Well it wasn't easy, even after the game couldn't be decided in regulation, Chris Kunitz found a way to escape from Long Island with a win and home ice advantage against whoever they face in the Playoffs. This was a huge game, and it came up huge. There weren't fireworks right out the gate but they came out after about 8 minutes. Off a beautiful setup from Eric Godard, Rupp comes up with the puck in front of the crease and sends it opposite side of Montoya into the goal. Pens take a big first lead in this game where goals were not coming at a premium.
Right afterward on the ensuing face-off, Eric Godard and Handlebar mustache got into a fight. It was fairly uneventful but was a way for the Ref's to send a message early. Both players got a match penalty and removed from the remainder of the period. Good thing too because not having to see Gillies the rest of the period was a blessing.
In the second period Michalek rifles in another beautiful goal to put up his 5th of the year after going almost the entire season without a goal. This one was the insurance goal, or so we thought until shortly after Comeau comes in and scores on a significantly easier shot, but it's the Islanders and they need any break they can get. 2-1.
Going into the third period it seemed like things were still going to be okay for the Penguins and they were going to hold onto the extra goal, but needed another insurance goal to finish it off. This unfortunately didn't happen as Comeau yet again came in and scored on another pretty easy gimmie from Grabner behind the net and the game is now 2-2.
Not to be outdone, Mark Letestu comes in on a beautiful move and rifles his own goal home giving the Penguins fans another boost of confidence. Unfortunately there was still 8 or so minutes left in the game and there was much left to be decided. Still looking for the insurance goal the opportunities were there but not taken, even an empty net goal near the end of the game was just wide of the goal and would of put this one home.
Instead, with just under 2 minutes left in the game, the Islanders appear to score again but it gets immediately waived off due to Tavares being in the crease interfering with Fleury, no penalty is called but the goal is wiped away. Unfortunately still with just :35 left in the period, with 6 on 5 off the empty net, the Islanders scored and put the game into a tie, again.
 | |
| Pascal's cries for help go unanswered. |
The game then goes in OT, and for the most part overtime was uneventful unless you count the outstanding hustle of Pascal Dupuis. His theme song if it isn't already should be "Everyday I'm Hustlin" because he is putting out some of the hardest work of anyone on the team half the time chasing down pucks.After getting seemingly done from behind by an Islander in the crease though, he doesn't get the scoring opportunity he hopes for after batting down the puck at the point with his stick, getting it to Tyler "They call me Crosby" Kennedy who does a few sweet dekes but gets rewarded with nothing. In the end the best thing to come out of this OT period was the fact that the Pen's sealed up home ice with this one point. One wasn't good enough, and one man knew this.
Puts the Islanders in their coffins, ruins the night of all 12 Islander fans in the upper deck in attendance and rides his mustache all the way to Georgia to get ready to play against the Thrashers.
In other news Philly ended up losing in OT, this is okay, but today at 7pm, if the Penguins hope to take the division they are going to need the Islanders to not lay an egg and hand Philly a win. The hockey gods will surely need to smile upon the Pens if they hope to capture the division and face Buffalo in the first round. No match-up is ideal in the playoffs, but I'm sure they'd take Buffalo over the Lightning.
Pens take on the Thrashers tomorrow at 3pm in sunny Georgia, the Masters will not matter.
No comments:
Post a Comment