The Penguins go into their 13th game of the season tonight with their 13th different lineup. This one is a positive one, however, since all of Egor Chinakhov, Ben Kindel, Evgeni Malkin and Sam Girard return from various ailments to get back into the game. Arturs Silovs back in the net once again.
The Utah Mammoth play their second game against the Pens in as many weeks with this lineup tonight. Sebastian Cossa is in net, as he was last time around.
It’s the Logan Cooley show in the first period. Utah picks off an Erik Karlsson exit pass attempt and Cooley gets the puck, rifling it by Silovs. 1-0 early.
A major swing happens later on. Ville Koivunen goes short side with a shot that rings off the post. As so often seems to happen in hockey a big chance at one end that narrowly stays out is answered by a goal at the other side of the ice. It’s Cooley again who looks McDavid-like slashing through the middle of the defense. Karlsson and Spencer Stastney get dual sticks in to knock the puck off but neither manage to dislodge it from Cooley. 2-0.
Shots after 20 minutes end up 9-9. Not really terrible by the Pens, just happens someone good on the other team made some plays to put them in a hole.
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Karlsson gets one of those goals back in the second, stepping up from his blueline position and scoring moving forward. 2-1 game.
Silovs keeps the Pens in the game, making a big save on Nick Schmaltz.
Pittsburgh tipped the ice in the second period, gaining a 14-8 SOG edge in the period, though they only found a way to score once. They also benefited by strong work from Silovs has Pittsburgh down by only a goal at the second intermission.
Karlsson takes Pittsburgh’s first penalty of the night – a goal is scored in the next two minutes but it’s by the team down a player. Rickard Rakell is in with Nick Robertson on a rush, the Mammoth player takes the pass away well and leaves a shot for Rakell so he takes it and beats Cossa. 2-2 game.
Ben Kindel puts the Pens in position to win by scoring a goal with 25 seconds left in the game. Kindel puts the puck on the net for Evgeni Malkin in front, Malkin can’t get it to go in on the ensuing scramble. Kindel follows up the play by going to the net and pokes the loose puck in himself. 3-2, Pittsburgh’s first lead of the night comes at what should be a good time so late in the proceedings…
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But it’s not to be. Utah pulls the goalie and Cooley completes a hat trick by knocking in a shot out of mid-air with under a second to play and steal a regulation point away from the Pens. 3-3 game.
Well, at least it wasn’t a tactical, boring 3v3 OT session like some of them can be. Both teams trade chances and odd man rushes, you just knew that would mean a breakdown would result in a goal. The Mammoth are the ones to press the issue and score it, winning in extra time.
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The Pens have played with fire before – giving up 5v6 goals in the last minute to Montreal and Dallas already this season to force OT. They found a way to win those games, they couldn’t do the same tonight. Eventually that is going to cost a team, it did in this one.
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On the bright side, Kindel returned from having a scary incident just nine days ago and scored a goal and added an assist, including the go-ahead goal in the final minute of the game. That’s a Disney movie come to life, until the ending got soured.
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Putting Declan Carlile out for the final seconds (with Kaeden Korczak, a player he doesn’t usually play with, no less) will draw some questions given the result. Then again, it highlights a weakness on the Pens. Whether it was Carlile, Stastney or Sam Girard, it’s not like the Pens have a tremendous option in the situation of protecting a late lead on the left side of their defense.
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This game is a bummer for Silovs to end up taking the L. He didn’t deserve it after another really quality performance. His play can have its peaks and valleys, it’s a shame his (and the team’s) winning streak came to a stop. Silovs kept Utah at bay for about 45 game minutes and did exactly what he needed to do in the second and third periods to hold up his end of the bargain to give the team a fighting chance.
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After seeing Utah twice in the last 10 days, one has to be impressed. They are a fast and skilled team. They block a ton of shots (20), I was surprised to see they’re only 15th in the NHL in that category this season. It seemed like they were always in good defensive position and ready/willing to use their bodies to absorb shots. Then they have a 22-year old like Cooley who is blossoming into a legit star. Add in a deep prospect pool and the sky looks like the limit.
The schedule doesn’t lighten up for the Pens, they’ll stay at home for a while but have some more daunting opponents that will call on them. Up next is Montreal on Saturday (Vegas and Boston loom next week). The Pens couldn’t quite get over the finish line tonight and they’ll have to put the result of this behind them and not let a tough ending beat them again on Saturday night against the Habs.
