Penguins/NHL
Penguins take 3-0 series lead behind their biggest strength
GAME 3 STORYLINE
The Columbus Blue Jackets scored 10 seconds into game…….. scored 3 goals on their first six shots……..and finally solved Marc Andre Fleury who was giving up juicy rebounds all night.
Yet, what played out again in Game 3 was the Penguins superior high-end talent winning out.
The Penguins and Blue Jackets were close in regular season points and Columbus finished with the fourth most points in the NHL. But, the discrepancy in high-end talent between the Penguins and Blue Jackets is just on another level and that’s even with the Penguins missing Kris Letang and their No. 1 goaltender.
It’s the story of the series and why Pittsburgh has a 3-0 series lead.
A lot of headlines Monday morning will be talking about the Penguins resilency, their leadership and so on…… It’s talent and having the right coach in place.
As great of a start the Blue Jackets got in Game 3 and as shaky as Marc Andre Fleury looked in the first period and although Fleury stopped 30 of the final 31 shots he faced, he was not good in this one with his rebound control/angles, Pittsburgh when even trailing was having their best game of the series in driving play and tilting the ice in their favor.
The Penguins started finding that other level in the second period where they outshot Columbus 19-8, out-attempted the Blue Jackets 36-17 and out-scored Columbus 2-0 in the period on goals from Brian Rust and Evgeni Malkin.
The Penguins Stanley Cup run in 16 was because of their depth. What makes the Penguins scarier upfront to matchup against now is this season the Penguins top-2 lines are much more dangerous in the talent and skill playing with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Jake Guentzel starred tonight with the OT winner and hat trick, and the Penguins top line is just so skilled, fast, it’s so difficult to defend them in all areas of the offensive zone. You try to be physical with them, they’re slippery fast in the corners with Sheary and Guentzel, and as seen on the overtime goal, they wear you down with possession below the dots. David Savard could barely move in trying to contain Sidney Crosby behind the net on Guentzel’s OT winner.
“They are quick, they are elusive, and they are brave,” Mike Sullivan said of the Guentzel-Crosby-Sheary line.
And, as expected, we’re seeing better linemates around Evgeni Malkin elevate his offensive game.
Bryan Rust is a better offensive player than a year ago and having high-end skill around Malkin in Phil Kessel can never hurt. Malkin’s dedication so far to playing a 200 ft game has alleviate those defensive concerns in playing Malkin and Kessel together.
Assuming the Penguins close out the Blue Jackets, you look at what Carl [hide] Hagelin’s likely addition to the lineup in Round 2 would do. Hagelin wasn’t good in the regular season but a Hagelin – Bonino – Hornqvist third line would be a unit that would give you a little bit of everything.
By the Numbers
*Penguins have a 3-0 series lead for the first time since the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals vs the Carolina Hurricanes. They closed that series out in five games.
*Evgeni Malkin awarded the Penguins third goal of the game instead of Bryan Rust, became the fourth Penguin to reach 50 career playoff goals. The others:
Mario Lemieux – 76 Goals
Jaromir Jagr – 65 Goals
Sidney Crosby – 50 Goals
*Jake Guentzel became the 2nd rookie in NHL postseason history with a hat trick + overtime goal in same game. Via Elias Sports Bureau, the only other player to do so was Gerry Plamondon of the 1949 Canadiens.
Key area of strength continued for the Penguins. 21-11 edge in High Danger Chances
The Penguins had a 94-67 shot attempt advantage. [/hide]
Sure wasn’t a great night for Canadian players. I thought Toews was supposed to be a leader?
Toews really showing you where that $10.5 million goes.
Hawks need to get swept so we can stop hearing how amazing Captain Intangibles is. I know their series is not over but how much BS would Crosby and Malkin have to deal with if they were 0-3 to Lumbus?
Dude, that second assist last night was worth every penny.
Read a great line about this, when the tangibles are not there, overrate the intangibles!
Who Bruce?
Jenner
What a night for Canadian teams
#1993
Remember when Bobby Ryan made you look retarded again twenty minutes ago?
I think sam just predicted the Bobby Ryan game winner. #America
Impressive Leafs effort. They skate fast, skate fast like Penguins.
The Leafs are really making the Caps earn this series. Pleasant surprise, although its my fault for underestimating them given the great American leadership on the team.
This is gold, Leafs taking charge. Shattenkirk has been very quiet here too. Would love to see the big upset here
I have leafs in 6 hope it happens
What a lucky guess that would be for someone that started watching the sport after the Crosby lottery. Weird.
Whats everyone thinking here….I’m thinking the Pens can beat either of these teams but the Caps falling to Leafs would be epic.
Classic Bobby Ryan
As per thefourthperiod.com
I love how butthurt DePaoli, Yoda, and Maloni are today. Little girls upset because the goalie whos poster they have on their bedroom wall isnt the same as the one performing well and winning playoff games.
Odd post. I don’t have any posters on my wall. I have no problem starting Midget given the situation. I would even go back to him if he loses a game. I was simply pointing out that he wasn’t sharp yesterday.
Cotsonika reporting that Werenski is out for the season with a facial fracture.
Jesus… makes it that more impressive he played the rest of the game. Say what we will about the Jackets that kid showed a ton of heart yesterday even trying to come back!
He didnt play the rest of the game. Box Score has suffered worse injuries playing on his Dunkin Donuts dek hockey team.
We know he didn’t play the rest of the game, Maloni. We were all watching it while you were scrubbing your wife’s skidmarks off of the toilet bowl.
Box Score, we know youve never watched a game in your life. Arent you the guy that plays “hockey” in sneakers. ##powerplaysmatter.
I almost missed the “we”. Thnak you for that. Did you and Zero watch the game together in your mobile home or his parents?
Sorry, he was sat in OT… he still came back and played shifts through the 3rd! Down to the semantics hey… It was a tough showing that he took the puck and finished regulation.
Kinda of like maloni battling through the smell of one of his wife’s grumpers to make sure the bowl is sparkling.
Also I find it amusing that you believe that a kid whose eye swole shut is a minor injury in a game like hockey where you generally need two in order to survive lol. Even Berard has sight in the bad eye. More evidence that you like yoda and the sammich know fuck all and are just hyperbolic in how you think the game.
puzzy
Who sits when Hags comes back? Obviously its either Wilson, Kuhnhackl, or Rowney.
Got to be Wilson, he is been the least impressive out of those three
Sssshhhhh. He’s on pace for 23 goals.
Well he did fail Jays drive for 23 but he also eclipsed Sestitos career stats this season so… he’s got that going for him.
I, too, would sit Wilson – don’t have to change the other lines, and I’ve been beyond impressed with Rowney’s simple yet efffective game.
Pens should put Sestito in goal. Kill two birds with one stone.
Is he supposed to be back next game?
What a great day…pens up 3-0 and Hillary Clinton isn’t the president
Don’t tell NPL.
That miserable fat fuckk would have a heart attack
This is great, DKs page gives MAF credit for staying in and even give MAF props for getting across fast while making himself as big as possible to make the OT save… D just shitts on him to keep his only real fan happy hahaha.
My only complaint with Fleury yesterday was the missed poke check – still an awful giveaway, but I think he needs a better effort on the semi breakaway. First goal was a rebound and he was hung out to dry. Third goal was a laser off of the post – great shot – fourth goal, I guess you can complain about the rebound if you want, but again, another hard, well placed shot – not easy to control.
Absolutely, I am not saying MAF was perfect by any means. He was a little off at points but overall he did what people like yoda and apparently D won’t credit him for, giving them a chance. He came up big when needed and he didnt “meltdown” like fuckfacefraud suggested he would. Today is a good day.
Add the fact that Malkin is currently a top the NHL stats page and sammich can eat a bag of dicks as well lol
Eh – always an argument of convenience. It used to be “MAF can’t make the big save to keep them in the game…” It was bullshit then, and it’s bullshit now. Guy stood on his head for nearly 63 minutes after a collective awful start (their third in a row, mind you) and you still have the stable of morons bitching and moaning.
My favourite was this “Not the saves he makes, but the ones he doesnt”. I believe the owner of this gave us other beauty’s such as ” I have seen enough of Wilson” about 5 minutes into a preseason game after the guy missed most of the previous year and “Hainsey will be the downfall of the Pens” is the current mantra lol.
All true. Keep watching.
Btw – the owner of that line is Tom Barrasso. But you clearly know what you’re talking about. You live in your parents aluminum-sided Edmonton home after all.
That’s nice, he was wrong! Despite his ability he was one of the most arrogant assholes to ever play… quoting him as gospel is absurd lol.
He was an asshole. You’re right about that. I wonder what Dejan thought of him.
“Barrasso was abrasive in the best of moods, outright belligerent in the worst.” – Dejan Kovacevic
st.bleury made a holy halo save. he was touched by the lord on easter. that save was miracle number 4! st.bleury still sucks. don’t write this series off yet. the saint still has plenty of time to screw it up. not only that, with murray out, the saint will give up 5 per game against the caps. stop celebrating over a round one series victory which isn’t even won yet.
Might be time to “tear it down.” Sounds like that’s what you’re getting at.
Idiot!
Box Score
That’s because Dejan is a fan boy. Guy writes more Pens press releases than paid staff.
Please don’t tattle on me.
You mean Dejan the guy that actually gets to talk to the teams and players? Ya I am sure his insight is simply for the fans. He has never said anything negative about anyone on the team. He isn’t the one suffering from any type of confirmation bias in his work… you are.
Confirmation bias ? I love how protective you are. If Dejan told you to start wiping your ass with your hand would you?
Coming from the guy that used to ride in to protect his online boyfriend until called out for it? Still does in his own sweet way? You’ve been mostly quiet out here since lol. give me a fucken break!
“Dejan hasn’t played enough dek hockey to know what I know.” -Maloni
I know Guentzel brings a more all-around game, but its crazy that Sprong is (presumably) the more talented goal scorer.
They’ve literally come from “end of the Crosby Malkin era as a threat” to “contenders for the forseeable future” in roughly 15 months – at this time last year, we were just realizing what talent Rust, Sheary (and to a lesser extent, Wilson and Kuhnhackl) had. That doesn’t even include Murray. Now, Sheary looks like 30 goal guy, Rust looks like, if healthy, he can be counted on for 15-20, nevermind his penchant for taking it up a notch come playoff time, and out of nearly nowhere, Guentzel looks like he might be better than both of them, and we… Read more »
Except for you. Future is dim for a single fat dude living in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
is diegoPittFan, Samtheman? They are very similar
They’re like english speaking and french speaking counterparts. Equally “knowledgeable.”
Hey sam, how many Canadians scored last night in the Pens game?
4th line center Evgeni Malkin and 3rd line winger Phil Kessel had nice outings. Neither are canadian.
Fuckk you D I knew you would come with a garbage like this team won because they bailed fleury out. Buddy if fleury wouldn’t be in net the score could’ve easily been 6-1 the defense was garbage in the begining.
Please. It was a miracle win with a miracle halo save in OT. That’s why bleury is St bleury. He performs miracles.
You give new meaning to the term “butthurt.”
No credit where it’s due and this is why you’re a fucken laughing stock.
Fleury could save kittens and puppies from a burning building and this dude would blame him for starting the fire. But when Murray gives up 4 goals, he gets all the credit in the world for “bouncing back” and “mental toughness”.
Not Hainsey. Box Score said he was awesome.
After the first period…..
Box score said Fleury was awesome.
Eye test said the same thing. Unless you watched through dek hockey eyes with a clear penchant to blame the goalie for all ills (well. The goalie and hainsey)
I watched the game and despite a slow start and maybe some rebound issues he came up big when needed while he allowed the team to rally around him as he outplayed a Vezina winner!
Wrong. He outplayed Bob in games 1-2, not last night. Your parents should buy one of those new color TVs
Oh yes, the box score told you this lol! So what is it? The saves you dont make or the stats because now you are contradicting yourself. Actually don’t bother, it is evident from the fact that you also shit on Murray that you cannot see passed the goaltender when pucks go in period.
He completely outplayed Bob last night. Every goalie in the league has. But then again, you’d need to watch the game to know that.