Scuderi's late goal lifts Rangers over Pens 2-1

When you need a clutch guy, he is your man. That is why Ranger's coach Tom Renney had him out there with less than a minute to play in the game.

"We really needed that second point" Renney said. "When you're fighting for a playoff spot, every point counts. We didnt want the game to go to a shootout because they (the Pens) have been very good there recently."

"He's great to have on the ice" captain Jaromir Jagr said. "He's so good at deflecting it into the net you only need to get it onto his stick. I saw him in front of the net and knew it was as good as in."

But if this man isnt Jagr, who is it? Nylander? Straka? Even Sean Avery? Nope. It is Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi, who registered his sixth goal of the season on his own team to give the Rangers the go ahead goal with 33 seconds left.

Scuderi, who provides little offense or defense, is only rated third among Penguins defenseman for points behind Gonchar and Whitney. However, when it comes to points for the other team, he holds a commanding lead with six goals and eleven assists.

"We couldn't have done it without him" Jed Ortmeyer said. "When that guy is on the ice, you know something good for us is going to happen."

The sentiment was echoed around the Rangers locker room, all saying that Scuderi was the MVP of the game for them.

"Without him, we walk out with maybe one point." Marek Malik said. "But the way he played the whole game, I dont think we would have come out with any."

Three Stars
1) Rob Scuderi
2) Jocelyn Thibault
3) Henrik Lundqvist


Ok, so enough of the rant. But that is how things should be played in public though they wont be. Seriously, this is what, the sixth, seventh time Scuderi has scored on his own net? It is ridiculous this guy keeps getting playing time. The fact we have both him and Melichar on our blueline just screams to me the Pens are going to be out of the playoffs sooner rather than later.

All in all the Pens looked pretty frenzied out there, with nothing seeming to work. While few really played bad, there was no rythme to their game and no one could connect. It was an off night for everyone not named Thibault, who had a stellar game.

The Pens almost got a point out of it with a nice tap in from Ouellet (see, I can give credit where it's due, and had blogger not erased my other post you would have seen me give credit to him for the good game against Jersey). But Scuderi had to make sure they neither secured a point to go ahead of Ottawa or tie New Jersey by sending the puck past Thibault. Sadly, Thibault's good play is over shadowed by Scuderi's ineptness.

The whole loss isn't his fault, as I said the Pens did not have a good game, but if not for him they would have at least a point.

Also, I keep hearing talk of moving Malone off Crosby's line. To be honest I would move Recchi first. He has been invisible since the long winning streak ended. I think Therrien needs to mix up that first line because Crosby is the only one producing.

The real three stars:
1) Jagr
2) Lundqvist
3) Thibault