We had just one NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs game last night, but we’ve got two more slated for this evening to kick the weekend off right. He did admit there’s a possibility he’ll move Crosby around in Game 2 just to free him up from that and give the Capitals different looks.
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At one point T.J. Oshie’s goals, including the victor in overtime.
Crosby finished with one shot on goal in almost 23 minutes of ice time but was a minus-3.
“Their goaltender is an aggressive, big guy and I was hoping I could beat him to the far post if I got a chance”, Oshie said.
Head coach Mike Sullivan has gotten the most out of Pittsburgh to this point, but the Pens will have to turn it up a notch if they are going to compete with the Capitals.
“The league is going to do what they do, we’re going to do what we do”, Sullivan said. While they may downplay the importance of their roles, their teammates understand the presence of two opposite but equal forces give the series juice unlike any other. Sometimes both coaches are comfortable with the same match, and we’re certainly comfortable with that. As such, the draft order was determined by lottery in which teams were assigned 1 to 3 balls based on their playoff appearances and first overall draft picks from the previous three years. Washington’s goalie, Braden Holtby, tied the all-time record for wins in a season; Pittsburgh’s chugging along with a goalie, Matt Murray, who has all of 13 regular-season games under his belt and made his playoff debut two weeks ago. The memory still resonates in Pittsburgh almost as much as the Penguins’ eventual triumph over Detroit in the Cup finals.
Sheary said he had “some little things that were nagging” him after a physical five-game first-round series against the New York Rangers, so he didn’t skate Tuesday or Wednesday. Does he have the mental toughness to bounce back again? He remained in the game. “He’s got a complete game”.
“I think in my past I haven’t had the best numbers in playoffs and the team hasn’t had the best numbers in playoffs, and so when you come in, this is the time of year that counts”, the 29-year-old said. “Thanks God we won this game”. “Just got to bounce back tomorrow”.
There was a tendency, heading into the series, to perhaps imagine it as a showcase of pure skill versus skill.
Wilson was fined $2,403.67 for his knee to Sheary that left the winger hobbled. Wilson was sent to the penalty box for cross-checking, and Malkin for embellishment. Daniel Winnik’s slash to Crosby’s midsection went uncalled.
Then with the Penguins cycling in the Washington zone, Malkin came off the bench, took a feed from Chris Kunitz in the left circle and lifted a backhander over Holtby’s left shoulder at 11:37 to make it 2-1.
The Penguins got untracked during a second period in which they outshot Washington 17-7 and scored twice in a 57-second span.
The sharp power play helped the Sharks shake off some early rust after having six days off before Game 1.
“It’s tough”, said Washington defenseman Brooks Orpik. “That’s when our teams at our best, when we manage the puck and make the right decisions”.
“I haven’t spoken to our medical staff, but, yes, you are correct”.
“We all know how effective they are on the power play”, Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm said.
Game 2 in this highly-anticipated series comes tomorrow night.
“That’s just kind of a whiff, kind of a freebie”, Berube said. “We don’t like them, they don’t like us”.
This series was never going to be a sweep. That’s exactly how it’s supposed to be in the [postseason].
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Ovechkin didn’t score but was still effective, assisting on Oshie’s second goal and finishing plus-3.
