Crosby's 8-Minute Hat Trick Sinks Sabres, 5-4

So much for getting back to playoff-style hockey.

After dispatching the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in their rematch of last year's Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday afternoon at Mellon Arena, run-and-gun was the name of the game last night at the ol' Igloo as the Pittsburgh Penguins reached into their bag of offensive tricks and stormed goaltender Ryan Miller and the Sabres for 4 goals in 8 minutes in the second period -- including a Sidney Crosby hat trick -- on their way to overcoming a 3-1 deficit and beating Buffalo, 5-4.

It was Pittsburgh's 7th win in their last 10 games, and lifted them to within 1 point of the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Atlantic Division.

The win also put them 5 points back up on the Ottawa Senators, although the Sens, Devils and even the Sabres all have the chance to gain ground on the Pens this week, since the Boys of Winter don't hit the ice again until Saturday afternoon when they visit the Montreal Canadiens.

Last night, the shootout at the OK Corral started less than a minute in when Mark Letetsu scored his first National Hockey League goal, beautifully finishing off a 3-on-1 by taking a cross-ice pass from Tyler Kennedy near the foot of the crease and lifting the puck over Miller's sprawling left leg to give the Pens a 1-0 lead.

Buffalo began turning the tables about 5 minutes later when Pens' defenseman Brooks' Orpik failed to clear the puck from in front of the net and netminder Marc-Andre Fleury lost sight of it in a group of players. Unforunately, Sabres' forward Derek Roy didn't, and he easily slid it by Fleury into the open cage for his first goal in 9 games.

Thomas Vanek followed that up less than a minute later finishing off a 2-on-1 by lifting the puck over Fleury's shoulder on the short side from about 10 feet -- a shot Fleury played somewhat weakly and probably would like to have back.

Things really didn't look good when Buffalo's version of TK -- forward Tim Kennedy -- finished off an exceptionally executed 3-on-2 by redirecting a pass from Sabres' forward Mike Grier into the upper corner of the net past Fleury from low in the slot.

At that point, Buffalo led 3-1 and, with star goaltender Ryan Miller holding down the fort, it wasn't shaping up as an easy chore for the Penguins to score 3 more against him to win in the final 30 minutes.

So, they just scored 4 on him in the next 8 minutes instead.

Sidney Crosby got things going on the power play near the 10-minute mark when he swept a fake shot-pass from defenseman Alex Goligoski past Miller from just above the goal line to Miller's left.

3 minutes later, Jordan Staal -- again centering the second line with Evgeni Malkin on his wing --- ripped one on net from 25 feet after taking a pass from Geno on a simple 2-on-2, and somehow the shot got through between Miller's right arm and body. That tied the game at 3.

3 minutes after that, Crosby capitalized on a miscommunication between Miller and a Sabres defenseman by intercepting a Miller pass from behind the net that was intended for one of his blueliners and immediately tossing it on goal from 15 feet. Miller --- scrambling to get back in the goal -- got a piece of it, but not enough, as it skidded off him and in to give the Penguins a 4-3 lead.

90 seconds later, Crosby finished off the hat trick -- his 3rd this season and 5th of his career -- by streaking down the right wing on a 2-on-1 with Pascal Dupuis and, after more stickhandling wizardry than Miller would see in a week from his entire team, beat the mesmerized Sabres' goaltender with a shot to the far post to make it 5-3 Pittsburgh.

Cue the hats.

Again.

That goal was Crosby's 37th of the season, tying him for the league lead with Patrick Marleau of the San Jose Sharks.

Things calmed down considerably in the third period, and the Pens' appeared to have things comfortably under control most of the frame -- until the last 3 to 4 minutes, that is, when the Penguins were whistled for 2 penalties and the Sabres regularly stormed Fleury and the Pens' goal.

The first penalty was on Sergei Gonchar -- a tripping call right in front of the net -- and I was extremely unhappy at Sarge when I saw the play. It was a lazy, needless penalty because the puck wasn't even near the area. I also wasn't happy with the fact that the Sabres player who felt the contact embellished the play by going down and got the referree to make the call, but I was more upset with Gonchar because what he did in that situation was completely unnecessary.

He put his team in a bad place and, sure enough, Sabres' forward Jason Pominville made the Pens' pay when he capitalized on the ensuing power play to make the score 5-4.

Worse than that, though, was the next penalty call the Penguins got whistled for about a minute later -- a holding call on defenseman Brooks Orpik for allegedly grabbing a Sabres player in the corner.

Now, this one wasn't Orpik's fault because he didn't hold the guy. Clearly. He did have one hand off his stick, but was using that in a clear checking (pushing) motion on the guy's body while trying to poke at the puck with his stick hand.

When the guy fell down from one of the pushes, the official from behind that play --- yes, the one who couldn't really see what was going on -- made the phantom call. And when Orpik tried to state his defense, the official was adamant about it, too.

I could have strangled him.

The Penguins were fortunate enough to kill that, but believe me, it wasn't easy. The Sabres, of course, pulled Miller and went 6-on-4 for the entire time. They challenged Fleury but #29 and the Pens' penalty killers shut the door.

And with that, the Penguins will get a well deserved rest until Saturday.

Thanks to Crosby and company.

I'll have more between now and then. Trade talks appear to be heating up.


NOTES:

Max Talbot missed the game against Buffalo last night, while continuing to work through the effects of his groin problem. That wasn't a surprise, but what was a surprise was defenseman Jay McKee being a late scratch, after taking the warmup. No announcement was made before or after the game that McKee had any injury of any kind.

Head Coach Dan Bylsma announced after the morning skate that he would go with the exact same lineup as the one against the Red Wings the day before. Obviously something changed and, with McKee being pulled out of the lineup at the last minute, there is some speculation that the Penguins might be very close to moving McKee.

What might corroborate that thinking is that, McKee's replacement in the lineup, Martin Skoula -- someone who has fallen into some disfavor with the coaching staff the last month or so -- played only 4 or so minutes after again looking out-of-place during several shifts on the ice.

Basically, then, the Penguins went with 5 defensemen most of the night. What doesn't make sense is that, if they aren't convinced Skoula can be reliable for them anymore, why pull McKee out of the lineup if he's not injured unless something was immenent on the trade front?

The Penguins might be close to elevating Ben Lovejoy to full-time status with the big club. We'll see.