Winter Classic glog Penguins vs. Capitals

Let me say, for those of you who read my last blog entry, this is one of those things I was talking about, a glog. This entry would fall under the category of the“not to be mixed up with Multiply 365” variety. Truth be told, I didn't think I would be glogging tonight's Penguins - Capitals hockey game, first and foremost because I didn't think it would be happening tonight. Allow me to explain for the uninformed.

Tonight is the night of the Winter Classic, the one game a year the National Hockey League plays outdoors. The event has been going on a few years now, with games previously in Buffalo, Chicago, and Boston but this year the game is to be held in Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, where the Pittsburgh Steelers usually play football. Creating a hockey rink on what normally is a football field is a complicated task, but also creates for some visuals that otherwise wouldn't be possible, like last year when Boston hosted the game at Fenway Park, and people were watching hockey from on top of the Green Monster. It is just a singularly unique (thank you Captain Redundant) game in the NHL season.

All of that being said, the game was supposed to take place this afternoon, and with me going into work to place an order and then needing to go fetch my bus pass, I really didn't think I would be home in time to catch all of the game, but then Mother Nature did me a favor. Temps in Pittsburgh for the last 36-48 hours have been unseasonably warm, in the 50s, and for the better part of the day it actually rained, creating a situation where the ice rink was possibly going to be too soft to have a hockey game on, so the game was pushed back from an original start time of noon until 8pm this evening, giving time for the rain to push out of the region, and behind it is coming some colder air, enough so that temps for the game are expected to be in the 40s and falling as the contest goes on. No call for snow, as was the case in some previous Winter Classics, but the weather doesn't look to be too much of a concern now with the later start time and as a plus the later start time fits my schedule and I can sit here, typing away as if I know just what the hell it is that I am actually talking about.

The game will feature arguably the NHL's two biggest stars in Sidney Crosby for the Penguins and Alexander Ovechkin for the Capitals. Not that those are the only two stars on the teams, but those are probably the biggest names involved.

Of course WPXI, the local NBC affiliate that will be broadcasting tonight's game is all geeked up by starting their pregame coverage two hours early, even blowing out the evening newscast to do so. What that usually means is we get an hour and a half of useless chatter by people who wouldn't give hockey the time of day if it weren't for the fact the game is being broadcast on their station. Case in point, we are not even one hour into this two hour pregame extravaganza and already we have been treated to an interview with Pat Sajak. Good god, we have an hour more of this coverage left. I will not be so unkind as to let you into every little thing that passes through my head prior to the hockey game, because by and large it would involve two things, 1) Whether I should order dinner in and 2) Do I have enough time before faceoff to view some good internet porn?

I stand corrected, it just got worse. 58 minutes until faceoff and we just had an interview with the Penguins mascot, Iceberg. That was almost as painful as when Kelly Frye interviewed furries during Anthrocon.

While we are awaiting the start of the game I should make note of something I blogged about. I had been very critical of the Pitt football coach, Dave Wannstedt, who has failed to live up to not only my expectations, but the expectations of the University of Pittsburgh as well, so they fired him before the end of the football season. At the time I had hoped the university would leave no stone unturned in finding the best qualified candidate to take over the football program, but the search was short and not too sweet. Within a couple of weeks the school had announced the hiring of Mike Haywood, head coach at Miami (Ohio, not to be confused with the University of Miami) where he had been head coach for two years and had a losing record. Nothing says your program is in the shitter like hiring a MAC school head coach with a losing record. But we need not worry as Haywood didn't even get to coach a single game at Pitt. Seems he decided to go all MMA on his baby momma, as they say in the street vernacular, and try to deliver a choke out. Haywood was arrested for a “felony domestic battery in the presence of a minor”. Less than a day later Haywood is fired and the coaching hunt begins again. Given how exhaustive the last coaching search was (cough, cough) I expect they will probably hire the head coach at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind as the next man to take over the program.

Still 30 minutes to faceoff, thankfully I have Facebook to occupy my time until we get underway, rather than bore you with more needless chatter.

Okay, enough with the nonsense that is the local pregame show. Now onto the nonsense that is the network pregame show. I managed to kill some time working on my Madden team, but now I am thinking food might have been the better choice. Oh well, worst case scenario I will sneak out after the game and go forage for food in Oakland. Primanti's is sounding pretty good right about now.

If there is one good thing about the weather delay it is that this will now be the first night time Winter Classic, and for the league it may be a benefit to have the game shoved into primetime as opposed to midday when fewer eyeballs are on TVs. Let's be honest, NBC usually does a pretty crappy job promoting hockey, heck they broke away from an overtime game in the past to do prerace coverage of horse racing, so the rain delay is actually a boon to the NHL that they normally wouldn't have gotten.

Well we start the game with good news. Singing the Canadian national anthem is a member of the Barenaked Ladies, who is apparently embarking on a solo career. If that means that no talent bunch of ass clowns broke up 2011 is already better year than 2010.

Jackie Evancho sings the United States national anthem, proving that her 15 minutes of fame post America's Got Talent isn't quite over yet, but she is on the clock.

And we are underway.

Early on we have seen a couple of hits and a couple of shots on goal, one by each team, but no scoring. Ice quality hasn't been an issue yet, in previous Classics there have been stoppages of play at times to maintain the ice surface, but so far no issues with the ice surface here.

The Capitals have the early advantage in shots, 4-1, and have had the better of the scoring opportunities to this point and look to get a couple more as the Penguins take the game's first penalty, Paul Martin gets 2 minutes for hooking.

The Penguins have been one of the best teams in the NHL this year in killing off penalties and this is no exception, killing off the man advantage while actually getting a couple of shots themselves despite being a man down.

The first really good chance of the game falls to the Capitals when the Penguins have a giveaway in their own zone leading to a 2 on 1 break in on Marc Andre Fleury, but Fleury makes the save and keeps the game scoreless 9 minutes in.

The Penguins get their first power play of the game, as Mike Green is called for holding Sidney Crosby on a break into the Capitals zone.

The Capitals have a successful penalty kill and the teams have been almost even statistically to this point, with both teams having served one penalty and the shots being 8-7.

And we have our first hockey fight of the game, Mike Rupp and John Erskine square off, and much like the rest of the game to this point, the fight can best be called a draw.

14 minutes into the first period and while there have been ebbs and flows to the contest, neither team has really dominated play to this point. As if to further emphasize the point I was trying to make, both teams register a shot that clanks off of the goal post while I was typing.

With roughly 15:30 gone in the first period I will say this is probably a better hockey game than a TV game, lots of good things from both teams in terms of positioning and defense and goaltending, but that doesn't translate well to TV. It is one of the reasons why hockey is a much better sport to watch in person that on TV, though the advent of HD has helped to a degree.

The period ends with some more chippiness between the teams, but in remains scoreless. Total shots in the first period favors the Penguins 17-12 and both teams are 0 for 1 on the power play.

Second period underway. I used the intermission to get a few more games of Madden out of the way.

Early on in the second period Ovechkin is denied twice on really good scoring opportunities as rain has once again begun to fall. They are saying the rain should only last 5 minutes or so, but as is the case with weathermen in general, I will believe it when it actually happens.

Ovechkin is denied for a third time in the second period and Kris Letang kicks the rebound out to Evgeni Malkin who has a breakaway the other direction and he buries the puck behind Semyon Varlamov to spot the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

Brooks Laich gets called for goal tender interference on a questionable call and the Penguins will have their second power play of the game.

The Penguins get a couple of chances early on in the power play, but Varlamov is up to the task to keep it a one goal game.

The Capitals kill off the power play and we return to 5 on 5 hockey action until Maxime Talbot gets called for holding to create the second power play opportunity for the Capitals.

After a flurry of activity in front of the Penguins net, the puck is pushed through Fleury and over the goal line to create a 1-1 tie. Mike Green gets credit for the power play goal amidst the mass of humanity in the Penguins crease.

Washington has taken the momentum of the game here early in the second period, being the more dominant team in the offensive zone, leaving the Penguins to scramble more often than not just to get a clear for a line change.

5 minutes have passed since the weatherman said it would quit raining and guess what? It's still raining. It's results like that that can get you a fine government job.

Jason Chimera has a chance on a wrap around shot with Fluery completely out of position, but he somehow manages to miss the shot and the game remains tied.

Whatever advantage the Penguins had in shots after the first period has since been eradicated by the Capitals, as they now have a slight advantage in shots overall, but have outshot the Penguins 13-5 so far in the second period.

Marc Andre Fluery turns the puck over again behind his net and unlike last time where Chimera couldn't convert, this time he gets beaten for his carelessness and the Capitals have a 2-1 lead on an Eric Fehr goal.

John Erksine trips Maxime Talbot while he is attempting a backhand shot in front of the Capitals net and the Penguins will have a 2 minute man advantage.

The Penguins third power play has proven anemic a minute and a half in, with the Pens barely even able to get into the offensive zone.

And the penalty is successfully killed off by the Capitals and once again we are back to 5 on 5 hockey.

The Penguins have a 3 on 2 break coming into the Capitals end and get a shot off but incidental contact by Mike Rupp on Seymon Varlamov wipes out what would have been a game tying goal, so the Capitals still lead 2-1.

And with that the clock runs out on the second period with the Capitals leading 2-1.

Third period is about to start. I spent the time catching up on my Bingo Explosion app and reading some articles over at Comic Book Resources. I still haven't bought any books since my rant a few years ago, but I will read to keep up with what is going on, thereby getting most of my comic information for free as opposed to spending 3.99 or more for a book.

An early wrap around attempt by the Penguins fails, as it was probably the first good scoring opportunity by either team early on in the third period.

By the way, just in case you hadn't guessed yet, it is still raining. For all of the talk of 5 minutes, I can think of one weatherman who should be looking for work in the morning.

A couple of big saves by Varlamov in front of his net protects the Capitals one goal lead almost 5 minutes into the third period.

Our first TV timeout of the third period with no change in the score. There has been a change in the neighborhood though, as the college douchebags are moving back in. Right now one of the neighbors is blasting a stereo, last night it was two girls fighting by yelling “slut” and “whore” at each other at 2am. Just remember mom and dad, this is your money hard at work.

As much as the Capitals dominated play in the second period, the Penguins have dominated play here early in the third, it just hasn't translated into anything on the scoreboard. But the pressure does result in a penalty by the Capitals, delay of game for shooting the puck over the glass and the Penguins have their 4^th power play of the game.

An impressive power play effort by the Penguins there, but for all of their success in being able to set up in the offensive zone and generate chances, Varlamov is again up to the task.

Better than halfway through the third period and still no change in the score until Eric Fehr gets loose on a breakaway and beats Fleury for his second goal of the game and the Capitals now lead 3-1. I think we can guess who the game's #1 star will be at this rate, and Varlamov would have to be a strong contender for the #2 star at this point.

Prime example of why NBC does such a poor job promoting hockey. There are now 6 minutes left in tonight's game and with the Capitals holding a 2 goal lead some TV sets I am sure tuned out, yet it was just now that they finally promote the first game of their NHL Game of the Week schedule.

Another potential goal is waved off, this time the Capitals lose out on the goal scored as Fluery is ruled to have been impeded in his attempt to play the puck. Nothing of the penalty variety, it just waves off what would have been a goal for Ovechkin.

Two and a half minutes left and I haven't seen enough of a consistent effort out of the Penguins, save for their last power play, that would lead me to believe they can score two goals in two minutes.

One minute to go and despite a flurry of activity, no goals for the Penguins as they pull the goal tender to skate 6 on 5.

And it's a final, Capitals 3 Penguins 1. And I was wrong, Varlamov got the # 1 star and Fehr was the #2. Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin was the game's third star. Okay time for a spell check and post. Goodnite from Pittsburgh.