The Coyotes put together a gutsy full team effort and took advantage of a penalty plagued Penguins team to win 3-0 over the defending champs.
Pens announcers on radio and TV kept praising the Coyotes fight, saying they were a complete team, giving the Penguins no time and space to do anything.
The highlight of the night and my early "Goal of the Year" favorite was from a very familiar face. In case you missed, this is what you would have heard:
"Shot taken by Vrbata. The rebound - they score! Petr Prucha scores from his BACK, as he's able to poke it past Brent Johnson to make it 2 to nothing.
Isn't that what Petr Prucha brings you? We've seen it when he was a member of the New York Rangers. Maybe he's not feisty. Sometimes he is and he has been, but he's got great hands.
On the first goal, he was the screen and the second goal he is lying on his kneesand he's able to keep track of the puck as he's knocked down, intertwined with Mark Eaton in front of the cage. Even though he was hog tied, he got it up over the glove of Brent Johnson. It's 2-0 on two powerplay goals by the Coyotes. What a goal!"
"So Petr Prucha is on the board for the first time with the Coyotes this season. That's his 6th goal in 29 games against the Penguins. Doesn't sound like much but I bet if you look he has more goals against Pittsburgh than any other team. He really loves playing against the Penguins.
And maybe the Rangers knew that. They would even plug him into the lineup against Pittsburgh even after he'd been scratched for a several games before that.
Petr Prucha has given the Coyotes a 2-0 lead."
And later on:
"You don't want those two on a 2 on 1. Vrbata and Prucha. They are two of the most talented players on this hockey team. Nice move by Prucha to move it from forehand to backhand."
Ignore the Prucha gushing - okay, don't. relish in it! you know I will! - this was a complete team effort but a team that is not getting enough credit.
I'm thrilled anytime they win. But even more when they win like that. And against the Penguins - a team that under Bylsma has only lost once on home ice. Until tonight that is.
Take them seriously folks. The Penguins are going to.
And the Penguins announcers warned that Phoenix is "making a little bit more noise than people expected."
Damn straight they are.
5 comments:
Naturally, I missed it. That's why I came to you, for all the Prucha quotes and gushing! Thanks for everything. So proud of Pru I can't even verbalize it anymore, and I'm so jealous that I missed it I might have to drown myself in the shower. Still...it's our boy!!!
Allyson
Well luckily I wrote it all down for you...us...him. For love of a random Czech hockey player in the desert. *sigh*
But I don't want to hear about no drowning there! :p That goal will live on highlights for a long time, so I'm sure we'll all see it many, many times! =)
Go Pru!
You always do the BEST write ups about our boy <3.
That was maybe my favorite Prucha moment since he's been in Phoenix. It was just too much; against the Stanley Cup champions, on his back, ON THE POWER PLAY.
Also, those Penguin announcers are on something if they think Prucha isn't always fiesty! Because he's the fiestiest (what a word! lol) and that's why we can't decided if we want to watch the hometown Rangers or the freakin' PHOENIX COYOTES tonight.
Really, though, don't you feel like bursting with pride? Happiest moment for me, personally, so far this season.
Oh, and did I mention it was the number 4 play of the day on ESPN's top ten?! <3
Kerri - I didn't know that - you better tell Allyson! She wanted to know.
And I do each and every moment he does something good. We're like his foster mothers that way.
Kaleta better not have hurt our boy!!!
I did hear about it being #4 on ESPN! On to NHL goals of the week!
Kerri, that was the main thing that bothered me, actually. I can deal with them saying Prucha didn't "put up numbers in New York", because, well, in recent memory he hasn't (but that's a separate discussion, as we all know), but it bothered me to no end when they said he's not always "fiesty". Please! Have you SEEN this kid play?!
Allyson
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