Big Lead Sports Bar

3/01/2009

PENS MOVE INTO 8TH PLACE

PENS 4
STARS 1


The red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins moved to 5-1-1 under new coach/savior Dan Bylsma and 2-0 on their five-game road trip with a 4-1 win at Dallas, a contest marred only by FSN Pittsburgh broadcasting problems that Rob King apologized for profusely in the postgame wrapup. The win vaulted the Penguins into the magical eighth slot in the Eastern Conference standings. Ahh, if only the playoffs started tonight.

Once again, the goal-scorers were encouraging, including the Staal/Satan combo that teamed up for a pair on Friday, Kris Letang, and Evgeni Malkin, who notched his 29th of the season on a second period power play goal. Malkin was named the game's first star.

Playing without Sidney Crosby for a third consecutive game, the Penguins built a 4-0 lead after two periods, with Marc-Andre Fleury allowing only a third-period goal by Loui Eriksson in the process of achieving his 100th career victory. This was a game the Penguins should have won, and they did just that. A coaching change, a trade, a couple of wins, and all of a sudden, things are beginning to look a little brighter.

Next up is another winnable game, a Tuesday night matchup with the Pittsburgh South/Tampa Bay Lightning (20-30-12). Reports say the Lightning might be dangling Ryan Malone just months into his 7-year, $31 million contract. Other than Ryan Malone's bank account, did that deal really help anybody?

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2 comments:

dice said...

Hot at the right time

Koz said...

They can't trade Malone with that contract.

The Pens acquired Kunitz to fill that role at half the price. Not interested.