http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/index.html
May 1, 2010
PITTSBURGH – The Penguins spent most of their morning skate working on the power play and the extra work paid off last night as they beat the Canadiens, 6-3, in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal.
The Penguins scored on their first four power plays against a Montreal penalty-killing unit that held the high-powered Washington Capitals to one goal on 33 opportunities in the first round of the playoffs.
PITTSBURGH - APRIL 30: Evgeni Malkin(notes) #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins lifts the stick of Scott Gomez(notes) #91 of the Montreal Canadiens as they both battle for a loose puck in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 30, 2010 at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said the game plan was for the Penguins to be patient and wait for the right shot rather than blast away. His players followed his directions to the letter as each of their first three power-play goals was scored on their first shot on goal. They needed two shots on the fourth power-play goal.
The Canadiens lost more than a game. Defenceman Andrei Markov left the game in the first period after he was checked by Matt Cooke. The Canadiens would only say that the star defenceman suffered a lower-body injury, but he was favouring his right leg as he was helped off the ice.
P. K. Subban opened the scoring for the Canadiens when he beat Marc-André Fleury with a shot from the point at 4:30 of the first period.
But the Penguins’ power play took over after that.
Sergei Gonchar tied the score at 8:38 with Brian Gionta off for tripping. The Canadiens had a bit of bad luck because Tom Pyatt broke his stick blocking an earlier shot by Gonchar and could offer only limited support because Montreal couldn’t clear the puck.
The Canadiens found themselves shorthanded on that occasion when they attempted to retaliate for Cooke’s clean hit on Markov. The resulting scrum produced three minor penalties with the Canadiwens drawing the extra two minutes.
Jordan Staal, who left the game in the second period with a left foot injury, put the Penguins ahead for good when he scored a power-play goal at 13:27 of the second period.
Montrealer Kris Letang made it 3-1 with another power-play goal at 2:34 of the second period.
The Canadiens pulled to within a goal when Michael Cammalleri scored his sixth goal of the playoffs at 15:27. Cammalleri established position in the slot and was set up by Scott Gomez.
But the Penguins restored the two-goal lead when Craig Adams went backdoor and beat Jaroslav Halak at 18:36 of the second period.
Carey Price replaced Halak at 5:18 of the third period, but not before the star of the first-round win over Washington surrendered yet another power-play goal. Alex Goligoski scored at 2:59 of the third period as the Penguins tied a team record for the most power-play goals in a playoff game. The Canadiens pulled Price late in the third period, but veteran Bill Guerin scored an empty-net goal for the Penguins.
Halak stopped 131 of 134 shots in the final three games of the Washington series, but he exited last night’s game with 15 saves on 20 shots.
The Canadiens, who had power-play goals in six of the seven games in the Washington series, got one last night when Brian Gionta completed the Canadiens’ scoring at 12:29 of the third period. The Canadiens went 1-for-4 with the extra man.
The series resumes with Game 2 here tomorrow afternoon (2 p.m., CBC, NBC, RDS, CJAD Radio-800). The action moves to the Bell Centre for Game 3 Tuesday and Game 4 Thursday.
phickey@thegazette.canwest.com
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