The optimist: Pens have points in 6 of 9 games without Sid and 3 of 4 games without Sid and Geno.
The pessimist: Pens have lost 6 of 9 games without Sid and 3 of 4 games without Sid and Geno.
GA on 13 shots. Speaks to the quality of chances Pens have surrendered tonight.
He’s making that case. Might just be a case of how much he wants.
Pens playing Vegas for the 16th time tonight, and this is the fewest shots Golden Knights have ever had after 40 minutes (11).
Mantha sets a career high for assists (25) and points (49) with his assist to Kindel. How effective has he been? Of the 82 NHL players with 49+ points, he's averaging the fewest minutes per game (14:59).
Pens just giving away goals.
Hayes has 3 shots so far. The rest of the team has 4.
Two big kills for Pens so far tonight. VGK only 1 shot in two chances.
What is Clifton thinking there? Geez.
On this date in 1987, Pens rallied from 1-3 down to beat the visiting Nordiques, 6-3. Dan Frawley scored the GWG early in the third, and Mario became the second Pens’ player to score 2 ENGs in one game to finish 3-2-5. Ron Schock did it first on 3/2/1972 v. Wings.
Pens have now lost 9 GP when leading after 2 periods (23-2-7), their points % in that situation (.719) being fourth-worst in NHL. Team single-season record for most GP lost/tied after having a lead going to the third is 10, set in 1970-71 (17-2-8) and matched in 1978-79 (29-1-9).
Yes.
The Wotherspoon-Karlsson pair has led the Pens’ D pairs in 5-on-5 CF% in 4 of the last 5 GP (average those 4 games is 63.33). #natstattrick
Pens have converted 3 of their last 8 power plays against the Golden Knights (37.5%). Vegas has converted just 1 of its last 13 PP chances against Pens (7.7%), that coming last March 11 in Pittsburgh by Dorofeyev.
Over the last 2 seasons, Pens have scored 22 goals in the third period + OT in the 8 games they won after trailing through 40 minutes. Top scorers after the second period of those games:
Sid (7-3-10)
Novak (3-5-8)
Karlsson (1-6-7)
Mantha has scored on 3 of his last 5 shots.
Rust (4-5-9) and Karlsson (2-7-9) each have points in 6 of the last 7 games.
Pens have won 7 of their last 10 GP against Vegas (7-3-0) and have won 2 straight. But they’ve lost their last 3 GP @ Vegas (0-3-0).
CBJ falls to Florida tonight in OT. Jackets 2 points behind Pens at the moment.
In the Crosby Era, Pens are in a virtual tie for 6th place for best points % when leading after 2 periods:
Wash (.921)
Minn (.915)
VGK (.911)
NYR (.910)
NJ (.909)
Calg (.9084)
Pens (.9083)
In the Crosby Era, Pens have the fourth-best points % in games they trail after 2 periods:
Vegas (.271)
Dallas (.240)
Washington (.232)
Pens (.223)
Acciari has had no losing nights in the last 5 GP while taking defensive zone PK draws (11-6, 64.7%).
Pens have had a total of 1 power play chance in their last 2 GP @ Vegas.
Novak won a career-high 12 draws Tuesday (12-8), while Acciari matched his most faceoff wins in a Pens’ sweater with 11 (11-5).
Pens have earned points in 3 straight GP without both Sid and Geno (1-0-2). The Pens’ best stretch without both of them was 9-0-1 from Oct. 18, 2011 through Jan. 27, 2015.
Sid has now missed 223 career regular season games (219 with injuries/illness, four times rested). He has now missed exactly half as many game as Mario (446).
Pens have points in 6 of their first 8 GP without Sid (3-2-3).
Pens beat VGK 5-0 in Pittsburgh on March 1 and conclude the season series tonight. Only 3 times have the Pens played multiple games in a season series and not allowed a single goal:
2003-04 v. Hawks (2 GF, 0 GA)
2014-15 v. Kings (4 GF, 0 GA)
2016-17 v. Canucks (7 GF, 0 GA)
Pens have failed to convert 4 of their last 5 overtime power plays, including all 3 this season.
Chinakhov played a career-high 22:26 Tuesday in Carolina. He has points in 3 straight games (1-4-5).
