We begin the second round of the playoffs taking on Sid the Kid and the Pittsburgh Penguins. See how we fare against on of the best players in recent memory.
PREVIEW
The Penguins finished the regular season with a record of 46-30-6, good for 98 points. They beat the Capitals in six games in the first round, with some major help from Sid the Kid. Crosby recorded 11 points in the first round, all but 2 of them assists. They also have offensive support from Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. The Penguins, like the Canadians, have a very strong defensive core led by Kris Letang and Derrick Pouliot. In goal the Penguins have veteran Marc-Andre Fleury. In terms of injuries, Pittsburgh will miss 85 overall defenseman Simon Despres, but he should return by Games 4 or 5. Here are their lines.
Forwards
Spaling(83)-Crosby(97)-Downie(82)
Bennett(85)-Malkin(92)-Hornqvist(86)
Kerdiles(81)-Stoll(80)-Rust(80)
LaPierre(78)-Vermette(80)-Comeau(81)
Defensemen
Maatta(85)-Letang(88)
Pouliot(90)-Sustr(84)
Harrington(81)-Ehrhoff(81)
Goalies
Fleury(88)
Greiss(83)
SERIES
Game 1 was a goal-filled game in Philly, as the Penguins' depth was out in show, scoring three goals in the first two periods, as Jarrett Stoll, Antoine Vermette, and Maxime LaPierre all scored, with just a Shayne Gotisbehere goal in our favor. The third period was a different story, as Andre Burakovsky, Anthony Duclair and Claude Giroux scored to give us the lead, before Steve Downie forced overtime. 8 minutes into overtime, Sean Couturier got his first of the playoffs to give us a 5-4 win. After Game 1, we got another injury as Zbynek Michalek was put out for about three weeks, forcing us to call up top prospect Nicolas Meloche. We got off to a flying start in Game 2, as Burakovsky and Giroux gave us an early lead. Burakovsky scored again in the third period, before Nick Spaling and Sidney Crosby made things interesting late, but we held on for a 3-2 win.
As the series came to Pittsburgh, the Penguins came out with a strong start, as Evgeni Malkin scored the first goal of the game, but Oliver Ekman-Larsson put the score back on level terms. We exploded in the third period, as Giroux, Dumba and Pettersson all scored before Pouliot got one back for the Penguins. We held on for another win, by a score of 4-2. For the second consecutive series, we had a 3-0 lead, but the Penguins were determined to win Game 4 at home. The first period was a stand-off, with Duclair and Malkin scoring for their teams. The Penguins sealed the win in the third period, though, as Kerdiles and Malkin scoring to give us our first loss of the playoffs, 3-1.
We came home for Game 5, looking to finish off the Penguins, but they proved they were still fighting. Voracek scored first before LaPierre equalized, but the third period belonged to the Penguins again. Maatta, Crosby, Harrington and Hornqvist scored for them, as Voracek could only get one back for us, as we dropped our second consecutive game, 5-2.
With the Penguins riding a wave of momentum, Game 6 took place in Pittsburgh. Marc-Andre Fleury played very well, limiting us to one Burakovsky goal, as Crosby, Bennett, Malkin and Kerdiles scored to even up the series. We just couldn't find the back of the net, with only one goal on 40 shots spelled a 4-1 loss.
We came home to Philly for a pivotal Game 7, and came out with a absolute fury. Dumba, White and Voracek all scored in the first period, with Comeau getting one back to make it 3-1 after the first. In the second period, Voracek and Couturier both scored to make it 5-1, and Giroux and Couturier again put the game away in the third, with Kerdiles getting one back to make the final score 7-2. With our backs against the wall, the offense came out with their best game of the playoffs, helping us win the series in 7 games.
Series MVP: Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Honorable Mention: Claude Giroux, Philidelphia Flyers
ANALYSIS
What a series! It was tense seven games, but when we needed the performance, the team stepped up. Our first line performed and our defense did just enough to help us win. Despite the result, there was definitely some cause for concern, as our defense and goal-scoring went missing for Games 4-6, and Jack Campbell struggled against good competition. However, for a young team, we have to be impressed, as we've made the Eastern Conference Finals.
The dream continues after a hard-fought win over the Penguins. Can we keep winning? Find out next time!
-Henry
PREVIEW
The Penguins finished the regular season with a record of 46-30-6, good for 98 points. They beat the Capitals in six games in the first round, with some major help from Sid the Kid. Crosby recorded 11 points in the first round, all but 2 of them assists. They also have offensive support from Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. The Penguins, like the Canadians, have a very strong defensive core led by Kris Letang and Derrick Pouliot. In goal the Penguins have veteran Marc-Andre Fleury. In terms of injuries, Pittsburgh will miss 85 overall defenseman Simon Despres, but he should return by Games 4 or 5. Here are their lines.
Forwards
Spaling(83)-Crosby(97)-Downie(82)
Bennett(85)-Malkin(92)-Hornqvist(86)
Kerdiles(81)-Stoll(80)-Rust(80)
LaPierre(78)-Vermette(80)-Comeau(81)
Defensemen
Maatta(85)-Letang(88)
Pouliot(90)-Sustr(84)
Harrington(81)-Ehrhoff(81)
Goalies
Fleury(88)
Greiss(83)
SERIES
Game 1 was a goal-filled game in Philly, as the Penguins' depth was out in show, scoring three goals in the first two periods, as Jarrett Stoll, Antoine Vermette, and Maxime LaPierre all scored, with just a Shayne Gotisbehere goal in our favor. The third period was a different story, as Andre Burakovsky, Anthony Duclair and Claude Giroux scored to give us the lead, before Steve Downie forced overtime. 8 minutes into overtime, Sean Couturier got his first of the playoffs to give us a 5-4 win. After Game 1, we got another injury as Zbynek Michalek was put out for about three weeks, forcing us to call up top prospect Nicolas Meloche. We got off to a flying start in Game 2, as Burakovsky and Giroux gave us an early lead. Burakovsky scored again in the third period, before Nick Spaling and Sidney Crosby made things interesting late, but we held on for a 3-2 win.
As the series came to Pittsburgh, the Penguins came out with a strong start, as Evgeni Malkin scored the first goal of the game, but Oliver Ekman-Larsson put the score back on level terms. We exploded in the third period, as Giroux, Dumba and Pettersson all scored before Pouliot got one back for the Penguins. We held on for another win, by a score of 4-2. For the second consecutive series, we had a 3-0 lead, but the Penguins were determined to win Game 4 at home. The first period was a stand-off, with Duclair and Malkin scoring for their teams. The Penguins sealed the win in the third period, though, as Kerdiles and Malkin scoring to give us our first loss of the playoffs, 3-1.
We came home for Game 5, looking to finish off the Penguins, but they proved they were still fighting. Voracek scored first before LaPierre equalized, but the third period belonged to the Penguins again. Maatta, Crosby, Harrington and Hornqvist scored for them, as Voracek could only get one back for us, as we dropped our second consecutive game, 5-2.
With the Penguins riding a wave of momentum, Game 6 took place in Pittsburgh. Marc-Andre Fleury played very well, limiting us to one Burakovsky goal, as Crosby, Bennett, Malkin and Kerdiles scored to even up the series. We just couldn't find the back of the net, with only one goal on 40 shots spelled a 4-1 loss.
We came home to Philly for a pivotal Game 7, and came out with a absolute fury. Dumba, White and Voracek all scored in the first period, with Comeau getting one back to make it 3-1 after the first. In the second period, Voracek and Couturier both scored to make it 5-1, and Giroux and Couturier again put the game away in the third, with Kerdiles getting one back to make the final score 7-2. With our backs against the wall, the offense came out with their best game of the playoffs, helping us win the series in 7 games.
Series MVP: Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Honorable Mention: Claude Giroux, Philidelphia Flyers
ANALYSIS
What a series! It was tense seven games, but when we needed the performance, the team stepped up. Our first line performed and our defense did just enough to help us win. Despite the result, there was definitely some cause for concern, as our defense and goal-scoring went missing for Games 4-6, and Jack Campbell struggled against good competition. However, for a young team, we have to be impressed, as we've made the Eastern Conference Finals.
The dream continues after a hard-fought win over the Penguins. Can we keep winning? Find out next time!
-Henry
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