Penguins/NHL
Capitals 3 – Penguins 2
“Thought it was really a hockey play. Unfortunate Sid got injured.” — Capitals coach Barry Trotz
“It wasn’t intentional.” — Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen
Game 3 Fallout
The Pittsburgh Penguins minus Sidney Crosby who exited Game 3 in the first period on a hit from Matt Niskanen, dropped Game 3 with a 3-2 overtime loss and if there’s anything of a moral victory in the playoffs, the Penguins got it.
If the Penguins are without Crosby for Game 4 or multiple games in the series, the Capitals will be in for a rude awakening if they think the Penguins are going to fold and roll cover.
That group inside the room remains confident they can still get the job done, with or without Crosby.
Even if the Penguins didn’t have the epic comeback in the final 1:53 of regulation with 6-on-5 goals from Evgeni Malkin and Justin Schultz to force overtime, we’d still be saying the Penguins did a lot of the little things well throughout the game to put themselves in position to win.
After Crosby left in the first period, the skilled game was dreadful at times for the Penguins, but the Penguins just competed and competed in this one to be a bounce away from winning.
“We just play the game. We played the game hard. Thought our guys competed extremely hard tonight,” said Mike Sullivan who marveled afterwards about the Penguins compete level. “I loved our compete level.”
While the Penguins without Crosby didn’t create the type of grade-A chances they created in Games 1 and 2, and the power play was a mess without him, this was the Penguins best game of the series in tilting the ice with their speed game for longer stretches than they had in the previous two games and the Penguins were much improved in neutralizing the Capitals transition game through the neutral zone.
The Penguins speed game was more noticeable in all three zones than it had been.
The one blunder for the Penguins in the third period, who live and die with their d-men pinching, was a bad Trevor Daley pinch that led to an odd-man rush the other way and Evgeny Kuznetsov converting to put the Capitals up 2-0.
As long as the strong goaltending continues from Marc Andre Fleury who continues to track the puck better than he ever has, the Penguins blueprint was there in Game 3 on how they need to survive if Crosby misses any more time.
“These guys are just great character guys,” Sullivan said of his group. “They never look for an excuse. Fortunately we have some good hockey players. “I think this group has so much character and talent we can endure the injuries.”
Good and Bad from Capitals
What did we learn from the Capitals Monday night?
They played like a team through the first 60 minutes that just continues to look like it’s missing something. Even though they carried a 2-0 lead with under two minutes to play, the Capitals never took over the game for lengthy stretches like they did in Games 1 and 2.
There was not one sequence from Game 3 where the Penguins appeared to be overwhelmed, despite missing the best player in the world and playing with 10 forwards.
Losing a 2-0 lead the way they did was so Washington but if Capital fans are looking for some optimism, it was how they rebounded and dominated overtime in finishing the job with a Kevin Shattenkirk overtime goal.
How they carried the play in OT show some resolve from them.
If you’re going to be a championship team, shining through moments like that when dealing with adversity of blowing a lead and having your season on the line could be the jolt that finally see’s the Capitals take the next step that’s alluded them in past playoff failures vs the Penguins.
We’re really going to find out about this Capitals team in Game 4.
Crosby to escape serious injury?
Will Sidney Crosby return this series?
One source close to the situation says preliminary evaluation showed Crosby looked to have avoided any knee damage, though further evaluation was expected this morning to make sure, and the obvious area to watch is the head and how he responds the next 24-48 hours.
Mike Sullivan provided no update on Crosby after the game but did sneak in a “we’re hopeful that won’t be the case,” when asked about losing Crosby long-term.
On the Matt Niskanen hit, there is obvious outrage in Pittsburgh and a lot less outside of Pittsburgh.
Barry Trotz called it a “hockey play” and a reactionary situation. Niskanen not known as a predatory player, says the hit was not intentional.
“It wasn’t intentional,” said Niskanen. “I’ve seen the replay, and the super slo-mo looks really bad. I caught him high, I think he’s coming across, trying to score. As he is doing that, he’s getting lower and lower, and when it’s happening that fast, my stick and his head collided. I wasn’t extending, trying to hit him in the head. It happened quickly.”
Niskanen said afterwards he wasn’t trying to cross-check with any force and the league agrees.
“I wasn’t even trying to cross-check him with a serious amount of force,” said Niskanen. “A collision was gonna happen there in the crease. When the play first starts, I think my stick is at about his arm level. Right about where the numbers are on the side of his jersey. Because he’s trying to make a play, he’s getting lower and lower, because he’s getting pressured trying to score. So the collision happened.”
Niskanen will not be suspended for the hit, and a big reason why according to one league source, is the league determined he never stretches out his arms to deliver an intended hit to injure. The source called it a hockey play gone bad.
That’s how the league see’s it and I can see where they’re coming from to an extent. If this was Tom Wilson or even Brooks Orpik who plays on an edge, then I would certainly have a different view.
It was an unfortunate reckless play that started with the Ovechkin slash but I don’t understand what more fans wanted done last night.
Niskanen got the book thrown at him with a 5-minute major and game misconduct which is significant for a playoff game. To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
NPL you were bang on about that idiot Benz!
you know what the problem in this town is? you guys act like the NHL is legit. it isn’t much more than a circus freak show. if you want to surivie in the circus business you need some freaks of your own. the pens should dress sesito and have him steam roll hotlby into next week and then smash in niskanen’s face. then somebody needs to slash ovechkin in the wrist and break it. the pens won’t though. they’d rather get eliminated being gentlemen and having 5 years knocked off of their stars careers. the pens need to get over… Read more »
Yeah makes sense. Get multiple 5 minute majors and hand them the game. Seems like the smart way to go.
Yes let’s go back and play the bushleague way that dominated the 70s… and era considered by most to be the worst hockey in its history. It’s very telling when someone preaches about how “tough” the game is and always wants to throw back to this specific era. Hockey is tough without the stupidity, eye for an eye only serves to hurt the team in this round at this point.
If it’s a circus freak show – just quit watching. And more importantly, quit posting (and banging players / bitchhing about them later)
I agree with the posters here…Game 3 was meaningless in determining the outcome of this series…
Yes because we all were considering a play that would lead to a concussion and subsequent missed time in game three. Way to shoehorn this into the prediction.
Who said it was meaningless? I haven’t seen one person claim it was meaningless.
Sam the bandwagon man thought the 3rd period was meaningless
Crosby diagnosed concussion!
Unless I head that wrong
*heard
obviously….if he was clear he would have come back last night.
Funny, he was officially diagnosed with one by Doctors today… we all assumed from the hit you fucken twaat but were hopeful that the diagnoses would be different.
Why would the “NHL higher ups” have such a vested interest in moving Botteril to Buffalo?
btw, the old days at the arena were more fun. if this play happened in 1986 there would have been beer and pop being thrown in the caps bench and when niskanen was in the box fans would have had beer dumped on him too. that would have been great.
Class act here and in real life hey. Fingers crossed that you end up having to deal with the human being you decided to toss a beer on.
I wonder if you were shittting all over Roberto Romano back then too, or let him have a free pass because it was before you were “experimenting” like a dainty little puckbunny
Unfortunately the fan base has changed they are more focus taking selfies then focus on game so they won’t throw anything on ice. Plus half the fans also left the arena when there was 7 mins left to the game and some even here closed their tv’s so were not even aware of pens comeback attempt example stain check when he disappeared last night and then came back way after late in night it’s because he also closed his TV.
They left roughly when you turned your tv off. Sam the bangwagon man!
Figures you would be here clamouring to throw things on the fucking ice surface. As I have said before you and yoda are two very stupid peas in a very stupid pod lol
hate to say it, but rutherford had a big part in this. the other night in edmonton, mcdavid gets body checked semi late and lucic goes over to the guy who did it and literally put him in a choke hold. when you have zero team toughness and let the other team declare open head hunting season on your best player and you have nobody to protect him, you are playing with fire.
Ya Rutherford should have totally called down to the Coach and instructed him to start going after players. Remind me… who won that Edmonton game again?
letang gets his neck broke, crosby gets his faced crosschecked. rutherford says F them! we don’t need any protection. it will be great when they both retire at age 30. what a joke!
How would an enforcer would have changed anything? You act like it’s still 1970. The only joke here is you. And Letang will get hurt if Jesus is on the ice with him.
jesus skates on water, not ice
Letang is 30… Crosby is nearly! #yodaknew
Yeah – Rutherford jacked this all up – that’s why this team will never win a cup with him as GM. Yogurt! You’re the best special needs kid ever. LIke the gift that keeps on giving.
Asham tweeted that he’s available. Funny, but he’s never had any love for the Caps
remember when asham knocked that dude out and made the “go to sleep” sign by placing his folded hands on the side of his face? that was the most insane KO in pens history
Ronald Petrovicky just called – he also thinks you’re a moron.
Ovechkins slash and slew foot caused all this. Karma of being a career loser will hang over him.
Ovechkin has a long history of dirty plays too. I’m feeling confident the hockey Gods will intervene and make sure the Caps do not win the cup.
What fans want??? Start with Ovechkin’s head on a platter. If the leage won’t do things to make players accountable for their actions, you have to go back to being an “eye for an eye” league.
Why hurt Ovechkin? Hes been unnoticeable all series. Especially late in the 3rd period last night when Sam had his TV off.
Or just win game 4 and put the choke hold on their pathetic franchise?
Because it’s not just about a series. We’ve watched Washington twice now take years away from Sidney Crosby’s career. Time for payback and remove years from their superstars career.
D usually I agree with you but in this case I think you are completely off. Crosby didn’t have the puck and Nisky still completed his two handed cross check to Crosbys face. The angle Nisky came in at screams intent I don’t care what Nisky or their overweight fatass coach says.
the pens won’t fold and roll cover
Did someone explain sam his stain?
There was a documentary on last night that explained it, but Sam turned his TV off early.