Penguins
Penguins Surprise; Patient and Strong Win Over Big Bruins
BOSTON — Newly acquired Pittsburgh Penguins (9-12-4) forward Philip Tomasino was not shy Friday. He led all players with five shots on goal and netted a beauty midway through the third period for the eventual game-winner.
The Penguins got stellar goaltending, including from defensemen Kris Letang who kicked away what would have been the tying goal with about eight minutes remaining and Erik Karlsson who blocked a sure goal with just under two minutes left. Their penalty kill also survived a high-energy Boston power play in the final six minutes, as the Penguins beat Boston 2-1 at TD Garden.
The Penguins have won two in a row.
It was Tomasino’s first goal as a Penguin and his first this season in his 13th game. He had just one assist in 11 games before the Penguins acquired him for a 2027 fourth-rounder, which originally belonged to the New York Rangers.
Things didn’t start as well for the Penguins as they finished.
Giving up a goal on the first shot of the game has been an extreme anomaly for the Penguins. Six times this season, they’ve allowed a goal on the first shot. They didn’t do that Friday. Nope. It was the second shot.
The Penguins third pair defensemen Jack St. Ivany and Ryan Shea, with center Blake Lizotte, combined to leave Boston center Charlie Coyle uncovered on the right wing while everyone paid attention to puck carrier Trent Frederic, who easily slipped a pass past the puck-gawkers. Coyle had Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry at his mercy and snapped a short-side wristshot for a 1-0 lead at 1;24.
Otherwise, the Penguins and Boston were evenly matched throughout the first period, though Shea and St. Ivany got some extra bench time to think about their mistake.
Jarry stopped the next 30 shots as the teams traded a few chances in the second period but otherwise kept the game more buttoned up than a winter coat during a snowstorm. Neither goalie had to make a second save, though the Penguins had a few clean looks at Boston netminder Jeremy Swayman, including Tomasino‘s first great chance when he had a rebound on his stick with Swayman sprawled on the ice but couldn’t slip it past the goalie.
The Penguins outshot Boston 14-11 in the second period with some late-period pressure before Sidney Crosby finally helped the Penguins crack Swayman. Crosby snared a missed shot off the back wall and circled the net, fooling Swayman. Crosby delivered a soft pass to Rickard Rakell (9) in front for a tally with .8 seconds remaining in the second period.
The biggest action in the game may cost a couple of players a few dollars. Late in the first period, Boston defenseman Nikita Zadorov jabbed Evgeni Malkin from the Boston bench. The initial infraction was not seen by most, including referees, but Malkin angrily turned and swung his stick at the Boston bench, hitting Zadorov.
Upon review, referees assessed Zadorov an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Malkin a slashing penalty, and Boston forward Tyler Johnson a tripping penalty.
After 40 minutes, the Penguins allowed just two high-danger chances while garnering nine (according to NaturalStatTrick.com).
Six Bruins players had two shots after two periods, but none had more. While the Penguins had 26 shots, only two players had more than two. Tomasino led all players Penguins with six shots on goal.
Update: Final tallies gave David Pastrnak seven shots, with a few in the final minutes.
Jarry stopped 32 of 33 shots. Swayman stopped 33 of 35 before being pulled for the extra attacker.
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Who would have predicted Karlsson would stop a sure goal in the third period when the game was hanging in the balance? Have they finally realized how they need to play if they don’t want to be embarrassed?
Wow! I thought I was watching a game from 2017!!!??? Was that Chris Kunitz who scored the winning goal??? They looked solid at both ends of the ice, not counting a few bouncing pucks that Jarry (and Letang) had to be sharp on saving (and that 1 boneheaded play Dan wrote about). BUT this was a game that, if they keep playing like this, they could claw back into the race. I know….I am reading too much into ONE game, but it was really enjoyable and refreshing to see!
Far be it from me to dislike being wrong. I’d like to be proven wrong and have something to watch. Recently, my best friend had almost catastrophic health issues. He went to the doctor in the nick of time. He was telling me, after some time, that he went to a follow up, and the results, which is to say his health, are better. I told him that it’s perfectly normal, because there wasn’t much road left to travel in tbe opposite direction. So, the Pens were better, but still a long way away from good. It was near impossible… Read more »
How unusual to have a goalie that was maybe the no.1 star. I have been on Jarry for two years and still not sure if he is a NHL goalie. But tonight he was fundamentally sound. Simple things like having his stick actually on the ice. Or his glove up in a recieving position. Or not immediately dropping to the ice as soon as the puck enters the zone. If this continues I’d love to say I was wrong, happily.
Nothing better than beating BOS in Boston (except beating WAS in Washington).
Letang and EK with great D saves. What?
Boston is a punk team that ALWAYS takes cheap shots at Pens. Zadorov should have been given a game misconduct. DoPS (joke that they are) should suspend him for three. That cheap shot BS should NOT be tolerated. I don’t blame Geno one bit. I would have done the same!
I don’t think I ever saw a Penguin (Malkin) poked in the ass with a stick from the bench in the 57 years I’ve been watching hockey! Ya Malkin was justified in his reaction.
Seems that Quinn has talked some sense in to Sullivan in terms of a plan for Karlsson moving forward. Finally. At last. EK65 was nothing short of sensational the last two games.