Pens vs. Canadiens: 3 Stars

Since the game was last night, it's probably a little too late to post this but I was too tired to type it up after the game.

The Pens hosted Montreal last night at CES and things looked bleak until the third period when they out shot the Habs 14-7, scoring twice in regulation and then winning in an overtime shootout.  Montreal still hasn't been able to find a way to right the sinking ship under their new coach and continues their slide to the bottom in the East.  With that loss last night, they are now parked in 12th place in the Eastern Conference and have their work cut out for them heading down the stretch. 

There were quite a few things that provoked my ire during that game about the way the Pens handled the first two periods and the way the refs handled some questionable calls.  I won't even get into the little incident between Chris Kunitz and PK Slewban.  Someone needs to tell him that dishing out slewfoot's (feet's...what's the plural form of that word anyway?) is not a recordable stat.  If it were, he would win the award.  I guess he was fined a couple hundred bucks for it this morning or something like that.

I will show this interesting vid capture of the game, where in a rare Eric Tangradi sighting, we see a ref almost get crushed.



So on to the nights 3 stars...

#3  Kris Letang (Actual 3rd star should have been Eric Cole but I'm giving it to Letang because I'm sick of awarding stars to the opposing team, especially Montreal, and Letang's goal was ridiculous!) - - Letang has shown why he was missed since returning from his concussion injury.  In only his second game back since his injury, he scored the first goal for the Pens on a sick backhand shot that looked like it was going to be a wrap around try.  At the last second, he stuffed it in right behind Peter Budaj, tying the game at 1 apiece.

#2  Evgeni Malkin - - Malkin continues to play in beast mode as of late with Crosby still on the shelf.  He now has a goal in the last five games, including the game tying goal tonight and the game winner in the OT shootout.  When he's hot, he's HOT!  There isn't much you can say about it.  Check out the highlight video below and just listen to his game tying shot.  I love that sound!!

#1 Dustin Jeffrey - - Jeffrey scored twice in this game, and also added an assist on Letang's goal for a three point night.  The goals were his first two of the season and coupled with the assist, this was the first time he has ever had a 3 point night.  I loved to see this since it has been a rough road for him trying to comeback reconstructive knee surgery in the offseason.  Kind of a triumphant return to the ice if you ask me.