Like most Hollywood sequels, the second installment of the home-and-home series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs may not have lived up to it's predecessor.
Despite the lack of goals as compared to Tuesday's high-scoring shootout in Pittsburgh, the results were an improvement for Toronto as James Reimer stopped 25 shots to pick up his second shutout of the season in the Blue and White's 1-0 blanking of the visiting Pens.
Reimer's win on Wednesday was his first victory in just his second start of the 2012 calendar year. His previous victory came on Dec. 23, in a 4-3 road victory over the New York Islanders. His last win at home came on Dec. 22 against the Buffalo Sabres.
"Tonight it was there," Reimer said of his performance in goal. "I felt like my intensity was where it needed to be, I felt like my focus was where I needed it to be. It was just great to get the win and great to get a couple bounces too."
"It’s a cherry on top," the 23-year old netminder added of his fifth career shutout. "I just wanted to play well and have fun out there and hopefully win."
Just like in the first half of their home-and-home series one night ago, the first goal of the game between the Penguins and Leafs was one that was disallowed.
Early in the second period at the 1:17 mark, Chris Kunitz drove to the net and spun around in front of the crease as the puck went off his skate and past the goal line. The goal was reviewed and disallowed as their was a distinct kicking motion on Kunitz's part.
The scoreless draw was finally broke open late in the third period by the Leafs' hottest line. Shortly after Brooks Orpik rang the puck off the post of the Toronto goal, Clarke MacArthur made a nifty move around the Pens' defence at the other end of the ice and scored his 16th of the season. The goal came at the 13:55 mark and was assisted on by Mikhail Grabovski for his 18th of the season. Nikolai Kulemin drew the secondary assist, his 18th this year.
MacArthur's third period marker extended his scoring streak to three games, collecting four goals in that stretch. It was also the only goal of the game as the Leafs picked up their first 1-0 victory since Mar. 19, 2006, when they also beat the Penguins by the same score at Mellon Arena.
Following the win, MacArthur told reporters that they key to the shutout victory was hard work and determination in a game that featured a post-season type atomosphere.
"It's always great to get the goal," MacArthur told reporters. "It could have been either of those two [Grabovski and Kulemin], it wouldn't have mattered. I thought we worked hard together and as a team I thought defensively we played great. Our penalty kill was great, our goaltendting was great. Just a big win for us and a confidence booster."
"It felt like a playoff game. There wasn't much given up on either side. It's easy to get frustrated but we stuck with it and got the win."
The loss snaps Pittsburgh's winning streak at eight games and is their first loss since a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Washington Capitals on Jan. 11. The NHL's second star of the month of January, Evgeni Malkin, was held without a point for just the second time in his last nine games.
Making their way back from concussions, both John-Michael Liles and Colby Armstrong made an impact in their return to the lineups, tying Mike Brown for the team lead in shots on Wednesday with three apiece.
In his first game since Dec. 22, missing 16 games due to concussion-like symptoms, Liles had an even 19 minutes of ice time while blocking two shots and registering one hit.
Armstrong made his presence felt on the fourth line, getting under the Pens' skin and suitably filling his role as an agitator. In his first game since Dec. 19, missing 18 games because of a concussion as well as a foot injury, Armstrong had 10:27 of ice-time while collecting three hits.
Taking three out of four points against the Penguins on back-to-back nights is no easy feat, but the results of which has moved Toronto up the Eastern Conference standings. Following their shutout of Pittsburgh, the Leafs find themselves sitting seventh in the East with 58 points, two back of the sixth-seed Ottawa Senators and four behind the fifth-place Pens.
The Leafs are back in action on Saturday when they visit the nation's capital to take on the Sens and try to gain even more ground in the standings.
Penguins vs. Leafs Stats Recap
Shots
PIT: 25
TOR: 24
Shot Leaders
PIT: Evgeni Malkin (4)
TOR: Armstrong, Brown and Liles tied (3)
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