Messaged delivered to the Montreal Canadiens – the Pittsburgh Penguins are not the Washington Capitals. Everything about game 1 last night at the old Igloo was a contrast to how the Canadiens had succeeded to down the “best” team in the NHL. At least the “best” team based on record anyway.
In their previous series the Canaidens blocked shots, shut down the power play and Jaroslav Halak stoned the Caps to rebound from a deficit of three games to one and win the series. Last night however the Penguins were methodical in their shot selection, picked the canadiens apart on the power play and chased Halak from the net. Although it did not start out that way.
PK Subban (1) scored not even five minutes into the game to give Montreal a 1-0 lead and Canadiens fans were over joyed. But the Penguins took control by picked apart the Habs defense, drawing penalties and converting on the chances they were given on the power play. Gonchar (1), Staal (2) and Letang (3) each scored with the man advantage in the first and second period to put the Penguins up 3-1.
Michael Cammalleri (6) cut the deficit to one late in the second but Craig Adams (2) extended the score to 4-2 even later in the same period taking a pass from Pascal Dupuis across the front of the net and beating Halak. Alex Goligoski (2) added yet another power play goal early in the third to make it 5-2 and chase Halak from net in favor of Carey Price. Price made several saves and the Penguins missed golden opportunities to stretch the lead even further before Brian Gionta (3) scored for Montreal on the power play to make it a 5-3 contest.
Late it was Billy Guerin (3) putting in an empty net goal to end it all at 6-3.
The game was a wake-up call for the Canadiens who basically had their way with a high powered Capitals lineup previously. But the game should not be taken in and of itself that this series will be a cake walk for the Penguins either. Montreal did not succeed in shutting down the Pens in game 1 but game 2 will tell whether or not Montreal learns from the experience and adjusts.
Marc-Andre Fleury was able to hold down the fort with several great saves at times against the Canadiens and had any of those found the net this game could have been a lot different. In fact Montreal out shot the Penguins 31-24 on the night and netted 12 shots in both the second and third periods; way too many. Pittsburgh will have to hone its defense to prevent that from happening again. But they may have to do so without Jordan Staal who is as far as I am concerned the premier shut down center in the NHL. Staal was injured in a collision with Montreal’s PK Subban. Staal hobbled to the bench and later left the arena on crutches. As of this morning the injury was still undisclosed as nothing other than a lower body injury.
Notes:
Where was the Penguins power play during the regular season? Last night was just another dominating perfromance for a unit that couldn’t seem to hit the broad side of the barn during the regular season. The power play went 4 for 4 in game one against Montreal.
Three of Pittsburgh’s four power play goals were scored by their blue liners.
Jaroslav Halak faced only five shots when the Canadiens were down a man. He stopped only one. Marc-Andre Fleury also faced five shots on the penalty kill. He stopped four.
Jordan Staal logged 8:49 of playing time before being injured with one goal and was a -1.
The Penguins scored six goals. Each goal was scored by a different player. Crosby and Malkin had none of them but had two assists and one assist respectively.
