By Wayne Scanlan,
OTTAWA CITIZEN
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/index.html
PITTSBURGH – Too much Sid, too little goaltending. And then, a brilliant relief performance by a goalie.
Game 2 between the Senators and Penguins was an untamed thing, a 4-3 Penguins victory that thoroughly entertained a packed house at the Consol Energy Center and sent the Senators home with wounds to mend.
The Penguins now lead the Eastern Conference semifinal two games to none, and while it is true that hockey people love to say a team is not in trouble until it loses a game on home ice, the Senators have a mountain to climb.
The task: beat the East’s deepest, most talented team four times in five games. Ottawa will aim much lower, of course, just trying to win one, on home ice Sunday in Game 3, to make this a series. Jason Spezza, are you ready to play?
In a season of low scoring games, this was a treat for all but the men in the big suits, a night when Sidney Crosby recorded his second career playoff hat trick, chasing the Senators erstwhile playoff MVP, goaltender Craig Anderson from the game early in the second period, when Crosby put No. 3 past him on a power play.
Robin Lehner came on in relief and was outstanding, giving up just a deflected goal by Brenden Morrow.
In their first meeting, the Senators managed, even in defeat, to keep Crosby off the score sheet. Bad idea. All that pent up scoring ability was bound to explode. Slightly more than three minutes into Game 2 Crosby breezed past defenceman Erik Karlsson and whipped a “Golden Goal” type of shot, low and hard, through the wickets of Anderson. It didn’t win Crosby another Olympic medal but it did give the Penguins a lead in a first period the home side dominated, outshooting the Sens 18-7.
And the Kid was just getting warmed up. Late in the same period, Crosby wheeled down the left wing, again against Karlsson, sized up the pass potential in front of Anderson and tricked the goaltender by shooting instead of dishing, banking a shot off Anderson and into the net as the goaltender looked skyward in disgust.
“It managed to squeak in there,” Crosby said afterward.
Just like that, Crosby tied and then passed Pittsburgh Hall of Famer Ron Francis’ career mark of 100 playoff points. Count ’em for Crosby – 100, 101, 102 . . . Crosby’s third goal was point No. 102, in career playoff game 75, making the Penguins captain the fifth fastest in NHL history to reach the century mark in postseason points.
As usual, some iffy goaltending at the other end gave the Senators life. After that first Crosby goal, Kyle Turris tied the game by catching Tomas Vokoun napping. On Ottawa’s first power play of the night, Turris cheated in from the corner and slipped a wrist shot on the short side past Vokoun.
Turris had a big grin on his face as he sat on the bench after that one, his team-leading fourth goal of the playoffs.
Though they trailed by one and were in tough against a Penguins team in Harlem Globetrotters mode, dishing and dancing, the Senators did manage one moral victory. They won the special teams battle early on, killing off two Pittsburgh power plays in the first period and scoring on their lone opportunity.
OTTAWA CITIZEN
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/index.html
Sidney Crosby reacts to his first goal in the 1st period as the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Ottawa Senators in game 2 of the NHL's Eastern Conference semi-final at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Photograph by: Wayne Cuddington , The Ottawa Citizen
PITTSBURGH – Too much Sid, too little goaltending. And then, a brilliant relief performance by a goalie.
Game 2 between the Senators and Penguins was an untamed thing, a 4-3 Penguins victory that thoroughly entertained a packed house at the Consol Energy Center and sent the Senators home with wounds to mend.
The Penguins now lead the Eastern Conference semifinal two games to none, and while it is true that hockey people love to say a team is not in trouble until it loses a game on home ice, the Senators have a mountain to climb.
The task: beat the East’s deepest, most talented team four times in five games. Ottawa will aim much lower, of course, just trying to win one, on home ice Sunday in Game 3, to make this a series. Jason Spezza, are you ready to play?
In a season of low scoring games, this was a treat for all but the men in the big suits, a night when Sidney Crosby recorded his second career playoff hat trick, chasing the Senators erstwhile playoff MVP, goaltender Craig Anderson from the game early in the second period, when Crosby put No. 3 past him on a power play.
Robin Lehner came on in relief and was outstanding, giving up just a deflected goal by Brenden Morrow.
In their first meeting, the Senators managed, even in defeat, to keep Crosby off the score sheet. Bad idea. All that pent up scoring ability was bound to explode. Slightly more than three minutes into Game 2 Crosby breezed past defenceman Erik Karlsson and whipped a “Golden Goal” type of shot, low and hard, through the wickets of Anderson. It didn’t win Crosby another Olympic medal but it did give the Penguins a lead in a first period the home side dominated, outshooting the Sens 18-7.
And the Kid was just getting warmed up. Late in the same period, Crosby wheeled down the left wing, again against Karlsson, sized up the pass potential in front of Anderson and tricked the goaltender by shooting instead of dishing, banking a shot off Anderson and into the net as the goaltender looked skyward in disgust.
“It managed to squeak in there,” Crosby said afterward.
Just like that, Crosby tied and then passed Pittsburgh Hall of Famer Ron Francis’ career mark of 100 playoff points. Count ’em for Crosby – 100, 101, 102 . . . Crosby’s third goal was point No. 102, in career playoff game 75, making the Penguins captain the fifth fastest in NHL history to reach the century mark in postseason points.
As usual, some iffy goaltending at the other end gave the Senators life. After that first Crosby goal, Kyle Turris tied the game by catching Tomas Vokoun napping. On Ottawa’s first power play of the night, Turris cheated in from the corner and slipped a wrist shot on the short side past Vokoun.
Turris had a big grin on his face as he sat on the bench after that one, his team-leading fourth goal of the playoffs.
Though they trailed by one and were in tough against a Penguins team in Harlem Globetrotters mode, dishing and dancing, the Senators did manage one moral victory. They won the special teams battle early on, killing off two Pittsburgh power plays in the first period and scoring on their lone opportunity.
In Game 1, Ottawa’s power play was a distressing 0 for 5, and the Senators were touched up for a pair of power play goals by the Penguins. Insult to injury – the Senators gave up a third goal shorthanded. No wonder Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said that “special teams are where we have to have our biggest improvement.”
On the other side, Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma insisted he was wary of Ottawa’s power-play unit, with Alfredsson, Karlsson, Sergei Gonchar etc.
“They’re a dangerous group.”
His own power play forces, which pumped numerous shots at the Ottawa net, only scored once.
For improved vision and convenience, Crosby is now wearing a smaller head cage than the one he had been using to protect his jaw, which he fractured on March. 30.
“I didn’t need that extra bar that was there,” he said.
Crosby said he may be able to ditch the head gear in a couple of weeks.
After being outhit by the Penguins in Game 1, a 4-1 Pittsburgh victory, the Senators vowed to initiate more physical play in Game 2, and they did outhit the Penguins on the night. Hardly a surprise to the home team.
“We expect that about this series and we expect that about playing the Senators,” said Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma. “They want to be more physical and better around the nets and that’s been a key focus for us as well, being a physical team and dictating and being strong in a lot of areas.”
Ottawa will need to be strong in a lot of areas Sunday, and hope for more “entertaining” goaltending by Vokoun.
wscanlan@ottawacitizen.com twitter.com/@HockeyScanner
On the other side, Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma insisted he was wary of Ottawa’s power-play unit, with Alfredsson, Karlsson, Sergei Gonchar etc.
“They’re a dangerous group.”
His own power play forces, which pumped numerous shots at the Ottawa net, only scored once.
For improved vision and convenience, Crosby is now wearing a smaller head cage than the one he had been using to protect his jaw, which he fractured on March. 30.
“I didn’t need that extra bar that was there,” he said.
Crosby said he may be able to ditch the head gear in a couple of weeks.
After being outhit by the Penguins in Game 1, a 4-1 Pittsburgh victory, the Senators vowed to initiate more physical play in Game 2, and they did outhit the Penguins on the night. Hardly a surprise to the home team.
“We expect that about this series and we expect that about playing the Senators,” said Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma. “They want to be more physical and better around the nets and that’s been a key focus for us as well, being a physical team and dictating and being strong in a lot of areas.”
Ottawa will need to be strong in a lot of areas Sunday, and hope for more “entertaining” goaltending by Vokoun.
wscanlan@ottawacitizen.com twitter.com/@HockeyScanner
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