Did Penguins' Faceoff Dominance Fall Short Against Flames?

The Pittsburgh Penguins faced off against the Calgary Flames at PPG Paints Arena, resulting in a 2-1 loss for the home team. This game brought the Penguins' record to 21-13-9, while the Flames improved to 19-22-4. Despite a strong performance in faceoffs, where the Pens won 56 percent of them, they couldn't capitalize on their opportunities.

First Period

The opening period saw both teams testing each other's defenses without finding the back of the net. The Penguins managed to outshoot their opponents with 28 shots compared to Calgary's 25 by game's end but were unable to convert these chances into goals during this initial phase.

Second Period

In the second period, Yegor Chinakhov broke through for Pittsburgh with an even-strength goal assisted by Ben Kindel and Evgeni Malkin. This goal was Chinakhov's only shot on target but proved crucial in keeping his team competitive. However, despite their efforts and maintaining pressure on Calgary's defense, no additional goals followed for Pittsburgh.

Third Period

Calgary responded strongly in both first and third periods with one goal each. Matt Coronato was instrumental for Calgary as he contributed significantly throughout all periods of play alongside goaltender Devin Cooley who made key saves against Pittsburgh’s attacks – earning him recognition as one of three stars from this matchup.

While Arturs Silovs performed admirably between pipes saving 23 shots out of total attempts faced; ultimately it wasn’t enough given lackluster offensive support which left fans pondering what could have been different had more scoring opportunities been seized upon effectively earlier within contest itself?

As we look forward towards next engagement scheduled January 11th when Pens travel Boston take Bruins TD Garden (5:00 PM EST), viewers can catch action live via ESPN+, NESN or SportsNet PT networks respectively! Share your thoughts about how our favorite team might bounce back after recent setback!