 12 17 -2 10
Sykora 11 6 4 10 -5 6
Gonchar 11 2 7 9 -4 18
Whitney 11 3 3 6 -2 2
Recchi 11 1 5 6 -1 8
Roberts 10 1 4 5 -4 2
Talbot 11 4 1 5 +1 6
Malone 11 2 3 5 +2 17
Hall 10 1 3 4 +2 9
Staal 11 1 1 2 -4 7
Christensen 10 1 1 2 -6 0
Armstrong 11 1 0 1 -4 2
Laraque 4 0 1 1 E 5
Scuderi 11 0 1 1 +1 4
Sydor 11 0 1 1 -3 4
Ruutu 8 0 1 1 E 10
Orpik 11 0 1 1 -5 4
Kennedy 2 0 0 0 E 2
Eaton
11 0 0 0 -2 0
Fleury 9 0 0 0 -- 0
Sabourin 5 0 0 0 -- 0

It should be noted that the stats above reflect the correct scoring from the first Toronto game, where Recchi was given a phantom assist at the expense of Malkin. This scoring change was made after the game, and the official NHL stats have not been corrected. Emails to the NHL and ESPN.com that same night have not been answered. As of October 31, 2007, this error has still not been corrected.

The win improved the Pens record to 6-4-0-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL) on the season, and ensured they finished October above .500 for the month, finishing with 13 points in 11 games. Crosby and Malkin each have 17 points on the season, good for 4th on the league list with a game or two in hand on those in front of them. Zetterberg of Detroit leads with 22 in 13 games.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Pens shut out Rangers 1-0

Marc-Andre Fleury of the Penguins pitched his first shutout of the season, 1-0, over the visiting Rangers in the first of eight meetings this season. The Pens lone goal came on the powerplay in the 2nd, by Evgeni Malkin off of a sick pass from Ryan Whitney (Note to Versus: his name is not Brian), following a cross-ice pass from Sidney Crosby. That would be all they would need this night as they shut down Jaromir Jagr once again. Fleury stopped 36 shots, and was named number 1 star.

Stats update, game 8 (Only Talbot, Hall, Scuderi & Ruutu in plus territory)
Name GP G A P +- PIM
Crosby 8 2 8 10 -4 6
Malkin 8 3 6 9 -3 4
Sykora 8 4 3 7 -1 8
Gonchar 8 1 5 6 -4 12
Roberts 8 1 4 5 -1 2
Talbot 8 4 1 5 +2 2
Recchi 8 1 4 5 -1 8
Whitney 8 2 2 4 -4 2
Hall 7 1 2 3 +2 0
Malone 8 2 1 3 E 15
Staal 8 1 1 2 -3 0
Christensen 7 1 1 2 -1 0
Armstrong 8 1 0 1 -2 2
Laraque 4 0 1 1 E 5
Scuderi 8 0 1 1 +1 2
Sydor 8 0 1 1 -1 4
Ruutu 6 0 1 1 +1 8
Orpik 8 0 1 1 -2 4
Eaton 8 0 0 0 E 0
Fleury 7 0 0 0 -- 0
Sabourin 3 0 0 0 -- 0

It should be noted that the stats above reflect the correct scoring from the first Toronto game, where Recchi was given a phantom assist at the expense of Malkin. This scoring change was made after the game, and the official NHL stats have not been corrected. Emails to the NHL and ESPN.com that same night have not been answered.

The win was the Pens third straight, and improved the Pens record to 5-3-0-0 for 10 points, and dropped the Rangers to 2-5-0-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL)

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Pens storm back from 3-1 deficit at Leafs, win 6-4

Although the Pens scored first, they found themselves down to the Maple Leafs 3-1 before they stormed back in the 2nd period to take a 4-3 lead, and added two more in the third period en route to a 6-4 win at the Air Canada Centre. The goals were from Erik Christensen (1st), Sidney Crosby (1st-2nd), Maxime Talbot (2nd-3rd) and Ryan Malone (2nd). Adam Hall and Evgeni Malkin each had two assists, while Sergei Gonchar, Darryl Sydor, Petr Sykora, Jordan Staal and Gary Roberts.

The NHL game stats inexplicably have credited Mark Recchi with the 2nd assist on the 5th Penguins goal, when the play went from Sidney Crosby to Evgeni Malkin, to Darryl Sydor, who shot it on goal, with Crosby with the tap in for the goal. While Recchi was on the ice, and was stationed in front of the net, he did not touch the puck, and even if he did, he would have had to have been the primary assist, not the 2nd assist. The NHL page took more than an hour after final buzzer to be marked "Final"; the play was originally correctly credited to Malkin, to which TSN followed for most of the night. But ESPN went with Recchi initially, and TSN later followed suit to the NHL page. Emails noting the error to NHL.com and ESPN.com have not been returned. At least the Penguins official recap by Joe Sager correctly has the assist assigned to Malkin.

Stats update, game 4 (Only Malone, Talbot & Hall in plus territory, at +1)
Name GP G A P +- PIM
Malkin 4 1 5 6 E 4
Sykora 4 2 2 4 E 0
Crosby 4 2 2 4 -3 4
Talbot 4 3 0 3 +1 2
Recchi 4 1 2 3 -1 2
Roberts 4 0 3 3 -2 0
Malone 4 2 0 2 +1 6
Christensen 4 1 1 2 -1 0
Hall 3 0 2 2 +1 0
Gonchar 4 0 2 2 -2 4
Armstrong 4 1 0 1 -2 2
Whitney 4 1 0 1 -2 2
Laraque 3 0 1 1 E 0
Scuderi 4 0 1 1 E 2
Staal 4 0 1 1 -1 0
Sydor 4 0 1 1 E 2
Orpik 4 0 0 0 E 2
Ruutu 2 0 0 0 E 2
Eaton 4 0 0 0 E 0
Fleury 4 0 0 0 -- 0
Sabourin 2 0 0 0 -- 0



The startling stats of the game: The Pens won 57% of the faceoffs, and the Pens had 52 shots.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Pens win home opener over Ducks, 5-4

The Pens rebounded from their season opening loss at Carolina by defeating the defending Cup Champ Anaheim Ducks tonight by a score of 5-4. The Pens had goals by Petr Sykora (2), Colby Armstrong, Evgeni Malkin and Ryan Malone. Gary Roberts had two assists, and Malkin, Sykora, Sidney Crosby, Georges Laraque, Robert Scuderi and Erik Christensen each had assists.

Anaheim came out strong, and scored the first goal on an early power play. The Pens would return the favor, with the 2nd unit scoring on the powerplay. The game would be tied at 1 at the first break. Anaheim would score early in the 2nd to take a 2-1 lead, but Armstrong and Malkin scored 20 seconds apart to put the Pens up 3-2 just over 4 minutes in, a score that would hold up at the 2nd break. A little over 6 minutes into the third, Anaheim tied it at 3, where it would remain for 7 minutes until Sykora and Malone scored 19 seconds apart to put the Pens up 5-3. Anaheim would score with 22 seconds left to pull within one while their goaltender was pulled, but it was too little too late, with the Pens winning 5-4.

Stats update, game 2 (several minus players after game 1 broke even; only Sykora is in plus territory after 2 games)
Name GP G A P +- PIM
Sykora 2 2 1 3 +1 0
Malkin 2 1 2 3 E 2
Roberts 2 0 2 2 -1 0
Armstrong 2 1 0 1 E 0
Recchi 2 1 0 1 -1 2
Malone 2 1 0 1 E 6
Gonchar 2 0 1 1 -2 4
Crosby 2 0 1 1 -2 2
Laraque 2 0 1 1 E 0
Christensen 2 0 1 1 E 0
Scuderi 2 0 1 1 -1 0
Orpik 2 0 0 0 E 0
Ruutu 1 0 0 0 -1 2
Talbot 2 0 0 0 -1 0
Whitney 2 0 0 0 E 0
Staal 2 0 0 0 -1 0
Sydor 2 0 0 0 E 0
Eaton 2 0 0 0 -1 0
Hall 1 0 0 0 E 0
Fleury 2 0 0 0 -- 0
Sabourin 1 0 0 0 -- 0

The Pens next play on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at home vs. the Montreal Canadiens. Crosby will attempt to increase the pace of his slow start, with only one assist to show for two games.

Friday, October 05, 2007

Pens lose season opener

The Pens opened the 2007-2008 season with two poor periods, falling behind 4-0 by the 2nd intermission. Only a late powerplay goal by Mark Recchi avoided the shutout, with the final score 4-1. Carolina had lost their opener on Wednesday to Montreal, and they clearly seemed to want it more. Cam Ward was sensational in goal - continuing the theory that the Pens seem to find a hot goaltender more often than most teams.

Stats update, game 1 (most minus, a few even)
Name GP G A P +- PIM
Recchi 1 1 0 1 -1 0
Malkin 1 0 1 1 -1 0
Gonchar 1 0 1 1 -1 2
Crosby 1 0 0 0 -1 2
Orpik 1 0 0 0 -1 0
Ruutu 1 0 0 0 -1 2
Laraque 1 0 0 0 -1 0
Talbot 1 0 0 0 E 0
Armstrong 1 0 0 0 E 0
Whitney 1 0 0 0 E 0
Sykora 1 0 0 0 -1 0
Christensen 1 0 0 0 -1 0
Malone 1 0 0 0 -1 2
Staal 1 0 0 0 -1 0
Roberts 1 0 0 0 E 0
Sydor 1 0 0 0 -1 0
Scuderi 1 0 0 0 -2 0
Eaton 1 0 0 0 -1 0
Fleury 1 0 0 0 -- 0
Sabourin 1 0 0 0 -- 0

The Pens return home tomorrow to face the defending Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks, fresh off a loss to Columbus tonight.