Puck drop is set for 4:12pm eastern, Penguins vs Leafs, the last game before the holiday break. Since we have an early start and readers may be tied up holiday plans tomorrow, I figured I would write this blog in real blog. This is a huge game for both teams, the Leafs are in a funk, and the Penguins just ended their winless streak. Skinner and Wollwill be in net for their respective teams.
1st Period:
First five minutes were at a good pace. Skinner made one nice save in tight nothing else dangerous for either team.
3-on-2 for Pittsburgh, Kevin Hayes took a pass from Karlsson in the slot and decided to pass it back to Karlsson who was standing in the corner?
Brazeau scored by pushing Woll’s glove into the net, which was promptly challenged, no goal.
Matthews has looked good through the game’s first eight minutes, but without Marner you can just tell he’s asked to create too much on his own. Toronto fans are so dumb, pick the Kevin Hayes of the world as the guy you rag on not your 100-point all-star/Olympian.
Speaking oh Hayes, he was just guilty of a horrible turnover which results in a Nylander goal.
Thank God for Sidney Crosby every single day. He’s like Margot Robbie in the Wolf of Wall Street, perfect. Sid sprung Rust on a breakaway game tied 1-1.
Ben Kindel doesn’t receive a pass well at center. The puck is transitioned, thrown towards the net, Wotherspoon fans on it and accidentally deflects it into the net. Might’ve tipped off Nylander too, his potential second of the game. Skinner should have stopped it.
Liked the Penguins push back after the second goal. Pittsburgh had the better of the play for most of the period. Woll absolutely robbed Mantha with 10 seconds remaining in the period. Period ends 2-1 Leafs, shots 12-7 Penguins.
I have really liked Tommy Novak’s game for the past month or so, not just today. However, he may be the perfect trade candidate for the team. He could potentially net them a second-round pick. He’s a guy that they can trade to acquire assets without sending shockwaves throughout the room, his spot in a healthy lineup could be replaced by, keeping Koivunen in, and/or calling up Avery Hayes/Tristan Broz.
2nd Period:
Couple sloppy passes from Pittsburgh to start the second.
Kindel’s defensive awareness is certainly his most impressive attributed. He disrupts passes, or creates turnovers, on nearly every single shift. When he rounds out his offensive game, look out.
Skinner with TWO huge saves right before 14-minute mark, his best sequence as a Penguin so far.
Penguins are insistent on allowing breakaways. Lorentz takes the puck from Karlsson. Skinner gets the initial save but the back checkers allow Lorentz to get several pokes at the loose puck. 3-1 Leafs.
Rutger, who’s been noticeable all game, buries his second of the season! Skinner with a big save moments beforehand. Leafs still lead 3-2. Kindel was in some discomfort in front but stayed with the play enough to let the puck trickle to Rutger.
Next shift, the pens deflect one off the crossbar. Leafs on the counterattack probably should have drew a penalty but it seems the refs put their whistles away for this one.
The Penguins seem to have the Leafs reeling a little bit since they got the game within one goal. The Penguins have been turning the Leafs over pretty consistently throughout this contest but haven’t been able to translate them into goals.
Letang is addicted to hitting his teammates this season. He has missed the net or hit a guy in front nearly every time he has unleashed a one timer this season, maddening.
The second period comes to a close. 3-2 Leafs with the Penguins leading in shots 20-19.
Honestly, the Penguins are playing a pretty damn good game. Bad turnovers have resulted in each of the Leafs goals. If the Penguins keep creating turnovers for themselves in the third you would hope they get rewarded.
3rd Period:
Penguins were all over the Leafs in the first minute. They finally get rewarded for causing chaos in the offensive zone. Mantha blasts home a one timer from right inside the blue line. Puck may have deflected off Brazeau, but even if it didn’t, he provided a great screen.
Karlsson has been the Penguins best defensemen all season. He is having what I would put as maybe his third bad game of the year. He turned the puck over to Domi who took an eternity to shoot, allowing the defenders to get back and for Skinner to easily square up to the shot. This thing is still all tied up but EK65 needs to be better for the rest of the night.
The refs decided to finally call a penalty with 10:50 left. Karlsson to the box. The Leafs fired their assistant coach, who was in charge of their power-play, just yesterday.
Well, that was a short-lived chance for the Leafs. Maccelli took a slashing penalty thirty seconds into the Leafs power-play. We have some 4-on-4 hockey for the next minute and a half.
Letang with a god-awful turnover. Nylander was in all alone on another breakaway. Kindel got called for a slash. I really disagree with the call. Now a 4-on-3 power play for the Leafs.
Kulak gets walked by Max Domi and scores. Kulak just cannot allow that to happen. If teams are actually calling on Kulak, trade him as soon as the trade freeze is over. Eight minutes remaining in the game, 4-3 Leafs.
Goalie was pulled. Karlsson gets a shot blocked which springs the Leafs to score on the empty net. That’s likely going to do it for today. The Penguins defensemen really let them down tonight. Skinner is still winless, and the second goal was soft, but he really didn’t play a bad game. You really would have liked the Pens to take advantage of a team in shambles after they finally got themselves back in the win column. Maybe the Christmas break will let them regroup, come back healthy, and make a second half push. While typing this, the Leafs scored another empty-net goal. Gameover. Have a good holiday everyone!
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