Deryk Engelland dropped the gloves again Monday against Phoenix. He scored another highlight-reel knockout too. Both are becoming familiar occurrences for the Penguins defenseman. Engelland has 10 fighting majors so far this year, second in the NHL. He’s scored impressive wins over legit heavyweights Colton Orr and Jody Shelley.
But, truth be told, Engelland’s brought more to the table than his fists. His physical, defense-first game is a welcome addition to an already solid blueline. Perhaps more importantly, his skill set is a perfect complement to partner Alex Goligoski. Engelland’s also chipped in offensively, with 2 goals and 5 points in 28 games. The Pens, by the way, are 19-7-2 with #5 in the lineup.
Throughout the preseason, the battle for sixth defenseman was between Engelland and Ben Lovejoy. While Loveyjoy has played in 16 games this season, I think it’s clear who won that fight. Not only does Engelland make the Pens a tougher team, he makes them a better team.
Here’s Engelland’s latest victim. Watch out for that right hand, Taylor Pyatt. Ouch!
Original Story:
http://penslabyrinth.com/2010/12/21/e...
