Ice Time: Pens vs. Devils

In a semi-"must win" game tonight, the Pens visited the Devils for a Friday evening division battle.  For the fifth straight time this season, the Devils came up with the victory and have now outscored the Pens 16-3.  The worst part of it was the two points they get for the win pulls them within two points of first place.  With only 17 games left, it is going to be a fight to the finish.

Crosby scored the only Pens goal and is now 1 ahead of Ovechkin in their battle for the Rocket Trophy.  I am getting a bit concerned about Malkin though.  After watching two games in a row he seems to be getting into one of his lethargic slumps.  It is almost like since the Olympics, he hasn't been the same.  Maybe I am just looking for something to complain about.  Yeah, that's it.  I hope. 

I am not going to get into the blatant goalie interference on the third Devils goal.  It was a blown call by the refs and unfortunately the Pens weren't able to counter punch.  The other unfortunate fact is that goalie interference calls, whether blatant or not, are not reviewable.  Maybe they will change that rule next year too.


The one thing I can say for this game was it was penalty filled.  Craig Adams received a 5 minute major and a game misconduct for a charging penalty that the Pens were able to kill.  After that, it was chaos.  There were 49 minutes spent in the Sin Bin.  Kovalchuk even had a penalty shot after Letang drug him to the ice in what would have been a breakaway.


The fight of the night had to be when Jamie Langenbrunner grabbed Chris Kunitz by the Pens bench and they stumbled into the bench area and continued to battle.  I thought someone would have definitely started throwing punches but it wasn't in the cards.

These guys square off again in New Jersey next Wednesday and it is going to be another classic.  Hopefully the Pens can pull one out for the first and last time this year.

In other news, the Lightning shocked the world!!!  They beat the Caps 3-2.  Shocking because it is only their second win in 9 games.  Shocking because they beat the Capitals, the best team in hockey.  Shocking because they held Ovie to 1 shot on goal.