For 60 minutes the Penguins slugged it out on even terms with Western Conference heavyweight Dallas last night before a throng of 17,147 at PPG Paints Arena. Time and space were at a premium and quality scoring chances were rarer than Indian Head nickels. It was a playoff-style stare down and whichever team flinched first would lose.
Well, I’m happy to report that our Pens prevailed, 2-1, thanks to some last-minute heroics by Evgeni Malkin.
The Stars got the early jump right out of the gate on the hockey equivalent of a busted play. A Nils Lundkvist shot from the point glanced off the skate of Kris Letang and onto the waiting stick of Roope Hintz (great name) to the right of our cage.