Shootout shutout

On paper, any three of the Penguins top 6 should be able to beat any 3 of the Carolina Hurricanes in a shootout. Unfortunately they don't play the games on paper.

When Ziggy Palffy's deflection of a pinpoint Sidney Crosby pass tied the score at 2-2 with 1:29 to play and then both teams failed to score in OT, I felt sure that the better offensive talent of the Pens would prevail. But young Cam Ward stopped Mario, Palffy and Crosby and Caron failed to stop Cory Stillman, the Pens fell to the Canes 3-2 in OT.

The Pens were a little more solid on D w/ Caron in Net. Orpik got the healthy scratch, but Scuderi and the human backboard Melinchar (another opposing team goal came off of Melinchar last night) got to play.

Crosby showed why he's been so heralded with his skating and playmaking, but this team obviously needs to develop some chemistry. The first line in particular seems out of synch. Ryan Malone was often camped out in front of the net waiting for passes from his linemates that never came.

Hopefully the home crowd will give the Pens a jumpstart of energy that they seem to be lacking since the first ten minutes of game 1.