NHL Update – Chicago Blackhawks lose 4-1 to 2009 Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins
The 58th game of the preseason took place at the CONSOL Energy Arena, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The game promised to be one of the most exciting encounters, as the 2010 Stanley Cup champions Chicago Blackhawks were up against the 2009 Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins.
The first period of the match didn’t see much happening due to the fact that both teams concentrated on maintaining a good tight defence rather than attacking. This is one of the reasons as to why the first goal came very late in the period. Out of both the teams, Pittsburgh Penguins were able to get a break through first. With constant hard work they managed to score through Evgeni Malkin in the thirteenth minute. The rest of the period didn’t see much happening as both teams were content on not letting the other team score by maintaining a tight defence.
At the end of the first period, the Pittsburgh Penguins managed to come up with nine shots out of which they managed to net once. On the contrary, the Chicago Blackhawks managed to come up with just five unsuccessful goal attempts.
As soon as the second period began, both teams seemed to change their plan and decided to attack from the looks of it. The puck was regularly seen going to and fro. However, it was the Pittsburgh Penguins once again who managed to get past the tight defence of the Chicago Blackhawks in the fourth minute. The goal was a result of a splendid 22 feet shot by Dustin Jeffrey.
As the period progressed, the Chicago Blackhawks managed to come up with good plays and decent goal attempts. They managed to convert one of the attempts in the ninth minute into a goal through Kyle Beach’s 28 foot snap off shot. This resulted in the Blackhawks decreasing to deficit to just 1 goal with the score 2-1 in favour of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The period ended with the score on 2-1 and the Penguins managed to score once out of the 11-goal attempts. The Chicago Blackhawks also managed to score once out of the nine goal attempts.
At the end of the period Evgeni Malkin, centre of the Pittsburgh Penguins said that despite of the opposition’s defence suffocated them; they would try to score more goals.
As the third period began, the score was 2-1 in favour of the Pittsburgh Penguins. And working on what Evgeni Malkin said, the Pittsburgh Penguins were constantly attacking the Blackhawks. The strong offense that they came up with, coupled with tight a lock down defence they formed, saw the Chicago Blackhawks going nowhere.
Though the Chicago Blackhawks managed to make good attempts on goal but all of these were from a long range. This was due to the tight defence of the Penguins and coupled with excellent goal keeping by their goalkeeper.
But the Chicago Blackhawks in their search for a goal with the score on 2-1 left spacing empty in the defence. This was very well exploited by the Pittsburgh Penguins, as they managed to score in the ninth minute through Nick Johnson’s backhand shot from 8 feet.
Attacking even further, the Pittsburgh Penguins shut down the doors of a comeback by the Chicago Blackhawks in the twelfth minute, when they scored once again to pile up 4 goals against 1.
This is how the match ended and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the defending champions 4-1. At the end of the match, Joel Quenneville Head Coach of the Chicago Blackhawks said that though this was bad result, but they were up against the 2009 champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins. They had the share of chances but weren’t able to score.
The match saw Evgeni Malkin, centre of the Pittsburgh Penguins being named as the first star selection with Mark Letestu coming in as the second star selection. The third place was occupied by Paul Martin, the defenseman of the Pittsburgh Penguins. This completed the dominating performance of the 2009 champions, Penguins against the defending champions, Chicago Blackhawks.
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