Pens push Sens to the edge with 7-3 rout

Sometimes it's not how you start but how you finish.

The Pittsburgh Penguins trailed 2-1 after the first period, then exploded with six unanswered goals to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. James Neal and Jarome Iginla each scored two, while Kris Letang added four helpers in a 7-3 smattering of the Ottawa Senators.

The Penguins controlled the puck for most of the first period, out shooting the Senators 16-11. However, they trailed after one when the Senators cashed in two of their minuscule chances in the period.

With Pittsburgh on the power play, Daniel Alfredsson sprung Milan Michalek for a breakaway from the blue line. Michalek skated in on Tomas Vokoun and picked the top left corner of the net with a perfect wrist shot.

Craig Anderson looked strong early on, making brilliant saves in the first period while getting a little help with the posts and his defensemen. James Neal hit the far post with a wrist shot, and the puck went behind Anderson's back and out the other side. Later in the period, Sidney Crosby's shot was blocked by the left toe of Chris Phillips, preventing the puck from going into a wide open net.

The Penguins finally got on the board when James Neal scored 14:56 into the first period. Neal corralled a loose puck off the face off and fired a blistering wrist shot past the glove hand of Anderson.

Kyle Turris scored a minute and a half later to give the Senators a 2-1 lead. Erik Karlsson's wide angle shot skipped towards the net and Vokoun left a juicy rebound in front. Kris Letang couldn't clear the puck and Turris jabbed it in for his 5th goal of the playoffs.

Any worry of Craig Anderson stealing this game went right out the window two minutes into the second period.

Chris Kunitz took a stretch pass at the blue line from Pascal Dupuis and beat Anderson with a wrist shot five-hole while on a breakaway. Forty seconds later, Jarome Iginla tapped in a bad rebound left by the goaltender to give the Penguins their first lead of the game.

Sergei Gonchar's penalty 1:07 into the third period opened the flood gates for Pittsburgh.

James Neal scored on the power play after a wide shot from Sidney Crosby came right to Neal on the other side of the net.

The Senators earned a power play of their own eight minutes into the third, but a shorthanded goal from Pascal Dupuis erased all hope of a comeback. Matt Cooke circled around the Ottawa net and backhanded a pass to Dupuis who was parked in front of the net for the slam-dunk.

Thirty-one seconds later, Sidney Crosby buried a backhand shot over Anderson's left shoulder after cutting towards the middle of the ice with no one around. Jarome Iginla added a power play goal to bring Pittsburgh's total to seven on the night.

The Penguins will have a chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2009 with a win Friday night in Pittsburgh.

• Kris Letang is the third Penguins' defenseman to register four assists in one playoff game (Murphy, Coffee). 
• The Penguins are now 8-2 in their last ten Game 4's. 
• Pittsburgh has drawn 21 power plays in 4 games against the Senators.

Three Stars

1. Kris Letang
2. James Neal
3. Jarome Iginla

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

Colin Greening scores in double overtime to cut series lead to 2-1 Pittsburgh

This is what the playoffs are all about.

The Pittsburgh Penguins held a 1-0 lead and played a strong defensive third period for the first 19:31. But a shorthanded goal from Daniel Alfredsson tied the game and the Ottawa Senators won in double overtime by score of 2-1.

Both teams took a scoreless tie into the second period and almost went into the second intermission with a deadlock as well. But Tyler Kennedy scored his second goal of the playoffs with 1:07 remaining in the second to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead. Matt Cooke forced a turnover then found Tyler Kennedy in the slot. Kennedy's shot hit off the right post and behind Craig Anderson who had been spectacular leading up to that point.

The goal was a long time coming for the Penguins who failed to capitalize on a brief 5 on 3 power play at the beginning of the second period.

The Penguins attempted to grind down the Senators in the third period and escape with a 1-0 win. Chris Neil had a wide open opportunity but was robbed by the right pad of Tomas Vokoun as he stuck it out in desperation.

With the Penguins getting a power play with 1:27 remaining in the game, it looked like Pittsburgh would skate away with a 1-0 win. But the Senators came back and scored shorthanded with 29 seconds left in the game.

Milan Michalek took a long pass from Sergei Gonchar and crossed the blue line. The Penguins had four players back but none of them picked up Daniel Alfredsson who was driving to the net. Michalek centered for Alfredsson who deflected the puck past the glove side of Vokoun.

In the first overtime, Evgeni Malkin was electrifying.

Malkin made four moves to split the defense and almost scored on the backhand attempt. The Senators had a few chances in front of Vokoun but the defense, headlined by Paul Martin, cleared all lose pucks. After twenty minutes, the game approached double overtime.

In the opening minutes of the second overtime, both teams traded power play chances only to have them both killed. But the Senators came right back and got a goal from Colin Greening to cut the series lead to 2-1 Penguins.

Andre Benoit took a cross-ice pass from Erik Condra and rifled a shot on goal. Vokoun made the initial save but the rebound came to Greening who poked into the net.

Game 4 will be played on Wednesday night in Ottawa.

• The last time the Penguins lost a multiple overtime game was in 2010 against the Ottawa Senators in Game 5.
• Pittsburgh is 0 for their last 10 in power plays with a shorthanded goal against.
• The Penguins lost their first road overtime playoff game since May 5th, 2001 against the Buffalo Sabres.

Three Stars

1. Colin Greening
2. Craig Anderson
3. Tomas Vokoun

Photo courtesy of Sportsnet Canada

When it comes to playoffs, hockey is the undisputed champion

If there was ever a debate as to which sport holds the title for highest amount of excitement, drama, and intensity come playoff time, the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs ends all discussion.

Where else can you find this kind of entertainment? The Boston Bruins, down by three goals to their divisional rival Toronto Maple Leafs, come back to force an overtime, and end the game with a sudden death goal in Game 7. This all happened with two goals coming 31 seconds apart under the two minute mark of the final regulation period. The Bruins rose from the depths of playoff defeat and, in the end, shook hands as winners.

That was only the exclamation point to a playoff round full of action.

Out West, the kings of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs proved they are very capable of defending their crown using the same formula that helped them roll through last year's playoffs as an eighth seed: timely scoring and dynamite goaltending. The Los Angeles Kings will face their intrastate rivals from the North. The San Jose Sharks, a sixth seed, provided the only series sweep of the opening round when they dismantled the Vancouver Canucks. As hockey continues to grow in popularity in the Golden State, only one team will emerge victorious in the battle of California.

The Anaheim Ducks lost in seven games to the Detroit Red Wings in one of the most hard-fought series in Stanley Cup playoff lore. Of the seven games, four went into overtime with the seemingly ageless Red Wings winning three of those contests. Now the Wings will look to continue their quest for one more Stanley Cup before the franchise's championship window has closed.

To advance to the conference finals, the Red Wings will face an old rival dating back to 1926 when the two teams made up one-third of the league. The Chicago Blackhawks have dominated all year, gaining a point in their first 24 regular season games en route to the President's Trophy. They followed that up with a 4-1 series win over the Minnesota Wild and now look forward to a meeting with Detroit as they continue their journey towards their second Stanley Cup in three years.

In the Eastern Conference, the Pittsburgh Penguins survived a scare from the New York Islanders who outplayed the heavily favored Pens for most of the season. That all went out the window when Brooks Orpik's only playoff goal in 78 career playoff games ended the Isles' season in overtime of Game 6. They will face an Ottawa Senators team that is out for blood after accusing Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke of purposely slicing the achilles heel of Erik Karlsson earlier in the season.

The playoff rivalry has already been chiseled over the last six years with the two teams now meeting in the playoffs for the fourth time in that span. The Senators rolled over the Montreal Canadiens in five games. But the question now remains, do they have enough to defeat a Penguins team that contains the best player in the league, the reigning MVP, a Norris Trophy finalist, a forty-goal scorer and a future hall of fame inductee?

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Bruins will face the New York Rangers in what will already be a clash between two Original Six teams that have a deep-seeded rivalry in all four major sports. Can the Bruins build off their epic Game 7 comeback or will goaltender Henrik Lundqvist shut them down as he did against the Washington Capitals in a Game 7 series of the opening round?

Whatever the outcome, it will be theatre for sure.

We've seen teams lose games in the dying seconds of a period and lose series with unbelievable goals in overtime.

We've witnessed electrifying goals, bone-crushing body checks, and miraculous saves.

Despite being the least paid players among the four major sports, hockey players have shown that winning trumps all and the heart to pursue each and every win requires an affordable cost. Goalies have lost teeth, players have seen their own blood spilled on the ice, and players have had their faces altered to prevent a goal. All of this effort comes for a Stanley Cup that they, the players, aren't even allowed to keep. The only thing they get is a ring, and their name on a trophy that is 120 years old.

So sit back and enjoy the greatest tournament that sports have to offer. The dedication, sacrifice, drama, excitement and entertainment cannot be matched.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

Orpik's overtime heroics knock out Isles

The last time the Pittsburgh Penguins met the New York Islanders in an overtime, elimination game, David Volek scored to complete an upset in Game 7 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals and spoiled the Pens' chances of winning a third consecutive Stanley Cup. In that game, the Penguins dominated, out shooting the Islanders 45-20 in a losing effort.

This time, the tables were turned.

Brooks Orpik scored his first career playoff goal in 106 games 7:49 into overtime to defeat the New York Islanders 4-3, Saturday night on Long Island. It was a goal from one of the unlikeliest of players in a game where the Penguins were heavily outplayed.

The Islanders came out with a lot of energy and desperation and the Penguins countered with what looked to be a listless effort despite being up 3-2 in the series.

New York came out swinging off the opening draw and controlled the puck in the Pittsburgh zone. After an icing call, Dan Bylsma elected to use his timeout just 1:19 into the game.

It didn't help the Penguins refocus as the Islanders took a 1-0 lead four minutes after the break. Matt Carkner reversed the puck around behind the net where it found Josh Bailey. Bailey then fed John Tavares who was wide open in the right slot and buried a perfect wrist shot past Tomas Vokoun.

The Penguins quickly answered just two minutes later. Sidney Crosby took a pass from Paul Martin at center ice and beat the defensemen to the net. Crosby's backhand attempt was stopped by Evgeni Nabokov but Jarome Iginla swooped in to jam home the rebound.

Going into the first intermission with a 1-1 score would have been great for the Penguins, but a defensive break down with under a minute remaining in the first period led to another Islanders goal. Michael Grabner forced Paul Martin into the boards then stole the puck. Grabner found Keith Aucoin just a few feet from the right post and sent him the puck before Aucoin dished a cross-crease pass to Colin McDonald for the easy goal.

After killing a Brenden Morrow penalty early in the second period, the Penguins had easily the worst power play of the season without giving up a goal. However, 19 seconds after the power play was over, the Penguins scored to even the score at two a piece.

Matt Niskanen sent the puck to Joe Vitale who went wide on Travis Hamonic before sending a perfect backhand pass to the front of the net. Pascal Dupuis crashed the crease at the perfect time and tipped the puck past Nabokov.

Going into the third period, the Penguins were outshot 28-13, but they were tied with a chance to take the lead. Instead, the Islanders, once again, broke the tie off a Penguins' turnover. Kris Letang's pass was cut off by Aucoin just inside the blue line. Aucoin delayed before finding Grabner in the left wing circle for the one-timer.

Vokoun stood tall the rest of the way making nine saves including back to back stops on two on one rushes. As the third period wore on, the Penguins started to tilt ice. Evgeni Malkin, who had been terrible in the game up until this point, muscled his way to the puck and found Paul Martin on the left point. Martin's slapshot was low but Frans Nielsen accidentally tipped the puck into his own net to tie the score at three.

With the game in overtime the Penguins went right back to turning the puck over and handing opportunities to the Islanders. Michael Grabner stole the puck at the blue line, circled behind the net and just missed a wraparound goal.

The Penguins threw very few counterpunches in overtime, but their last one proved to be the knockout blow to the Islanders' season. Evgeni Malkin past the puck to Tyler Kennedy who then sent it back to Brooks Orpik on the left point. Orpik's slapshot snaked its way towards the net and rattled around in the cage for the series-clinching goal.

While the Penguins move on to face the Ottawa Senators in the second round, the New York Islanders will have a summer to reflect on an exciting season that saw them make the playoffs for the first time since 2006-2007.

• The Penguins have now won seven straight road playoff overtime games.
• Jarome Iginla registered at least one point in all six games vs. the Islanders.
• Pittsburgh is now 1-3 all-time in playoff series against the Islanders.

Three Stars

1. Brooks Orpik
2. Tomas Vokoun
3. John Tavares

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

Vokoun's shutout pushes the Islanders to the brink of elimination

The last time Tomas Vokoun started in a playoff game, he was a member of the 2007 Nashville Predators that lost to the San Jose Sharks, tended by Evgeni Nabokov, in the opening round.

After Vokoun's performance Thursday night, he has a chance to return the favor to Nabokov on Saturday in Long Island. Vokoun stopped all 31 shots earning his second career playoff shutout, and Sidney Crosby tallied three points as the Penguins dominated the Islanders 4-0, pushing the division rival from Long Island to an elimination game.

Vokoun replaced Marc-Andre Fleury after an abysmal Game 4 that allowed six Islander goals on 24 shots. In stepped Vokoun who, after looking shaky early in the game, gained confidence and turned away the Islanders at every opportunity including Kyle Okposo on a partial breakaway.

Dan Bylsma didn't just start Vokoun for Game 5, he also injected Joe Vitale, Tyler Kennedy, Simon Despres into the lineup to combat the speedy Islanders. Those players replaced Jussi Jokinen, Mark Eaton, and Tanner Glass. The moves worked as Kennedy and Vitale provided an energy boost right off the bat, drawing a penalty just 3:24 into the game.

The defense tightened up for the Penguins who didn't allow a shot for the first seven and a half minutes of the game. By the end of the period, the Islanders had outshot the Penguins 14-7 but neither team was able to get on the board.

The Penguins broke the game open in the second period.

Tyler Kennedy, who had been a force all game up to that point, took a perfect stretch pass from Kris Letang and skated in on Nabokov on the breakaway. Kennedy wasted no time, firing a wrist shot over the glove hand of the netminder to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

Just over a minute later, Douglas Murray added his second goal of the playoffs after Nabokov flubbed a save attempt of his own. Murray's shot hit Nabokov's left shoulder before bouncing behind him and into the net.

John Tavares was stopped by the left pad of Vokoun after trying to split the defense with some nifty stickhandling. Then, Sidney Crosby scored an iconic goal blow the top off the Consol Energy Center.

Crosby took the puck from Jarome Iginla at center ice and cut between two Islander defensemen. He muscled his way past the defense, kept control of the puck then beat Nabokov with a blistering far-side wrist shot. The goal was reminiscent of Mario Lemieux's goal from December 20th, 1988 against the Islanders, depicted by the larger-than-life statue outside the front entrance of the arena.

Kris Letang scored on the power play five minutes into the third period on a one-timer setup by Sidney Crosby's unbelievable backhanded pass.

Four goals was more than enough as the Penguins locked it down the rest of the game to preserve the shutout. The Islanders only registered six shots on goal in the third period and showed their frustration taking several penalties as time was winding down.

The Penguins will have an opportunity to close out the series Saturday at Nassau Colisseum. The game is slated for a 7:30 start after the Montreal Canadiens were eliminated by the Ottawa Senators, Thursday night.

• Nabokov has a 4.69 GAA with a .847 save percentage through five games.
• Douglas Murray and Kris Letang are tied for the league lead in goals by defensemen.
• Vokoun's last playoff start was April 20th, 2007. His previous shutout was on April 13th, 2004.

Three Stars

1. Tomas Vokoun
2. Sidney Crosby
3. Tyler Kennedy

Photo courtesy of NHL.com

Message to the Penguins

"Keep it simple."

Is there a more overused term in the history of any sport ever created? Hockey players say it like it's a mantra and for the Pittsburgh Penguins, it should be.

Since Game 2, and really last year, it has been no secret that the Penguins' biggest problem in the playoffs has been puck management in the defensive end. Allegedly, they correct that problem in the regular season. That is, until the playoffs started. Now it's back to blind passes, bad decisions, and awful turnovers leading to goals for the opposition.

It haunted the Penguins in Games 2, 3, and 4 and they are fortunate the series is tied at two a piece. Heading into Game 5, with a new goaltender between the pipes, the Penguins MUST change if they want a shot at the second round. The players and coaches know it as they've talked about the problem ad nauseum.

"There's a lot of us on the ice that create turnovers that lead to odd-man rushes and shots on net. ... We have to be better in front of our goalie," said Chris Kunitz when addressing the media over the goalie switch to Tomas Vokoun. (credit: Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

The problem is, the Penguins have been saying this for the past three games and every step forward seems like two steps back. The Penguins finally outshot the Islanders in Game 4 but lost the game due to inexcusable turnovers in their own end. Through all the talk about being better defensively and being smarter with the puck, the Penguins are still shooting themselves in the foot by trying to do too much to get the puck out of their own end.

When I watch other series in these playoffs, I see every team supporting the puck carrier out of his own end. The teams that are winning are the best at getting the puck and forcing it into the offensive zone. Because, see, if the puck is not in your end the whole game, it's hard for the other team to score.

Sounds simple, doesn't it?

It should be that simple for the Penguins. The truth is, when the Penguins get the puck at center ice, all the pressure goes on New York to make a play. And with players like Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, the offensive talent should be a huge mismatch for the boys in blue and orange. The Islanders do have some scoring threats, mainly John Tavares who is an MVP candidate this season, but they sorely lack the depth the Penguins possess. The difference is, the Islanders are able to pressure using their speed and hammer away in the offensive zone until the Penguins turn the puck over and reveal a golden opportunity.

When the puck is in the neutral zone, the Penguins are on the advantage. When you look at the Penguins' goals in Game 4, how many of them came off the rush? For that matter, how many times have the Penguins quickly responded from an Islanders goal or scored less than a minute after a neutral zone face off?

The formula for victory is right in front of the Pittsburgh Penguins: keep it simple in your own zone. Make the safe play instead of trying to hit the home run. If there's room to skate with the puck, skate. If there's an open man for an outlet, use him instead of the player hovering at center ice where you may have a 50/50 shot to get him the puck.

The Penguins have spent $70 million dollars this season with 44.6 million going to the top nine forwards in the lineup. Once they get the puck they can use their skill and athleticism to terrorize Evgeni Nabokov. But they can't score from their own end and forcing high-risk plays wont work against a speedy, aggressive team like the Islanders. The only way to counter their aggressiveness is to stay calm with the puck and make the easy plays on the breakout.

Keep it simple.

Photo courtesy of Pens Labyrinth

Isles even series at 2-2

The New York Islanders will head to Pittsburgh with an even series, tied at two games a piece. While two of the last three games of this best of seven will be on the road, the eight seed from Long Island looks poised to make a move on the Eastern Conference favorite, Penguins.

John Tavares scored the game winning goal 10:11 into the third period and Casey Cizikas added another late goal to route the Penguins 6-4, Tuesday night.

For the Penguins, it was a carbon copy of last season's breakdown against the Philadelphia Flyers. The team that swore and execute a better defensive approach throughout the regular season officially came unglued for the entire hockey world to see. Kris Letang and Mark Eaton made countless turnovers in their own end, Evgeni Malkin gave back every goal he was involved in, and Marc-Andre Fleury completely melted down.

Meanwhile, the Islanders weathered an offensive storm from the Penguins, counter punched, then briskly killed the remaining nine minutes of the game without allowing any serious scoring chances.

The Penguins killed off two penalties early in the opening period but former Penguin Brian Strait scored to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead. Strait's shot from the left point found its way through a screened Marc-Andre Fleury.

Evgeni Malkin setup James Neal, returning from an ankle injury in Game 1, for the equalizer just 45 seconds after Strait's goal. Malkin led a three on two rush, delayed, then found Neal on the right wing circle for the one-timer.

New York broke the 1-1 tie with a power play goal on the Penguins' fourth penalty of the game. Mark Streit's slap shot beat Fleury who went down when he was bumped by John Tavares.

Again, the Penguins responded with a goal less than a minute later. Jarome Iginla found Evgeni Malkin in the neutral zone creating a two on one with James Neal as the Islanders were changing. Malkin closed in on Evgeni Nabokov and fired a shot that beat the stick side of the goaltender.

The Penguins took the lead with Brandon Sutter's first NHL goal. Matt Cooke had a huge hit along the corner boards to start the forecheck and Brenden Morrow found Sutter from the left wing hash mark. Sutter's shot bounced off of Nabokov's left shoulder but he didn't get enough of the puck to keep it from going in the net.

With Andrew MacDonald heading to the box, the Penguins had a chance to take a critical two-goal lead with a power play that cashed in on 46% of their chances heading into Game 4. Instead the Penguins became careless with the puck and almost gave up a shorthanded goal.

Then, late in the period, Josh Bailey scored on a weak goal from behind the net. Bailey corralled a puck and lightly threw it towards the goal. The puck went off of Fleury's left pad and into the net to tie the score at three.

Pascal Dupuis gave the Penguins a 4-3 lead just 41 seconds into the third period deflecting a shot from Chris Kunitz.

The Islanders responded with a lucky bounce of their own when Mark Streit's shot deflected off of Douglas Murray's skate and past the outstretch left pad of Marc-Andre Fleury.

Six minutes later the Islanders took the lead on a goal from their best player. John Tavares took advantage of an Evgeni Malkin turnover in front of the Penguins' goal and put a shot on Fleury. The rebound came back to Tavares who buried the second-chance opportunity.

With nine minutes still left on the clock, the Islanders crowded the defensive zone, forced turnovers, and chipped the puck back out to center ice. Casey Cizikas drove wide with the puck with under two minutes remaining in the game and shove the puck past Fleury for the clincher.

• The Penguins have allowed 44 goals in their last 10 playoff games.
• Andrew MacDonald was injured during his penalty and did not return.
• Travis Hamonic and Evgeni Malkin both took fighting majors at the end of the game, a suspend-able offense.

Three Stars

1. John Tavares
2. Mark Streit
3. Evgeni Malkin