The visiting Senators blitzed our Penguins last night at PPG Paints Arena en route to a 3-2 victory. In the process, snapping our six-game winning streak.
The Sens’ weapon of choice? A hounding forecheck that served to disrupt our breakouts while keeping us pinned in our end for gobs of time. Indeed, our speedy foe limited us to just 39 shot attempts and only 16 shots on goal, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Despite a low-octane start, the Pens did manage to grab the early lead at 7:57 of the first period. Parker Wotherspoon slipped an outlet pass to Evgeni Malkin, who in turn feathered the puck to Egor Chinakhov off the rush. Quicker than you can say “wrister,” the puck was past Linus Ullmark and in the net.
Unfortunately, and despite a heroic performance by Arturs Silovs at the opposite end of the ice, we couldn’t pad our advantage.
The Sens knotted the score just 95 ticks into the second period on a tally by low-scoring Michael Amadio. They proceeded to grab a 2-1 lead at 6:46 of the third following a neutral-zone turnover by Ryan Shea, wedded to a botched line change that led to a 2-on-0 the other way. Silovs miraculously got a glove on Drake Batherson’s initial shot, but was helpless on Tim Stützle’s follow-up, all occurring before any sort of help arrived.
Shea atoned for his bobble a couple of minutes later with a sharp feed from the right circle to Tommy Novak, who banged in his 10th of the campaign from the blue paint.
I was hoping against hope we could hang on and snag what would’ve been a largely undeserved point. Alas, it was not to be. Again, it took a weird, busted play to better Silovs. Erik Karlsson tripped Claude Giroux from behind, sending our old nemesis tumbling into our netminder. Giroux and the puck conspired to cross the goal line an instant before the net was dislodged.
Initially, it wasn’t ruled a goal. But after huddling, the refs reversed their call. Dan Muse promptly challenged, perhaps unwisely, but the goal call stood, forcing us to kill a penalty in the late stages. Despite some zone time with Silovs pulled, we never mounted much of an attack.
Faceoff master Giroux beat Sidney Crosby on a pair of late draws to seal the deal for the Sens.
Puckpourri
Speaking of Sid, I kidded about it the other day. However, with a lone assist (and a minus-4) in his past four games, our captain’s been in a bit of a funk. Nor does he look good to the eye. I’m sure Bryan Rust’s absence due to suspension has something to do with it, but I hope Sid’s not nursing an undisclosed injury. I seem to recall him getting dumped to the ice a few games back and skating slowly to the bench. It’s just so rare for No. 87 to play like a mere mortal.
On the plus side, the “Geno-Chino” connection is in full bloom. Chinakhov (1+1 last night) now has seven goals and 10 points in 16 games since arriving from Columbus in what one day might be regarded as the heist of the century. That’s roughly a 36-goal pace over a full, 82-game slate.
I’m a little surprised that Muse didn’t use Chinakhov at the end of the game, serving as a triggerman. The kid’s shot and release is lethal.
Silovs so deserved a better fate. He made a passel of huge saves to keep us in the game, and was downright brilliant at times. Yet another Dubas add who’s paid dividends.
Connor Clifton (six hits) and Wotherspoon (three) were downright ornery on defense, dishing out thundering checks that registered on the Richter Scale. Love the physical element they provide.
With Rusty returning and Ryan Graves coming off IR, I wonder what fate will befall Rutger McGroarty and newcomer Ilya Solovyov?
Snake-bitten Caleb Jones is coming off IR as well. I rather liked the work he did early in the season while partnering with Harrison Brunicke. He’s mobile and can move the puck as opposed to Graves, who’s more of a stay-at-homer.
It goes without saying tonight’s Metro tilt with the Islanders on Long Island has HUGE implications. The Pens (28-15-11, 67 points) currently hold a two-point lead over the Isles in the battle for second place.
Personally, I’m hoping we can get to the Olympics break with 70 points.
Remember Tanner Howe? The feisty second-round pick has spent the past nine months rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee.
The 20-year-old scrapper played in his first game of the season for the Baby Pens on Sunday and registered an assist and a minor penalty. Here’s hoping the former junior linemate of Connor Bedard makes steady progress and proves to be a worthwhile pick.