So it was Monday night when the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Washington Capitals in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Advertisement
Even if you know nothing of Sidney Crosby’s concussion history, seeing him careen head-first into boards last night was unsettling.
Days after being down 2-0 and 3-1 in the series despite starting the set with two home games, the Caps finally chased the Penguins down and forced Game 7 with a convincing 5-2 victory over the Pens in Pittsburgh in Monday’s Game 6. Crosby went down – or, as the National Hockey League would argue, sideways – in the first period of Game 6, banging his head against the boards then hitting the ice. The Capitals have forced the Pittsburgh Penguins into a victor take all showdown on Wednesday in Verizon. Those spotters are in the arena and in a central office in NY watching the video feed.
“Our group has [had] pretty good resolve”, Trotz said. “Get to their zone a little bit more often”.
I dont know whether from coaching or playing whether you get into a mental block or not, said Bruce Boudreau, who coached in Game 7 four times with the Capitals and four times with the Ducks. He scored twice in Game 1, picked up a pair of assists in Game 2 and had seven points in five games against the Blue Jackets in the first round.
Sullivan believes that wealth of experience will serve his team well in the series-determining game in Washington.
So as you’re reading the policy, and it’s clear Crosby was “slow to get up”, and it takes just one of the signs to require removal from a game, you have to wonder why he kept playing. Andre Burakovsky has been the star of the show, notching three goals over the past two games. “We take away the things we did really well tonight – which was getting pucks deep, blocking shots and getting pucks out when [the Penguins] were pinching – and take it into the next game, and improve on some other areas”. He reunited the “HBK” line of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel that worked so well during last spring’s Cup run and the trio responded by generating one shot on goal.
Bryan Rust led the way for the Penguins with a hat trick, including one into an empty net, while Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Matt Cullen and Justin Schultz would add their only goals of the season against Ottawa. Crosby went into the boards after taking a nudge from Capitals defenseman John Carlson with 2:13 remaining in the first period.
The concern is that Crosby’s brain may not have fully healed from the previous concussion and that could have put him in a unsafe situation in Game 6. He didn’t miss a shift and stressed he felt fine.
I think sooner or later this might be the fundamental question that will be addressed in a court of law.
Now, not only do the Washington Capitals have the momentum, but they also have the advantage of home ice for Wednesday’s Game 7.
This Game 7 between the Capitals and the Penguins at the Verizon Center could be one the greatest sports moments this city has witnessed. Now they’re doing neither. Over the past two games, Fleury has allowed nine goals and has just an 84.4 save percentage. The Pens fought hard to stay in the game, though the first period ended with the lone Caps goal.
“I think it’s so awesome for the game”, Yeo said. “But you have to give Washington credit too”.
Instead, we got an excuse because of the rulebook. He’s one of only 12 active players with at least three Game 7 goals in his career.
Advertisement
His most notable Game 7 appearance came in the 2006 Stanley Cup Final. Despite the blowout in Game 6, they’re still right there.
