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The Pittsburgh Penguins put a stranglehold on the
Philadelphia Flyers winning 4-1 and taking a 3-0 lead in the best of
seven series.
The Penguins, who had not won a game in Philadelphia this season
scored two goals in the first period to take the early lead and leave
the fans in attendance wondering what happened to their team who
disposed of Montreal and Washington in the previous two series this
playoff year. Ryan Whitney put a shot on net while
on the power play, and like Sidney Crosby’s goal the previous game it ricocheted
off a defensemen and behind Marty Biron. A few minutes later,
Marian Hossa notched the second goal while screaming down the center
of the ice and into the Philadelphia zone. The Flyers eventually
answered back to make it 2-1, but the damage had been done, and the
Penguins played sound defense the remainder of the game; limiting
shots and entry into the zone. The first period was riddled by
penalties, some that looked pretty questionable, both it went both
ways and shouldn’t leave the Flyers crying to league
officials.
The second period however was extremely vacant in chances and was a
pretty fast moving frame, with only a single penalty and no scoring,
the Penguins simply played their much underappreciated defensive game,
while the Flyers couldn’t get anything going, looking like a team that
had already been defeated.
The third started to look just like the second, and not a single
penalty was called in the 20 minutes, yet unlike the 2nd, two goals
scored were put up on the scoreboard. Unfortunately for the Flyers,
both were by Penguins. The first was due to a great play by
Evgeni Malkin and determination by Ryan Malone, who swept a loose puck
behind Marty Biron to make it 3-1. The second, an empty netter
by Marian Hossa, who had scored the second goal in the first period
via a great shot between the legs of the defender and is looking more
and more confident playing with Crosby.
The Penguins will look to sweep the Flyers Thursday Night.
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Comments
TIM
May 13, 09:59 PM
Hossa is catching fire, and if there is one guy who is needed to help this team reach it’s goals it is certainly him. Let’s Go Pens!
Jonathan Farzalo
May 13, 10:31 PM
The ONLY thing I’d like to see improve would be the scoring via Staal’s line. They have been BEASTLY defensivly, but are not cashing in on the scoreboard. I think if we meet up with Detroit, we’ll need scoring from Staal just has much as we will Hossa, Crosby, and Malkin.
TIM
May 13, 10:47 PM
Solid solid point. Having 4 lines clicking and scoring will be the only way to beat Detroit. I think Staal is due for a big playoff goal.
Let’s Go Pens!
DaBich
May 14, 04:51 AM
Jonathan, you are so right. I’ve been watching the Wings and Dallas games and man, are the Wings something. We are too,but as you say, we’ll need some scoring from Staal’s line as well. Our defensive game is great. Let’s beat Philly first!
c
May 14, 11:05 AM
I’m as excited as anybody, so I hate to be a bit of a wet blanket about Detroit. The part of the game that will come back to hurt the Pens, I’m afraid, is the faceoffs. You can lose a bunch to Philthy, as the Pens have all series, and still get by. The Wings are not quite so, oh, shall we say, generous, with the puck as the Flyers are. But we’ll see; this Pens team is also very resourceful. It will be interesting to see how they match up against the best of the best. Top 2 offenses vs. top 2 defenses should make for a great series.
Eric
May 14, 11:32 AM
The game was a good win for the Penguins. I haven’t had a chance to re-watch it on TV, but I was sitting behind the net (Where Fleury was twice) and the Pens seemed to have just dominated the puck. The Flyers crowd was out of it after being down 2-0, and coming back at 2-1 only prolonged their eventual defeat. Most of the fans there were just hoping that the Flyers could do something, get by on heart or luck. But in talking with a few of them, they knew that they ran into the Penguins at the wrong time. They were complaining about everything from the referee’s, to the lack of puck possession and passing, to not producing any offense and just flat out not being that good. I was expecting to be covered in beer and leaving with a black eye or two, but nothing happened. Even after I stood up four times for four goals, nothing. Which kinda shocked me, but I guess there wasn’t much they could do. The best, and I love this the most about leaving a visitors arena after watching my team win, is the look of dejection on their faces and how they still continue to complain. It was a fun game to go to, and something I’ll never forget.
Even though there are only 3 wins for the Penguins, they have the full momentum and are continuing to play some special hockey.
Tom
May 14, 02:39 PM
Jonathan, Food for thought about the Fleas and Wings, the Ducks own the Wings. They do so with the neutral zone trap, just the same way as they took the Sens and Wings apart in last year’s cup playoffs. The Pens are playing the trap in the same fashion that the Ducks play it. It is tough to get through and is disrupting and boring; however, it may be the Pens’ best hope. It has certainly won them 11 games so far.
Tom
May 14, 03:51 PM
Jonathan, Since Mike has not posted grades for Game 3, I shall make one more stab at doing so:
Offense A: The only thing that hampered the Pens’ offense was playing the neutral zone trap which knocked the life out of the Fleas. Had the Pens attacked offensively rather than played the trap, they could have scored at least 8 goals over the old, tired, depleted and dispirited Fleas’ defense. Still, give credit where credit is due, four goals were plenty.
Defense A+: One goal allowed due to confusion in the pairing was harmless. The neutral zone trap is a team, system thing. One forechecker to disrupt the center of the ice in the opponent’s defensive zone. He prevents cross ice coordination by the opponent. Two wings drop back to the neutral zone and play the boards to prevent the opponent from sustaining an attack to move forward. The two defensemen, with reduced coverage area, prevent an attack and move the attackers to the boards and past the goal, prohibiting any decent shot, while the backchecking forwards disrupt the center of the ice in the defensive zone, in the unlikely event that the opponent’s play gets through. Anaheim brought the trap to a fine art in last year’s playoffs against the Wings and Sens, crushing the life out of those potent offenses. Mike often calls the trappers “the ruiners of hockey” along with the trap’s proponents, the Devils and the Ducks. It is destroying the Fleas.
PP A+: One of two is outstanding. I still fear the shorty.
PK A+: Can’t beat zero for four. Played like a trap in the defensive zone with a forechecker who returns to the 2 – 2 scheme. This is permitted only by the speed of Staal, Dupuis, Hossa and Talbot.
Goaltending A: Flower should have stopped the Umberger goal, but it was the confusion of changing pairings that let the shot be made. Whitney is only effective defensively when paired with Letang, not Orpik. Nothing against Orpik who would have gotten my first star for game 2. Defensive pairings survive upon familiarity with one’s pairing partner. Flower only faced 18 shots on goal, but stopped 17. Good job.
Overall A+: A dominating game in a defensive scheme. Ducks II. The quick goals and trap completely sucked any spirit out of the Fleas. The Pens have joined “the ruiners of hockey” club. This is the scheme used by the Ducks to own the Wings.
Individuals:
Gonchar A+: Great sliding stick block. A truly highlight play showing supreme effort and skill. Would give Gonchar my number one star. Gonchar played strongly and defensively in the trap.
Hossa A: Great goal, better defensive play in the trap. Fast, aggressive and smart play. He was worth the deal and must be resigned, hopefully for another cup.
Malkin C: Other than the pass for the Malone goal (assisted by Downie), Geno looked preoccupied and did not bring his A game.
The Genius A+: His trap system (Ducks’ neutral zone trap) worked to perfection and totally deflated the Fleas.
Comment: It is truly appropriate for the Fleas to wear jailhouse orange. Downie’s frustration hit on Sykora after the Malone score and whistle was in excusable. If that is the standard, BGL can nail any Flea after the whistle and decimate their team. Why does the Garage League permit this from a goon? Please resume your fascinating grades Mike.
Jonathan Farzalo
May 14, 09:50 PM
Downie not getting 2 minutes for that late hit was something i didn’t get….was the only one who couldn’t grasp it? Sure the refs put the whistles away, but that was so right in the face that one had to think a call was coming….then, nothing. Sad.
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