Bylsma for Jack Adams, defeating Florida and playoff talk.

Zybenek Michaleks one timer game winning goal. All 12 Panther fans in attendance were visibly upset.

After the Penguins come from behind victory against the Panthers on Saturday night, they held onto their home ice advantage for another night battling to stay one point ahead of Tampa Bay after they had won earlier that day. Philly after losing in a shootout last night brought their total to 103 points again, regaining first place tied with the Capitals. When I saw Washington in the top spot for even a second, I could taste the bile.

This squad has only three games remaining in their regular season culminating with a game against the Thrashers on April 10th in Atlanta. They'll play their final home game of the regular season in Consol Energy Center tomorrow night against the Devils, hoping to cap their new barn's season off at 25(24)-14-2 with the win against New Jersey. Afterward they'll hope to finish their road dominance with a record of 24(22)-11-6 with the remaining road games on Long Island and in Atlanta.

Tyler Kennedy enjoying a career year.

As many of us writing about the Penguins have stated before today, Dan Bylsma should be a sure choice for the Jack Adams award. This was before he totaled 100points for the team this season, and in some cases before he won his 100th career game. The man has kept a team riddled all year with injuries in the top four of the Eastern conference, and 3 points outside of Philly for first place in the Atlantic. Without the assistance for half a season of Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, plugging holes with Wilkes-Barre Scranton Pens, and Shero's brilliance during the end of the trading season.

Through all the adversity Bylsma has been able to keep this team churning out points by using a solid and consistent system between both the WBS baby Penguins and the Pens organizations. The seamless transition for the players between their AHL duties and their NHL duties helped when this team had to fill in the gaps after losing both of their star Centers, and a myriad of forwards and defensemen through out the season. This is just the 7th time in franchise history the Penguins have achieved 100 total points as a team, and it was done while battling through adversity.

Kennedy celebrates a career high 20th goal.

This was not all his work alone however but for consideration in the Jack Adams award he certainly has to be the number one choice, no other coach in the league has had to battle through this much adversity and media frenzy, including going through a 24/7 filming month where camera crews were constantly circling the team.Players have stepped up to do the work that the superstars are not there to do. Players like Tyler "They call me Crosby" Kennedy with his shoot first mentality has finally been able to bury a lot of goals behind the net, putting up 20goals and 22 assists now sits currently 5th in total points on the team. He is leading the team in scoring since Crosby has been injured.

Jordan Staal and Chris Kunitz have done their fair share of work as well. Kunitz in the scoring department and Jordan in the unlimited ice time department. Jordan has played career high minutes on ice lately averaging 21 minutes on ice a game, which is 90 seconds more than his previous seasons. He is playing in almost every situation, and not as just a 3rd line shut down center. His defensive prowess and ability to dish out assists has definitely been on display this year. Chris Kunitz has been lighting the lamp consistently all year, sitting at 22goals and 25 assists. Coming back from injury he's scored 11 points (4G 7A) in the 12 games he's participated in, he was blanked for only 5 of those games. During this stretch of time Kunitz was able to come out with a 5 game point streak bolstering a weak offense.

Pens have won the first of the final 4 games in April, looking to tack on the last 6 points necessary and solidify home ice advantage once and for all this season. In other news, Big Brent Johnson was not at practice today because he was attending the birth of his new daughter. Hopefully she doesn't grow up to be a fighter like the Lawgiver, or maybe so. Craig Adams was sporting a Mohawk and the joke was if he scored the game winner Mohawks everywhere. Well he didn't get the game winner but he got the empty netter after Florida botched their goalie bench for an extra attacker as a power play expired.Wonder how many people in the Burgh' have mohawks now?

Battling through adversity with relentless work ethic, passion and integrity, the Penguins way, the pack of wolves mentality. Everyone who could possibly step up for this team has made an effort to step up, and it shows in the standings.

Pens face the Devils tomorrow at 7pm in Consol Energy Center to get within 1 point of Philly in the standings.

Pens vs Senators Recap Penguins on parade.

Nine different players for the Penguins have scored a goal or more in the past two games. Chris Kunitz specifically has come out of his injury as if he was better than ever, scoring 2 goals in the game against the Oilers and tallying 3 assists last night in Ottawa. Talk about bolstering a floundering offense, yet the damage was done against the worst team in the West, and now the worst team in the East... even still, one can't deny that having most of their forwards back has heavily helped this team.

The first period was a bit slow as the Penguins were getting into their system but once they got to it, they never left it and kept the pedal to the metal the entire game. Johnson made a couple of spectacular saves in the first to keep things alive, and Tyler Kennedy puts a deflection in off a Paul Martin blue line slapper, off two posts and behind the net to get the first goal of the game, and his ninth goal in 20 games. including 2 game winners.T.K All Day continues to put on a good Crosby impression down in front of the net.

In the wild second period of this game is when it really opened up. In the first 3:05 of the second period there were three goals scored. The first, came off of Jordan Staal's effort to stay with the puck after a few shots rang off of Kunitz's and T.K's sticks, Staal finds the puck in front of the crease and dumps it in 2-0 Pens, 1:21 gone in the 2nd. Not to be outdone the Senators took control of the offensive zone after a Michalek penalty and put one behind Johnson, it was the last goal they'd earn that evening, 2-1 pens after 2:08 was gone in the second. "The Penguins need to answer back and fast." I remember saying to myself, and not within but another minute, at 3:05 in the second, Kunitz along the boards, puts it down low behind the net to Staalsy, he kicks out to Lovejoy in the circles, slapshot, goal 3-1 Penguins. Hell of a 3 minute period, but it wasn't over yet.

Not to be out shown, Cooke added in his own little bit of controversy, with what looks like a kicking motion on this goal:
Matt Cooke in the crease almost "kicks" one in, goes off OTT defender.


It would go to review but ultimately Toronto says: "It's a good goal!" Pens go up 4-1 and the last 12 minutes of the period tick away.

What really impressed me was the team kept the pressure on, they didn't let up, they wouldn't let up. Including Alexei Kovalev, who even despite having boos rained down upon him by Ottawa fans who apparently don't understand Kovy was traded, not asked to be traded, was able to do work on this goal that kept the play alive and got it to the right players to make it all happen. Take a look:

 

Kovalev battles, battles and battles along the corner boards to keep the play alive in the zone, only when the double team comes does he dish the puck out to Jeffrey behind the net, who gets it to Michalek in the circle and blasts one home for his third goal in four games.The true testament to this play was Kovalev's work ethic and his desire to win with this team, to play his role and be a part of something special, he did just that on this play and solidifies why he is still a force in the NHL.

Two points for the Penguins that are much needed, the offense is opening up even if on bad teams, Crosby is skating, and things are turning around injury wise, 3 points outside of Philly and first place, and a tightening playoff race await us.

Lets go Pens!

Penguins vs Avalanche Recap. T.K Saves the Day.

 

Well, we finally got to see what a real competitive hockey game looks like again. It felt like it was going to be a long time before that happened. The game started with one of the better periods for the Penguins in recent memory, and the Wilkes-Barre Boys came through again to tip the first goal of the game in for the Pens. Before the Penguins could score though, the Avalanche ran into something I touched on in the gameday post. Saves in the crease, the Av's on a solid scoring chance are denied by a combination of Rupp and Michalek in the crease helping Fleury deny the shot.

Not but a minute later off a long feed by Martin down to Sterling entering the zone, he dishes a pass off to Vitale who's beaten 3 guys in the slot, Vitale rings one home in the top left corner for his first NHL goal of his career.The Avalanche announcers forgot to review their press doc's to see that another forward had a number in the 40's, reads Vitale's goal as a Kennedy goal, little did he know he foreshadowed the future.

The second period didn't go as smoothly for the penguins, 3:24 into the period the Av's score with half the right side of the net wide open after Fleury tries to pokecheck the puck. Not but a minute and a half later Nick Johnson decides to test the Johnson name and gets in a "fight" with Ryan Wilson. Steigerwald goes ballistic. Wilson destroys Johnson in this fight sadly while raining down blows on his head for upwards of a minute before the fight is over. Steigerwald goes into how he feels like Johnson was outright attacked, and basically is still steaming over the fights on Long Island, this had been the first since, and it wasn't necessary, nor a good one to take. Errey somehow calms Steigerwald down, by avoiding the subject entirely and actually talking about hockey, a first for Bob.

Still in the second period, with a little more than 5 minutes to go, the Av's score again off a ridiculous goal that had no business going in, making the lead 2-1 and forcing the broadcasters to mention the fact that the Av's are sick nasty at winning games after leading in a game after the second period, etc... well Staalsy has something to say about that and 30 seconds later lifts Penguins nation on his shoulders and plays NHL 96 with Budaj, skating down the right wing he lets a shot go from the faceoff circle, top left corner into the net. Budaj loses and the game is tied 2-2.

The most notable thing about the third period were Fleury's saves. Here Fleury turns away O'Reilly after he splits the defense in the zone.

Fleury turns aside Yip on a break away to essentially save the game for the Penguins, even so early on in the third.

The rest of the third period sadly only included a noteworthy post shot by Paul Martin that would of changed the outcome a bit, but no we head to Overtime.

The overtime period was slow, and the Avalanche looked to be trying to just get to a shootout where they felt like they could win the game, and without the Penguins dominating shooters it's entirely possible the Av's would of been right. Slow your roll though Avalanche, you can't trip up Zybenek Michalek behind the net like that. 4 on 3 hockey starts now in the final minute and a half of the game. A few seconds later...

Tyler Kennedy saves the day and gets mobbed by his team mates.

Penguins pick up a highly necessary 2 points in a tightening Atlantic division.

A couple Penguins went missing during this game, so if anyone saw Tim Wallace(Re-Assigned to WBS today) or Max Talbot do anything in this one, pat yourself on the back you're probably the only one.

Pens defeat Avs in OT

Tyler Kennedy slaps a one timer into the net in overtime after Zybenek Michalek drew a tripping penalty behind the net with less than 1:30 left in the OT period.

Pens earn a much needed 2 points. Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy keep being the best offensive Penguins on the ice.