Preseason recap: Pens vs. Red Wings

First of two preseason home games for the Penguins. The game was less exciting than I had hoped, but then I remembered that last year's match-up between these two teams was probably my least favorite game of the season.

Some highlights:

• The Penguins spent practically the whole first period on the power play, but managed to score just once. Eaton scored the goal. The guy's such a defensive asset to the team; it was great to see him score.
  
  
• Fleury made an incredible save in the second period. Unfortunately, the rebound bounced right to a Red Wing who had an easy shot at the net.
  
  
• Most of the second and third periods were a bore, until the last couple minutes. Detroit's Hudler took a penalty, and the Pens pulled Fleury, giving them a 6-on-4 advantage with the empty net and a score of 3-1. Malkin scored to pull the team within one, and the next 45 seconds were intense, until Zetterberg got his second goal on an empty netter. The last goal was meaningless, as the Pens had onviously stopped playing at that point.
  
  
• New from the Jumbrotron gimmicks: the Penguins have decided to add a "jukebox" fan vote to the media time outs. Votes are made by text message, not crowd noise. Bigger news: the vote will apparently replace the "Cotton Eye Joe" ritual. Last night, the song was one of the three choices, and it won anyway. I'm wondering what the Pens Patrol will do on nights that it doesn't? Their entire sense of purpose will be lost.