The Pittsburgh Penguins added a comeback victory to their season's repportoire tonight with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. The Penguins were scoreless in the first two periods of play, heading into the third period down 2-0.
In the first two periods, Ryan Malone, Ryan Whitney and Sidney Crosby combined for zero points, with just as many combined shots on goal. However, once the third period got under, the first line really woke up.
Maxime Talbot, in his second game fresh off a high ankle sprain, notched the first goal in a little over six minutes into the third with a diving backhander that just slipped past Oilers netminder Dwayne Roloson. The scoring continued 21 seconds later on a Letang shot to tie the score at two.
In typical Penguins fashion, the team continued to rally on the offensive. Nearly four minutes later, Colby Armstrong sent the Penguins on 3-2 lead with a shot from a Mark Eaton shot-pass.
Throughout the entire third period the Penguins controlled the puck in the Oilers zone, cutting down the puck at center ice and really putting their best skate forward. Within the span of seven minutes, the Pens scored four goals, with the last coming from Ryan Whitney on the power play to seal the deal late in the third.
Amidst the media hype of his visit to Edmonton, Sidney Crosby put on a show for the fans. Rumor has it, tickets on the street were selling upwards of $600 a piece to see the NHL superstar in action. Crosby did not disappoint as he put on a display on athleticism in his three point, three assist game.
Marc-Andre Fleury, despite giving up an early goal in the first, looked phenomenal in net. He also came within only inches of scoring a goal in the dying seconds of the third period when the Oilers pulled Roloson for an extra attacker.
Additionally, Maxime Talbot is just coming from out of nowhere this season. In the past, especially in 2005, he was a regular back and forth player splitting time in Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh. However, he is now just starting to earn his ice time on the lines with Georges Laraque despite the difference of nearly four inches and 50 pounds between the two. One can almost say it's the on-ice version of the classic story "Of Mice and Men."
The Pittsburgh Penguins continue their Western Canada tour tomorrow in Calgary against the Flames. Puck drops at 9p.m. Eastern.
