Devils 4, Penguins 1 - Final - 11-12-09

PREGAME

Greetings from mild and dark Pittsburgh. It's in the mid-50s but dark. Stupid Daylight Savings Time. Stupid farmers.

Anyway, the darkness is really going to cut back on our walks up from town for the next few months outside of the occasional daytime, weekend game. Here are a few shots however. From this morning, the Stanley Cup Champion banners on Centre Avenue have been replaced with these lame-o "Defy Ordinary" ones:

-The north side of Consol Energy Center (the one facing Mellon Arena) is starting to get it's brick exterior built up:

-Maxime Talbot apparently endorses red energy drinks:

-How badly do they need a new arena? They can't even change the clocks here at Mellon Arena! This was taken at 10:30 a.m., the start of the Penguins' morning skate:

-A gentleman wearing a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins jersey at the intersection of Washington Place and Center Avenue:

-Consol Energy Center at night:

(Our BlackBerry stinks with night photos.)

-Mellon Arena:

-Downtown Pittsburgh in twilight:

-The collection station for the food drive inside Gate 3:

-The ice:

-Ben Lovejoy is wearing No. 6 tonight. He's the first player to wear that number since Joel Kwiatkowski's memorable one-game run in the 2006-07 season.

-There's not a lot of quality associated with that number:

-Aside from the legendary Peter Ahola of course.

-Evgeni Malkin did not warm up.

-Some sights around the arena. Patrik Elias has at least one fan here:

-A Joe Mullen jersey:

-No jersey foul on account of the hood not obstructing the name plate.

-We're pretty sure we've shown this here before, but this is a pretty sweet jacket:

-Ulf Samuelsson:

-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins:

-Johan Hedberg:

-Jaromir Jagr:

-Paul Coffey:

-Wheeling Nailers:

-A very sharp fan with a Jay McKee t-shirt jersey:

-Darius Kasparaitis:

-Martin Straka:

-Ugh... this Chris Kunitz with a terrible jersey foul:

(We're letting the pink Malkin jersey slide on account of the person in it being young.)

-A very sharp Andy Bathgate fan sans name plate:

-Martin Brodeur:

-Scott Stevens:

-Bob Errey:

-Kevin Steve___:

-Warm ups:

-The Penguins' scratches are Brooks Orpik, Tyler Kennedy and Evgeni Malkin.

-New Jersey's scratches are Matthew Corrente, Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (Thank goodness), and Andrew Peters.

-Marc-Andre Fleury and Martin Brodeur are your starting goaltenders.

-A USAF color guard is on hand for the national anthem with Jeff Jimerson:

FIRST PERIOD

20:00: Sidney Crosby starts on a line with size. He has Mike Rupp and Jordan Staal on his wings.

19:19: Uh.... ooookay... the goal horn just went off in the middle of play for about 15 seconds....

18:18: Staal, who is wearing the "A" in place of Brooks Orpik (who was wearing it in place of Sergei Gonchar), takes a shift with Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz.

17:30: Crosby is back on a line with Matt Cooke and Ruslan Fedotenko.

17:00: Martin Skoula is teamed up with Ben Lovejoy.

16:40: Eric Godard dumps Matt Halischuk along the boards.

15:55: Staal thumps Dainius Zubrus with a shoulder check in the corner in New Jersey's zone.

15:10: Craig Adams is on with Pascal Dupuis and Chris Conner.

15:04: Dupuis tosses a puck on net from the left point. Brodeur gloves it and plays it with his stick. That was the first official shot on goal this game.

14:24: Skoula zips a shot on net from the left point. It gets through traffic and it hits the far post. Dupuis appeared to get a piece of that shot with his stick shaft.

14:09: Fleury fights off shots from Elias and Mark Fraser. He scrambles to collect the rebound. Crosby is there and is able to skate it out of danger.

13:44: During a television time out, a montage in honor of Bill Guerin's 1,200th career game is played on the video board. It was set to "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen:

13:28: Fedotenko zips up the slot and swats a backhand on net. Brodeur keeps it out.

12:04: Guerin coasts up the right wing and centers a pass to Kunitz in the slot. Kunitz passes up a fairly clean shot and dishes it back to Guerin. Guerin isn't ready for the pass and the Penguins lose possesion.

11:57: Deryk Engelland is on with Mark Eaton. Chris Bourque is on with Godard and Rupp.

11:39: Brodeur has a little trouble playing the puck behind his own net. The puck gets played to Bourque out front. He has an open net. He either gets tripped up or he just forces the shot too quickly. Perhaps both. Either way, he missed a wide open cage.

8:28: Off some serious work down in the corner, the Penguins' strike. Crosby outworks a defender in the corner in New Jersey's zone and plays it behind the cage to Fedotenko. Fedotenko. snaps off a wrister from along the goal line on the right wing. Brodeur keeps it out. Bourque keeps the rebound in the Penguins' possession. Crosby snaps off a wrister from the right faceoff circle. Brodeur is able to keep it out with his glove. Fedotenko crashes the crease and is able to push it by Brodeur's legs. The Penguins' celebrate. Brodeur protests like he's going to lose his home to eminent domain. Officials aren't having any of it. They don't even review the goal. Fedotenko gets the goal. Crosby and McKee get the assists. So much for that record. That's the Penguins' first goal in like 49 months. The "Hey Song" is played. Penguins 1-0.

7:49: Niclas Bergfors cranks a slapper from right wing. Fleury denies it.

5:02: If you haven't figure this out by now, Alex Goligoski and McKee are still teamed up.

4:21: Mark Eaton pinches in the offensive zone and it hurts his team. He ended up high sticking Mike Mottau. That's two minutes. Adams, Cooke, Goligoski and McKee are on. It's bad enough they're without Orpik and Gonchar on defense, now they have to kill a penalty without Eaton, one of their best defensive players.

3:30: Andy Greene cracks a one-timer from the top of the slot. Fleury stops it with a "thud." A scramble ensues. Fleury is able to fish out the puck and cover for a freeze.

2:48: Crosby chips the puck into the neutral zone to kill a little time.

2:21: Eaton's penalty is killed. Nice effort by the Penguins.

2:05: Off a turnover in New Jersey's zone, Staal lunges and backhand swats a puck on net. Brodeur knocks it down.

1:37: Tim Sestito is nabbed for hooking Kunitz. Crosby, Guerin, Staal, Goligoski and Fedotenko are on for the power play. Fedotenko is on the point with Goligoski.

1:09: Crosby pushes the puck into the offensive zone. He challenges Mottau one-on-one. Mottau is able to stick check the puck away. It slides in on net and Brodeur covers to freeze play.

0:42: Goligoski tosses a wrister on net from the left point. Staal and/or Guerin. Brodeur fights it off with his torso.

0:40: Mottau is drawing penalties like a mad man. He gets hooke dby Staal in the corner. That's two minutes. It will be four-on-four for 1:04.

0:15: Dupuis dumps Bryce Salvador in the corner in New Jersey's zone.

0:00: End of period. Penguins 1, Devils 0.

FIRST INTERMISSION

-That was easily the Penguins' best period of play for at least a week. They were finishing checks, getting to loose puck and attacking the offensive zone. They also crashed the net a good deal. That's how they got Fedotenko's goal.

-They were pretty decent defensively too. They didnt' allow the Devils a great deal of speed coming into the offensive zone.

-Fleury was sharp that period.

-We barely noticed Lovejoy or Engelland. That's probably a good thing.

-Staal's playing like he has a purpose tonight. He's been aggressive in terms of his physical play.

-The Penguins have a 9-7 lead in shots.

-Fedotenko leads the game with three shots.

-Bergfors leads the Devils with two.

-Goligoski leads the game with 9:00 of ice time.

-Colin White leads the Devils with 8:26.

-The Penguins control faceoffs, 12-7 (63 percent).

-Adams is 3 for 4 (75 percent).

-Zubrus is 2 for 3 (67 percent).

-Fraser and Cory Murphy each lead the game with two blocked shots.

-Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up" entertains during the intermission:

SECOND PERIOD

20:00: There was a scoring change on Fedotenko's goal. Bourque gets an assist instead of McKee. We will have 23 seconds of four-on-four play.

19:37: Sesito's penalty is killed. New Jersey will have a power play for 1:03.

19:03: A slapper by Green from the top of the slot is wide.

18:40: Staal's penalty is killed.

17:57: McKee puts a slapper on net from the left point. Brodeur kicks it out.

16:11: Lovejoy gets dumped pretty hard on a nice check by Rod Pelley in the corner in the Penguins' zone.

15:52: Fedotenko and Bourque combine to force Mottau into a turnover behind his own net. Bourque takes the puck and dishes a feed to Crosby in the slot. Crosbh shoots low. Brodeur kicks it out with his right foot and covers the rebound. Big save by Brodeur.

14:55: Mike Rupp sneaks up the right wing. Well as much as a 6-foot-5, 230-pound man can sneak that is. He then snaps off a wrister which appears to catch Brodeur by surprise a bit. Regardless, Brodeur is able to kick it out.

13:05: Crosby races up the left wing and uncorks a low slapper. Brodeur kicks it out but gives up a poor rebound. Fedotenko is there and forces a half shot on net. It appears to get deflected a bit. Brodeur is able to fight that off.

11:55: Adams chips the puck up ice getting it out of danger from inside his own blue line. He gets dumped by Fraser for his troubles.

10:07: Guerin snaps off a wrister from the right wing. Brodeur snags it with his glove.

9:38: What in the name of Rob Scuderi happened there? There was a crazy scramble outside the Penguins' crease for a loose puck. About 23 players from each team jump onto a pile fighting for the puck before officials blow play dead.

9:18: Elias snaps a high wrister from the right wing. Fleury fights it off.

8:55: Fedotenko is open in the slot. He has a pass distributed to him but he fails to handle it. Yeesh.

7:42: Rupp takes a run at Salvador. Salvador braces for the hit and sticks Rupp on his butt.

7:26: Conner works his way up the left wing and leaves a drop pass. Adams steps up and snaps off a low wrister. Brodeur makes the save.

7:08: Conner comes up the left wing against and puts his own low wrister on net.

6:10: Engelland is forced into a turnover in the corner in his own zone. Parise takes the puck and distributes to Bergfors in the slot. Bergfors is able to release a shot and beats Fleury to tie the game. Engelland and Crosby probably deserve the blame for that goal. They didnt' handle the puck cleanly in their own end. Parise and Travis Zajac each get assists. Devils 1, Penguins 1.

5:18: A very luke warm "LET'S GO PENS" rains down. This has been a very bland crowd tonight.

4:41: Zubrus cranks a slapper from the left wing. Fleury steers the puck into the corner.

2:34: Rupp dishes a puck to Guerin in the left faceoff circle. Guerin drops the hammer but this shot is way off the mark.

2:32: Guerin and Green scrum for the rebound. Things get a little physical. Guerin is sent off for interference. That's kind of a bunk. Greene could've gone for the same infraction. Guerin goes to the box but not with out offering plenty of French words to the officials. Staal, Cooke, Eaton and McKee are on for the kill

1:10: That was a little odd. Bergfors dishes a pass to Greene the top of the slot. Greene hammers a one-timer that appears to be going wide. It hits off Lovejoy's stick and deflects behind Fleury. Ugh. That was just bad luck. Bergfors and Jaime Langenbrunner get assists. Devils 2-1.

0:48: Attendance is announced as 17,005. It is the team's 127th consecutive sell out.

0:00: End of period. Crosby is hauled down by Zajac before the period runs out. Zajac is nabbed for holding. Devils 2, Penguins 1.

SECOND INTERMISSION

-The Penguins really abandoned what worked for them in the first period. They weren't nearly as aggressive. As a result, they're down.

-That said, the reason for the go-ahead goal was a questionable penalty and a lucky bounce. The Penguins aren't out of this by any means.

-The Penguins have a 17-16 edge in shots.

-Fedotenko and Bergfors each lead the game with four shots.

-Crosby leads the game with 15:32 of ice time.

-Greene leads the Devils with 14:57.

-The Penguins have an 18-17 edge in faceoffs (51 percent).

-Sestito is 4 for 5 (80 percent).

-Crosby is 9 for 17 (53 percent).

-Greene and Eaton each lead the game with three blocked shots.

-"The Fixer" by Pearl Jam entertains during the intermission:

THIRD PERIOD

20:00: The Penguins will have an entire power play on fresh ice. Crosby, Guerin, Fedotenko, Staal and Goligoski take the ice. Fedotenko is on the point.  There was a scoring change on the Greene goal. Zajac gets the primary assist while Bergfors gets the secondary assist.

19:55: Right off the opening faceoff, Staal takes a pass streaking down the left wing and lifts a wrister. Brodeur eats it up.

19:01: Fedotenko and Parise races for a puck cleared into the Penguins' zone. Parise takes out Fedotenko's legs and they both crash into the boards. No call. Parise recovers and generates a few chances on the Penguins' net.

18:00: Zajac's penalty is killed.

16:25: Dupuis gets thumped to the ice by Zubrus.

15:17: A turnover in the neutral zone leads to another New Jersy goal. Conner loses the puck in front of his own bench. Zajac picks it up, moves into the offensive zone and centers a pass into the slot for Parise who has a step on McKee. Parise takes the pass and immediately lifts a wrister over Fleury. What a pass by Zajac. he was able to get that under Goligoski and just beyond the reach of a diving McKee. Zajac and Bergfors each get assists. This game is probably a done deal now Devils 3-1.

13:51: "LET'S GO PENS! LET'S GO PENS!"

12:06: Bergfors leads a three-on-one on the Penguins' net. He leaves a drop pass in the slot for Pelley whose shot gets blocked in fron.

11:35: Bergfors has a brain cramp as basically grabs a puck in midair and tosses it down ice with his hand. That's two minutes for closing his hand on the puck. That was stupid. Crosby, Staal, Guerin, Goligoski and Fedotenko are on for the power play. A goal for the Penguins is a must here.

10:39: Crosby moves up the right wing, makes a furious spin move and rips a backhander that flutter up and hits the far post. Just bad luck there.

10:34: Goligoski blasts a slapper from the left point. Brodeur makes the save but gives up a brutal rebound. Crosby is there and has an open net but Brodeur is able to stretch out and make an amazing save with his glove hand. Wow! The Devils aren't losing after that save.

10:31: Crosby is nabbed for holding. We'll have four-on-four for 55 seconds.

9:35: Bergfors' penalty is killed. New Jersey will have a power play for 1:05.

9:27: Dupus cranks a slapper from his own blue line. It catches Brodeur off guard and he falls over while making the save.

8:31: Crosby's penalty is killed.

7:38: Crosby moves up the left wing, swoops behind the net comes around the right side and circle into the slot before he finally rips a wrister that hits a body in front.

6:56: Kunitz gets a pass on the right wing, ahs a little space and uncorks a slapper. Salvador is able to deflect the shot out of play.

6:33: Rupp makes a brutal turnover at his own blue line. Rolston picks it up and moves down the right wing against Lovejoy on two-on-one. Rolston takes the shot. Fleury makes the save but the puck squeezes through his gear towards the goal line. Lovejoy is able to sweep it away. Very heads-up play.

5:45: Crosby whips a backander on net from a tough angle on the right wing. Brodeur says no.

5:40: Goligoski whiffs on a one-time feed at the right point. The puck exits the offensive zone.

4:05: The remaining bodies in here start a "LET'S GO PENS! LET'S GO PENS!"

3:10: Crosby puts on some moves behind the Devils' net to rcreast some space but he ends up dishing a pass in front to... Brian Rolston.

2:10: Staal lifts a wrister from the left wing. Brodeur shoudlers it away.

1:59: Engelland mashes Bergfors into the boards behind the Penguins' net.

1:25: Dupuis fires a one timer from the right point. Brodeur punches it away.

1:14: Fleury is pulled for an extra attacker.

0:09: That's a perfect way to wrap up the night. Crosby takes a feed in the left faceoff circle and cranks a one-timer off the post.

0:01: The puck gets deep on the left wing. Clarkson and Skoual race for it. Clarkson backhands it and the puck dribbles into the cage for:

-Salvador gets the only assist. Devils 4-1.

0:00: End of game. Devils 4, Penguins 1.

POSTGAME

-Well that was ugly. But it's not surprising. The Penguins' lineup resembles a preseason lineup right now. Half of the players are NHL caliber. The other half are AHL caliber. There really is no sense in disecting this team's strengths and weaknesses right now. The injuries are a little too much to overcome right now.

-Dan Bylsma has been saying the right things during this entire stretch and he refuses to make the injuries an excuse. But he can't even put a real power play with two defensemen on the ice at this juncture. It's like trying to put together a 300-piece puzzle with only 223 of the pieces.

-That said, the way the team seemed to shy away from attacking after the first period was a little concerning. They controlled the first period and after that... nothing. They were a lot more tenative. This team, regardless of it's personnel, will only win by being aggressive.

-Coincidently, this rough patch of injuries and four-game losing streak is coming against teams (Kings, Sharks, Bruins and Devils) which have a combined 45-21-7 record. They have played four pretty darned good teams within the past week.

-We refuse to rip the power play right now. Mike Yeo has been given a bag of rocks. He can't make a birthday cake out of it.

-Fleury was solid. He just was left out to dry a few too many times. And the second goal off Lovejoy's skate was just bad luck.

-Lovejoy was solid in his debut at the NHL level this season. He made a few nice plays and his only mistake was having bad luck off the Greene goal.

-Other than his one turnover that led to the Devils first goal, Engelland was not noticeable.

-The Fedotenko-Crosby-Bourque line seemed to have some chemistry in spurts, but not enough to consider making this a permanent line combination.

-Fedotenko might've played his most complete game of the season.

-Niclas Bergfors is the real deal when it comes to being a Penguin killer. He now has five point (two goals, three assists) in two games against the Penguins this season.

-Self-Congratulatory Note: We picked Bergfors to score tonight. We're awesome!!!!!!!

-The Penguins ended up with a 26-25 edge in shots.

-Bergfors and Fedotenko each led the game in shots.

-Goligoski led the game with 25:11 of ice time.

-Greene led the Devils with 24:22.

-The Penguins ended up with 28-24 lead in faceoffs (54 percent).

-Sestito was 6 for 9 (67 percent).

-Crosby was 13 for 23 (57 percent).

-Salvador led the game with six blocked shots.

-Greene was second with five.

-Eaton led the Penguins with three.

-The Devils extended their road-winning streak to nine games. Their 9-0-0 record to start the season on the road is one short of the NHL record set by the 2006-07 Sabres.

-Fedotenko's goal was his 20th as a Penguin.

-Game summary.

-Event summary.

 -Highlights.