RECAP - What's a Bryan Rust? PENS WIN

2

(19-10-3)

4

(20-6-4)

    Well it's only fair to start with who the Penguins were missing this game to make the win even more satisfying. Ready? Beau Bennett (lower-body), Robert Bortuzzo (undisclosed), Sidney Crosby (mumps), Pascal Dupuis (chest), Chris Kunitz (foot), Olli Maatta (upper-body), Zach Sill (upper-body), and Scott Wilson (leg). So although the last two names aren't huge important factors, it just shows how bad the injury woes for Pittsburgh are.   Despite the injuries and all that has happened with this team over the last 48 hours, including Crosby's "official" mumps diagnosis, Bennett showing mumps symptoms and being around kids at Children's Hospital, and news of Maatta potentially being out long term, the Penguins did not seem phased. Two call-ups Bryan Rust and Bobby Farnham played a huge role in the 4-2 victory over the Bolts, as well as star goalie and the one you all love to hate, MAF. Either way, here's more...

  To start, the reason the Lightning did not win 43-4 was because of MAF in the first period. Tampa Bay came into this game with the second highest goals for in the NHL, and clearly showed how they put up that number in the first. The Bolts outshot the Penguins 12-5 in the first, with many of Pittsburgh's shots coming towards the end of the period. Fleury and the Pens weathered the storm for about the first 16 minutes as the Penguins were still trying to #GetToOurGame. The Penguins struck first with under a minute left in the period. It was a short-handed goal scored by Brandon Sutter in which he got the puck, flipped it past the hulk of a defenseman Victor Hedman, and sniped Bishop top-left corner, although it bounced off the knob of his stick, it was still a pretty goal. Sutter's 7th from Scuderi. About 25 seconds later, the Lightning did cash in on the powerplay with Jonathan Drouin getting his second of the year on a tap in off a rebound shot by Tyler Johnson. 1-1 going into the second.

(thanks @Penguins for the GIF) 

  To begin the second period, there was a rare Evgeni Nabokov sighting! Ben Bishop was apparently hurt near the end of the first period and would not return. Not saying that sparked the Penguins but good lord the rest of the game was all Pittsburgh. The next goal was something that if you heard in October "Rust from Ebbett" you'd want to inflict pain on yourself and stare up at the Hockey Gods and ask why. Sure enough, that was indeed what happened. Nabokov went to play the puck, Bryan Boyle mishandled it, Ebbett got the puck behind the net and fired to Rust who was just chilling by by himself about ten feet out and fired it past Nabokov. Rust's first NHL goal from Ebbett. Good lord. 2-1 Pens. 

  The next goal would be a #Downie316 specialty. A powerplay goal as well. Malkin throws it to Hornqvist who's camping by the bottom left of the right circle, who fires a wrap-around on Nabokov, in which Steve Downie was there in front to tip in the garbage in front of the net. Honestly, just a great hockey goal. Downie his 5th from Hornqvist and Malkin. 

  About eight minutes in Brian Dumoulin gets his 1st NHL goal, which was great to see after a few recent shitty performances on his part. Spaling gains the zone and shoots a weak shot on net hoping for a rebound, it goes to the right side boards and was chased down by #Downie316, who goes behind the net and fires the puck to Dumoulin who blasts it off a Lightning skate behind Nabokov for a 4-1 lead. Dumoulin's 1st from Downie and Spaling. 

  The Bolts would add one late as Nikta Kucherov finally got his goal after being robbed by Fleury like 9,000 times earlier in the game. It was not Fleury's fault as Paul Martin made an awful turnover which Kris Letang could not recover and sent Kucherov on a mini breakaway. Whatever. Horn sounds 4-2 Pens with basically AHL'ers playing. 

*Note Farnham never appeared on the score sheet but he was playing some gritty hockey which greatly helped the Penguins and forced some turnovers by Tampa. A great game by him*

3rd star: Brian Dumoulin (1 goal)

2nd star: Bryan Rust (1 goal)

1st star: Steve Downie (1 goal, 1 assist)

#GameNotes

• After being outshot 12-5 in the first, Pens finished being outshot 30-26, what a bounce back
• Penguins once again had more than one powerplay chance going 1/4 on it, Pens now 2nd in NHL on powerplay behind the Washington Crapitals 
• Lightning 1/3 on their powerplay
• Penguins have been physically dominant last few games, outhitting Tampa 34, 26
• Penguins blocked 20 shots to Tampa's 11, pretty impressive
• Spaling took a puck off hand / wrist area but later returned, who knows at this point

Next game: Thursday 7PM @Consol Energy Center against the subpar Colorado Avalanche