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Summary:
The Penguins are two different teams on the ice. When in the offensive zone on the attack, they are absolutely fierce. Able to control the puck and find a way to the net. Defensively, not the strength of the team in the early going. Detroit had 4 goals on 27 shots and 2 empty net tallies. Dubas has the calling card of high octane offense with the hope that the goalie can keep the team in the running. Tonight, it didn’t work out.
There was a lot more physicality than I expected as Pittsburgh has a lot of pride and does not want a bumpy road where their post season fate is decided in the final weeks. When Malkin opened the scoring less than a minute in, it looked like trouble. 12 minutes later Debrincat showed again why he was brought to Detroit with his first of 2 goals on the night. The new acquisition has 5 goals in 4 games.
The second period was where the game was ultimately where Detroit won this game. 3 goals by Chiarot, Copp and Perron. Lots of blocked shots, plenty of scrums. The team seems to be clicking early and there’s already been fresh calamari on the ice.
It’s tough to say what this win means except that a 3-1 start where the team has shown up and put it some work. Larkin with 3 assists and a fight tonight, just seems to be energized. All the energy lost when Bert left town seems to be reinvigorated for the captain.
Compher made some nice plays, using skates and stick to move the puck and help get the puck moving for his team. Good energy from the home crowd again and a fun panel on TNT. Larkin seems even more composed in how he talks to the team and the media.
It may sound a little rough, but I wouldn’t mind Czarnik sticking around for a couple more games. Fabbri doesn’t need to rush back in. For the D, Petry still seems to be looking for his fit a little. In a slow motion replay, it looked like he was puck watching as Malkin scored the first shot. Just seems to be having trouble clicking.
The drop off from the Seider/Walman pairing is still too steep right now. Mo seems to be fearless and skates effortlessly. Walman has the ability to turn on a burst of speed and get the puck down ice. Both probably have some new bruises after tonight but make a good pair.
Debrincat couldn’t ask for a better start than what he’s found. He and Larkin work well together, but his nose for the net is the best we’ve had in a while at this point. Still too small a sample size for the team, but overall a nice start to the year.
First Period:
Just 53 seconds in Malkin scores for Pitt. His ability to drop the puck and get to a quiet area embarrassed 6 red sweaters. 1-0 Pitt.
With 7:37 left, Debrincat got his 4th of the year after Detroit had killed a Pittsburgh power play. Gostisbehere got the puck to Czarnik who found Debrincat with his stick on the ice with a cross seam pass off the half wall. 1-1
With 2:05 left, Jeff Carter got a 1 on 0 drive on Husso, was able to get some daylight 5 hole, but Husso managed to hang tight. That felt like an important save at the end of the period.
Score: 1-1 Shots: 8-7 DET
Second Period
At 5:21, Larkin made a nice entry into the O zone, a quick cut back and gets the puck to Chiarot. The Dman skated the puck to the left faceoff dot and wristed it in. Play is under review for interference. Good goal. 2-1 DET
At 4:18 remaining Rasmussen passed to Petry from beside the net. The dman wristed a shot from the blue line and Copp tipped it in. 3-1 DET
Two minutes later Detroit went to the power play. Larkin got a pass to Debrincat who fired a wrist shot that rebounded to Perron who tapped it in. 4-1 DET.
With 51 seconds left a fight broke out as Pittsburgh was heading to the power play. Larkin and Petterson scrapped for a few seconds and the Penguins have just under a minute of power play time to end the period.
With 13 seconds left a fight broke out with Seider and Malkin. More of a grappling match really. This is getting chippy. Malkin gets a double minor, Seider a single minor, 4 on 4 for final 13 seconds.
Score: 4-1 DET Shots: 19-14 DET
Third Period:
4 on 4 ends, Detroit unable to convert on abbreviated power pay.
At 3:37 Karlsson gets Pittsburgh back with in two taking a pass from Crosby and wristing a far side goal. 4-2 DET
At 5:32 Petry heads to the box for hooking. Not ideal timing. Copp got a breakaway with 18 seconds left in the PK, gets hooked and gets a penalty shot. His 2nd of the year already. Stopped again. Just doesn’t have the confidence on these shots right now.
Wings kill remaining penalty. 12:11 left to play. Big stop by Husso with 10:49 left.
Another big save by Husso on Karlsson with 9:22 left. He and Sid have good on ice chemistry. Seem to find each other and create opportunities
Husso makes another stop with 7:55. Pitt now has 29 shots.
With 6:57 left Pitt gets within one as Karlsson’s shot was tipped by Rust.
With 2 minutes left Pitt pulls the goalie. 28 seconds later Copp appears to get the goal back he missed on the penalty shot. The puck had hopped over Malkin’s stick. Coach’s challenge by Pitt fails for offsides. 5-3 DET
Detroit now on the power play with 1:32 left in the game. Penguins pull the goalie and with 1:11 left Debrincat scores an empty net. 6-3 DET.
Penguins IE the puck with 1 minute left.
Final: Score: 6-3 Detroit Shots 32-29 Pittsburgh