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No matter what way you look at it, the Jets are still the Thrashers. This was actually a pretty entertaining game and a game that the Penguins needed. Winnipeg is actually playing pretty good hockey right now. Someone pissed in the Jets cheerios at one point during the game and it was a really physical and chippy hockey game. The Pens didn't break and they pushed back for the first time in 5 years, so that was a welcome sight.
The First Period started out kind of slow, both teams started to feel each other out until Winnipeg got a pretty good jump. The game sounded like it was in Pittsburgh because the Winnipeg was quiet. Both goalies made a few good saves until about halfway through the first. The Jets had some pretty good momentum going and Bryan Little shot one towards Fleury. Fleury seemed to have a beat on it until Andrew Ladd got a piece of it and tipped it between Fleury's legs. As soon as that puck went in, degenerates all over the internet were bitching about Fleury (lol) to no ones surprise. The Penguins answered fairly quick though. A minute and half later, Simon Despres took a pass from Brandon Sutter, curled the puck on his stick and fired a hard wrister towards Pavelec and it hit something and went in. Pavelec didn't collapse like he did mid game in Atlanta a few years back. This was Despres' first goal since like the Reagan Administration. Amazing what the kid can do when he gets a shot. Not much else happened except Steve Downie suckered the Jets into taking a too many men penalty. What a god damn player. Period ended in a 1-1 tie. Robert Bortuzzo also fought Blake Wheeler for the first fight of the game.
The Penguins were all over the Jets in the beginning of the period. About 6 minutes in, Robert Bortuzzo made an unbelievable chip up to Brandon Sutter for a breakaway. Sutter beat Pavelec low and scored his 4th of the year (obligatory Brandon Sutter is playing really good hockey comment). Sutter's goal made it 2-1 and Bortuzzo's assist leaves Zach Sill as the only Penguin without a point. Right after the goal, Mark Scheifele went into Fleury's crease hard on a frozen puck. Fleury slashed Scheifele and then it showed Simon Despres' wild side. Evander Kane dropped the gloves with Despres and Despres was smiling the entire time even though Kane crushed him.
There were a serious of penalties after that, and eventually Steve Downie had to serve one for Blake Comeau because Steve Downie is honorary penalty server guy. The Penguins killed the penalty and Brandon Sutter got the puck as Downie exited the box. Spaling tried to hit Downie with a stretch pass and he missed but the puck bounced off the boards perfectly to Downie who made a beautiful move around Pavelec to make it 3-1. What ensued was pretty stupid, tbh. Watch for yourself.
Pretty much a cheap shot from Byfuglien and the fact he only got 2 for Cross Checking is absolutely garbage. Downie also got 2 for roughing (his first of 22 penalty minutes on the night). A little over a minute later on the 4 on 4, Jacob Trouba fired a missle past a sliding Hornqvist and went far post on Fleury. He had no chance in hell to see the puck. 3-2 Pens after 2.
To think the 2nd was chippy, the 3rd got even chippier. 20 seconds in, Byfuglien and Downie each got 10 minute misconducts for some of the least amount of contact the two of them each had. During that time frame, about 4 minutes in, the Jets got the puck and Kris Letang was trapped, it was basically a 2 on 1 with the Jets and Paul Martin thought he was Matt Niskanen for a second and pinched on the wall leaving Evander Kane wide open streaking down the middle. Letang couldn't catch him and Kane sniped Fleury on the breakaway. 3-3 and MTS Centre was rocking, considering they're the best fans in the NHL, we weren't shocked. A minute later, Scuderi and Perrault went off for slashing and apparantly Downie said something about someone's mom, and got another 10 minute misconduct which lead to an ejection. The game was back and forth at this point with both goalies making huge saves. Fleury robbed Kane on a wrap around somewhere in there. At the 9:45 mark of the 3rd, Zach Sill ran Pavelec and it sent Trouba into Code Red. Trouba ended up getting a double minor and sent the Pens on to the PP, but no dice. Shortly after the PP, Craig Adams sent someone into next week and because this is the NHL and we have to fight after clean hits, some guy named Adam Lowry thought he had to fight Adams. The game continued to get chippy and eventually Mathieu Perrault is an idiot and cross checked Simon Despres into Fleury and the refs made the call like it was the easiest thing they did all night. The Jets PK was up to task and killed the Pens PP even though they had a few good opportunites. With 2:30 left, Rob Scuderi got called for a borderline hook, but the Pens killed their 33 straight and because of Marc-Andre Fleury, they earned atleast a point.
Overtime was back and forth as soon as the #DryScrape was over. Both teams had some pretty good chances and some defensemen made some huge plays. There might have been a post in there somewhere too. With 1:06 left to play, Simon Despres got called for a trip, which we can't believe was called in OT, but whatever. The Jets may have made the biggest mistake in this game by not putting Dustin Byfuglien on the ice on the 4 on 3. Paul Martin broke up 2-3 big shots right at the tail end of OT to send the game into a shootout.
This was the Pens first Shootout of the season and the Jets sent out Blake Wheeler first. He came fast on Fleury and Fleury was late on the poke check and Wheeler sniped Fleury. 1-0 Winnipeg. The Penguins sent out Evgeni Malkin first who made it look easy. 1-1. Andrew Ladd shot second for the Jets, Fleury with a pad save. Sidney Crosby dangeled Pavelec and basically broke his ankles and tucked one under the pads to give the Pens a 2-1 advantage in the SO. This left it up to Evander Kane, who Fleury poke checked to steal the 2nd point.
1. Brandon Sutter
2. Evander Kane
3. Blake Wheeler
(Heyyyyy Fannnssss Honorable Mention) Marc-Andre Fleury
Game Notes
- The Penguins went 0-6 on the PP
- The Pens killed their 34th consecutive penalty over the span of 9 games. Unreal
- Brandon Sutter tied his career high with 3 points in this one
- Evgeni Malkin's 12 game point streak was snapped
- Marc-Andre Fleury made 34 saves
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