GTOPG: What An Effing Shot; Pens Win 6-5

By Finesse

When the Pens were borderline melting down at various points in the third period last night, you may have found yourself saying, "here we go again."  But looking back on the game with the fresh perspective of the next day, no one should be surprised that the Pens kept coming back - that's what this team does.  And that's why this team can do some damage no matter who is in the lineup.  The Pens never get too high, and they never get too low.  Instead, they get angry...and get even.  Credit Dan Bylsma, Ray Shero, and Mario Lemieux - they know that not every game is the Stanley Cup and that you don't get anywhere by feeling sorry for yourself.  The Pens don't feel sorry for themselves, but I feel sorry for Leafs' goalie James Reimer.  What a trainwreck.

While Reimer was inspiring confidence in the Pens' snakebitten forwards -- after all, Max Talbot scored on a shorthanded breakaway on which he didn't make a move but rather skated toward the post and just pushed a backhander in because Reimer wasn't doing anything to stop it -- Marc Andre-Fleury was having his own struggles in the Pens' end.  But the thing with Fleury is that even when he is having a bad game - and last night was one of them - he still makes huge saves late just to keep the Pens in the hunt.  Fleury may have scored a shootout shutout because the Leafs are horrible, but that's what Stanley Cup Champion goalies do.

Ok, enough about everything else.  Let's talk about the Elephant in the Room.



We said it yesterday - one of the main reasons we love the Kovalev trade is that he becomes the only Penguin who not only can do something that makes you say, "$@^$%@", but who you expect to do that.  It's a great feeling to see that back on the ice.  His regulation goal was also underrated.  It wasn't his best shot, but he didn't need it to be because he had the patience to wait until James Reimer took himself completely out of position.  That's hockey sense.

Last night also reminded us that of all the Pens' rookies this season, Mark Letestu stands head and shoulders above the rest.  The guy knows what he is doing.  And so does Jeffrey.  Slowly but surely, the Pens lineup is rounding back into shape.  Oh, I forgot.  TK was scratched last night with a lower-body injury, which caused immediate speculation that he was being held out to be traded.  Rossi on Twitter put that notion quickly to rest.

Pens have three days off and then head back to Toronto.  Here's hoping we see James Reimer again.

Long overdue podcast coming soon.

LGP.