Final Score 2-8

Series 3-2

“It’s the battle level, who’s going to control his emotions the best. So today should be a great match” — Pascal Dupuis

You’d think so huh? Instead, what fans were given was a horrible 8-2 blowout. It sucked. The Penguins started out really strong at the opening faceoff and even lead in shots but it all went downhill from there.  It wasn’t until the end of the first period before the Lightning managed to hit the back of the net, followed by a second goal not even a minute later and from then on there was a complete momentum shift.

The Penguins have managed to completely shut down Stamkos so far this series, not an easy task considering he was second this year in scoring, but tonight he demonstrated why he’s able to score so well and so often. The defence completely lost track of him at certain points during the game and it lead to his two goals and one assist performance.  If the Pens want to close the series out on Monday they need to get back to playing the same defence they were during game 1 and game 4.

The interesting thing with the current version of the Pens is that when it works, it really works, and when it doesn’t it really, really, doesn’t. The power play is so anaemic at this point that Niskanen is now on the second shift. He might be a decent defenseman but on the power play for Game 5 he was unfocused and sloppy. Does he really belong there? The only thing more glaring than Niskanen’s play was Kovalev. He looked more like the Kovalev from the Ottawa Senators than from his glory days on the Pens. Complete lack of drive and urgency.  Now obviously these two aren’t the reason for the loss but their short comings are becoming painfully obvious. Add Fleury being pulled in the second and it just goes to show how off the Pens were today.

Bright points of the game were few and far between but thankfully goals by Rupp and Conner in the third at least prevented a shutout and Talbot registered 2 assists reminded fans why he is Mr. Clutch.  Monday is a new game and a new start. The Pens need to bring the energy and get back into sync with each other in hopes of closing the series in Tampa and hope the pattern of home ice disadvantage continues.

Final Score: 3-2

Series Lead 2-1

Finally! This was a start to finish team effort from the Penguins and exciting hockey from puck drop to the final blocked shot.

With a packed house and an impressive light show introduction Tampa was in for quite a shock when Max Talbot kicked off the scoring not 6 minutes into the game, and Arron Asham, who has proven to be the Pens’ best asset during this series, followed suit not 40 seconds later. A few botched calls by the referees, missing a high hit on Lovejoy and calling goalie interference on Kovalev did not help matters, led to the first of two power play goals by Martin St Louis.

In the last minute of the first, Lecavalier gave the Pens a chance to demonstrate their “newly renovated” power play. It definitely looked better. The puck was only cleared by Tampa twice instead of 6 million times and the Pens actually managed to set up a good cycle, too bad they couldn’t deliver at all during both their power plays opportunities.

Most impressive tonight was the consistent ability to win draws, something not usually consistent with the absence of Crosby and Malkin. Talbot was over 50% tonight when it came to faceoffs and this is just the beginning of how far this team has managed to come since January. Zbynek Michalek has been a wall since he was signed over the summer but he has really come into his own these past couple months. Same goes for Martin and Kennedy. Who would have sat down last October and said that Tyler Kennedy was going to be one of the Pens’ best players? Or that Letestu would be centering the first line?

The Penguins’ passion and intensity carried through the second and third periods. Even when the Lightning were able to tie up the game they continued to tally shots until ultimately Roloson allowed Kennedy to score the game winner. This series is shaping up to be the most evenly matched when it comes to offensive skill and defence, which is surprising considering the Pens are missing their biggest players.

Leturnover No More

What can you really say about Letang’s performance tonight other than magnificent? Very deserving of the first star, Letang looked like he was on the warpath tonight and came away with two assists and a spectacular demonstration of his speed and agility. This was the Letang we saw in November, the one who was written in to the All-Star Game based on his skill. Now please, for the love of all things holy please, keep this up.

The Hit

In case you missed it, about midway through the first period, Chris Kunitz laid out a hit that definitely falls under the new NHL rules on headshots.  He was given two for elbowing and I’d expect the hit to be reviewed by the league. There appears to be definite intent to injure, I mean come on he was looking right at his head when he went to elbow. Does he deserve to be suspended? Yes. Is he a repeat offender? No. Will he be suspended? With the way the league rules on these kinds of hits I’d expect so, but then again I thought the hit on Chicago’s Brent Seabrook deserved a suspension and nothing came from that. At least Gagne isn’t severely injured, that is the important thing in this situation.

You can see the hit here: http://i56.tinypic.com/b967g7.jpg

» Continue reading “Power Surge in Tampa Bay: Game 3 Recap”

FINAL SCORE 1-5

SERIES TIED 1-1

Game 2 does not define a playoff series. Thankfully, that is one of the few positives from friday’s game. From the opening faceoff the Penguins looked completely flat and after Brewer scored on the first shot of the game, snapping a high shot to beat Fleury short side, it only crumpled their confidence more. Tampa completely restructured their lines after the 3-0 loss on Wednesday and this allowed the Lightning to come in to Friday’s game with a fresh perspective, something they used to their advantage.

Right off the bat, too many penalties were taken by both sides and it completely removed all the energy from the first period. To Tampa’s benefit they were able to regain that energy while the Penguins could never shake it off, ultimately leading to their 5-1 loss.

Powerless Power Play

With a league-leading penalty kill it was no surprise that the Pens managed to fend off four of the six Lightning power play chances. What is surprising is that the Penguins have gone 13-0 when they are given a man advantage. The final Penguins power play of the first period is the ultimate example of just how awful their power play is. They were never able to set up a proper cycle, managed to turn over the puck in the neutral zone on several occaisions, and never tallied a shot on goal. That’s a lot of awful to fit into the last two minutes of a period. Things need to improve and they need to improve fast if the Penguins want to win the series.

Shots, shots, shots

It’s baffling when you look at the box scores post-game and see that the Penguins led in shots on goal, hits, and faceoffs but still managed to lose the game.  During the last half of the second period it looked like the Pens were finally getting into a groove, only to lose all their momentum in the third. More creativity and speed is needed in order to beat Roloson and a better net front prescence will hopefully improve the picture when the Pens hit the ice in Tampa Bay on Monday night.

Final Score 3-0

Shutout. After the first period I didn’t even think a shutout would be possible yet here we are the morning after Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs sitting 1-0 in the series. It might have taken two periods to get into the game but when the Penguins did, they did it big time.

Two goals in 18 seconds is not something that happens often or really at all since the Pens lost Crosby and Malkin but yet they managed to do it. Asham’s initiative on his first of the post-season showed just what the Pens are made of, with or without 71 and 87 and Kovalev’s goal was the epitome of flukey brilliance and speaks volumes about his play so far this season. He’ll give up on plays, let other players race for the puck, and take his sweet precious time to get up after a hit but it all manages to somehow end up with either a great scoring chance or a great goal. I guess he has a better vision of the game from flat on the ice. Throw in an empty netter from Kunitz and you really have the definition of blue collar scoring.

Fleury absolutely on point last night and the defence was practically unmovable. Michalek and Martin have been brick walls and, at times, the best backup goalies the Penguins could ask for. Big hits and bigger blocks kept Stamkos, St Louis, and Lecavalier quiet all night long. Frustrating them beyond belief and causing them to ice the puck four times in a row during the second period. The defence won that game last night and has been the reason for Pittsburgh’s success since January. Now if only Letang works on his turnovers in the neutral zone and Niskanen can try and keep the puck in the offensive zone when on the power play, life would be good for the Penguins defense.

Friday night will be another test for the Penguins and with their newest offensive coordinator, Sidney Crosby, hopefully they can stay on the same path they did last night.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are here. I don’t know if I can even describe in words how excited I am. We all remember the NHL commercial campaign at the opening of the ’10-’11 season with the tag line, “questions will become answers.” That ad campaign got me so psyched for the season but that feeling can’t compare to the thrill I feel during the playoffs. The regular season, no matter how important or exciting can’t hold a candle to the post-season. Every goal, every game, all lead up to this. Coming off the regular season with four straight wins, the Penguins look to kick off their 2011 playoff run strong.

Regular Season Stats

Still still still without top scorers Evgeni Malkin and captain Sidney Crosby the Pens have found a way to stay strong. Mostly due to several players stepping up to fill those skates. Tyler Kennedy has become synonymous with goal scoring in Pittsburgh and Jordan Staal has also stepped up into a major leadership role for the Penguins. Without his former line mates present, Pascal Dupuis has also emerged as a key player for Pittsburgh. Kris Letang has really stepped up for Pittsburgh as the D-Corps has become a focus for the Pens without their top scorers.

The Lightning have been impressive all season and Pens fans should not underestimate this talented Tampa Bay team. This seven game series will definitely be one of the most watched and most exciting series of the first round. Prepare for a gongshow every night.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are wrapping up a whirlwind month of March with two key games against Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. This will be the second time the Pens face the Flyers in the past week after they won the shootout in Philly. The Pens also faced off with the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers, getting a win in both games. The Pens are on a four game winning streak but all four of those games were decided in shootouts. The Penguins successfully clinched a spot in the playoffs, something that always appreciated when there’s more than a handful of games left in the season, but if Pittsburgh wants to make a deep run they are going to have to win games in regulation. With two big tests coming up for the Pens in the Flyers and the Lightning, Pittsburgh has to come out big to prove they are still a Stanley Cup contender. Another factor is rehabbing captain Sidney Crosby. He’s been skating and practicing and making incredibly promising progress but do not hold your breath for him to be ready for playoffs. I don’t need to tell anyone that concussions are serious, serious injuries and that the training staff is not going to take any chances with Crosby. For now, just be happy he’s healthy and back on the ice.

Penguins' prospect Bryan Rust, Freshman at Notre Dame

Another exciting story for Pens fans who follow college hockey, top Penguins prospect Beau Bennett played in the NCAA tournament this weekend in Green Bay for the Denver Pioneers. The Pios were the number two seed in the Midwest Regionals. They played and beat the Western Michigan Broncos and moved onto the regional finals to face off, once again, with the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. The Pios lost to NoDak but the whole team played a strong game. Another prospect from Notre Dame, Bryan Rust, played in the tournament. Notre Dame defeated Hockey East schools Merrimack and University of New Hampshire to advance to the Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minnesooota. You can catch Rust and Notre Dame, along with the other Frozen Four game on ESPN2.