Setting the tone before heading to Pittsburgh

Crosby and Malkin / MF

By: MF,

Back in action for Game Two between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals! The Penguins took Game One with a 3-2 win and look to head back to Pittsburgh with a 2-0 series lead. While the Capitals have other ideas.

One can expect this game to be a bit more physical and chippy as the Capitals peppering the net on Thursday night, but were only able to break through for two goals. Marc-Andre Fleury will be getting more traffic and bodies in front of him, which will make his job even harder and that is saying something as Game One was a rough one.

As for the Penguins, they need to get to their speed game earlier and keep the pressure on the Capitals. They cannot afford to sit back on their heels like previously and expect to come out with the win every night. The Penguins will have some help in that department as Carl Hagelin is back in the lineup and he will replace Scott Wilson. This game will set the tone as the series will shift to Pittsburgh after tonight. Lets Go Pens!

Downtown Pittsburgh / MF

The Pens lineup is as follows:

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

Defense
Dumoulin - Hainsey
Maatta - Daley
Cole - Schultz

Fleury in the net!

Play by Play
PENS 6 Caps 2

3rd Period
0:00 - THE PENS GET THE 6-2 WIN OVER THE CAPS AND TAKE A 2-0 SERIES LEAD HEADING TO PITTSBURGH! NOT A COMPLETE GAME FOR THE PENS, BUT THEY RESPONSE AND GET THE JOB DONE! FLEURY WAS UNBELIEVABLE ONCE AGAIN! 

0:42 - GUENTZEL SCORES AN EMPTY NETTER! 6-2 Pens

1:38 - Successful penalty kill for the Pens.

2:21 - Ovechkin's shot goes off the side of Hainsey's head (ear). He goes down and is in a lot of pain. The play is whistled dead. He is able to skate off under his own power and heads down the runway to the locker room.

2:24 - Empty net for the Caps.

2:51 - Another post for the Caps.

3:38 - Kuhnahackl gets a delay of game penalty. He is shaken up on the play and will head to the box. Kessel serves the penalty.

5:54 - Schmidt fires a shot from the point that rings off the goal post. The puck rebounds to Johansson who has a wide open net. He throws the puck into Fleury instead.

7:22 - A successful penalty kill for the Caps.

9:22 - Power play chance for the Pens as Wilson will get two for roughing. He also receives a 10-minute misconduct penalty. He will be unavailable to the Caps unless they force overtime.

11:37 - Geno ends up getting the fifth Pens goal as the puck went off his skate.

13:35 - Great response by the Pens as the Caps were getting some chances and it looked as if things would start to look like the first period.

14:29 - Cole's goal was initially waved off for goalie interference, but the Pens challenge. It was obviously a good goal. Good challenge!

14:29 - COLE SCORES! Malkin creates a screen in front of Grubauer and Cole puts the puck on net! Cole's shot beats Grubauer blocker side! 5-2 Pens

16:16 - Backstrom scores. Ovechkin comes flying into the offensive zone and Fleury turns aside his shot. Backstrom gets to the rebound first and is able to put it past Fleury before he can recover. 4-2 Pens

17:41 - KESSEL SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! Kessel circles around walks in, and puts a shot five-hole! 4-1 Pens

18:28 - Shattenkirk flips the puck over the glass and will receive a delay of game penalty. The Pens head onto the power play.

19:59 - Grubauer replaces Holtby to start this period.

20:00 - The third period is underway! The Pens need to keep pressuring the Caps and Holtby! They cannot allow them any time or space to get back into this one! Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - The horn signals the end of the second period and the Pens hold the 3-1 lead!

1:52 - The Pens have found their speed and desire later in the second. The score shows that. Now the test is whether they can keep up the pressure or do they end up sitting back?

3:46 - GUENTZEL SCORES! Crosby blocks a shot and dives out to propel the puck towards Guentzel! Guentzel and Rust then get a two-on-one chance! Guentzel holds and blows the puck past the glove shoulder of Holtby! 3-1 Pens

6:56 - KESSEL SCORES! Guentzel gets the puck to Crosby who is flying through the neutral zone! Crosby takes the puck behind him and puts it through his legs to bring the puck to the front of his body! Three Capital players surround Crosby as he enters the zone! Crosby is able to snap the puck over to Kessel who is all alone on the wing! Kessel snipes a shot over the glove shoulder of Holtby! 2-1 Pens

8:15 - That will be the end of power play time for the Pens.

10:15 - Finally a power play chance for the Pens and a great time for them to get one. Orpik will sit for hooking. The Pens need to use this power play to gain some momentum.

12:00 - Probably the best shift in the game by Malkin's line. They were able to cycle the puck and get some looks at the net.

13:26 - The Caps are outshooting the Pens 23-6. Things need to change right now.

13:53 - The Pens are better than this, but they are letting the Caps have their way. They are getting beat to pucks and giving up way too many scoring chances.

15:45 - Malkin is released and the Pens kill off another penalty.

17:45 - Malkin will not sit in the sin bin for slashing. Making up for the Caps not getting a power play in Game One as it seems the Caps can do no wrong.

17:51 - Niskanen scores on the power play. Three Pens go to the boards to battle and end up leaving Niskanen all alone in front. Fleury gets a piece of his point-blank shot, but it's not enough. 1-1 tie game

18:45 - CULLEN SCORES A SHORTHANDED GOAL! Cullen blocks Shattenkirk's shot at the blue line and gets to the puck! He creates a breakaway chance and Oshie does lift his stick to break the momentum! Cullen recovers and puts it five-hole on Holtby! 1-0 Pens

19:31 - Another power play chance will be awarded to the Caps as Guentzel takes a seat for hooking.

19:50 - Hornqvist is not on the bench to start the second. Sheary takes his spot on Crosby's line.

20:00 - Time for the second period! The Pens need to come out with a completely different attitude and put the pressure on the Caps this time! Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00 - The first period comes to an end and this one is scoreless.

0:17 - Another solid penalty kill. Amazing effort by Fleury.

2:17 - Terrible time for the Pens to take a penalty. Cole goes to the box for interference and the Caps get a late power play.

3:38 - Hornqvist blocks a shot from Carlson and he goes down in pain. He stays on the bench but eventually heads to the locker room.

4:50 - Backstrom gets time and space on the wing all alone. Fleury comes out to challenge and robs him with a mask save!

6:23 - The Pens take advantage of a Caps turnover to get a quality shot on net. Crosby at the side of the net finds Guentzel in the blue front. Holtby denies his point blank shot.

7:24 - Two-on-one chance for the Caps and Eller decides to hold the puck. His shot rings off the goal post!

9:17 - Shots are 8-1 in favor of the Caps. That is concerning.

10:13 - Cullen's line with the best offensive zone pressure so far for the Pens. They got to the forecheck and really were doing some good things. A solid foundation to build off of.

11:58 - A flurry of shots by the Caps. Fleury holds strong and keeps this one scoreless. The Pens are on their heels and something has to give. They need to pressure back.

13:42 - Successful penalty kill for the Pens. Now they need to get to work offensively as it has been all Caps to start.

14:01 - Great read by Fleury to deny Ovechkin. Though Ovechkin is always in the same place on the power play, so Fleury used that knowledge efficiently.

15:42 - Daley will now head to the box for hooking and that sends the Caps on the power play. Regardless of whether one believes that was a good call it was coming sooner or later. In my opinion, it was the right call. Now the Pens have a huge penalty kill ahead of them.

16:42 - The "HBK" line has been reunited. Solid start for the Caps and they have tested Fleury.

18:31 - Fleury with a solid save on a shot through traffic by Schmidt. The Caps getting their defense involved on plays.

19:47 - Hope to see Malkin wake up during this game. He had a terrible Game One performance and it would be a perfect time for him to get to his game.

20:00 - The puck has been dropped in Washington! The Pens need to come out with speed, take control of this game early and keep it! Lets Go Pens!