Deserving Penguins Take Bite Out Of Sharks, Win 2-1 (SO)

Last night was thoroughly satistfying. And not just because of my wife.

The Penguins played as complete a game as they have all season, competing all over the ice on every shift with one of the best teams in the league, the San Jose Sharks. They were rewarded in the end with a 2-1 win when Sidney Crosby scored on the Penguins' final shootout attempt by slipping a quick wrister between the pads of Sharks' backup goalie Brian Boucher, and when Penguins' netminder Marc-Andre Fleury subsequently made a fabulous toe save on the Sharks' final shooter, defenseman Dan Boyle.

Fox Chapel native Bill Thomas scored Pittsburgh's goal in regulation, late in the second period -- his first as a Penguin -- when he threw the puck in front following a mini 2-on-1 rush and the puck went off Sharks' defenseman Rob Blake and past Boucher.

That lead stood until about 8 minutes to go when the Sharks were buzzing around the Penguins' net and defenseman Hal Gill got caught in no man's land looking for Waldo, leaving San Jose forward Joe Pavelski free to pick up a loose puck to the right of Fleury and bang it into an empty cage after a scramble.

Fleury was real strong all night long, as were just about every one of his teammates. They skated up and down the ice with the sharks but, with the exception of a few instances when I felt they were cheating a bit to go on offense, were pretty sound in all 3 zones. They really turned it up after the Sharks tied the game, and that was telling because the Penguins' could have been on their heels at that point. Instead, they went right back after San Jose.

With the win, the Penguins moved to within a point of the idle, 8th place Florida Panthers, and sit 3 points behind the 7th place Buffalo Sabres, who lost to the Ottawa Senators last night. The Panthers will match up against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, so the Penguins will lose ground either way, but if they continue to play as they did last night against the Sharks, it won't matter what the other teams do -- the Penguins WILL make the dance.

Our Flightless Birds have now gone 7-3 in their last 10 home games, and have won 3 of their last 4. Fleury is playing better overall and we may be starting to see a little run. 10 of their next 13 are on the road, so they are going to be tested, but they should have a little momentum at this point.

The trick for them is to play with the same intensity in their next game, on the road against Toronto on Saturday, even though it's the Leafs and not the Sharks. The Penguins have a chance to boost their stock with a win in that game, and on Monday against the New York Islanders. They aren't in a position to take any opponent for granted, but it's there for them.

NOTES:

Penguins' defenseman Sergei Gonchar received medical clearance to return to the lineup yesterday by Pittsburgh orthopedic surgeon Dr. Chip Burke, which means Gonchar's return to the lineup is imminent. It may be Saturday against Toronto but, if not then, more likely Monday on Long Island. He's been skating, shooting and participating in full contact in practice for about 10 days now. Obviously, word that he has cleared this final hurdle is great news.