-Let me just start off by saying that the final score does not indicate the type of game that was played tonight. It was a tight, physical game. It was more than physical, actually. It was pretty rough. Anyways, this has got to be one of the hardest fought wins the Pens have gotten all year, let alone during their 12 game win streak.
-The trend, when a team is on a win streak, is that they stop doing all the things that made them successful in the first place, at the end of the win streak. This game proves that this, thankfully, is not the case with the Pens.
-I do feel, however, that the Sabres got too much time in our own zone tonight. Our D and MAF saved our butts tonight.
-First of all, Flower was absolutely on his game tonight. 34 saves? Some of them were great/ He more than earned that first star tonight.
-For as good as Flower was, he would’ve been nothing without the Pens D, Michalek in particular, who had (by far) his best game as a Pen. They must’ve saved about 5 goals as a group tonight. Crazy good defense tonight. I would love to see them get it out of our zone quicker so that those chances wouldn’t result, but they did a hell of a job on the last ditch efforts to save goals.
-On the flip side, that third pairing of Gogo-Lovejoy is terrible. I think Lovejoy was in the lineup to add some speed, but Lovejoy’s not a bad player, he’s not at all, but he and Gogo just do not work. The top two pairings are set so those two are stuck with each other…I guess.
-I can’t say enough good things about the top two pairings, though.
-You know, Sid has led the charge on this win streak, but it wouldn’t be 12 games without the defense we’re getting. Not at all. They’ve allowed two goals or less for the 10th consecutive game now. Also, their offense output can’t be overlooked either. How many times has a d-man started a play that resulted from his own zone during this stretch?
-It says something when the Sabres pretty much kept the first line in check and the Pens, without Malkin, without Staal, still win 5-2.
-The fourth line was excellent tonight. I think Jeffrey was only added to the lineup for speed and skill to match up against the Sabres. I think he’s earned a spot in the lineup for at least one more game…even if Geno does come back.
-The second line looked much better than it has in the past few games. The Buzz line, however, was a bit disappointing.
-So, yes, my feeling was wrong. I can’t tell you how happy I am about that. It was a bit of a lucky play for Sid, but a point is a point and it’s and adult sized 18 game streak now (his stache, however, is still a child; nonetheless, it’s staying for a few more days)! Gotta give the Sabres props, though. They played Sid very well. Dupuis and Kunitz’s terrible games didn’t help much either, but none of this is the story tonight.
-Thank you, Tyler Myers. You let up on the hit you could’ve destroyed Sid on. Not many people like seeing a player lose consciousness. Glad to know that a Texas born boy doesn’t want to see it either.
-I would whine about how terrible the reffing was, but what’s the point? I blew off a lot of steam in the game thread anyways.
-Man…awesome win tonight! Absolutely fantastic! Bring it on, Philly.
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