Penguins Exorcise Demons and Devils, Prevail 3-1
As I watched our Penguins hold off those pesky New Jersey Devils yesterday afternoon from my perch on a rowing machine at Wright’s Gym, I couldn’t help but breathe a deep sigh of relief at the final horn.
Big win, I thought to myself. We snapped a two-game losing streak to halt our mini-skid and held serve in the battle for third place in the MassMutual East.
Then again, from now until the time when Evgeni Malkin, Teddy Blueger and Jason Zucker return to the lineup, they’re all going to be big wins.
I give our guys a ton of credit. As banged up as we are…to rub salt in the wound, sparkplug Brandon Tanev didn’t suit up due to an unspecified injury…we played a really solid hockey game against a foe that often bedevils us.
“We competed hard,” said coach Mike Sullivan. “I really liked our first period, even though we gave up the first goal. I feel like we come out with a strong period. We had great energy. I thought we controlled territory. So I think I think the players understand the circumstances…”
Indeed, the game provided a blueprint for how the Pens will need to play, at least until the Biblical plague of injuries subsides.