Monday, May 16, 2016

Time to push back the Lightning

By: MF,

Tonight the Pittsburgh Penguins will have to step up their game for the Second Game of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team got together on Sunday to discuss what they need to do in Game Two to get the win. There was a focus on the intensity level along with not beating themselves in the game.

However, the Penguins have done a great job of being resilient and at bouncing back. This is the perfect chance for the Penguins to get things back on track and tie the series up at two apiece. On the injury front, Ryan Callahan is out for the Lightning as he is sick with the flu, but they might see Anton Stralman return to the lineup.

Things will be different on the back end as Olli Maatta will be sitting this game and Justin Schultz will be in the lineup. This will help shack things up and hopefully get things going for the team. In the net will once again be Matt Murray. He was selected in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft (83rd overall and the 10th goalie selected), where Andrei Vasilevskiy (Lightning goaltender) was selected 19th overall (1st goalie selected) in that very draft. This will be a battle of the young goaltenders.

As for the offensive of the Penguins, Sidney Crosby earned an assist in Game One, which was the 83rd of his playoff career. This moved him right into second place on the team’s all-time assist list. Look for both him and Evgeni Malkin to set up and light things up for the Penguins. This will be key for the team in the long run. A guy that has been coming up big in the playoffs is Patric Hornqvist, who has eight career playoff goals for the Penguins that all were scored at Consol. He has at least one goal in six of his nine home postseason games for the Penguins. Look for him to light the lamp and get the team going. Also, Phil Kessel has been on fire and leads the team in scoring during the postseason. He has 34 points (18 goals and 16 assists) in 34 playoff career games. As a whole, the Penguins have scored 24 goals at home in the playoffs, which is the most in the playoffs.

The Penguins will have to come out with speed, play smart, and keep the pressure on the Lightning. They have to get control of this game and get sustained offensive zone pressure. Lets Go Pens!


Last minute update: Hornqvist was hit by a puck in the face during warm-ups. He is questionable for the game now. Stralman in the lineup for the Lightning. 

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Malkin-Rust
Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel
Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Fehr

Defense
Dumoulin-Letang
Daley-Lovejoy
Cole-Schultz

Murray in the net!

Play by Play
PENS 3 Lightning 2 OT

Overtime
0:00 - THE PENS GET THE 3-2 WIN IN OVERTIME AND TIE THIS SERIES 2-2! THEY WEATHERED THE STORM AND PUT ON THE PRESSURE! MURRAY BOUNCED BACK AND THE TEAM PUSHED BACK! THIS WIN WILL GIVE THEM SOME MOMENTUM AS THE SERIES SHIFTS TO TAMPA! 

19:20 - CROSBY SCORES! Dumoulin outlets to Rust rushing into the offensive zone! Rust holds and makes a great pass to Crosby! Crosby drags the puck, goes to one knee, and snipes one past the blocker side of Vasilevskiy! 3-2 Pens

20:00 - This game needed more time! The Pens have to come out and get this one done early! They can't let the Lightning have any chances against Murray! Lets Go Pens!


3rd Period
0:00 - We are headed to overtime.

1:24 - Kunitz with a shot that is scooped up by Vasilevskiy.

3:55 - Crosby with a nice cross-body check on Hedman. Rather impressive, especially with the height difference.

5:33 - The Lightning create a chance and it gives Palat a one-on-one chance in front. Murray isn't fooled and makes a great save.

5:58 - Shots are 36-18 in favor of the Pens.

7:44 - Kunitz with a great chance in front, but Vasilevskiy shuts the door.

8:13 - Boyle almost sneaks one between the legs of Murray and he is able to push it out of danger.

10:20 - The Lightning get a two-on-one chance and Killorn fires one off the crossbar. He had Murray beat up high on the glove side.

11:00 - Malkin, Hagelin, and Rust had a really strong shift and the crowd shows their appreciation.

13:13 - Kunitz with a chance at the side of the net and is denied.

13:44 - Crosby is able to come up with the bouncing puck in the Lightning zone and Vasilevskiy gets a piece of Crosby's shot with his pad.

16:35 - Crosby with a good battle on the boards to get the puck out to Hornqvist. He tries to center to Kunitz in front, but the puck goes off the skate of Sustr.

20:00 - We are back for the third period! The Pens have to put on the pressure, get in the face of the goalie, and put everything on net! Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - Second period ends with things still tied at two.

0:08 - Killorn gets a breakaway chance, but Murray shuts him down with a pad save.

1:09 - More sustained offensive zone pressure need by the Pens at this point.

3:20 - The Pens have limited the Lightning shots this period, but still looking to generate some more offense.

5:12 - Letang with some nice stick work to separate Drouin and the puck.

6:39 - Crosby enters the zone and circles to get control of the puck. He finds Schultz flying down the wing. Schultz is stopped by Vasilevskiy. He didn't get much on that shot.

9:29 - Letang and Malkin start up the ice with Crosby trailing on the wing. Letang goes to Malkin who makes a great pass over to Crosby. He backhands one and is robbed by the glove of Vasilevskiy. Impressive save.

10:58 - Successful penalty kill for the Pens.

12:58 - Now the Lightning get a power play chance as Murray is called for tripping. He gave up a huge rebound and Hagelin ended up saving him.

14:37 - Crosby sets up Hornqvist in front, but Vasilevskiy with the save.

15:37 - Pens are out-hitting the Lightning 18-13.

17:48 - Before the period started, Head Coach Sullivan walked by Fluery and said, "Ready to go?" and Fleury replied "I am."

20:00 - Time for the second period! The Pens have to come out with the same speed and attack method as the first, but have to be smart with the puck! Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00 - First period comes to an end with things tied at two apiece.

0:49 - Drouin scores. Drouin comes flying into the zone and snipes one under the blocker arm of Murray. 2-2 tie game.

1:07 - Drouin is back on the ice and that brings an end to the Pens PP.

3:07 - The Pens are headed back onto the power play as Drouin heads to the box for hooking.

3:22 - Stralman scores. Marchessault finds Stralman trailing into the Pens zone and makes a nice pass across the center. Stralman puts it over the glove of Murray. 2-1 Pens

4:37 - Killorn is set free and the Pens power play comes to an end.

6:37 - The first power play of the game will go to the Pens as Killorn sits for holding.

7:42 - Daley with a hard shot from the point and Fehr with the wicked redirect in front, but Vasilevskiy gets a pad on it. That was a hard save to make. The Pens are peppering him with shots.

8:45 - Shots are 9-3 in favor of the Penguins. It should be noted that Vasilevskiy has been stopping some hard shots. It could easily be a 4-0 game right now.

10:23 - KESSEL SCORES! Hagelin fires the puck towards the net and it hits Bonino in the slot! He tries to put in the bouncing puck, but it goes off the skate of Sustr! Kessel comes flying down the wing to pick up the loose puck and put it past Vasilevskiy! 2-0 Pens

11:31 - Drouin gets the puck at the side of the net and has an open cage to put it in, but Lovejoy comes in and plays some goalie.

14:21 - Such a fast pace start to this game. Not many whistles/stoppages.

15:28 - CULLEN SCORES! Cullen and Fehr get an odd-man rush! Cullen passes over to Fehr who is stopped by the pad of Vasilevskiy! Cullen follows up to put the rebound in the back of the net! 1-0 Pens

17:01 - Much more jump to the Pens as they start this game. Also Hornqvist is on the ice and looks no worse for wear.

20:00 - The puck has dropped at Consol! The Pens have to come out with speed, attack, put pressure on the young Lightning goalie, and control the game! Lets Go Pens! 

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