auntiemeesh | Pens vs Devils

Nobody to text during the game, so I'll just live blog it.

First period

Kunitz gets a penalty shot. No go, Brodeur stops him

Seconds later, Neal gets a goal! Pens 1, Devils 0

Pens have a ten game win streak going, but they're 1-6-2 in their last nine in NJ. Big game - Rangers, Pens, Devils and Flyers are all within a few points of each other and everyone is playing today.

Everyone gets excited whenever Crosby's on the ice. He's throwing the puck on net as much as possible. Shots are 7-1 in the Pens favor right now. Pens definitely understand the importance of this game.

Tangradi is playing today. I'd love to see him get a goal one of these days.

Crosby and Cooke both just had chances, but Brodeur kept the puck out of the net. He's having to work this afternoon. I hope Fleury doesn't fall asleep down at his end of the ice - there hasn't been much for him to do and he gets a little distracted sometimes.

Malkin has really improved on faceoffs. Pens have had a couple really good looks at the net off his faceoff wins.

Well, Tangradi's done something. Taken a ~~high stick~~ elbowing penalty. Pens go to the PK.

Fleury makes a big save on Kovalchuk and the Pens successfully kill the penalty!

Pens get a Power Play! Devils are caught with too many men on the ice. Pens power play is a work in progress, with Crosby on the right side this afternoon. Crosby, Neal, Malkin, Kunitz and Letang on the ice. Nothing much happening.

Second unit on, Devils kill penalty, Kovalchuk grabs the puck and Andy Greene gets the goal. Pens 1, Devils 1

Devils ice the puck. Pens need to get back on top of this.

End of the first period. Pens controlled much of the play and had a lot of good chances, but the score is even at 1-1.

Second Period

Devils are pressing to start.

Staal loses the puck and takes a penalty to prevent a quality scoring chance by Clarkson. Pens on the pk.

Another good kill.

Devils get called for icing, but then the linesman says, 'oops, my fault.' No icing, faceoff at center ice.

Brodeur makes a diving save against Neal.

Crosby wants a goal. Letang wants to help him. Brodeur says no deal.

Lots of back and forth, with chances at each end.

Pens take an icing in order to get the puck out of their own end, after being trapped for a little while. Bylsma tees up his time out.

Vitale wins the faceoff, the Pens capitalize on it. Pascal Dupuis gets his twentieth goal of the season. Pens 2, Devils 1

That's only the second time in his career that Dupuis reaches the twenty goal plateau. Staal gets the primary assist, which gives him a ten game scoring streak.

A stickless Brodeur makes a stop on Malkin!

Off the ensuing faceoff, Crosby take the puck to the net, gets it to Cooke, who gets it into the net. It goes in off Cooke's skate so the goal will be reviewed.

Good goal! Pens 3, Devils 1

Clarkson takes a roughing call, trying to get Cooke to go with him. Pens on the power play.

Cooke's goal gives him fifteen on the season. He's reached this mark twice before, in 2002-03 with the Canucks and 2009-10 with the Pens.

Malkin gets the power play goal! Crosby gets the primary assist, giving him two points so far this outing. Pens 4, Devils 1

Crosby on a two-on-one, explodes through the neutral zone. Brodeur makes the glove save.

Fleury makes a glove save against Zidlicky.

End of the second. Pens are tilting the ice in their favor, with 26-9 shots on goal and a score of 4-1.

Third Period

Time to lock this thing down.

Devils ice the puck.

Pens have Sullivan out with Crosby and Kennedy. Why dissing Cooke?

Crosby gets stopped by Brodeur again. He's had a lot of chances.

Vitale not on Pens bench.

Pens need to manage the puck better than that. Devils get a goal. May have been Petr Sykora. Pens 4, Devils 2

Devils showing a lot of life this period, trying to get themselves back in this game.

They put Cooke back on Crosby's wing. Cooke gets goal number sixteen for the season, his new career high. Pens 5, Devils 2

Hockey writers of Pittsburgh announced today that Cooke is their Masterton candidate ("awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey" from NHL award descriptions).

Crosby got a third point on the afternoon with an assist on Cooke's goal. That gives him 17 points in ten games played this season.

Eric Boulton takes a ten minute misconduct penalty. Pens don't get a power play out of it.

Kennedy has a great chance but hits the post.

Engelland takes a hooking call. Pens go on the pk.

Another excellent kill

Devils ice the puck.

Brodeur stops a shot by Niskanen.

Devils are getting frustrated. Carter is gone for the rest of the game. Boxscore says Neal is also gone, but I think that's a typo, since Neal just got a shot on goal. Okay, boxscore is fixed, it was Bernier that got the second misconduct.

Clarkson gets a misconduct and two for roughing, two for unsportsmanlike conduct. Derek Engelland gets two for roughing and a ten minute misconduct. Pens on the power play.

Power play over.

Brodeur stops Crosby at point blank range.

Pens win 5-2. That gives them eleven wins in a row!

Postgame

This was a really fun game. The score was tight at the end of the first, but aside for a few minutes here and there, the Pens pretty much dominated the game. This is especially impressive considering their record against the Devils. It was a good win for Fleury as well. He wasn't tested much - the Devils only got 14 shots on goal - but he's historically not played all that well against his idol, Martin Brodeur, so it's awesome to see him get the win today.

Crosby now has five points in two games. He may be taking his time getting back to scoring goals, but his bread and butter as a hockey player has always been as a playmaker. He gets the first star of the game for a reason.

Matt Cooke has to be grinning from ear to ear right now. He's scored four goals in the past two games, on Crosby's wing. Not too shabby!

Pens play again tomorrow afternoon, against the Flyers. And since NBC loves the Pens, I'll get to watch it on tv and everything. Yay!

Interesting note: The Flyers are heading to the shoot out against the Bruins. So they have at least one point from today's outing. Go Bruins!

Bruins win the shootout! Pens gain a point on the Flyers. This is pretty crucial, going into tomorrow's game against the Flyers.

Another crucial game is the Rangers vs. Colorado tonight. With today's win, the Pens pull within two of the Rangers and it would be nice to stay that way, but that depends on the Avalanche winning tonight. Go Avs!