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 If every game was like Thursday night's 4-3 shootout win by the
Pittsburgh Penguins over the Winnipeg Jets, third-line center
Brandon Sutter might be the league MVP.
The Penguins' Sutter scored his fourth goal of the season and added
a pair of assists in a game that would have made any member of the
prolific hockey family proud.
Sutter's dad, Brent, had a lengthy career in the NHL as did five of
his uncles. All of them were known for getting their noses dirty.
Many of them have coaching on their resumes, too.
"I'm sure if you asked a few of the Sutters, it would be (a Sutter
kind of game)," Sutter said. "It was a greasy one, it was gritty,
there wasn't a lot of open ice, it was pretty tight checking and
very physical. It was a fun game to be a part of," he said.
"You can't rely on the same guys all the time, other guys have to
step up. I think our penalty kill did a good job and our goalie
(Marc-Andre Fleury) did a great job. We managed to get some offence
from our bottom six forwards, that's always big."
 Penguins coach Mike Johnston said he knew pretty much from the
opening whistle that Sutter, along with his linemates, wingers Steve
Downie and Nick Spaling, were on their games.
"He was huge," Johnston said of the center. "I felt right from the
very first shift, when (his line) hit the ice tonight, they had a
good shift right off the bat.
"They carried over from the Minnesota game. They took advantage of
their scoring opportunities tonight. The (second period goal) by
Downie was a big play. I thought their line was real good."
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who scored the deciding marker in
the shootout, said the game was a little out of character for both
clubs but he thought his team handled the situation well and didn't
take any stupid penalties.
"You don't see three or four fights in a game these days, Crosby
said. "I think both teams stuck up for each other and wanted to make
sure they were there for their teammates. Both teams had their
opportunities to win the game at different points. They carried the
play in the first period, we carried the play in the second, and in
the third and overtime, it was anybody's game. It was a pretty good
hockey game."
Jets coach Paul Maurice said the game had its own "unique
personality."
"It was meaner than some of the other ones," he said. "There were
some heavy hits, later hits, lots of chirping on the benches. It was
good to be a part of and we handled it the right way. I didn't think
we slowed down, even at 3-1 (down) I thought our next shift was
good. We had a good push at the end of the second period. The
penalty killing was great tonight, as it has been for us. I just
liked that game," he said.
Jets captain Andrew Ladd opened the scoring when he deflected a shot
from center Bryan Little past Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at
9:36 of the first period.
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The sell-out crowd of 15,003 had barely finished applauding for the
goal announcement when the Penguins (9-2-1) tied things up when a
shot from defenseman Simon Despres evaded Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec
at 11:16.
The Jets (7-5-2), who had won three in a row despite their lack of
offense, outshot the Penguins 15-8 in the period.
Sutter gave the visitors the lead at 6:50 of the second period after
a neutral zone giveaway by Jets defenseman Grant Clitsome.
Then the game got nasty.
Jets left winger Evander Kane brought the crowd to its feet when he
fought Despres at 8:06 of the second period.
After failing to score on a power play of their own, the Jets gave
up a breakaway to Downie, who had just exited the penalty box. He
slipped a backhand past Pavelec after a stretch pass bounced off the
end boards and back to the front of the net.
Downie was then shoved into the boards by Jets right winger Dustin
Byfuglien. Yet another scrum ensued, with both players heading to
the penalty box.
Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba made it 3-2 when he ripped his second
of the season by Fleury with just over a minute to go in the second
period.
Kane sent the crowd into a frenzy when he beat Fleury to the blocker
side nearly four minutes into the third to tie the game at 3. He was
sent in alone on a nifty pass from right winger Blake Wheeler. It
was Kane's first of the season and 100th of his career.
NOTES: The Penguins power play went 0-for-6 after scoring 19 goals
in 46 man-advantage opportunities heading into the game. ... A
60-second "Heritage Minute" was shown on the MTS Centre scoreboard
during the first intermission. It celebrates the accomplishments of
the 1920 Winnipeg Falcons, Canada's first Olympic gold medal winners
in hockey. ... The Jets set a franchise record shutout streak
against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday (a 3-1 win). The 161
minute, 17 seconds beat the nearly nine-year-old mark of 151
minutes, 55 seconds.
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