Pens Loss Close One

Hey All,

Last night, Thursday March 27th, the Pittsburgh Penguins took on the Los Angeles Kings, and this game had a lot riding on it. The game was nicknamed the battle for 8. If Pittsburgh won, they would have cliched a spot in the playoffs for the 8th straight year. If the Kings won, they would have won their 8th straight road game. This game didn't disappoint.

Neither team started their starting goaltender, Jeff Zatkoff for the Pens and Martin Jones for the Kings. Both goaltenders have been playing very well as of late. Zatkoff actually has the same save percentage as starting goaltender Marc Andre Fleury at .915, and giving up 2.58 goals per game.

Now I know everyone has been down on Zatkoff as of late, but what you fail to know is he's a rookie. Not only is he a rookie, he is playing just as well as any starting goaltender in the league. Most people would kill for a goaltender with a .915 save percentage. Not only that he is 11-4-2 in his last 17 games, and in that has recorded a shutout. Now all that doesn't sound like a guy "playing bad".

Okay enough of that rant, let's get to how this game went down. Unfortunately, for the Pens anyways, the Los Angeles Kings extended their winning streak to 5 games, and won their 8th straight road game. They were also able to keep the Pens for clinching a Playoff berth. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty scored the game-winner in the third to give the Kings a 3-2 win. Doughty's goal wouldn't have been possible without the assist from Dustin Brown.

Now this game had a lot of controversy, and it didn't end well for the Pens. Forward Brandon Sutter should have had the tying goal, but was called off due to "goaltender interference". All he did was cash the net after a shot, to get the rebound, he did so and was able to push the puck into the net, and then the net came off the pegs. Now by rule if you disallow the goaltender room to make the save and or get in the way of his progress it is goaltender interference. Non of that happened on this play. Sutter crashed the net and got all puck and pushed it into the net, like every player does. What the refs missed was Doughty cross checking Sutter 3 times which caused the "goaltender interference".  Therefore the goal should have been allowed, the game should have been tied, and went into overtime.

Non of the above happened, and the Pens lost the game. They weren't able to clinch a playoff spot last night, but have all the opportunity to do so tonight when they play the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jackets aren't best team in the league, but they still will give the Pens a run for the Playoff spot. Not that they will take the spot away from the Pens, but they could stop them from not clinching again. I don't think that will happen. Then Pens are playing mad now with the events that went down last night. It showed in the last few minutes of the game after the "goaltender interference" call. They played well last night, and had a lot of speed to there game in the beginning of the game. Near the end of the game they got physical, and I expect that physical play to continue until they have the spot clinched, and well after and into the playoffs. They have something to prove. All good teams go though a phase where they struggle to make playoffs and contend for a Stanley Cup. Everyone is starting to say that about the Pens, and I don't think they like that very much. They are one of the best teams in the league, and they are slumping right now, but will get back to Stanley Cup form starting tonight.

Until next time,
You keep doing what you do, and I'll keep you up to date with everything sports. 

Pens Take Game One

Hey All,

Tonight was the best day of all for all hockey fans, it's the start of the NHL Playoffs, and boy did it kick off with a bang.

That game that I will be focusing on is the Pittsburgh Penguins Vs. the New York Islanders. This is a one seed (Pittsburgh) and a eight seed (New York) and did it ever seem that way.

The Pens came out of the gate with a fire underneath of them all game long. They got a quick goal from rookie B. Bennett as he sneaks one past the blocker shoulder of goaltender Nabokov to get his first Playoff Goal ever. That came at the  3:30 mark, and there wouldn't be another goal scored until the 12:23 by Super Duper Dupuis. That would be how the first period would end, and boy would the intensity of this game pick up from here.

Kris Letang would get a very quick goal to start the second period at the 1:19 mark, and on just the second shot of the period, Dupuis would get his second goal of the game at the 1:51 mark. This would end Nabokov's night. They would bring in back-up goaltender Poulin to see if he could do any better against the Penguins offense. The fifth and final goal of the game came at the 13:07 mark of the second period by Tanner Glass.

Besides the scoring in this game, the hits were outstanding. Both teams were finishing off their checks, and giving it all they had. The Islanders might have won the battle in the hit department (numbers wise) with 41-36, they didn't win the war. The Penguins had there "tough guys" out there to show they aren't backing down from anyone. Letang, Murry, Marrow, and Engelland were "Lighten up" all night. The game got a little chippy near the end of the game as the Islanders started taking cheap shots to the Penguins Stars. Jussi had a shot to his legs and in the knee and ankle area, which could be very dangerous from a player to take that kind of open ice hit.

This game was the Penguins to loss, and I think the rest of the series is going to be the same way as this one went. With the Penguins being the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference  they would need to play like they have all season long (even though it was a lockout shortened season). If the Pens play like they did in game one, there is no possible way that they can lose this series.

Now don't get me wrong, the Islanders are a pretty good team. They just didn't play like it tonight. If they want to have a chance in this series, they will have to make some major adjustments to have a chance Friday in game two. Though they are a good team, and deserve to be in the Playoffs, I think they are going to get swept in this series. The Pens should walk their way into the next series and possibly into the Finals, if they play the way they played tonight, for the rest of the Playoffs.

Remember I put out video blogs every Thursday on my YouTube Channel (Mbonaventura83) so check it out and let me know what ya think.

Until next time,
You keep doing what you do, and I'll keep you up to date with everything sports.