e8e787eae777410db43de1e82733393dPhoto Courtesy Of USA Today

By: Garrett Haydon | Follow Me On Twitter @thesportsguy97

Pre-Game Notes

Arena: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Home: Pittsburgh Penguins (36-23-9)

Away: Boston Bruins (42-17-9)

Pittsburgh’s Lineup

Forwards

McCann-Crosby-Guentzel

Aston-Reese-Malkin-Kessel

Simon-Bjugstad-Hornqvist

Blueger-Cullen-Wilson

Defense

Dumoulin-Trotman

Johnson-Schultz

Pettersson-Gudbranson

Goalies

Murray

DeSmith

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand-Bergeron-Heinen

Cehlarik-Krejci-Stempniak

Kuraly-Coyle-Backes

Nordstrom-Acciari-Wagner

Defense

Chara-McAvoy

Krug-Carlo

Grzelcyk-Moore

Goalies

Halak

Rask

First Period

Just 1:33 into the game, Nick Bjugstad gave the Penguins the lead off a bad turnover in the Boston end.

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Jaroslav Halak was under siege in the first few moments as the Bruins were incredibly lax in their own zone. The bad start continued as the B’s were called for a too many men on the ice penalty as Pittsburgh looked to double the lead. The Bruins killed off the man advantage as the Penguins failed to get any significant scoring chances. The Bruins continued to struggle in their own zone as the Penguins got chance after chance but Halak kept it a one goal game.

Matt Grzelcyk went off for hooking with about 11 minutes to go in the period as the Penguins looked to extend the lead. The Bruins killed the man advantage yet again and even got a few shorthanded opportunities. The Bruins finally got their legs moving in the latter half of the period and they even picked up a power play as the Penguins were called for a delay of game penalty. After a turnover in the offensive zone, Jared McCann scored on a shorthanded breakaway to double the Pittsburgh lead.

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The Penguins killed the Boston power play without giving up any great scoring chances. Almost immediately after the man advantage, Chris Wagner was called for tripping which resulted in the third Pittsburgh power play of the opening period. Evgeni Malkin negated the man advantage as he tripped Charlie McAvoy which resulted in a four on four. The Bruins were unable to score on the abbreviated power play, keeping them down by a pair.

With 33 seconds left in the period, McCann went off for interference as the B’s looked to cut into the Pittsburgh lead. The period ended with the Bruins still on the man advantage.

Score: 2-0 Penguins

Second Period

The Penguins killed off the early power play as the Bruins continued to struggle to get scoring chances. With 17:41 to go in the period Grzelcyk went down after a shot to the arm from Patric Hornqvist and went down the tunnel. The Bruins would get yet another power play as Zach Trotman went off for slashing. David Krejci cut the lead in half after a scramble in front as the Bruins found the back of the net on the man advantage.

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Patrice Bergeron was called for a delay of game penalty which resulted in another Pittsburgh power play with over 13 minutes left in the period. The B’s killed the penalty as the Penguins failed to generate any chances. The Bruins started the move the puck quicker towards the end of the period as they looked better than they had at any point in the game.

Brandon Carlo was called for tripping with under four minutes to go in the period as the Penguins looked to regain their two goal lead. Jake Guentzel finished off a two on one after a great feed from Sidney Crosby to double the Pittsburgh lead on the man advantage.

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Score: 3-1 Penguins

Third Period

Halak made a couple of important saves in the opening moments of the period to keep the Bruins in the game. Wagner drew a penalty in the attacking zone as Trotman took him down, resulting in another Boston power play. The Penguins killed off the penalty as Matt Murray made a couple great stops to keep it a two goal game. The Bruins started to get their skating game going as the period went on but continued to have trouble getting chances.

Another huge stop by Halak on Guentzel kept it a 3-1 game as the Bruins tried desperately to look for some kind of positives as the period drew to a close. The Bruins got some chances towards the end of the period as they looked to get back into it and extend their point streak. The B’s pulled the goalie with over three minutes to go trying to get a pair.

John Moore cut the lead in half with a shot from the point that beat Murray with 1:01 to go as the Bruins tried to pull off another last minute comeback.

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McCann iced it for Pittsburgh with an empty net goal with about 20 seconds to go as the Penguins put an end to the Bruins streak.

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Final Score: 4-2 Penguins

Three Stars Of The Game

First Star: Murray. The Pittsburgh goalie was at his best in this one, stopping 39 shots in all.

Second Star: Halak. The Bruins were kept in the game especially in the third period by Number 41 who had another strong night despite the three goals against.

Third Star: McCann. Two goals including the empty net goal from McCann was the difference in the game for the Penguins.

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