The Penguins 4-3 season-opening victory over the Ottawa Senators in overtime in Stockholm, Sweden yesterday was all about the old and the new.
The Penguins continued their recent dominance over the Senators, dating back to their 4-game sweep of the club in last year's playoffs. That was the "old".
The "new" came from new contributors stepping up yesterday -- namely defenseman Rob Scuderi and winger Tyler Kennedy.
Scuderi scored his first goal in over 90 games early in the 3rd period on a fabulous cross-ice pass from Sidney Crosby, tying the score at 3-3 and building on the Penguins' momentum after killing a 5-3 for over 90 seconds.
Meanwhile, Kennedy -- who hadn't scored in 29 games to end last season, including every playoff game -- potted two goals. He opened up the scoring less than a minute into the game, then ended it in grand fashion 25 or so seconds before the end of the overtime.
MR. KENNEDY certainly knew how to finish what he started.
In all fairness, his goals were well deserved. Filling in on right wing on Evgeni Malkin's line for an injured Petr Sykora (who sat out with a groin problem), Kennedy looked great all over the ice. He skated with speed, won loose pucks with his tenacity, and brought rubber to the net.
Speaking of the old and the new, yesterday's game could be an example of what the Penguins' special teams will see a lot of this year.
Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
The bad news is that the Penguins' went 0-7 on the power play in their first regular season action without defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney. I'm not overly concerned -- yet -- mainly because I didn't sense difficulty in getting the puck up the ice or into the zone, or in being respected at the point. Those are the things you think the Penguins may miss the most without those guys. Like Crosby said after the game, the boys do need to get more pucks to the net, though.
The good news is that Evegni Malkin scored a shorthanded goal -- on a breakaway no less. With both Malkin and Crosby seeing more time on the penalty killing units this year, you may see more of those. We'll need them, too, because Malkin can get a little adventurous when playing the point on the power play. He got caught carelessly pinching yesterday, and that allowed the Senators to steam up the ice on an odd-man rush that led to a goal against in the second period.
I'll say this ... I'm glad Senators goaltender Martin Gerber doesn't tend goal for the Penguins. Without taking anything away from the Penguins, he was awful yesterday. 3 of the Penguins 4 goals were questionable, in my estimation. All rolled up on him or went off of him into the goal. If you're a goaltender and you get a piece of the puck, you want to stop it altogether. Only the Malkin breakaway goal was one you couldn't fault him on.
Meanwhile, Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 32 of 35 shots for the Penguins, and he was blameless on at least 2 of the Senators' 3 goals, with Dany Heatly and Jason Spezza, respectively, beating him with excellent, clean shots. He wasn't spectacular, but he didn't need to be. He got the job done.
Other tidbits ... Paul Bissonette got the extra forward spot in the lineup, while Bill Thomas was scratched. Eric Godard took a noteworthy -- and worthless -- hooking penalty against Senators forward Chris Neil in the 2nd period after the two were going at it and Neil refused to drop the gloves against him. Unfortunately, the Penguins' paid the price for that goal, as Heatley scored on the power play. Godard just can't take those penalties.
The Penguins' go for the sweep today.
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