Live Blog

I decided to try and live blog the game tonight...not too sure how it will go, but hey, how will I know if I don't try? Anyway, enjoy the show...I'll try and post the time I make the comment next to the post, but be forewarned I may get lazy by the end if it's a route...lol

And with that, enjoy the game...puck drops in about 30 minutes!

7:16 - Puck drops...Let's go Pens!!!

7:24 - Go Go gets a tripping minor for the Pens...not exactly the start we were looking for boys. Come on PK!!!

7:27 - Good PK by the boys, although we're still not looking very sharp...hopefully that works itself out soon...

7:34 - The Pens literally have one shot through eleven minutes of action...you gotta be kidding me.

7:38 - Pens power play on a cheap shot by LaPierre..cheating Canadiens....lol

7:41 - Our power play stinks...we couldn't get the puck in the zone, let alone get a shot. All in all, pretty poopy start for the Pens. Only six total shots in the game, although Montreal looks a lot busier then that.

7:51 - The period ends, mercifully, at 0-0. The Pens played some very uninspired hockey, but luckily the Canadiens couldn't put the biscuit in the basket. There was pretty much no offense to speak of coming from the Pens' side of the ice, and those crazy Canucks finished very strong. I'm thinking "Awww" Craig Adams will get his gray beard in a bunch and start inspiring the boys Herb Brooks style, but only time will tell. See yinz in the second...

8:08 - Puck drops on period 2. God I hope this goes better then the first...

8:18 - Cooke had a break away, but it's Cooke, so he misses. Still 0-0, but the pace has picked up a little bit for the Pens. I think we still only have five or six shots though, and Halak made that last save look easy...

8:25 - Pens power play...boy do we need a goal

8:28 - No goal on the PP, but at least the Pens are showing some signs of life. And this Letestu has been a pleasant surprise thus far in his first playoff game.

8:34 - Great chance by Go Go to net the opening goal, but Halak says no. We're starting to get our game going, throwing more pucks at Halak and taking the body more often. Now we just need to get on the board.

8:41 - There's only eleven seconds left in the period but the Pens have earned a power play. They just kept the puck in the zone for about two minutes which made the Canadiens tired and brought about the penalty.

8:43 - The period is over, still no score. Things get a bit chippy at the end of the period, with a lot of pushing and shoving after the whistle. Still don't know if there's any penalties resulting, but I have to think this game is starting to turn towards the Pens' liking..all they need to do now is put the puck in the net!!!

9:03 - The puck drops on period three with the Pens on the power play for almost a full two minutes. This PP is key - if we can get a goal it may just be the series, but if not...well let's just say we need this goal.

9:05 - WHOOOO HOOOO Goal Malkin!!!! It's a power play goal, and the Pens' showed great patience. Great one timer. 1-0 Pens

9:07 - I failed to mention it was Hal Gill in the box when Geno scored. I think that may have helped the cause...

9:10 - Steigerwald's first reference to Hal Gill's big stick. Hahaha

9:23 - Flower just robs Cammellari on a one timer. My goodness, what a save. The Canadiens are pushing hard for the tying goal, we really need to keep it simple and just get the puck out of our zone.

9:26 - Crap, the Canadiens just got a call on Jordan Leopold. Huge PK upcoming.

9:30 - Halfway through the PK, so far so good, Montreal just called timeout. I'll let ya know how the PK ends up...

9:32 - PK is over, and Flower just made another crazy save to keep it that way. He's playing an excellent game thus far...

9:37 - Pascal Dupuis throws in an empty netter. 2-0 Pens and as Mike Lange would say, "Elvis has just left the building!!!" Be back shortly with some observations.

Go Pens!

Observations - Well, first and foremost, Flower was amazing in net. In the third period he made two spectacular saves to keep the Pens ahead, and if he continues to play like this it's going to be very, VERY difficult to beat us. As for which skaters impressed me, I'd have to say Mark Letestu played very well for his first NHL playoff game. He put a couple shots on net and was very responsible defensively, which is always your first concern with rookies. I also thought Alex Ponikarovsky had a little more speed and grit then he's showed thus far in playoffs, which is certainly an added bonus.

As for who didn't impress, I'd have to go with Ruslan Fedotenko. I don't know if he's injured, old or both, but he's not nearly the player he was last season when we won the cup. I realize he's in because of injuries to Jordan Staal and Bill Guerin, but there has to be a better alternative somewhere on the taxi squad. He's played very uninspired hockey, rarely finishing checks off and not contributing at all in the offensive zone. Not only is he not getting shots, but it seems like he's losing his place in the cycle, and that's the Pens' bread and butter.

I certainly think the Pens earned this one, and Montreal is on their heels. A win on Thursday could cause the Habs to pack it in, and a close defeat like this (hopefully) will make a little doubt creep into Montreal's head. We need to play more then two solid periods of hockey to win a championship, and I'm sure that's something that will be adressed, but all in all it could've been a lot worse, and a win is a win.

Go Pens!

Until lata...