Pens/ Bolts Game Three: Stealing the Thunder from the Lightning!

Pens up 2-1 in the series

by Jan Snyder

The folks at the St. Pete Times Forum tried hard to give their team the advantage in this first playoff game in Tampa. They handed out drums as patrons entered the building. The idea was to make as much noise as possible and knock the Pens off their game. Good thinking, except…

The Pens came out flying and noise or no noise, they stole the thunder! Max Talbot and Arron Asham each scored quick down and dirty goals in the first period. Those two goals essentially took the crowd and their drums out of the picture. Before the first period ended, Marty St. Louis scored the first of his two power play goals, just to make things a little interesting. I said before the series started that I’ve always liked St. Louis, but I’m starting to feel differently about him already!

I would have thought the building would be louder than it was, unless the TV broadcast was muffling some of the sound. You would think having their first playoff game would bring out more passion in the stands, but I didn’t notice it so much.

By the time the third period rolled around, St. Louis made it interesting yet again, bringing the score to a 2-2 tie, but on just the next shift, our own little tiger, Tyler Kennedy (Kennedy!) popped out of the pack and found the goal to put the Pens up for good.

Still no change on the status of the Pens power play – it’s just about on life support, now a dismal 0-15 in the three games. But it’s getting closer – we can feel it – it’s coming – just a few more tries…same can be said for James Neal’s attempts to score. Not quite there, but coming.

How about Kris Letang? After a less than stellar game last time, he sure made up for it in this one. Two assists, five shots, five hits – he seemed like he had a clone as everywhere you looked, there was another “58” hustling to the puck. Overall, the defense played a much stronger game and it showed on the scoreboard.

Fleury continued to be amazing, stopping Tampa’s big three several times. Only St. Louis seems to be able to beat him, scoring a goal for each of his root canals.

Nice to see Max Talbot get a hard-earned goal. His line was all energy tonight. Also nice to see Ben Lovejoy carry on an intelligent conversation after the game. When he got hit behind the goal, I was afraid we might have another concussion to deal with, but he seemed to be fine. We’ll see if Steve Downie is fined after the NHL review of that hit that saw him leave his feet.

So, the players now have another day at the beach to soak up power from the sun and breathe some life into the anemic power play to get it breathing on its own again. Then on Wednesday, back to business and getting another win in Tampa!

LET’S GO, PENS!

The Defense Never Rests

by Jan Snyder


Pens Win at Home, 2-1
Pens lead series 3-2


Game Five in Pittsburgh! Billy Guerin is back in and Letestu is too. Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky are out; would those personnel moves make a difference?

Starting much like they left off the other night, the Pens and Canadiens battled right from the drop of the puck. Mike Rupp slapped a puck that hit Halak on the side of the head and left him a little groggy. The Pens tried to take advantage of that and kept firing shots at the goal, but with no luck.

With just a little over two minutes left in the first period, the Pens went on the power play. Making up for what happened in the last game, Kris Letang scored, assisted by Geno and Gonch. The Pens decided to then play a little game amongst themselves called “Let’s See Who Can Check their Guy the Hardest”. Bodies were flying!

Montreal then got its own power play but couldn’t score. In one great sequence, first Halak made an impossible save, and then Fleury did the same at the other side just as the period was ending.

In the second period, the defense went into action, as Gonchar scored assisted by Orpik. Geno was on a mission and although he didn’t score, he did everything but. He was everywhere, even at one point, imitating Sid’s dance behind the net. Seeing his parents in Mellon Arena again was a nice treat and having them there seemed to give Geno some extra jump in his step!

Then the real nerve-wracking part of the game started. With just a couple of minutes left, Montreal went on the power play and threw everything they had at Fleury. After he stopped several bouncing pucks, one got through him and the score was 2-1. Could the Pens hold them off? They tried to score again, but struck out on three attempts at empty net goals! But even with that, they were able to successfully defend and wrap up game five with a big win.

Again the goalies were the story, but Pittsburgh’s defense got a big assist in the win. Sid worked and worked, but still couldn’t score and in fact, was one of the ones who missed an empty net! Since Hal Gill was injured in the game, we’ll see if Sid can come out firing (and less impeded) on Monday back in Montreal. Guerin again made a better door than window in front of Halak and Letsetu had an assist.

The Pens need just one more game in the second race to four…

LET’S GO, PENS!


Random Thoughts:

• Sorry those guys dressed up like green beans (instead of human bein’s) in Vancouver have got to go! They are adding nothing.

• Quite a comeback last night for the Flyers. They live to play another day.

One, Two, Three OTs and Your Out!

photo by Lisa Ovens

Pens lose Game 5 at home by a score of 4-3

By Jan Snyder

On a night when the Pittsburgh Pirates lost by the embarrassing score of 20-0, the Pens went down to defeat too in the third overtime period.

Things didn’t start out well in the first. Neither team seemed to be too into the game but the Sens managed two goals to none for the Pens by mid-period. The Versus announcers told us that the Sens GM, Bryan Murray, spoke to the team yesterday, telling them to back off the rough stuff a bit. Some people must not have been listening because just two minutes into the game, Ruutu was assessed a penalty for roughing! But in the long run, I guess Murray got it right because the Sens played better and won.

The War Room Giveth…

Near the end of period one, Letang scored on a power play goal and things were looking up as the home team began the second period on a power play too. Before long, Kunitz scored but the goal was waved off on the ice because the ref thought the net had come off. After review in Toronto, the disputed goal was declared a good goal, tying the game at 2-2. Okay, that’s more like it!

And the War Room Taketh Away…

Early into the third, again on a power play, it seemed that Kunitz had done it again, scoring on a pass from Gonchar. This one went to Toronto too because the ref ruled the puck was knocked in by a high stick. Toronto agreed and a much hoped-for Pens goal flew out the window.

But never fear – Sid is here! He and Geno combined for a nice goal to put the Pens up 3-2 and we fans began thinking we had this one. But that pesky Regin did it again and scored to tie the game and send it into the first overtime period.

The War Room Stays Busy

Why should OT be any different? Although it looked like Foligno scored for the Sens, replays revealed a “definite kicking motion” and once again, the War Room got it right and disallowed the goal. After a spirited twenty minutes, no resolution and the second OT was more of the same. Right at the end, Geno danced around the goal, bringing us all to the edges of our seats, thinking he would slap it in and end things, but no, it was not to be tonight.

By the third overtime, things were looking dire. The loyal fans chanted and waved their towels, trying to bring some inspiration and energy to the Pens. But on this night, the Sens were the winners as Carkner slammed a puck past Fleury to end it.

Let’s accentuate the positives. Sid and Geno each had two points. The War Room was three for three. None of the Pens seemed to get injured. Fleury played a great game, but Pascal LeClaire was just one play better.

In the “Who Would Have Thunk It Department", the Flyers eliminated the Devils tonight. The same Flyers who squeaked into the playoffs on the very last day of the season. The same Flyers who didn’t even know who their goalie would be. The same Flyers who looked to be going nowhere all year are the first to wrap up a series in the first round. Now the Pens need to wrap up their first round series too.

So let’s get ‘em in Ottawa on Saturday!

LET’S GO PENS!

Round Two Game Seven: Penguins/ Capitals

Takin’ Care of Business – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

by Jan Snyder

Penguins win the series 4-3

Let’s dance to a great song by a great Canadian group to celebrate this great hockey win! The Pens came out really determined to take care of business and they sure did.

As the red-clad Caps’ fans waved signs that read “Unleash the Fury”, the Pens were the team that did it. Scoring two in the first period, three in the second, and another in the third, the Pens made a statement. A big part of that statement was the welcome sight of Sergei Gonchar back on the ice, determined to play just a few days removed from that big hit on his knee. He didn’t wait long to make a difference, adding an assist to Sid’s first goal.

More determination? How about Marc-Andrea Fleury, who was determined to take care of his business as he made a huge save on Ovechkin early in the first period, perhaps setting a tone for what was to come? How about Crosby scoring two goals, one an unassisted breakaway, and adding an assist, not to mention taking a stick in the face? Wasn’t it fitting that he scored his breakaway goal on that four minute major? That’s determination.

Two goals in eight seconds was brutal for young Varlamov, but that was just a prelude to the onslaught he would face in the second as Guerin and Letang got to him again in short order. That was all for him in this game, but congratulations to him on a great series.

Jose Theodore fared a little better, but Staal and Sid scored on him too. Remarkably, the Pens didn’t take one penalty the entire game. On their two power plays, the Pens were able to score once.
Yes, the fury was unleashed, much to the delight of Pens fans.



Now we wait to see who we take on next. During the regular season, the Pens split the series 2-2 with the Bruins and the Hurricanes.

Wow, can you believe the two great series the Pens have played already? The Flyer series was tough, but not as exciting as the Caps series. Let’s hope the games just keep on getting better. No doubt the experience the Pens garnered last season going to the Stanley Cup Final is playing a part in their resolve this season.

Now we have a couple of days to get our heart rates back to normal before the next series, the Conference Final, begins. Whatever you’ve been doing as far as rituals go, keep it up.
Now the team has a few days to rest before they go on takin’ care of business!

Let’s Go, Pens!

Round Two Game Two: Penguins/ Capitals

Hit Me with Your Best Shot – Pat Benetar


By Jan Snyder

This song works on two levels. On one, the hits were adding up; on the other the shots, at each other, were adding up. Another song that would apply is “Anything you can do, I can do better.”

What a game – Sid scores, Ovie scores, Sid scores, Ovie scores – twice, Sid scores. How long could this go on? Only David Steckel broke up the hat tricks of the superstars. When was the last time we saw two hat tricks in one playoff game? “Hit me with your best shot, Sid.” “Hit me with YOUR best shot, Ovie.”

So for all the talk about this being a team game and the two rivals not being on the ice at that same time against each other, six of the seven goals were scored by Crosby and Ovechkin. Had the game gone another period or two, who knows how many more each of them would have added.

But this game begs the question: Is Sid the only one who doesn’t ever want to be in that photo again? You remember the ad after last year’s defeat to Detroit. Sid stepped out of the picture of the disconsolate Pens at the end of the game and said “I don’t ever want to be in that photo again.” From the looks of things tonight, he is the only one who feels that way. Where was the rest of the team? C’mon guys, Sid needs some scoring help out there.

There were plenty of hits dished out by each team. Letang, after being plastered into the glass, left the game clutching his shoulder and arm. Will he be back for the next game? That’s a big hit to the power play if he can’t go. Gonchar took quite a slam into the glass as well, but came back to the ice.

Going two for five on the power play worked to the Pens advantage tonight and although it sounds strange in a game where seven goals were scored, both goalies were excellent.

Geno looked better too, but still couldn’t score and took a penalty that led directly to Ovechkin’s third goal.

So, back to the burg. Down two, but with two now on Mellon Arena ice. This time the crowd will be on the Pens’ side. Passion is so obvious on both sides. Each team wants to take the upper hand – who will get it on Wednesday? The hits will keep on coming, the shots will keep on coming – but will the other Pens chip in and help Sid? Hit us with your best shots, guys!


Let’s Go, Pens!