Crosby, Pens Crash Cap's Party, Cruise into Conference Finals

By Bryan DeArdo

 

Barely 22 minutes into the Penguins-Capitals Game 7 matchup, the game was over. 

 

Like a champion boxer, the Pens avoided an early knockout, responded with damaging blows of their own, then befuddled their opponent with furious combinations. By the time Kris Letang scored at the 2:12 mark of the second period, the Pens were ahead 4-0, with all of the previous drama that the series had created now seemingly a faded memory. 

 

The last two goals were just for good measure. 

 

The final knockout punch was delivered by none other than Sidney Crosby. After being stuck in the face by the stick of Brooks Laich, the NHL's best player struck down the Caps for good on the ensuing power play. Playing with the reckless abandon of a team down 5-1 to start the third period, the Cap's Alex Ovechkin drove outmanned through the Pen's zone. With the aid of ever-improving Miroslav Satan, Crosby pick-pocketed Ovechkin, and had an unimpeded path toward the Cap's petrified backup goalie, Jose Theodore. With the entire hockey world watching, Crosby put the Capitals out of their misery and officially out of the Stanley Cup playoffs. His goal-a double-deek right under Theodore's legs-put the Pens up 6-1 with barely two minutes gone in the final period, en route to a 6-2 victory. 

 

Let's not forget, however, how the Pens were put in such a luxurious position in the first place. 

 

While the Pens won the 10-round bout, Washington nearly had a first-round TKO. Not even three minutes into the game and the contest still scoreless, Ovechkin nearly stole the show and the series. After an errant Pen's pass was corralled by Ovechkin, he scorched down all alone toward Fleury. With the Verizon Center getting ready to explode in celebration, Fleury's high glove save crashed the party, and ensured that the game's momentum would wear black and gold. 

 

Less than five minutes later, Crosby put the Pens up 1-0, with assists from returning hero  Sergei Gonchar (who proved that the best revenge is living well) and Evgeni Malkin, who had two assists on the night. Bill Guerin, a great mid-season acquisition by GM Ray Shero, and Jordan Staal (who was assisted by Satan, who had two helpers on the night) added to the scoring frenzy. 

 

Every facet of the Pen's game was on point on this night. The often maligned Penguins special teams shined, scoring two power-play goals, and were never undermanned against the Capitals. That's not just great hockey, but smart hockey. 

 

In the end, the best team in the league over the last two months defeated a team that has improved, but does not yet have the complete package to contend for The Cup. Cap's goaltender Simeon Varlamov played beyond his years at times in the postseason, but his lack of playoff experience showed face in too many pivotal moments in the Pen's series. He single-handedly kept Washington alive with his 38 save effort in Game 6, but could not duplicate that success in Game 7. 

 

For Penguins fans, this roller coaster ride continues. The unorthodox Pens, who were in 10th place two-thirds of the way through the season, will have home ice for their Eastern Conference Finals matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes, another team that got hot at the right time and that has won a Game 7 on the road (against the top-seeded Boston Bruins). 

 

Carolina (along with their assistant coach and former Pen's great Ron Francis) will be another formidable foe for the Pittsburgh to contend with, but with how well this team is gelling right now and the mental toughness they have displayed throughout this crazy season, I like their chances. 

 

NHL's Best Player Will Stand Up in Game 7

By Bryan DeArdo

Over this past season and perhaps longer than that, the question in the NHL has been who is the best player in the league. The usual suspects in this argument has been the Penguins' Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin. 

The question will be answered tonight. 

All three have had glittering careers to this point. Winners of the past two Hart Trophies, Crosby and Ovechkin have also won two Art Ross Trophies as the NHL's leading scorers in past seasons. This year's winner, Evgeni Malkin, is largely credited for carrying the Pens through crucial moments of last year's regular season when Crosby missed significant playing time because of injuries. 

The trio have had a memorable playoff season. Alex the Great leads all playoff scorers with 20 points, while Sid the Kid is second with 18, and  Geno is right behind with 17. Heck, Ovechkin and Crosby have each had hat tricks in this second round series, in the same game. 

All three add their own personal flair to the game. Crosby in the NHL's proclaimed "Golden Boy," the chosen one who will take the league's popularity to new heights. He is a jack of all trades, with a sweet shot, a crisp pass, and a knack for coming up clutch in big moments. Malkin is the Robin to Crosby's Batman. He is a big man with deceptive speed, and he can glide through defenses like a knife through butter. Ovechkin is the villain, the man opposing teams and fans love to hate. He scorches through defenses like a hungry cheetah, and beats his chest like King Kong after walloping his prey. 

But none of that matters now. Great players and legendary players are defined through their performances in championship moments. Legendary players drink from the Cup in June, the good players watch on TV. 

While the question of who is the NHL's best player has been debated for a while, it has never been given a legitimate way to evaluate who is indeed the best. Until now. 

The best player in the National Hockey League will rise above the rest and ignite his team to victory tonight. The NHL's best will be unmasked tonight, and his prize will be the ability to play more hockey this spring. 

The better team and the best player will be discovered tonight. Let's get it on. 

Win at Washington Not Unusual for Unorthodox Pens

By Bryan DeArdo

Most fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins have come to a realization this season: this team is very, very unorthodox. 

The defending Eastern Conference champions looked more like an expansion team two-thirds of the way through this season. Players seemed dysfunctional on the ice, the defense was softer than angel food cake, they couldn't score goals, and leadership was lacking. The result was a tenth place standing in the Eastern Conference with about five weeks left in the regular season. 

Fast forward to nine weeks later. The Pens change coaches (who had ever heard of Dan Blysma?), get Sergei Gonchar back from injury (which made the defense tough again),  and aquired seasoned vet Bill Guerin. All of a sudden, the team that once looked dead were sprinting toward home ice for the first round of the playoffs. I thought these moves appeared desperate; they turned out to be brilliant. 

The Pens looked unstoppable and ready to finish the Philadelphia Flyers in five games at home, and that's exactly when Pittsburgh went back to resembling their former bumbling selves from January, getting blanked 3-0 and then had to travel to the always hostile Wachovia Center for game 6. When the  Flyers took an early 3-0 lead in that sixth game, I was already prepping myself for an early start to a summer of Brett Favre drama, foul and fight infested NBA playoff games, and a steroid-filled baseball season. 

But then the Pens reiterated to me the theme of this team in 2008-09: right when you think you know who they are, they throw you an absolute curve ball. Five goals later (and stellar play from Mark-Andre Fleury), the Pens locked up the series and looked ahead to the Washington Capitals. 

Once again, the hockey undertakers had to hold off on the Pen's grave in this second round series. Winning three straight games (and overcoming losing Gonchar again to an injury), the Pens seemed primed to close it all out Monday night in Game 6 in Pittsburgh. Heck, the team even had 1-0 and 3-2 leads, but the unorthodox Pens once again let a team off the hook, and will have to travel to their opponent's ice as the consequence. 

Maybe this team just likes to make things hard on themselves, I don't know. But one thing I know is that I finally have figured this team out. The Penguins this year do exactly the opposite of what is normal, yet they still come out smelling roses on the other side. Whether it was waiting until the last month of the regular season to show up, or blowing two series-clinching games at home, this Pens team has taken their fans on an unexpected roller coaster ride this season, one that has continued to roll on despite the bumps, twists and turns along the way.

Hopefully Sidney Crosby, Malkin, Bylsma, and the rest of the Pens have a few more tricks left down their sleeve, because this is a roller coaster ride that I and every Penguin fan is not ready to see end.  

Point blank, the Pens are not supposed to win Wednesday. Alex Ovechkin has been on another planet the entire series, and it appears that his supporting cast has shown up to help him again. Simeon Varlamov has out-played Fleury, stopping 38 saves Monday night. The Caps are now 4-0 in potential elimination games in these playoffs. But, if you follow the Pittsburgh's odd, off the path script this season, they will win, because they shouldn't.