Crosby skated with a handful of teammates during a scheduled off day on Thursday, but Sullivan offered no timetable on his captain’s return. “We’re going to rely on him that much more, and we believe he’ll get the job done for us”.
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The Capitals established a 2-0 lead in Game 3, as Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored the first two goals.
“He’s been good”, said Washington winger Justin Williams, who had an assist. Which means some great opportunities for what all accounts is a smart, qualified, and good manager. I know he’s always devoted to the team. I think an HBK reunion is on the table (and maybe even likely). Niskanen said following the game the hit was not intentional, with coach Barry Trotz calling it “a hockey play”. Crosby was driving to the net on a 2-on-1 with Jake Guentzel when Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin whacked him on the right arm and then caught him in the head with his stick.
Fleury was sprawling and saving shots left and right.
For crosschecking Sidney Crosby’s head, an abhorrent decision that need not have been made, Niskanen was not punished by the National Hockey League. Thought our guys competed extremely hard tonight. “He has a blue-collar element to his game even though he’s an elite player, and that’s what allows him to have the success that he’s had”.
It has, however happened a decent amount recently, contextually speaking. “He was getting lower and lower, partially because he was falling down”.
Niskanen was given a major penalty and game misconduct for the hit, but avoided further discipline from the National Hockey League.
“He’s elevated his game at an important time”, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.
Now do you know why Troy Crosby had to watch Sidney Crosby’s Penguins play without Sidney Crosby on Wednesday night?
And because Washington won Game 3 and climbed back in the series, reasonable people assumed that Crosby was effectively done until next fall.
Niskanen was asked if he had any regrets about what he did on the play. He will score next game for sure. When Sullivan says Crosby is day-to-day, he speaks of the star’s condition presently and generally. Perhaps the Senators will benefit from the last change or the boost you get from a home crowd, but either way, there’s plenty of room for improvement. “There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll do that again”. “We’re looking forward to tomorrow and get the win”.
The Penguins are accustomed to dealing with injuries that there is not a team in the National Hockey League that is better equipped to deal with the loss of key personnel. “So we’ll see what happens”. Meanwhile, the Pens fought back against the Caps, leading to a lot of physical play. Will a player such as Jake Guentzel, who leads all NHLers in the post-season with seven goals, be almost as effective without Crosby on the ice with him? “So I think Malkin is going to step up pretty big, so we have to play very smart against his line”.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins were a puck-hogging, ice-tilting blur last spring, overwhelming opponents with an avalanche of shots and sustained offensive pressure that ended with the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup. Phil Kessel, Patric Hornqvist, Nick Bonino, and Matt Cullen just to name a few.
