First Period

Start as you mean to go on:

comedic start

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T00:17:24.040Z

The guy in the picture up there took a hooking penalty early and the Penguins opened the scoring on the power play:

Knies is called for holding

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T00:23:05.763Z

Joe Woll never sees it.

Pittsburgh scores on the power play Matt Grzelcyk gets credit for it

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T00:25:31.616Z

Rickard Rakell was later correctly identified as the goal scorer.

Marner got it back:

MITCH MARNER Twist and tuck

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T00:27:48.150Z

net-front Marner ties it for his 10th of the season

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T00:29:21.932Z

one-handed backhand shot from Reaves

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T00:38:15.075Z

And to end the period a puck fired wide, rebounds perfectly for Bryan Rust to score on.

Bryan Rust puts the Penguins ahead

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T00:41:43.734Z

2-1 after one. For the Penguins. Hockey... sometimes it's like this.

Second Period

This period was mostly a holding pattern, with an equal number of shots (Corsi) in all-situations. Both teams shot the puck on their power plays about the same amount, but only the Leafs got a goal:

WILLIAM NYLANDER 🚨 Tic-Tac-One-Timer

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T01:12:34.880Z

Outside of the power play both teams flatlined on the offence generation, and the game, as it does when a wide open affair gets tight, got physical.

absolute chaos shot off the post, Woll goes snow angel, the puck stays out

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T01:21:18.359Z

And then:

Pacioretty gets another roughing call

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T01:23:09.429Z

Not shown is Kevin Hayes punching Oliver Ekman-Larsson about five times in the face. Glove on naturally, so that's fairly universally not roughing.

This one is fun:

ran into the Mitch Marner wall and found out

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T01:43:30.857Z

After two the score is two-all. Expected goals are 2 to 1.4 on Moneypuck in all-situations.

Third Period

Auston Matthews took a penalty early.

Matthews is called for high-sticking

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T02:08:11.038Z

Michael Bunting took the lead back for the Penguins.

Nylander went full airbourne Knies took a quick look after

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T02:12:52.025Z

Alex Nylander took a very ill-timed penalty when the refs were trying hard to keep their eyes shut.

or not

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T02:20:40.699Z

Alex Nylander to the box holding is the call

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T02:22:16.556Z

Leafs killed the penalty but the intense offence they had going before the call eluded them and they stood on Joe Woll's shoulders for a time:

huge glove save by Woll on O'Connor

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-12-08T02:34:25.321Z

Leafs pulled Woll very late again because of their inability to maintain possession until Bryan Rust took a penalty.

Pittsburgh got an ENG four-on-six. And then they did it again. Four-on-six.

Final score was 5-2

This wasn't the most entertaining game, but the offensive prowess against Pittsburgh was better than recent Leafs typical. Yes, that's a limbo under a low bar.

Next game is Tuesday in New Jersey.

Game Coverage