The Carolina Hurricanes were downgraded to a tropical depression following tonight’s embarrassing loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Cam Ward, who might be replaced with the empty net in Game 4 considering that the empty net has only allowed two goals in the series, was strong at times but the relentless Penguins attack proved too much once again for him to stand up against.

Carolina drew first blood with a powerful attack early on when Cullen (3) was able to put the puck behind Marc-Andre Fleury. But after that the Penguins put the pedal down but Cam Ward could not make the saves to keep Carolina ahead. Not three minutes later Malkamania ran wild as Malkin (11) buried the tying goal on a powerplay. After back and forth play for the rest of the period, Crosby (14) and Malkin (12) each scored in the final minute of play to dart the Penguins out to a 3-1 lead.

That would be the way the game remained until the third period. Samsonov (5) scored less than two minutes in to draw the Hurricanes to within one. But the Penguins played hard and Fleury made some great saves to keep the lead. Then it turned. Fedotenko (5) scored after Malkin dropped the puck to him in the slot and the score was 4-2. Then Craig Adams (2) scored his second of the playoffs off a face off with Cam Ward pulled. Off the face off the puck raced down the ice and into the net to extend the lead to 5-2 with just under two minutes to play. But it was not over.

Forty seconds later on the power play, Bill Guerin (6) beat Ward again and when it all ended the score was 6-2 and Carolina was down in the series 3-0.

Fleury was both sharp AND lucky at times as pucks that had him beat drifted wide of the goal by inches a couple times. However he did made 32 of 34 saves. Cam Ward stopped just 34 of 39.

Game 4 is Tuesday night and the Hurricanes are far behind the eight ball now.

The Hurricanes win if …
1) Cam Ward puts up a great performance
2) Carolina limits their time in the Penalty Box
3) Carolina keeps the Penguins shot total down

The Penguins win if …
1) They keep throwing pucks at the net
2) Jordan continues to play well against his brother in the face off dot
3) Pittsburgh’s defense tightens up early and doesn’t allow Fleury to get peppered.

It is undeniable no matter what the fans of Marc-Andre Fleury say; the Penguins netminder has been solid but not spectacular this playoff season. Sure, he has shown flashes of brilliance but he has repeatedly let in soft goal after soft goal and relied on the defense to limit scoring opportunities. Well, last night Fleury stepped up his game – finally.

While Cam Ward was busy robbing the Penguins at one end of the ice and keeping the Hurricanes alive in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Fleury was putting on a clinic at the other end as well. And when the dust settled after 20 minutes of play it was Fleury who stood tall stopping all 12 shots he face while Cam Ward, the man you have to beat to beat the Canes, was only 7 of 9. Goals by Satan (1) and Malkin (7) put the Penguins up heading into the locker room.

Satan’s goal looked almost like it had been drawn up on the chalk board with Bylsma telling the much maligned winger to purposefully take a penalty then telling the Penguins to kill it flawlessly allowing then to spring Miroslav on a breakaway attempt as the penalty expired. He completely undressed Ward to give the Penguins the lead.

LaRose would finally solve Fleury halfway through the second to cut the lead to one goal but Boucher (1) extended that lead to 3-2 midway through the third. Only a late goal by Corvo and the Canes due to a silly penalty by Brooks Orpik for elbowing made the game close.

Most of the game was fast paced and up and down the ice with both teams having their chances but time and again it was Carolina that appeared outmatched in both speed and grit. Although they did have some golden opportunities that were wasted and put good pressure on Fleury at times, the defense of the Penguins smothered rebounded, cleared pucks and blocked shots. And let’s be honest, the Hurricanes were lucky to come out of the first period down only 2-0. By my count the Penguins misfired and missed the net on some half dozen or so shots that were by Ward and wide of the net before his hands even moved. They must have missed on some dozen shots altogether in the frame.

The Penguins also, once again also did an excellent job staying out of the penalty box in Game 1. A holding call against Satan (right before his opening goal) and the late call against Orpik were all that they got called for.

Now it is time to rest … and rest. Game 2 does not take place until Thursday night in Pittsburgh so there will be lots of time for both teams and the media to dissect Game 1 ad nauseum.

The schedule for the Eastern Conference finals has been set. The match up will feature none of the division champions of the conference with Boston, Washington and New Jersey all hitting the golf courses already. Instead the showdown features two teams who each needed grueling seven game series to get here; the 4th seeded Penguins and the 6th seeded Hurricanes.

Each team eliminated one of the top two seeds in the East in the last round to advance.

The schedule features, for better or worse quite a few days off compared to the more typically every other day schedule for hockey.

The match up starts Monday, April 18th. Then the teams have two days off before resuming on Thursday, April 21st. Then one day off and a game on the 23rd. Then two days off again until game 4 on the 26th. Then another two days off until, if necessary, game 5 on the 29th.

Talk about stretching things out!

Pittsburgh had the game yesterday against Carolina literally stolen from them by the goal tending of Cam Ward as they fell to the Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime. Believe it or not, despite really needing the win to have a strong chance at sneaking up into 4th place in the East, knowing this is the reason they lost is a good thing. It is good because I will tell you this much; if the Penguins continue to play like they have since the month of March started and like they also played yesterday, I do not think there is a single goal tender in the league right now and that they will face in the playoffs that can best them 4 out of seven games in a series.

Now they will have to dig down deep and beat the Panthers today to work towards locking up a post season birth. Florida will be desperate because heading into today’s game they are on the outside looking in and two points back of the eighth place Rangers.

All the Penguins have to do is play the same way they played yesterday and hope they do not get robbed again by another goal tenders and they can be well on the way to the playoffs after 60 minutes of hockey today.