The Paul Martin Redemption Tour. Pens WIN

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Last season Paul Martin was horrendous.  So bad that over the summer Ray Shero asked Paul Mart if he would like to be traded.  Martin could have taken the easy was out.  He could have taken the trade, and gotten a fresh start somewhere else.  He didn't.  He told Shero he didn't want traded.  He told Shero he'd be better.  So Paul Mart worked his ass off over the summer and the lockout.  And what we've seen this season has been the absolute best hockey we've seen from Paul Martin in his short time here in Pittsburgh.  He's gone from whipping boy to hero in a matter of months.  What a true American Hero.

1st Period

The Pens got off to a fast start.  Less than a minute in Brook Orpik put a shot on goal and Pascal Dupuis deflected the puck past emo Miller to make it 1-0.  The the Sabres took a penalty.  19 seconds after that Sidney Crosby, who owns Ryan Miller, scored to make it 2-0.  Crosby has some unreal point streak going against the Sabres.  The Sabres took another penalty.  This game had blowout written all over it.  Except the Pens decided to play with themselves the entire power play and didn't get anything.  That gave the Sabres momentum.  Cody Hodgson is awful.  He had a few bad turnovers in the 1st.  One led to a Pens goal.   But no one cleans out the front of the net for the Pens.  Ever.  Hodgson pitched a tent in front of MAF and found a rebound and scored.  2-1.  Vitale drew a penalty as time expired.

2nd Period

Pens couldn't get anything on the power play.  The Sid took a really bad penalty.  Mike Milbury preached discipline during intermission.  If there is a person who should preach about anything let alone discipline its Mike Milbury.  The Tanner glass went off for the stupid new face off rule.  What a dumb rule.  Buffalo had a ton of possession in the Pens end.  But they couldn't hit the net.  They could of had soccer goals out there and the Sabres would have missed.  But the finally got one.  Tomas Vanek deflected in a shot that was probably going wide to tie the game at 2.  

3rd Period

Tanner Glass dropped the gloves with Cody McCormick.  This gives me another reason to use this.

There was a moment in the fight that I'd like to point out.  At the very beginning Glass had his jersey up over his head.  McCormick could have plastered Glass.  Instead he let go of Glass and let him get his jersey back down.  Then they went about their business.  Very classy move by McCormick.  The fight was pretty uneventful.  Completely forgot Steve Ott was a Sabre until about 15 minutes before the game yesterday.  Also completely was actually playing yesterday until he scored some bullshit goal on a lucky rebound.  Steve Ott is a dick.  3-2 Sabres.  The Pens looked out of it.  Their play was sloppy.  But then the 1st line was like "We got this."  The went to work with an unreal shift in the Sabres zone.  You could feel it coming.  It was only a matter of time.  Then it happened.  Kris Letang undressed someone near the blue line then walked down the boards.  Then he made some unreal pass across ice to Pascal Dupuis.  One timer city.  3-3.  Letang made that pass through the entire Sabres team.  If that pass wasn't perfect, Dupuis doesn't scored.  Business picked up after that.  Both teams had plenty of chance.  Miller made a nice save on Neal.  Neal didn't get all of the shot.  If he catches that cleanly its in the back of the net.  The Sabres had some chances but MAF said no.  Then it was Paul Martin time.  Crosby-Kunitz-Dupuis were out there creating shit again.  The puck found its way to Paul Mart.  If you didn't stand up for this you are un-American.  He shot.  It went in.  4-3 Pens.  What a huge goal from Paul Martin.  The Sabres tried their best to tie it but couldn't.  Steve Ott tried chirping MAF after the game was over.  Craig Adams looked like he was gonna rip Ott's heart out and eat it.  Game.

3 STARS

1. Pascal Dupuis

2. Tomas Vanek

3. Paul Martin

Stuff:

• Beau Bennett looked good again.  He created a few chances.  He needs to be with Malkin and Neal from now on.  
• Big game from Kris Letang who led the Pens in ice time with 26:27.
• For some reason Robert Bortuzzo only played 8:49.  Why dress him if that's all hes gonna play.
• Is Tyler Kennedy even playing?
• 3 point night from Sid.  He's really looking like the Sid of old.
• Paul Martin for Norris.
• Free Dustin Jeffrey.
• Pascal Dupuis had 3 points yesterday as well.

The Flyers come to town Wednesday at 7.

Go Pens