So Kennedy with the steal off Spezza for the game-winner as the Pens take home the victory in their first game of the season.
Final score:
Penguins 4 - Senators 3
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Kennedy buries one from the right circle to win it! He stole it at the blue line, skated it down himself and fired it home.
Whoooo!
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Back and forth action so far this OT, but no real good chances yet. Darth Gerber just made a save on a Staal shot from the top of the right circle.
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Malkin and Staal out there to open it up for the Pens in OT, along with Gill and new goal-scoring threat Scuderi.
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Aaaaaand we're headed to overtime.
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As could be expected, Crosby's line is out there to finish up regulation.
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Malkin's line out there with two minutes left.
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Tyler Kennedy looks good on a line with Malkin and Staal. Of course, it's kind of hard to look bad when you're out with that kind of talent.
Anyone who read our blog from the last preseason game knows that we'd prefer to see Pesonen in that role, though.
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Fleury actually maintains a rebound. Of course, the shot came from the neutral zone.
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Zitzman calls a late-game Matt Cooke goal for the win. I'm hoping for a shootout with a Kris Letang winner.
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The Pens have killed off another Ottawa powerplay. Let's hope they can get some momentum out of it, because they've looked pretty flat this period so far.
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Letang takes a penalty on what looks like to us was an innocent play. Oh well, Pens go on the PK again.
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Senators are getting some pressure here against the Pens' third line, with Gill and Scuderi on D. Probably because the net speed of Gill and Scuderi is effectively nil.
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Malkin looks more like the Malkin we saw in the first half of the playoffs than the practically-invisible one that was present in the Stanley Cup Finals.
He just deked around two guys coming down the wing (though a third prevented him from getting to the net) followed up by being the first forward back on the rush to deliver a check on a Senator behind the net.
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Dupuis misses a wide-open Cooke on the back door for the tying goal off the rush. Classic Dupuis, and yet another example of why he is not on the top line.
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Fleury almost scores on his own net there. His puck-handling has not looked particularly strong this game, but the short curves in the boards may be to blame. That, or the lack of Conklin's presence has ruined him.
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Rob Scuderi ROB SCUDERI ROB SCUDERI ROB SCUDERI scores on a wrister from the left circle; Crosby passed it over to him. Scuderi, obviously not a great goalscorer, immediately picks up the puck as a souvenir.
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The Pens have killed out the 5-on-3 powerplay here to start the period, as well as the 30 seconds of normal powerplay time after that.
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With the score 3-2 after two periods, the Pens need to mount a small comeback to take home the victory here. Luckily, that's their specialty against the Senators.
Third period, getting underway now.
My e-mail, if you feel so inclined, is idb5002@psu.edu
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Well, that period was brutal. The Pens miss Gonchar and Whitney badly. I'm going to hand it over to Web editor Ian Brown who will hopefully be blogging about a good third period.
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Another penalty, this time Mark Eaton, wearing the Michel Ouellet memorial No. 7, is the guilty party.
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I don't think we've seen more than like two minutes of five-on-five play, Chris Phillips takes a penalty. Senators score short-handed. It's probably Jeff Taffe's fault.
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Heatley scores on a power play after Godard was called for hooking. 2-2. Steiggy offers a "Swedish shoutout" to those watching at the Civic Arena.
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Dany Heatley goes to the box, another Pens PP. Crosby just knocked someone down, big hit from the little guy. Ruutu tries to start stuff with Max Talbot....Talbot is gloveless.
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Pens kill off Free Candy's penalty. Malkin is on a line with Godard and Bissonnette right now. Good glove save by Fleury.
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Free Candy gets to "go to the box, presented by Columbia Gas", the consensus here was that it was an [expletive] call. GENNNNOOOOO scores shorthanded. 2-1 Pens
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This game isn't the only NHL game today. The Rangers and the Lightning played earlier, with the Rags winning 2-1. Mark Recchi had a huge impact for Tampa, garnering one shot on goal in 16 minutes of ice time. Ryan Malone had two penalties while Gary Roberts had one penalty.
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Thoughts from the first period:
-Both teams look very sloppy, it could be attributed to the ice, which is four feet shorter than a regulation NHL rink.
-I would rather listen to Pam Ward than Paul Steigerwald and Bob Errey.
-Swedish people are weird. Everyone is in suits and they play the worst, cheesiest music between whistles.
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This is Brendan and to my right is a pitiful report from bobbleheaded Dan Potash. Ooooo, an appearance by the always charismatic Sidney Crosby.
By the way, if you have the need to e-mail me, it's bhs5013@psu.edu
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With the end of the first period, we will be making a shift in bloggers to Sports Copy Editor Brendan Shorts. Mr. Shorts is a Pittsburgher through and through, and may be Dan Potash's biggest fan.
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The Penguins get a chance to show-off their penalty-kill unit and they do a good job of preventing any good looks at goaltender Fleury. The team's are back to even-strength, with 30 seconds left.
Fleury gives the puck away and makes a huge save to keep the score tied at 1 at the end of the first period. After a furious start by Pittsburgh, the Pens had to hold on and keep Ottawa from taking the lead. The Senators have to be happy with the first period after starting slow and taking five penalties.
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Jeff Taffe shows why he shouldn't be on the power-play as he takes a holding penalty to even the teams up. They will play 4-on-4 for 50 seconds.
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Chris Neil just took a run at Kris Letang in the corner and hit him from behind. A sure dirty hit, Neil will be sent to the box for at least two minutes for boarding, if not more. The Pens need to score on the power-play to make the Senators pay for all the dumb penalties.
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Another sloppy power-play leads to no good chances for the Pens. Fleury had to make another clutch save to prevent a short-handed goal.
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Penguins power-play gives former Penguin Ruutu a great chance on a 2-on-1 break, but Fleury makes a big save to preserve the tie.
Pittsburgh's man-advantage didn't look nearly as good this time on the ice, but another penalty on the Senators will give the Penguins another opportunity with just over 6 minutes left in the first.
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The ice crew has been called out to repair some damage and has slowed play down. For some reason they all have helmets on. Maybe in case a fight breaks out during the time they are fixing the ice. You never know.
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Despite some great opportunities, the Pens come up empty on their first power-plays of the year. The Senators have stemmed momentum a little behind the penalty-kill and a couple big hits. The physical game from last year's playoffs has broken out again.
After a long shift by the Penguins fourth line, the Senators break through and score to even the game at 1. Shea Donovan deflected a shot over Marc-Andre Fleury's shoulder.
Shortly after Daniel Alfredson has two great looks at the net, but missed once and was denied on the other to keep the game even.
An interesting note on the 5-on-3: The Penguins put both Malkin and Crosby at the points. With Gonchar out for an extended amount of time this combination could see a lot of time back there. Michel Therrien is already mixing things up.
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And the low boards in Stockholm has resulted in a delay of game penalty, giving the Penguins a 5-on-3 advantage.
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Penguin newcomer Eric Goddard has drawn a penalty, and the Pens go on the power-play.
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The Pens have come out on fire, relentlessly attacking the net. Gerber has made some strong saves to keep it a one goal game early.
The Senators look lackadaisical on the ice, and are just hanging on in the first three minutes of the game.
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Tyler Kennedy flies down the boards and beats the Senators to the puck and makes his patented turnaround shot under Gerber's arm for the season's first goal. The Penguins take the lead only 40 seconds into the game. Jordan Staal gets an assist on the goal.
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Ottawa goalie Martin Gerber is sporting a Darth Vader mask for this season, and despite not being Ottawa fans, we can respect how sweet his mask looks.
The game is underway, as the Penguins win the opening faceoff.
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This is Sports Night Editor Kevin Zitzman blogging for the first period, and if you have any emails they can be sent to me at kmz5010@psu.edu. Mats Sundin is dropping the first puck, and the game is set to begin.
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Bill Thomas is not dressed for today's game, as Bissonette will be getting the nod for the opener.
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As we watch three national anthems, one can only wonder if we will see Pittsburgh great Jeff Jimerson make a special appearance. Although highly unlikely, we will be holding our breath.
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In a shocking turn of events, FSN has reported that #44 Brooks Brooks will be paired with Letang for this afternoon's game. Just ten minutes into the season, and FSN has one graphical error.
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Paul Steigerwald and Bob Errey have the enthusiasm of O.J. Simpson at a search and rescue mission.
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To steal a line from everyone's favorite announcer, Mike Lange, "It's a hockey night in Stockholm!" The Penguins begin their quest back to return to the Stanley Cup Finals and avenge their six-game loss to the Detroit Red Wings. The Ottawa Senators are trying to rebound from a first-round defeat to the Penguins last season, and also return to the Cup Finals after losing two years ago to the Anaheim Ducks.
The game is only moments away, as the Penguins and Senators are on the ice.
***
Good afternoon, this is sports copy editor Brendan Shorts along with Web editor Ian Brown and sports night editor Kevin Zitzman and we're ready for the beginning of the 2008-09 Pens season which begins today against the Ottawa Senators in Stockholm.
Anyway, some news. Right winger Petr Sykora will miss today's game with a groin-related problem. Tyler Kennedy (who looks like ManBearPig from South Park) will take Sykora's place on the second line with Geno Malkin and Jordan Staal.
Alex Goligoski, the rookie defenseman from the University of Minnesota, will be scratched in place of Darryl Sydor.
Here are the likely lines, we haven't been able to confirm this, but these seem likely.\
Fedotenko -- Crosby -- Satan
Staal -- Malkin -- Kennedy
Dupuis -- Talbot -- Cooke
Thomas -- Taffe -- Godard
Orpik -- Letang
Eaton -- Sydor
Scuderi -- Gill
Marc-Andre Fleury will get the start in goal. We'll be back shortly, or whenever the beautiful Danny Potash graces the screen on FSN Pittsburgh.
