The Penguins owned a 21-6 shot advantage of the second period when they claimed a 1-0 lead on a goal by Carl Hagelin with 10 seconds in a period. And, according to Sidney Crosby, the Penguins expect the Lightning to do the same Friday when the teams return to the ice for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final.
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A shift in momentum, however, would favor the Penguins in the second half of the second period.
Malkin assisted on Crosby’s power-play goal that proved to be the victor in Game 3 on Wednesday night, Malkin’s first point since Game 2 of Pittsburgh’s second-round victory over Washington.
The Lightning are averaging 28 shots per game in the playoffs, and they are at 23 shots per game in this series. A big key to Murray’s game this postseason, though, has been how he has adjusted to adversity-like buckling down after an iffy first frame in Game 2 which was highlighted by Stralman’s “goal through the glove” shenanigans. Tampa Bay has some issues in net as Andre Vasilevskiy will probably go if Ben Bishop (leg) is still not ready. What’s this that you cant wear penguins gear at the game in florida.
The Penguins, seeking their first National Hockey League crown since 2009, seized a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final, which continues today in Florida. The Lightning don’t seem have any answers on how to get the puck away from them. Pittsburgh leads the shot counter 114-69 on aggregate through three games and has dominated possession in each of them.
If this is the last we see of the rookie in these playoffs, it won’t be a reflection on his performance.
Game 4 of the best-of-seven series will be played on Friday at Amalie Arena at 8 p.m.
Crosby’s goal came on a 4-3 power play, which was crucial for a team that has been struggling to capitalize on man-up opportunities. Yet, as Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch pointed out after the Blues were shut out 4-0, the goaltending was one of the few things STL got right on Tuesday night: “The only saving grace Tuesday was goalie Brian Elliott”.
“He said last year he played a game three days after getting my appendix out and this year and I can’t even fight through the flu”, Cooper said.
“They knew the effort wasn’t good enough”, Stamkos said.
Late in the second period, the Penguins capitalized on a mistake made by the Tampa Bay Lightning and took the lead just before the intermission. You have to have a short memory. “They don’t need any of us guys watching the game (saying as much) to know that”.
” We’ve played our hearts out”, Cooper said.
“But in saying that, Pittsburgh’s put us in a position to be like that”, the coach added “Now it’s we served, they volleyed back”. Hedman scored four goals and tallied eight points total through the five-game series, both Lightning franchise playoff records for a defenseman in a series.
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Bishop (lower-body) remains out for Tampa Bay along with Steven Stamkos (blood clot), while Ryan Callahan (undisclosed illness) is expected to slot back into the series.
