Penguins Defeat Bruins: Improve Chances for 4th Seed in East

The Pittsburgh Penguins were at The Garden in Boston to take on the Bruins.

What did this game mean to Boston?  Nothing.  They have second place in the Eastern Conference locked up.

To Pittsburgh?  They are just one point ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers and with three games left, it may mean the difference in maintaining home ice against their cross-state rivals.

Marty Turco was in net to give Tim Thomas a rest.  Pittsburgh seemed to have done the same thing putting Brent Johnson between the pipes and giving Marc-Andre Fleury the night off.

Opening Frame

Pittsburgh opened up the scoring with a good hustle by Pascal Dupuis.  He alertly backhanded the puck straight to Sidney Crosby from behind the net and that puck went roof on Turco high glove side and in.

Later in the period, Tyler Kennedy made a shot at Turco and it caught him off balance.  The puck fluttered to Paul Martin who was taken down by Johnny Boychuk  as the puck went off his glove and just trickled pass the line.  The goal was reviewed but it was not batted in as he was clearly going air borne when it went off the glove.

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67.6 Disallowed Goal - A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who bats or directs the puck with his hand into the net. A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who bats or directs the puck and it is deflected into the net off any player, goalkeeper or official. When the puck enters the net on a clear deflection off a glove, the goal shall be allowed. 

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That being said, good goal.  2-0, Penguins.

Just 1:59 later, Benoit Pouliot came charging into the attacking zone, gathered the puck and muscled his way to the net.  He backhanded the shot and it went high and over the shoulder of Brent Johnson to get the Bruins back within a goal.  2-1, Penguins

Middle Frame

Just 18 seconds into the period, the Bruins knotted up the game.  David Krejci was skating in front of the net and two Penguins bit on him as did Johnson  as he was sliding right to left.  Krejci quickly backhanded it to Milan Lucic who had the easy tip into the wide open right side.  Two all.

Matt Niskanen was nailed by Daniel Paille and he was called for charging.  Very shortly after, Kris Letang sold a high stick call on Rich Peverley when on the replay shown it was close, but all shoulder.  Pens get the five-on-three on a questionable call.

James Neal scored on the rebound from below the hash marks.  3-2, Penguins.

With Pittsburgh still on the man advantage, Crosby got his second goal on the night and his third point on a nice pass by Letang and Crosby popped the puck in the open left side.  4-2, Penguins.

Final Frame

Aaron Asham scored as he was getting knocked in front of the net and the Pens extended their lead to 5-2.

Shortly after the goal, Boychuk was looking to deliver a huge hit but Asham moved enough to go knee on knee with Boychuk getting the lion's share as his knee buckled while his skate grabbed ice.  He needed help off the ice and did not return.

Peverley got the cross ice pass from Lucic beating Johnson on the short side to bring the Bruins back within two goals.  5-3, Penguins.

Crosby flipped the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty and that gave the Bruins their first power play of the game.  It only took over 50 minutes.

The Bruins applied the pressure, but the Penguins buttoned up and prevented further damage to take the win and a very important two points.

This is Cory Ducey saying "Hit Hard, But Keep It Clean".