Scrimmage wrap-up

Wednesday, 16 January 2013 22:13

Written by Shelly Anderson

Some things were contrived -- phantom power plays, an overtime and shootout regardless of the score -- but overall the Penguins' Black and Gold scrimmage was fast-paced and well-played.

The Black team prevailed, 5-4. The White team was stacked with the lines of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and the top power-play unit, but the third line centered by newcomer Brandon Sutter carried and including wingers Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy carried the Black team.

A scoring recap:

Cooke converted a feed from Brandon Sutter to give White a 1-0 lead 41 seconds into the first period.
Winger Beau Bennett swept in from the left side to score a power-play goal off the rush at 2:48 of the first period to tie the score for Black.
It took Chris Kunitz a couple of whacks at the puck near the feet of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to get a power-play goal at 15:52 of the first period, giving White a 2-1 lead.
Defenseman Kris Letang scored on a shot from above the right circle at 3:56 of the second period to give White a 3-1 lead.
Cooke struck again, shorthanded this time, when he swept the puck in after Sutter drove to the net with the puck. That pulled Black to within 3-2 at 5:27 of the second period.
Black tied it, 3-3, at 7:13 of the second period when Kennedy squeaked the puck inside the near post from the extended goal line.
With a coach-created five-on-three advantage to start the third period, Malkin ripped a shot from above the right hashes to give White a 4-3 lead at 0:58.
In overtime, Sutter converted a set-up by Kennedy for Black at 2:54 to tie it, 4-4.
In the shootout, Kennedy, Jayson Megna and Sutter scored for Black, with only Letang scoring for the White.