Penguins Playoff Monday

Yinzers,

What a game was played in Pittsburgh on Saturday. If you did not watch it, why are we speaking? In the playoffs, Marc-Andre Fleury has only one loss in ensuing games after posting a loss. After Saturday night, he would still only have one loss in post-loss games. Game 5 was a duel of goaltenders with Marc-Andre Fleury winning the shootout at the Igloo corral. The Penguins' goals for the game were to get to Jaroslav Halak early with traffic in front of the net, and to keep up the physical play by finishing all of their checks, especially on Hal Gill and Josh Gorges. The hard work would pay off.

Kris Letang would open up the scoring late in the first period by putting home a rocket on the power play. This all but makes up for the fluke goal that went behind Marc-Andre Fleury off Letang's skate in game 4. Not to be outdone, Sergei Gonchar also added one of his patented, drifting, one-timer goals on the power play at 9:50 in the second period. Throughout the entire game, the Penguins controlled the play, much like they have done in the entire series. Dany Bylesma was quoted as saying he wants to spend "about 80% of the time in the [Canadiens] zone." That is a little steep, but the Penguins did spend a vast majority of the time in the Montreal zone. Down 2-0 late in the third period, the Canadiens pulled Jaroslav Halak when the Penguins' Pascal Dupuis took a slashing penalty with 2:26 to go in the game. It would pay off for one goal as Mike Cammalleri got a power play goal with just 31 seconds left in the game. That would be the closest the Canadiens would get. The Penguins took this one 2-1 with Marc-Andre Fleury turning away 32 out of 33 shots.

The Penguins are off to Bell Centre tonight at 6:30 to try and finish off the Canadiens. Bell Centre will be loud and rowdier than normal with the Canadiens' backs to the wall. Stick to the game plan and this one should go the Penguins' way.

Let's go Pens,
B Brog