Game Seven, Smoke Monster and Bobbleheads

Pens Lose Game 6 in Montreal
series tied 3-3

by Jan Snyder




Things were looking up. Hal Gill couldn’t play, Spacek hadn’t played in awhile. The Pens were up by a game in the series – just needed that one more win in Montreal.

Turned out to be easier said than done. The crowd, which more and more reminds me of the smoke monster on Lost, upped their decibal level (which I didn’t think was possible) and it wound its way around the Bell Centre creating so much cachophony that we could barely hear the announcers.

Cammelleri got the scoring started quickly in the first and brought the fans an encore in the second, scoring his second of the night. Sid finally broke through with a goal and Letang rang up another power play goal.

At just about the time we thought Spacek would fold, he scored instead to end the second period. The third featured two power plays for Montreal and one for the Pens but neither team was able to connect. Lapierre scored a nice goal putting Montreal up 4-2, but the Pens never go easily.

Guerin scored to make it 4-3 with a couple of minutes left, but although the Pens gave it the old college try, they couldn’t get another puck past Halak to tie it up.

Lisa talked about how she hoped the Canucks used up all their bad luck. Tonight was a similar deal for the Pens, as they hit three, ding, dong, ding, three posts in one period! A quick whistle in the first caused a goal by Geno to be called back and all our bounces tonight were bad ones.

Sooooo, back to Pittsburgh for a Game Seven! Such drama – who would have expected it in the second round? But Pittsburgh fans can be loud too, especially in a huge game like this one will be. They remember the celebrations last year, they remember walking down the streets after these big wins honking car horns and screaming, Let’s Go, Pens! They remember that sunny parade day as Sid hoisted the Cup for everyone to see. And so does the team. Game Sevens are fun, nerve-wracking, but fun! We can do it!

Let’s Go, Pens!

Random thoughts

• The other Eastern semi- final is just as crazy. After Boston went up 3-0, they now let the Flyers creep back into the series and it now stands at 3-2. Boucher, the Flyer goalie, went out in this game. We’ll have to see if he can come back for the next game.

• The beardless Canucks pulled out a big win at United Center on Sunday but will need to do the same on Tuesday, but like the Pens, they will be back at home to do it.

• This afternoon on NHL Live, E. J. Hradek was talking to Joe Thornton’s bobblehead. The whole thing was hysterical as E. J. shook “Joe” to make it look like he was answering his questions. Maybe I’m just easily amused, but I was laughing out loud!

• Wow, at the World Championships in Germany, they are playing hockey in soccer stadiums that hold 77,000. Team USA isn’t doing too well, but we’ll have to see how it goes.