3
(16-5-2)
2
(7-13-3)
The Penguins were able to bounce back on Saturday night by besting the Canes in the second game of a home and home against Carolina. Another terribly officiated game but that's nothing new for the Penguins. The Pens were able to dig deep despite missing Kris Letang with an lower body injury, Marcel Goc, and Beau Bennett (obviously). The Pens found goals from unlikely sources tonight AKA Bortuzzo and Ehrhoff. Either way it was a great way to bounce back and get two points out of an opponent who you should beat every time.
Penguins looked good in the first period tonight, as well as the other two tonight. However it was not the Penguins who struck first. Of course the Canes were on the powerplay due to a terrible call on Robert Bortuzzo for roughing. Justin Faulk made them pay with a slapper from the top left circle beating Greiss. Not even 20 seconds later, Chris Kunitz tied the game with a snapshot from the left faceoff dot beating goaltender Khudobin. Malkin made the play happen as he basically dominated with the puck behind the net and was able to find Kunitz open for the blast. About a minute and forty seconds after that, a Christmas Miracle happened. Robert Bortuzzo did a thing (jk because he's been solid all year). Either way Bortuzzo basically takes the puck from the Penguins blue line, down the ice and literally skates through four Carolina players. It was as if the Canes had suffered from "disconnected controller syndrome" as Bortuzzo walked right in and scored his second of the season. To get an idea of just what the hell happened...
One thing to note on the Bortuzzo goal, newly recalled forward Andrew Ebbett recorded a point, which is hysterical because Zach Sill has yet to do so all season. All the LOLs.
Summary of the second period:
*Malkin for hooking*
*Crosby for hooking*
*Comeau for boarding*
Nothing really happened in the third either. The Pens held it down defensively and basically trapped the Canes. Then the Christian Ehrhoff show took over with about 4:30 to go in the third. Ehrhoff basically brings the puck into the zone, shoots the puck off of Khudobin's right pad and follows up his own rebound. His first of the year and recently he's been able to shake off the "Buffalo suck" that transformed him from a great defenseman to the "holy shit, I play for the Sabres why am I even trying" to the "Ok, I am good again." With twelve seconds to go in the game the Canes added a powerplay goal, a deflection from Elias Lindholm off a Victor Rask shot. Pens won the faceoff and Hornqvist went and camped with the puck in the Hurricanes zone to end it. Pens win. Yep.
3rd - Justin Faulk (1 goal)
2nd - Thomas Greiss ( 34 saves, .941 SV%)
1st - Christian Ehrhoff (1 goal)
#GameNotes
- Penguins were only out shot by 1 - 34 - 33, much better
- Olli Maatta logged 25 minutes TOI tonight replacing Letang, good lord what a player
- Penguins brought the boom, outhitting Carolina 38 - 23
- Penguins got more than one powerplay tonight (3) so that's a start...
- Germans can play hockey
- Kunitz broke an 11 game scoreless streak
- Jeremy Roenick has still not won a Stanley Cup
- Nathan Gerbe hates babies
PENS WIN. Next game Tuesday against New Jersey.
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