Snap Shots: Penguins 2, Islanders 1 (SO)
* Goaltender Casey DeSmith is the biggest reason the Pens will leave Long Island with two points tonight. He kept the team in the game when they trailed 1-0, and then was spectacular in the shootout - turning aside 4 of 5 shooters.
DeSmith had issues with breakaways a few weeks ago, culminating in a loss against Philadelphia where he allowed two tallies. Since then he tweaked some things with goaltending coach Mike Buckley, and the results have followed. DeSmith has been nearly automatic since then. He stopped Brock Nelson on a breakaway in the first period and, of course, excelled in the shootout.
Perhaps his best save was a brilliant read-and-react on a tip shot by Josh Bailey in the slot. He alertly adjusted in a split second to make a blocker save. DeSmith's work in the second period was crucial to this win.
* Kudos also to the Pens' PK unit, which thwarted a critical power play late in the overtime session to force a shootout. Most notably was the unit's willingness to block shots, particularly Jack Johnson, Zach Aston-Reese and Bryan Rust.
* It wasn't just on the penalty kill either, the Pens were blocking shots all night. They finished with 18 on the night. But their willingness speaks volumes to their desire to win.
* Side note: has anyone been better on the penalty kill this season than Johnson? I think not.
* The Sidney Crosby-Phil Kessel experiment has come and gone. Entering the third period and with zero goals, the Pens switched up their line combinations by moving Derick Brassard to wing on the top line. They used the following…
Guentzel-Crosby-Brassard
Pearson-Malkin-Kessel
AstonReese-Sheahan-Rust
Wilson-Grant-Dea
The new configuration paid immediate dividends, as Brassard would tally just 2:13 into the frame to tie the game at 1-1.
* Brassard's goal was an atonement in a way from his turnover in the second period that led to the Islanders' opening goal of the game.
* Tonight was the first game of the annual Dads' Trip. The fathers watched the game from a suite. Pittsburgh improved to 11-5-3 all-time on the trip.
* Lastly, this game aside, I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the newly renovated facility of Nassau Coliseum (NYCB Live). The building is still the shell of the old model, but everything is updated.
I was walking around the same hallways, corners, ramps and rooms from 2015 - the last time these teams played in this building. They've all been painted and the home and visiting locker rooms have been flipped. It's almost like nothing really changed in the event level. Rather than ripping anything out or remaking the structure they basically just updated everything on the inside.
The biggest difference though is inside the bowl and the concourses. The brand-new, black plush seats make it look like an entirely different venue. The concourse has a chic, new age feel.
And outside the layered beam design makes it look like an intergalactic spaceship. An incredible job all around by the designers and construction crews that brought it all together.
And the atmosphere was exactly as it was before: electric.
