One Staal Staaled in First InStaalment While Other Staal is Staalwart

by Anne

That title has reached "Staal" critical mass. However, if I could think of another way to put "Staal" in there again, I'd use it.

Jordan defeated Eric in the opening faceoff circle and then his Penguins defeated Eric's Butter Snaps 3-2. Therefore, the Staal who wins the opening faceoff, wins the game, or something like that.

In spite of the bozos on Versus discussing Jordan's superior faceoff skills and Cam Ward's infallible infallibility, Eric won more faceoffs than Jordan and Ward let in some softies. Still, Cammo ended up having to do the lion's share of the work in net. The Hurricanes fired 12 shots on Flower in the first, and only 13 over the second and third. Yet, Flower still came up big and made some snappy glove saves and a few wild flaily "OMG Flower, just lay down on it!" saves. Now, they'll talk up Flower in the next pre-game and Ward will have the best game of his career and Flower will allow 5 goals on 6 shots.

Miro Satan's goal was a perfect example of capitalizing on the 'Canes poor transition game last night, along with Matt Cooke's "I meant to do that" blind dump out to the neutral zone that ended up springing Miro on the breakaway. Toss that in along with just about the niftiest fake we've seen from good ol' Satan since he left Buffalo where, in 2002, someone claimed he was on the verge of becoming an NHL superstar. Yyyeahhh... abouut that..

Anyway, bad news for the 'Canes as Tuomo Ruutu and Erik Cole both left the game with injuries with, of course, no news forthcoming after the game. The Penguins only injury question mark, Sergei Gonchar, played over twenty-one minutes, so that's that.

Even though both teams scored when they were "a man to the good" as Joe "Crazy Specs" Beninati would say, special teams weren't soo much of a factor. There were four power play opportunities for Pittsburgh versus only two for Carolina. Both teams did a decent job of staying out of the box. That, or the refs are just letting things go.

Now for your obligatory "Jordan STAAL v. Eric STAAL OMG THEY'RE BROTHERS?!" photograph of the game:

'
So much Staal

Game 2 is Thursday at 7:30!
Wooo!
LET'S GO PENS!