RECAP. Olli. Olli Olli Olli. Pens WIN

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What a game.  A National TV audience got to see one of the best Hockey games you'll see all year and definitely one of the best we have seen so far.  It's always fun when the Pens and Caps get together.  Crosby, Malkin and Ovi all take their games to another level and steal the show.  But, tonight, a 19 year old rookie said "Step aside boys.  Tonight is my show." - Olli Maatta in our fantasy world.

Pretty meh first period for the most part.  Both teams were cautious early on.  Thing opened up a bit and both teams were getting some chances.  Kuni had a semi breakaway but Neuvirth said no.  Pens had a power play about half way through the period.  Kris Letang sent a pass up the ice from his zone that went right between Crosby and Malkin who both failed to catch the puck and the Caps went the other way.  Kris Letang dove down to try and block Brooks Laich.  He did originally but Laich stuck with it and eventually scored.  Malkin stopped back checking on the play too.  1-nil Caps.  The Pens apparently had 17 shots in the 1st.

Things picked up in the 2nd.  It started out a little like the 1st but business picked up about 9 and a half minutes in.  The Pens came in on a 4 on 2.  Crosby fed the puck to Letang who tried to dish the puck to Kunitz.  Backstrom got his stick in the way and the puck trickled through Neuvirth to tie the game at 1.  But the Caps answered.  Tic tac toe from Orlov to Johannson to Chimera.  Fleury didn't have a chance.  2-1 Caps.  But the Pens would answer right back.  The puck made its way to Olli Maatta.  He faked a shot and got the defenseman to go down.  He dished a pass in the slot to Taylor Pyatt who got open after having a guy draped all over him.  Pyatt ripped one past Neuvirth to tie the game once again.

The 3rd period was in your mouth.  Both teams traded chances.  You were on the edge of your seat.  Even Consol was jammed up.  The Pens got a golden chance to take the lead.  After coming out of the penalty box Malkin entered the Caps zone.  Mike Green took him down and the Pens would get a power play.  But.  Geno took another bad penalty while on the power play and the game would go to 4 on 4.  About a minute or so passed on the 4 on 4 with nothing happening.  But for some reason the Pens found themselves with 3 defensemen on the ice.  Letang, Bortuzzo, and Orpik.  This had disaster written all over it.  And disaster struck.  No one backed up Bortuzzo going behind the goal and Bort lost the puck.  Then he hustled while the other 3 just stood around.  And everyone forgot about AO.  It was almost academic.  One timer from his sweet spot.  3-2 Caps.  But 2 minutes later the Pens answered.  Brandon Sutter found Jussi Jokinen down low.  Jokinen pushed it home to tie it at 3.  Both teams traded chances at both ends.  It looked like the game was going to overtime.  Until the 19 year old rookie took his turn in the spotlight. Enjoy it one more time:

What a play.  What a play by Geno to find Maatta.  What a play by Maatta to not rush the shot, fake it and get to a good angle for the shot.  What a shot.  And what a screen by Taylor Pyatt.  What a play all around.  The Caps would come hard to try and tie the game.  Ovi broke like 8 sticks in the last 30 seconds.  MAF shut the door on the Caps and the Pens held on for the win.

1. Olli Maatta

2. Jussi Jokinen

3. Alex Ovechkin

*Honorary Mention: Taylor Pyatt.  Played his best game as a Penguin so far

Stuff:

• It looked like every time AO was on the ice Orpik and Bortuzzo were out their against him.  And other than the goal they shut AO down all night.  
• Another solid game from Kris Letang.
• Olli Maatta <3
• Thanks for Jokinen Carolina
• The Pens are 34-14-3 right now.  70 points.  70.  They are 18 points up in the Division.  10 points up in the conference.  My God.
• James Neal missed tonights game due to injury.

Pens next game isn't until 2015 against Florida.

Go Pens