via @Allie874

 

If you're confused by the title, listen to Mike Lange's call of Pascal Dupuis's goal.  When Mike Lange bust out a new phrase, it tells you how big the game is. No one does it better.

 

This game was enormous for the Pens. And it was ferocious from the start. It was hard skating all night. The Pens got up early, saw the Devils tie it, then started skating away with it.

 

A couple Crosby moments worth mentioning here and now.  First, the fact that he performed the same move on Zidlicky twice is mind-blowing.  Really shouldn't be allowed to do that.  (Got a GIF of this in the recap below.) His timing is close to being back to where it's always been.  And he's putting pucks home.

 

The second Crosby moment was this:

 

 

Crosby got smoked by Andy Greene, and he got right back up.   Actually, he didn't even appeared fazed.  He immediately was looking to see where the puck was. First big-time hit he has taken. Have to think this hit has stripped away a chunk of the doubt surrounding Crosby's fragility.

 

Recap after the jump:

 

 

 

 

 

Both teams scored goals off of bullshit behind the net.

First, Malkin pressured Brodeur into a mistake and fed it out front to Kunitz.  1-0.  Pens looked to be off and running again.

But a funny thing happened on the way to a 2-0 lead.  MAF played a puck behind the net to Crosby.  He and Engelland weren't on the same page, and the puck went right out to Parise.

1-1.

Steiggy and Errey trying to blame Lovejoy, Fleury, and Engelland for that. Come on.  Crosby's allowed to make mistakes.  Probably second time a mistake of his has directly led to a goal against in his entire career.  Can't believe Errey tried to blame Lovejoy for "losing Parise."  That's like someone shooting you in the face, and Errey as the D.A. deciding to take the air to trial instead of the shooter.

A little later, Malkin went down the runway with an injury.  He came back soon after.

Then the Devils got some bullshit powerplay.  MAF made a huge save on Parise point-blank.  The Pens killed that, but it was all Devils all the time.  Letang made another huge diving play to stop a great scoring chance.

We've been pointing out every time a player gives Crosby a break.  It happened again late in the first when that Larsson guy pulled up from eliminating Sid.

Malkin was sprung on a breakaway near the end of a shift.  Marty came out ninja city to make the stop.  Then Malkin kept working and almost scored an amazing goal falling down.  Nope.

Jordan Staal gave the Pens a 2-1 lead going into the intermission.
Great shift by that line with Cooke and Adams.

Devils got away with 1,000 penalties.

 

Devils were in Pens' mouth to start the second.  Big-time.

Scary moment halfway through the second.  Letang got rocked in a collision with Zubrus.  Looked a little messed up.  On later views of the play, it definitely looked like Letang initiated the contact.

-Crosby fed Dupuis on a pass in front.  Dupuis had to make a move, but Marty made a huge save to keep it 2-1.

-Sick play by Sid to slide a puck past Zidlicky.  We would see it again.

-Paul Martin had his scoring chance for the game on a run-of-the-mill slapshot.  Not even sure if it made it through all the humanity.

-Pens got a power play when Asham got jobbed.  The unit looked kind of lost without Letang.  Killed.

Good news came when Letang returned to the ice.
Staal and someone went off in a bizarre sequence.

Great shift by Sid led to a Pens goal.  Played defense, worked his ass off to gain position and speed in the transition, then caused mayhem in front of the Devils net. Adams put one down low and got a rebound. Devils were worried about Sid and forgot Dupuis. 3-1.
 

Kovalchoo.  What he did.  He score goal.  3-2.

Then Crosby took it to another level:

4-2.

Let's recap:

Then came the Andy Greene hit. 

Ain't even mad.

Thanks again to @Allie874

Letang got tripped, and nearly broke both of his feet late in the third. They showed him on the bench and he looked completely shaken.

 

Malkin with the empy net.  5-2.

GAME

MISCELLANEOUS

• Dustin Jeffrey played.
• Tyler Kennedy has to start shooting low.  Adams did.  Led to a goal.
• Another 5-goal game for the Pens.  Lost in the Ottawa game is that they did have another 4-goal game.
• Great stat by our boy Gary P: 

• Big week ahead.
• Devils could be a pain in the playoffs possibly.  For someone.