Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Not the time to sit back - Game Two of the Stanley Cup Finals

PPG Paints Arena / MF
By: MF,


It's another night of Stanley Cup Playoff hockey in Pittsburgh! The Penguins currently lead the Stanley Cup Final series 1-0 over the Nashville Predators.

Kessel celebrates a Penguin goal
Even with a win in Game One for the Penguins, there are many things they need to improve on for Game Two. The Penguins were held without a shot for 37:09 in Game One. The next shot, fortunately, was a goal by Jake Guentzel. They were outshot and outplayed by the Predators in Game One. This has to change moving forward if they want to capture the Cup for the second year in a row.

The Penguins need to come out with speed, play smart defensively, stay out of the box, and play a full 60-minute game. They are very much capable of this as they have done it in the previous games. This is the time for them to kick things into gear and not let the Predators take control. Momentum is everything in the playoffs, they need to take control and not let up. That will be critical for the Penguins. This is not the time to seat back. Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Sheary - Crosby - Rust
Kunitz - Malkin - Kessel
Guentzel - Bonino - Rowney
Wilson - Cullen - Hornqvist

Defense
Dumoulin - Hainsey
Maatta - Daley
Cole - Schultz

Murray in the net!

Play by Play
PENS 4 Predators 1

3rd Period
0:00 - THAT WILL DO IT! THE PENS TAKE A 2-0 SERIES LEAD AFTER TAKING GAME TWO WITH A 4-1 WIN OVER THE PREDATORS! MURRAY WAS SOLID IN NET ONCE AGAIN! THE PENS ARE ONLY TWO WINS AWAY! 

1:31 - Kunitz now takes a seat. Four-on-four hockey for 1:32.

1:59 - Power play time for the Pens as McLeod goes to the box. Then Hornqvist and Ellers exchange shoves and words. Things are heated.

2:18 - Some extended zone time for the Pens. They held the Predators in their own zone for quite some time until Saros makes a save and holds for a whistle.

5:46 - Another successful penalty killing effort for the Pens.

7:46 - Subban and Malkin dropped the gloves, but it was aggressive hugging was taking place, not a fight. Malkin gets an extra minor and the Predators get a power play chance.

8:40 - A successful penalty killing effort by the Pens. Rowney had a huge block on a play. The bench shows their appreciation.

10:40 - Crosby heads to the box for interference. A bit of a weak call.

13:09 - Power play time ends for the Pens.

13:12 - Hornqvist redirects a pass from Cullen past Saros, but the Predators challenge for offsides. It's ruled a no goal.

15:09 - Aberg to the box and the Pens get a power play chance.

16:31 - Saros will replace Rinne.

16:32 - MALKIN SCORES! The Pens gets a rush up ice! Malkin fires a rocket shot past the glove of Rinne! 4-1 Pens

16:47 - WILSON SCORES! Kessel throws the puck to the front of the net from the wing! It goes off the stick on Wilson, then off a Predator, and past Rinne! 3-1 Pens

19:50 - GUENTZEL SCORES! Hainsey gets to the puck and gets it up to Rust! Rust gains the zone and fires a shot to the far left pad of Rinne! Rinne kicked it out and Guentzel puts it in the open net! 2-1 Pens

20:00 - We are back for the third period! The Pens have to put on the pressure and kick it into another gear! Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - That will be the end of the second period and things are still tied 1-1.

0:35 - The power play comes to an end for the Pens. No shots.

2:35 - Another power play chance for the Pens. McLeod gets a high-sticking minor.

2:55 - Crosby is a man on a mission. He has been all over the ice and has been laying some solid hits.

5:06 - Cullen lays a hard and clean hit on Ekholm. Probably a little payback there for the pad hit Ekholm laid on Cullen earlier in the game.

6:12 - Power play time expires for the Pens.

8:12 - The Pens are getting a power play after some sustained pressure in the zone. Watson will take a seat for interference.

10:00 - McLeod runs right over Murray in the goal. He seems to be okay afterward. No penalty.

11:31 - Josi fires a hard shot from the blue line that is gloved up by Murray.

14:07 - Forsberg takes the puck into the Pens' zone on a two-on-one rush. Cole takes away the passing lane, forcing Forsberg to shoot. Murray flashed the glove to make the save.

16:24 - A good start to the period for the Predators. The Pens are doing a good job of getting the puck into the zone without Rinne being able to play the puck.

19:59 - Bonino is back on the bench to start the second.

20:00 - Time for the second period! The Pens need to come out with speed and keep pressuring the Predators! Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00 - The first period comes to a close and this one is tied 1-1.

0:18 - Murray robs Forsberg. A great save.

3:24 - GUENTZEL SCORES! Sheary fires the puck on net and Rinne makes the stop at the post! Guentzel takes a whack at the loose puck at the side of the net and it finds a crack in Rinne's equipment into the net! 1-1 tie game

3:28 - Power play time expires.

5:28 - A huge power play chance coming up for the Pens as Josi heads to the box for cross-checking on Sheary.

6:01 - Solid push for the Predators. The Pens get lucky as Murray was down and the net was open.

7:03 - Aberg scores. Aberg stick handles around Maatta to the front of the net. He holds as he goes across the front of the goal and finally releases a shot past Murray. 1-0 Predators

7:36 - Full strength action now.

8:24 - Now a power play chance for the Pens for about a minute.

9:36 - Cole draws an interference penalty on Fisher. Now a four-on-three Predators' power play for 58 seconds. Bonino also blocked a Subban shot on the play. He needs help getting up and off the ice. He heads to the locker room.

10:24 - Kunitz to the box for cross-checking and Malkin for hooking. Five-on-three power play for the Preds.

11:55 - A better start for Rinne. He seems to be a bit more comfortable compared to Game One.

13:01 - Cullen is back on the bench and the crowd roars alive for him.

14:42 - Ekholm hits Cullen into the boards hard from behind. No call is made. Cullen is helped up by the Pens' trainer and heads to the locker room.

15:25 - Some great offensive pressure by the Pens. Rinne with a huge save up front. The crowd is loud after that effort.

15:56 - That will be the end of that power play chance. The Pens got one shot through to Rinne.

17:56 - The first power play of the game will go to the Pens as Smith takes a seat for cross-checking.

20:00 - Game Two is underway! The Pens need to come out with speed and take control of this game right off the bat! They cannot afford to sit back tonight! Lets Go Pens! 

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