Pens Get Recch'd 3-2 in Shootout - End Win Streak

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Similar to Sid's fairy tale ending in the Winter Classic, so to was the ending to last night's game against the Thrashers. Only difference being of course, it didn't come down to Sid.

Former Penguin (three times over) Mark Recchi was previously 0-4 in the shootout this season. He accumulated eight points in 19 games with the Pens before being dropped to waivers and finding a new home in Atlanta. There was 'unfair treatment' from the Pens camp to Recchi. He had an assist on the night. He sought vengeance.

And all of that culminated to one shootout shot on Ty Conklin in the top of the fourth. Deke, shoot, backhand, goal. Recchi sealed the deal for the Thrash and sent the Pens home with an overtime loss. Leave it to Mark Recchi to end the Pens' win streak. Hell, he did it when he was on the Pens too.

But enough about that. He ended the win-streak, NOT the point-streak. With that in mind, the Pens have won 19 straight points in the past nine games.

I know, I know. Shut up. It's my serenity.

Quick Recap
Didn't get a chance to watch the first ten minutes of the first, but the game was tied 1-1 when I turned it on. Sid notched the first one for the Pens and Kovalchuk lit up one for the Thrash.

In the second period Crosby sent home his second to put the Pens in the lead 2-1.

Sykora decides to slash and goes to the box for four minutes. The Penguins killed off about two of the four before the period ending and the rest carried over into the third.

In the third, 1:50 in to be exact, former Whales/Devil/Ranger Bobby Holik jabs faster than Ali in front of the net to slip the puck past Conk to tie it at two. FYI - That'd be 60's Ali, not present day. I'd hope the Pens' D could at least stop present day Ali.

With the game tied 2-2 and after many failed attempts from everyone on Pitt to get the puck to Sid for his third goal, the game heads to OT.

OT comes and goes.

Shootout.

Sykora missed, but what else is new? Letang, previously 4-4 on the shootout tried his leg-kick-forehand shot and is stopped for the first time this year. Sid goes last and Lehtonen shows him how to play catch. Malkin was the saving grace and failed.

Right before Malkin SOMEBODY shot the puck on the other side. I don't want to talk about it. Alls I can say is right after the red light flicked on the biggest "take that" grin was strewn across his face.

This picture is worth two words...one of you leave out the pronoun

GeodanVarsity

668 days ago

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The only part of the game I saw was the shootout. The Red Wings had just taken one on the chin, loosing to the Senators. To me the player that was most outstanding was the Thrashers goalie, Lehtonen. He had four saves in a row on Sykora, Letang, Crosby and Malkin. Now, that is yeoman's work. Maybe a little payback from Recchi, also.

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

668 days ago

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There's no doubt the obvious payback from Recchi. We got one point out of it, which is great and all, but that grin on Recchi's face is gonna take a bit longer to shake off.

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CityhockeyfeverVarsity Captain

668 days ago

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Tough loss for you, Frank. The Penguins obviously have played much better since Christmas and it showed. The win streak had to come to an end sometime, but believe me, I know how tough it is when a former player of your team comes back to burn ya... Great job again on all the previews and recaps of Penguins games. I'm looking forward to what you have to say about tomorrow's big one. My hometown club has been the opposite of yours lately. That would be downright horrible (five straight losses) until last night. The Coyotes have been hot lately and the Wild come off a big win in Detroit on Friday. So, I didn't have to be too down. It will be interesting to see how the Rangers fare against Pittsburgh tomorrow.

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

668 days ago

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Yeah I'm really lookin forward to the game tomorrow. Nice one you guys pulled out over Montreal last night. I caught some of it while flipping back and forth between periods. And congrats to Gomez goin to the All-Star game. What happened with Henrik? Why didn't he get in?

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CityhockeyfeverVarsity Captain

668 days ago

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Prior to last night, the Rangers had lost 12 of their last 17 (since December 3rd) and fallen out of the top 8 in the East. Henrik at times during that stretch had been very un-King Kenrik-like with a handful of soft goals or even bad goals given up to the opposition. At one point, his goals-against-average was around 1.6, I think and now it's at least 2.3. The deciding goal he allowed in Calgary on January 2nd was one that really has stuck in my mind. I advise you to check out that goal and let me know what you think of it. Then another bad goal he allowed came against Philadelphia on Thursday night. Scott Hartnell's first of three was beyond terrible. I originally thought before the Rangers went on their western Canadian trip that Henrik deserved to go to the All-Star Game and even start. No way does he deserve to be there now. Jaromir Jagr? Hell no. Scott Gomez is the only one that does deserve to go as he's been consistently excellent even through the Rangers' fall from first in the Atlantic to last. Chris Drury and maybe Brendan Shanahan deserved consideration, but in the end if any Rangers play had to be picked, Gomez was the one and the right choice.

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

668 days ago

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Essh, I didn't know they were running that poorly as of late. No offense, but I've kinda been caught up in the Pens' run. I'm going to try and find that clips on the Rangers site under highlights or something. I'm sure I saw it while watching On The Fly, but it may have just slipped my mind. Alls I know is the Red Wings (with last night's exception) are still on fire in the West.

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