SB Nation Pittsburgh - Penguins Vs. Lightning: Tampa Bay Comes Back To Beat Penshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48827/pitt-fv.png2010-10-27T22:28:50-04:00http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/rss/stream/15418312010-10-27T22:28:50-04:002010-10-27T22:28:50-04:00Penguins Vs. Lightning: Pens Fall To Tampa 5-3
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<p>Despite getting a career night from fourth-line forward <span>Craig Adams</span>, the Pens dropped a 5-3 contest in Tampa tonight.</p>
<p>Just 2:01 into the game, the Lightning struck first when <span>Dana Tyrell</span> scored his first career <span class="caps">NHL</span> goal. Pittsburgh would roar back when by completing the rare feat of scoring two goals while short-handed on the same penalty kill. Craig Adams struck first, then Adams and <span>Kris Letang</span> teamed up to get the puck to the net that <span>Matt Cooke</span> smacked home to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead.</p>
<p><span>Pascal Dupuis</span> got out of the penalty box later in the first and Adams hit him with a beautiful pass for Dupuis to go back-hand and beat goalie <span>Mike Smith</span>.</p>
<p>The game turned when Tampa coach Guy Boucher pulled Smith and replaced him with <span>Dan Ellis</span>. Ellis would stop all 24 shots he saw and the Penguins would fail to score again.</p>
<p>Tampa would cut into the lead before the end of the first when <span>Teddy Purcell</span> shot against his body and used the players in front as a screen on <span>Marc-Andre Fleury</span>. The Bolts would tie it in the second during a five-on-three power play when <span>Vincent Lecavalier</span>, <span>Steven Stamkos</span> and <span>Martin St. Louis</span> moved the puck around and Lecavalier pulled the trigger on a shot.</p>
<p>They’d take the lead for good when St. Louis showed his top notch speed and blew by <span>Ben Lovejoy</span> and then beat Fleury on a breakaway. St. Louis would ice the game with an empty net goal in the dying moments.</p>
<p><b>What Went Right</b></p>
<p>-Craig Adams, who hadn’t scored a regular-season goal with the Pens in 98 career games, got a goal and two assists. Multi-point games are rare for Adams (his last was on Oct 12, 2008), but three points isn’t his high. He did that all the <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/boxscore;_ylt=AoqBfwb_eY.5bx8FHteYk3livLYF?gid=2003031007" target="new">way back on March 10, 2003</a>.</p>
<p>-Kris Letang seemingly dodged a major injury after a shot hit him in his hand/wrist area. Letang left the game briefly in the second but later returned and it didn’t affect his play.</p>
<p><b>What Went Wrong</b></p>
<p>-Blowing a 3-1 lead, on the road, is never good. The Pens were in control of this game and let it slip away.</p>
<p>-You’ll see what you want to see about Marc-Andre Fleury. The first goal was the result of Letang and <span>Paul Martin</span> both letting their guys free deep in the defensive zone. The second goal had four players in front of him blocking his view. He couldn’t stop St. Louis on a break that ended up being the game winner.</p>
<p>Then again, Fleury stopped a few two-on-ones, he denied Sven Bergenheim on a penalty shot, and made a handful of solid saves late in the game.</p>
<p>So if you want to see Fleury as the culprit, you have your evidence. If you want to blame the defense and the team for hanging him out to dry, there’s plenty of that too.</p>
<p><b>Injury Report</b></p>
<p>-<span>Jordan Staal</span> practices daily, but still has much work to do with his conditioning before returning.</p>
<p>-<span>Zbynek Michalek</span> is back to practice and could be day-to-day.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-penguins/2010/10/27/1778890/recap-pens-fall-to-tampa-5-3Jim Rixner2010-10-27T13:33:05-04:002010-10-27T13:33:05-04:00Penguins Vs. Lightning: Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos Square Off In Tampa Bay
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<h3>Sports Network | October 27, 2010</h3>
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<p>(Sports Network) - The NHL's leading goal scorers from last season go head-to- head this evening when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/55428/sidney-crosby">Sidney Crosby</a> leads his <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/teams/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> down south to face <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/55082/steven-stamkos">Steven Stamkos</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/teams/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> at St. Pete Times Forum.</p>
<p>Crosby and Stamkos shared the Rocket Richard Trophy a season ago after both forwards ended the regular season with 51 goals. The two are at it again so far this season as Stamkos is tied for the league lead with eight goals, while Crosby has six so far on the young season.</p>
<p>Stamkos also leads the NHL with 15 points, while Crosby is a little further back with 11.</p>
<p>The 20-year-old Stamkos comes into this matchup riding a four-game point streak. He has amassed four goals and nine points over the run, which he extended in Sunday's 4-3 loss to Nashville with an assist. Both of Stamkos' career goals and five of his six points versus the Penguins came in last year's four-game season series, which the two clubs split.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/54145/sean-bergenheim">Sean Bergenheim</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/55059/adam-hall">Adam Hall</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/55065/martin-st-louis">Martin St. Louis</a> scored versus the Predators for the Lightning, who have alternated wins and losses over their last six games but still lead the Southeast Division with 11 points.</p>
<p>Tampa Bay held a 45-26 edge in shots on Sunday, but netminder <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/54433/dan-ellis">Dan Ellis</a> was beaten four times against his former club.</p>
<p>"[The Predators] outworked us, and that's why they came out on top," St. Louis said. "It's tough to come back in this league."</p>
<p>Tampa Bay may lean heavily on Stamkos tonight since as many of five regular skaters could sit out tonight's game. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/55004/simon-gagne">Simon Gagne</a> (stiff neck/illness) and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/54456/mattias-ohlund">Mattias Ohlund</a> (right knee) are doubtful, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/54291/dominic-moore">Dominic Moore</a> (groin), <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/55476/brett-clark">Brett Clark</a> (wrist) and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/55070/matt-smaby">Matt Smaby</a> (stomach virus) are all questionable.</p>
<p>Ellis is just 1-2-1 with a 3.67 goals-against average this season and Tampa Bay could elect to go with fellow netminder <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/54841/mike-smith">Mike Smith</a> tonight. Smith is 4-0-0 with a 3.12 GAA on the season and has solid career numbers versus the Penguins, going 3-3-0 with a 1.68 GAA in six games.</p>
<p>Crosby had posted five goals and 10 points over a five-game point streak that ended in Saturday's 1-0 overtime loss to St. Louis. He didn't score versus the Lightning a season ago and has five goals and 11 assists in 18 games against them lifetime.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh's offense was shut down by the Blues' <span>Jaroslav Halak</span>, who made 31 saves. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nhl/players/54333/brent-johnson">Brent Johnson</a> halted 23 shots for the Penguins, but was beaten for the game-winning goal 50 seconds into overtime.</p>
<p>"Give [the Blues] the first. We outplayed them in the second and the third was 50-50. ... I thought the second half of the game we probably had a bit of the edge but at the same time I thought we limited their shots but still gave them some pretty good chances when they did get chances," said Crosby.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh had a four-game win streak end but did pick up a point for the sixth time in seven games (5-1-1). The Pens have won five of seven and seven of their last 10 over the Lightning and have taken five of the last six played in Tampa.</p>
<p>Johnson fell to 4-0-1 on the season and is 7-2-2 with a tie in his career versus the Lightning. <span>Marc-Andre Fleury</span> is 7-7-3 with a 2.45 GAA when facing the club, but is just 1-3-0 with a 3.25 GAA in four starts this season.</p>
<p>Defenseman <span>Brooks Orpik</span> returned after missing the last six games due to a groin strain, while forward Aaron Asham is expected to make his season and Pittsburgh debut tonight after missing the start of the season with a shoulder ailment.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2010/10/27/2323257/penguins-vs-lightning-sidney-crosby-steven-stamkos-square-off-inCharlie Wilmoth