Double Edged Sabre: Jekyll & Hyde Penguins Suffer Come-From-Ahead Loss To Buffalo, 4-3

It was the tale of two games last night for the Pittsburgh Penguins at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo against the Sabres.

For the first 30 minutes, the Penguins were at the top of their game, looking like the elite squad that they are and controlling play offensively and defensively.

In those 30 minutes, they ran up a 3-0 lead on goals by Jordan Staal, Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz.

So much for the hype surrounding goaltender Ryan Miller's first game against Pittsburgh this year. Those 3 goals -- on only 11 shots -- chased Miller to the bench and left him in a fit of rage throwing his helmet down the runway after being pulled.

Backup goaltender Patrick Lalime entered the game in Miller's place and that's when the second game started.

While I think everyone agrees that the Sabres got a break to get them going in the second period when they were awared a penalty shot that Drew Stafford converted after Pens' defenseman Jay McKee was ruled to have closed his hand on the puck in the crease, I think there's a different reason for the momentum switch.

The Penguins stopped skating.

That played a bigger factor in giving the Sabres life, in my opinion, than the McKee call. That penalty -- while seemingly unjust, since McKee didn't appear to close his hand on the puck, but only had it shoved under his body by a Sabres' player -- shouldn't have been enough to permit Buffalo to turn things around so drasticly for the remaining 30 minutes.

As it was, Stafford converted the penalty shot, scored a second goal a few minutes later, then set up Paul Gaustad's goal to tie the score about 7 minutes into the 3rd period.

Jason Pominville finished the Penguins' come-from-ahead defeat by scoring on a power play for the Sabres a few minutes later to make the score final at 4-3.

The Penguins were able to ring up a good amount of shots on Lalime (27) in about 39 minutes and, admittedly, had some good chances, but I still feel their cycling game and board work left a lot to be desired the rest of the way. They gave the Sabres a chance to skate and they were able to use that to their advantage in denting Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury just enough to win.

Fleury finished with 20 stops on 24 shots.

So, with the season nearing its midpoint, the Penguins lost their first game this season when scoring 3 or more goals.

Captain Sidney Crosby said after the game that he felt the Penguins deserved a better fate.

Maybe.

Only if you judge their first game last night and forget about their second.

Fortunately, this was only the Penguins' first loss to come that way this year. Last season, there were so many defeats when the Pens ran out to 2 and 3 goal leads, only to turn them into heartbreaking losses.

Tonight's game against New Jersey will either be good or bad for the Penguins.

Good because they can get back on the horse and re-focus quickly against a tough opponent.

Bad because that opponent has owned them this year thusfar and, with just one more poor performance, they would skid to three straight losses.

Maybe Brent Johnson will change the Penguins' luck, both in general and against the Devils. I expect to see him between the pipes tonight.

I'll have a post up later today after Team Canada's olympic roster is announced. Will Jordan Staal make the squad? We shall see.


NOTES:

Defenseman Mark Eaton returned to the lineup last night after missing three games with a knee injury. He sustained that injury -- coincidentally enough -- the last time the Pens' played the Sabres. Martin Skoula was a healthy scratch to allow Eaton back in the lineup.

Meanwhile, up front, Ruslan Fedotenko was a healthy scratch -- something he hasn't taken a turn at over the last few regular seasons, despite inconsistent play. Rusty has only 6 goals this year, but also hasn't been the most responsible guy in his own zone, and that could be what's frustrated head coach Dan Bylsma the most. Tyler Kennedy returned to the lineup after being scratched the last game.