Today’s Column is Brought to You by the Letter "P"

by Jan Snyder


Pens defeat Sens, take Game Three 4-2


Playoffs
The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated Ottawa to take the lead in the series, two games to one. Although the Senators fought hard and came with all they had, it just wasn’t enough to defeat the Pens tonight. Without Kovalev, Kuba and other integral players, the Sens just couldn’t keep up with the Power of the Pens, no matter how hard they tried, and they tried hard right to the very end.

Patience
Patience is a virtue as Alex Ponikarovsky found out less than two minutes into the game. He waited and debated – then shot and scored the first goal of the game. Crosby was rewarded for his patience too on the Pens’ third goal when he worked his way around the goal crease, just waiting for the right moment. He saw it, took the shot, and in it went.

Physical Pest
Tonight’s game was another bruise-inducing game for both teams. The hitting started early and never stopped until the final buzzer. Crosby slammed into the opposition’s Captain, Alfredsson, and took him out of the game for a few minutes. When Alfie came back, he went a little crazy on Staal, but was just trying to jazz up his teammates. The defensemen were hitting everyone all over the ice and Matt Cooke came dangerously close to another suspension when he hit a Senator from behind. Speaking of pests, Jarkko Ruutu garnered himself a ten-minute misconduct for his particular brand of peskiness. [Aside: Though he isn’t actually a “pest”, this Peter Regin guy, a rookie, is one of Ottawa’s best players in this series.]

Poke Check
Last game, Crosby saved a goal by poking it out of the blue paint with his stick. Tonight, Fleury didn’t need Sid to do it – he took care of a loose puck himself, knocking it safety out of his goal crease as it was trying its level pest to creep over the goal line!

Power Plays
Power plays for each team played an important part in this game. Mike Fisher scored Ottawa’s first goal on the power play. (Do you realize that when Mike Fisher marries Carrie Underwood she will be Carrie Fisher? Remake of Star Wars with Carrie as Princess Leia in the offing??) Crosby’s goal was scored while the Sens were short-handed too.

Pace
Sometimes, especially in the second period, the pace of this game was absolutely frantic. Up and down, back and forth rushed both teams, taking their best shots (at the goal and at each other) in the process. Geno scored during one of those crazy rushes and Guerin managed to break away from the onrushing pack to score his goal.

Persistence
The Pens played with persistence, pushing the puck with patience while playing physically at a phenomenal pace, putting up with penalties in the process!

Other Uses of the Letter P
Two other teams, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Phoenix Coyotes, won their games too. Philly is now up two games to one against the Devils, while Phoenix has taken the lead in the series from the mighty Red Wings. Sunday was a good day to root for a team with the letter P in their city’s name!

Come Tuesday, we’ll see if the Pens can win once more in Canada’s capital city.

LET’S GO, PENS!