Senators 3, Penguins 0

Who would have thought that the Pens power play would finish the series on a 0-forever streak? That was the difference in this one. The Senators tried to give the game to the Pens in the first period. They were called for a minor penalty and then proceeded to throw the puck over the glass twice in the next few minutes. The Pens had a 5 on 3 for over a minute to go with extensive power play time, but simply couldn't score. They had clearly made adjustments and were able to get seven shots on the power play in the first period, but couldn't score.

The second period proved to be where the difference was made, just like games 1-3. The Sens managed three second period goals, and the Pens had no answer. It probably should have been worse, but Fleury made several absolutely insane saves. He again was the reason the Pens were even in the game.

In the third, the Pens just couldn't beat Emery. They had several great chances, including a nearly point blank shot by Mark Eaton and some great slappers that Emery was able to glove by Malkin and Crosby.

Give credit to the Senators. They played their butts off. They were clearly the better team throughout the series and they deserve to be moving on. I still don't like them, but I have to respect their accomplishment.

Who showed up to play?

• Ray Emery - he made every save you could ask of him. As long as the Sens are able to keep the shots and traffic to a minimum in front of him, he'll make the saves he needs to make.
• The Senators - they simply played their game and never wavered from it. They put consistent pressure on the Pens and didn't back down.
• Marc-Andre Fleury - he could add a little consistency to his game, but he made some huge saves that he had no business missing. They only thing I'd like to see is him to single-handedly shut down the opposition once in awhile.
• Sidney Crosby - he is the best player in the NHL, hands down.

Here on Igloo Dreams, we'll have some season reviews, both for the team and the players individually. This was a great season, and it deserves to be talked about once the disappointment clears.

Next up: Golf until September

Playoff Game #5 - at Ottawa Senators

Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators

Ottawa lead series 3-1.

See, I have it all figured out in my head. Things are setup just right for the Pens, if you think about it. First, they steal game 5 in Ottawa. Somehow find a way to win. Maybe Ottawa eases up, maybe the Pens finally figure things out. Either way, they steal a win in game 5. Then, coming back home, they win game 6, because you can't lose three home playoff games in the same series, right? Once they win game 5 and 6, they go into game 7 with a two game winning streak. Anything can happen. It's feasible, right?

Right?

RIGHT??? Why do I only hear crickets chirping?

Um... maybe not, but it's all we have right now. I can believe if you can.

The Pens need to play the same style game they did on Tuesday. They need to out hit the Sens. They need to play with the same desperate intensity. The only thing they need to improve on is simply to score more goals. If the power play isn't working, they need to find a way to get it done at even strength.

I also think that the coaching staff needs to do a great job tomorrow. Michel Therrien needs to be smart about his player utilization. He needs to do a good job matching lines. I know Therrien says he doesn't think about that too much, but you don't want Crosby to see the top combo from the Sens all night long. You want to put Sid in the best position to succeed. Isn't that the job of a coach?

Mike Yeo also needs to have some answers for the Pens on the power play. To some extent, they're generating offense and not scoring, but the Sens also seem to have them figured out. I think it's time to have a different wrinkle available, just to give the Sens a different look. You have to keep them honest.

Since this could be the last game of the series (let's hope not!), let's have a look at those questions again and see how the Pens are faring:

5. Is Marc-Andre Fleury for real? Can he come up big for the first time in his career?

Yes. He is the real deal. He's the reason the Pens haven't been swept. If they can come back, he'll be the primary reason.

4. Can the Pens play their system against the Senators? Can they withstand the offensive barrages that the Sens have thrown against them this year?

The Pens haven't been able to play their system with regularity, or with much success. Period 2 of game 4 was the only time you could see it working well for an extended period. They need to get it back for the remainder of the series, or it's going to be over soon.

3. Can the Pens continue to confound Ray Emery? Will they still have his number?

Emery has become more solid as the series has gone on. I still say he'll struggle with consistent pressure, but the Pens haven't been able to generate that for more than brief spurts so far. Emery has been a product of the system.

2. Will this young team be overwhelmed and intimidated once the lights come on, or will they continue to be blissfully ignorant of their surroundings?

They've been far better at this in the last few games. Game 4 was the first time they looked like the team we saw in the second half of the regular season.

1. Can Sidney carry the Pens to the next level? Will he step it up when he's needed the most?

He'll step it up, no doubt. He can't do it by himself.

Here's hoping this isn't the last preview I'll write this year.

Let's Go Pens!

Senators 2, Penguins 1

The game is over and I'm wanting to flip the channel to something else. Actually, I think that ANYTHING else will be good, just to help get past the downer that was the hockey game. I flip over to the USA Network, and the movie Unbreakable is on.

I think that title is a great way to describe how the Senators must have felt to the Penguins tonight. The Pens did everything they could to win this game.

• They fixed the problems with the breakout passes, largely by swinging the puck from side to side and hitting a forward through the middle.
• They absolutely dominated the second period, which had been their downfall earlier in the series.
• They received great goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury.
• They stayed out of the penalty box and got great penalty killing when they were on the ice.

Unfortunately, the game came down to a flukey goal by Spezza which bounced off of Staal's stick, and the second goal of the season by Volchenkov. It was a great shot for someone who never scores.

The Pens had all the momentum in the world in the second period, but just couldn't manage to take the lead. Once the Sens had the lead in the third, the Pens had a few chances, but couldn't do anything against Emery.

They left nothing in reserve tonight. They gave everything, but it just didn't get them over the top.

Who came to play tonight?

• Everyone!
• Jarkko Ruutu and Ronald Petrovicky - they were a big part of getting things going in the second period. I was mildly surprised that we didn't see them more than once in the third period.
• Gary Roberts - his forecheck directly led to another goal by Staal.
• Jordan Staal - this guy has absolutely stepped up his game. He doesn't have the best passing skills yet, but he can cycle the puck, kill penalties and put in the loose pucks in front of the net.
• Sidney Crosby - just when you think he's topped out, he goes to another level. He split the D several times tonight and created chances where there were none. He needs to keep raising the ante if the Pens hope to get back to Pittsburgh for Game 6.

Who stayed out in the cold?

• The power play unit - they generated some good chances, but just couldn't beat Emery. They probably could have worked for some better shots, but they did okay with what they tried.
• Michel Therrien and Mike Yeo - I'm left wondering about not playing Ruutu and Petrovicky more than one shift in the third. I'm also wondering why they didn't change things up on the power play in terms of the scheme they deployed. The Senators had it figured out. Also, dressing Eckman in place of Christensen? I'd rather see Christensen simply because he has a better wrister than anyone on the team, and can contribute offensively at crunch time.

The Pens have their backs against the wall. In truth, I think this might be too much of a wall for them to climb, but I think it'll be fun to watch them try.

Next up: a return to Ottawa on Thursday night to try to stay alive.

Playoff Game #4 - vs Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins

Ottawa leads 2-1.

Everything is a matter of perspective, isn't it? Say, for instance, that the Pens had lost both games in Ottawa and won on Sunday in Pittsburgh. What would we all be saying now? I think it would be something like "a win in game 4 and the Pens are right back in the series, doing what they're supposed to do". Instead, with the win on the road and the loss at home, there seems to be an overriding feeling of disappointment.

I think the Pens can win game 4. I think they will be right back in the series if they do. I think they're done if they don't.

If the Pens are to win the game, they're going to have to do a few things, in my opinion:

• Out hit the Senators, while staying out of the box. This is made easier by the reduced interference calls if the puck is anywhere near the player.
  
• Make better passes out of their own end. I'm not sure if this is a system thing that they're confused by, but we haven't seen this much difficulty all season.
• When they get the puck to the neutral zone, get the forecheck going. This had been absent for most of the series, and it's critical. It's even more important because it gives a chance for the third and fourth lines to chip in.
• Get timely scoring on the power play. In their two losses, the Pens had key situations where they couldn't get the badly needed goal past Ray Emery. They have to find a way to score.
• Hit Bryan Murray with the puck. Okay - maybe that one's not completely necessary, but it sure would be worth it.

The Pens sure could use a convincing win to head back to Ottawa with. That would give them some momentum, as well as assure them of a return trip to Pittsburgh for game 6. Here's hoping it happens.

Let's Go Pens!

Senators 4, Penguins 2

This one was simple - the Pens fell behind the eight ball and couldn't dig their way out.

The Pens jumped out quickly, with Gary Roberts scoring on a chance generated by the Pens getting the puck to the net. Crosby was pummeled off of the puck, leaving Mr Roberts all alone to blow the puck past Emery. It was like pulling back a curtain, only to reveal the bad guy standing behind it, grinning.

Unfortunately for the Pens, that was the high point of the game. They had several good chances to go up 2-0, but Emery was up to the task and kept them out of the net. He played pretty well tonight - he made the saves he needed to.

I think the back-breaker was the essentially short-handed goal the Sens scored to make the score 4-1. The Pens weren't nearly aggressive enough in defending the short-handed rush of McAmmond, allowing him to gain the center of the ice. He made a nice pass to Alfredsson, who had swing out wide for a great one-timer that went top shelf over Fleury.

Overall, great start and then... blech.

Who showed up to play tonight?

• Sidney Crosby - he didn't let up. If the Pens start to follow his lead as a team, they have a chance in this series. He is the ultimate competitor from what we've seen so far, and has only become better as the playoffs begin.
• Evgeni Malkin - started to show some signs tonight. I think defending Crosby by jumping on Phillips at the end of the game could be what he needs to get going. At the very least, it shows his heart.
• Gary Roberts and Mark Recchi - two senior members of the squad playing their butts off. Both logged about 20 minutes of ice time and both provided valuable contributions, though I wish Recchi were able to do more offensively.

Who missed the call from the clue phone?

• Ryan Malone - only logged 13:31 of ice time, none in the last 6 minutes of the game. He was a -2 with no shots and only one hit.
• The entire team - they were out hit, out worked and out hustled for most of the game at home. There's no excuse for that, in my opinion. It's obvious these guys want to win. It's just not as obvious that they've figured out how to do it yet.

Next up: a fight for their playoff lives on Tuesday night at the Igloo. Win and they're back in it.

Playoff Game #3 - vs Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins

Series tied 1-1.

This is the game where we get to see just how much the Pens have in the tank. They snuck out of Ottawa with a split, despite being outplayed in both games (though not as badly in game 2). The Flightless Birds need to come out with a vengeance and take the game to the Senators.

Michel Therrien needs to be able to roll four lines, especially after the rough game just 24 hours prior. That means that a contribution from Ruutu, Christensen, Petro or whoever is on that fourth line would be invaluable. So far, Therrien hasn't been afraid to shorten the bench. Let's hope that doesn't come back to bite him.

The Senators have been leaning heavily on their big line (Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson), all of them playing almost 23 minutes in Saturday's contest. Let's hope that DOES come back to bite Brian Murray.

You'd think that Therrien might be tempted to start Thibault, but given how strong Fleury finished up game 2, along with how valuable a home sweep would be, I can't see it happening.

If the Pens can manage to win game 3, they put the pressure squarely on the backs of the Senators, who would absolutely want to avoid going back to Ottawa down 3-1.

I think they can do it.

Let's Go Pens!

Penguins 4, Senators 3

The Pens were able to come from behind to beat the Senators today. The series is now tied at 1-1 and heading back to Pittsburgh. The game was absolutely critical. Had the Pens returned home down 2-0, you may have been able to stick a fork in them. Instead, they faced adversity and beat it.

The Pens were up 1-0 after the first period. Ryan Whitney managed a lucky power play goal (lucky because it bounced off the leg / skate of a Sens defense and behind Emery.

The Sens scored twice in the second to take a 2-1 lead into the third period. The second goal was particularly nice - a tic-tac-toe play on the power play that you could see coming about three passes in advance. I imagine that Fleury could see it coming too, but was pretty much helpless to do anything about it.

The Pens tied the game early in the third on the power play, thanks to Gary Roberts. The Sens took the lead 3-2 on a nice shot by Chris Kelly that Fleury couldn't do much about. Ryan Whitney probably gave Kelly a bit more room to shoot than he should have.

The Pens then made the vaunted strength of the Senators, the 5 on 5 play, look like a weakness. They notched the tying goal and the winning goal in a 2:10 span that may have restored the CHOKERS!! label to the Sens, but I'm not ready to go that far yet.

The tying goal was the result of a nice hit behind the net by Ouellet, followed up by an absolute Freight Train Hit by Gary Roberts. That freed Ouellet to dish the puck to Staal, who was standing all alone in front of Ray Emery. Staal buried the puck and the game was tied.

The winning goal came following a broken stick on a shot attempt by Alfredsson. Malkin brought the puck up, got it to Recchi, who zipped it to Crosby standing at the post to the left of Emery. Sid knocked the puck in with the shaft of his stick, just above the blade. Not an easy play. A great goal when the Pens needed it badly.

So who showed up to play today?

• Gary Roberts - he was huge in the later parts of the game, scoring a goal and helping to setup another one. He led by example, and hit everything that moved. Great game by Mr Roberts.
• Sidney Crosby - scored the goal the Pens needed, when they needed it. He also won 11 of 14 faceoffs, which is superb.
• Marc-Andre Fleury - made several big time saves. None of them was bigger than the save on Spezza (I think it was Spezza...) with 13 seconds left, when he stopped a nearly point blank shot from right in front of the net. He could easily have been one of the three stars.
• Penguins penalty killers - they shut down the Sens, allowing only one goal against despite lots of chances against.
  

Who missed the wake-up call?

• Eric Christensen - almost more time in the penalty box (4:00) than on the ice (4:45). He didn't play after leaving the ice following his second penalty.
• Evgeni Malkin - I know he had two assists and played better, but he also didn't play after the questionable penalty on him midway through the third. He could be dominant if he could get things figured out.

The Pens still looked like they were outplayed for large stretches of the game. We'll see how things look at the Igloo tomorrow. They need to win. Preview will be up later.

Next up: the Sens visit the Igloo for a Sunday night contest. Game time is 6:00 on FSN.

Playoff Game #2 - at Ottawa Senators

Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators

Ottawa leads 1-0

Game 2 is going to be HUGE. If the Pens can manage a win in Ottawa, then they have a legitimate shot to win the series. If they go down 2-0, even though games 3 and 4 are at home, I'm not sure they'll be able to come back.

I think it's all going to depend on the mindset of the Senators. They're saying all the right things, but what is going on in their heads? They've been notorious chokers for 10 years, and haven't been up 2-0 in a series in that entire time. They're also coming off a game in which the dominated, maybe making things a little too easy. I think they could be in for a rude awakening.

Here are the questions I asked prior to game 1. Let's see how the answers are looking so far:
5. Is Marc-Andre Fleury for real? Can he come up big for the first time in his career?

Yes - I think he can. He was quite sharp through two periods. I think with a better all-around effort by the team, Fleury can make the big save when called upon.

4. Can the Pens play their system against the Senators? Can they withstand the offensive barrages that the Sens have thrown against them this year?

This is TBD (To Be Determined). They weren't able to avoid the flurry of goals early in the first and in the third. That is what did them in on Wednesday night. Consistency is the key for Game 2.

3. Can the Pens continue to confound Ray Emery? Will they still have his number?

This is an emphatic YES. Get some regular pressure on this guy and I think he'll fold like a house of cards.

2. Will this young team be overwhelmed and intimidated once the lights come on, or will they continue to be blissfully ignorant of their surroundings?

I think they're all too aware of their surroundings and were pretty nervous. Now that they have the jitters out of the way, with a few late goals to show they can score, the train should start to roll a bit.

1. Can Sidney carry the Pens to the next level? Will he step it up when he's needed the most?

Another TBD. I believe he can, but we haven't seen it yet.

Game time is 3:00. Buckle up - it's going to be a rough one.

Let's Go Pens!

Senators 6, Penguins 3

The Senators came out with an early flurry. The Pens had no answer and couldn't counter-punch until they were down 3-0. The Pens had a critical goal disallowed early in the third period. The Sens added on after that and ran the score to 6-1. The Pens added two goals in garbage time to make the game seem closer than it was.

So who came to play tonight? Here are my thoughts:

• Max Talbot - You noticed every time he was on the ice. He was a step faster than we're used to seeing (and that's saying something) and he was finishing off every check. You could see why he was playoff MVP twice in juniors.
• Sidney Crosby - He was blanketed and frustrated for most of the game. That being said, I never saw anyone get a clean hit on him. He also didn't back down from anyone (when Whitney was high-sticked, Sid was the first one to jump on the Senators) and he put in a late goal. I think that'll carry over for him into game 2. Sid was also 19-10 on faceoffs - that's huge.
• Marc-Andre Fleury - He was hung out to dry by his teammates several times, but he single-handedly kept the game close through the first two periods. One man cannot hold back the flood, and he eventually faltered, giving way to Thibault later in the third. He needs some help from his team.

Who was invisible?

• Mark Recchi - Mark had the quietest two point night I've ever seen. Other than one good shift in the second, I really didn't notice him on the ice.
• Evgeni Malkin - If he wasn't busy getting knocked on his butt, Geno was busy losing faceoffs. He won only TWO of EIGHTEEN faceoffs! That has to be the worst performance I've heard of in recent memory.
• The Team - as a whole, these guys weren't ready for what the Senators were bringing. They couldn't stand up to the onslaught, and couldn't seem to answer the challenge physically until later in the game. Hopefully that sets a tone for game #2.

If things don't change, and change in a big way, this is going to be a quick series. The Pens were outshot 29-12 through the first two periods, and that's despite having some serious time on the power play.

I'm already hating the Senators. Are you? They took every opportunity to apply borderline (ie, cheap) hits, basically trying to bully the Penguins. I'm hoping the Pens get to tell them where to stick it before the series is over. I'd like to say more, but this is an all-ages blog. Blech.

Next up - in Ottawa on Saturday afternoon at 3:00. The Pens start slow in early games - they can't afford that on Saturday or they'll be run out of the building.

Playoff Game #1 - at Ottawa Senators

Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators

This is the first game of the playoffs. It's the first post season game the Pens have played in about six or seven years. I'm jacked to watch.

There are lots of unanswered questions about this team that we'll slowly get to see some answers to. Here are the top five questions that will be answered this series:

5. Is Marc-Andre Fleury for real? Can he come up big for the first time in his career?
4. Can the Pens play their system against the Senators? Can they withstand the offensive barrages that the Sens have thrown against them this year?
3. Can the Pens continue to confound Ray Emery? Will they still have his number?
2. Will this young team be overwhelmed and intimidated once the lights come on, or will they continue to be blissfully ignorant of their surroundings?
1. Can Sidney carry the Pens to the next level? Will he step it up when he's needed the most?

What questions do you have that you're waiting to see the answers to? I know one thing - it'll be fun to watch!

Let's Go Pens!