Pens vs Lightning game recap.

In a must win game, the Penguins were dominating the action but were unfortunately... not able to seal the deal. A painful stat looms over the heads of the Penguins organization today, and that's that the team is 0-19-1 when trailing in the 2nd period. They have not been able to win a game all year when trailing and this simply is unacceptable. A team that can't come back from behind to win is not going to go very far in the Stanley cup finals. To put it in perspective, in 2009 when the Pens won the cup they were 11-21-2, leading the league in comebacks despite the losses in that column. The year before? The Red Wings were leading the league in comebacks and won the cup.

T.K attempts to fight Hedman who injured Crosby on January 5th

This is something that will be widely tossed out in the 2nd period of games if the Pen's are trailing during this playoff run. Something that Sidney Crosby hopefully would have some influence over should he return to action this year. The team is hurting in the playmaker department, the leading scorer since Sidney Crosby got injured is Tyler Kennedy, and he's been doing a great Crosby impression but still missing the net when the time counts. Still though something to be said about Kennedy's performance out there, he's having a career year, and could have his first ever 20 goal season and I'm really hoping he gets it. Looked like it would be last night but he missed the net...


Lots of bad no calls and strange calls starting right out the gate with Paul Martin in this game, which dictated the way the officiating was going to go, which was badly. Kovy took a terrible cross checking penalty he shouldn't have in the final 5 minutes further hindering the Pen's chances at coming back in this game. Still even with the extra adversity the Pens had a couple short handed opportunities that weren't capitalized on, and even afterward continued to pepper Roloson in an attempt to at least tie this game. It unfortunately wouldn't be as Roloson was seeing the puck like a beach ball and making save after save, that Fleury matched on the opposite end with an amazing glove save and tip toe save as time wound down in the third period.



In the end the Penguins could not get to the 100point mark yet this season and continue struggling in the Power Play department. Special teams was touted heavily in this game and while the P.K unit came up huge all game the Power Play lines could not capitalize on anything. They are now 3-62(or 63) on power plays and it doesn't have any signs of getting any better. Another section in the stats that captain Sidney Crosby would of helped propel forward. A team with a lowly 4% Power Play success rate of late, combined with the fact that they can't come back from behind, doesn't sound like a recipe for a cup run. Yet the Penguins are poised to do so, bucking adversity at every corner to persevere and work towards that ultimate goal.

Pittsburgh will face off against Florida on Saturday at 7pm in Florida. There are only 4 remaining games in the Regular season, they are against Florida, New Jersey, New York Islanders and Atlanta. The game against the Islanders will be interesting as the team travels back to Long Island after the debacle that took place in February. Matt Cooke will again miss the festivities on Long Island which is probably for the best.

Desperately holding onto 4th place in the conference and home ice, the Penguins need and should win at least 3 of the 4 games to finish the season at 104points and home ice advantage in the new Consol Energy Center.