No Malkin, no problem? - Part Two

PPG Paints Arena / MF (good luck now, no?)

By: MF, 

Welcome back to Game Two between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals! The Penguins took Game One, 3-2 and lead the series 1-0.

This will be a big game for both teams. The Capitals are looking to bounce back in this one, while the Penguins are wanting to keep their foot on the gas pedal.

Nothing will change for the Penguins in this game. They will still be without Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin.

The Penguins have to stay focused, play smart, and keep on the pressure. Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Guentzel - Crosby - Hornqvist
Simon - Sheahan - Kessel
Sheary - Brassard - Rust
Aston-Reese - Rowney - Kuhnhackl

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Schultz
Oleksiak -  Ruhwedel

Murray in the net!

Play - by - Play
Pens 1 Capitals 4

3rd Period
0:00 - That does it for this game. The Capitals get the 4-1 win and tie the series 1-1. We are headed back to Pittsburgh now.

0:06 - Nicklas Backstrom scores an empty-netter. He fires into the empty net. 4-1 Capitals

1:19 - The Pens empty their net once again.

1:41 - Power play time expires for the Pens.

1:43 - Hornqvist and Smith-Pelly get tangled up in front of the net. They both head to the box.

2:44 - Empty net for the Pens.

3:12 - Power play time for the Pens for 1:31.

3:41 - 29 seconds of four-on-four hockey. Kuznetsov to the box for slashing.

5:12 - Another penalty to the Pens. This time Brassard. Penalty killing time. On a side note, the officiating has been terrible. Inconsistency strikes once again.

6:23 - Solid penalty kill for the Pens.

8:23 - Capitals getting a power play. Letang to the box.

8:47 - Murray robs Chandler Stephenson on a breakaway chance.

10:57 - Crosby goes for the wrap around, but it doesn't quite get there. Hornqvist helps it the rest of the way. Holtby puts his skate at the pole to try and keep the puck out. The referees take a long look and call it a no goal. Terrible call once again by the NHL. Even the NBC announcers show a picture to show that it was a goal. Come on.

12:22 - The power play time expires.

14:22 - T.J. Oshie is ticketed with interference. A power play chance for the Pens.

15:57 - Crosby's shot goes up into the netting. Decent start for the Pens.

19:59 - No Dumoulin.

20:00 - We are back for the third period! The Pens need to keep up the pressure. Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - That does it for the second period. 3-1 Capitals.

3:44 - Devante Smith-Pelly gets a step on Ruhwedel and goes right to the front of the net. He loses his edge on the play and ends up running into Murray.

5:54 - Crosby missed a chance on a wide open net. The puck just jumped off his stick!

6:56 - LETANG SCORES! Letang fires a hard shot from the point with traffic in front. His shot blows past Holtby. 3-1 Capitals

8:46 - Hornqvist and Dmitry Orlov exchange some blows. Both get roughing minors. Four-on-four hockey time.

9:02 - Guentzel is absolutely robbed by Holtby.

15:04 - Now Guentzel is holding his left arm close to him. He goes to the bench in some discomfort.

15:34 - Dumoulin goes down hard onto the ice and the trainer comes out to him. He skates to the bench and goes to the locker room. Tom Wilson came up behind and put his shoulder right into Dumoulin's head, while Ovechkin hit him from the other side. Dirty hit by Wilson.

17:53 - Brett Connolly scores. Another bad turnover to the Pens allows for Connolly to get a breakaway chance. He targets the high-glove side of Murray. Murray gets a piece of the puck, but not enough. 3-0 Capitals

20:00 - Time for the second period! The Pens have to clean up their game and put on the pressure. Murray cannot do it all. Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00 - The first period comes to an end. 2-0 Capitals.

1:48 - Murray is getting a workout.

5:06 - Jakub Vrana scores on the power play. Vrana stickhandles right to the front/side of the net. He puts his shot high-glove. The Pens challenge for goalie interference. The call stands. 2-0 Capitals

7:01 - Now the Capitals get a power play chance as Crosby takes a seat for hooking.

7:53 - Finally some offensive pressure by the Pens. Holtby came up with some great saves.

8:48 - Crosby's line gets some offensive pressure going. Braden Holtby ends up robbing Crosby in front.

9:57 - The Pens are a turning over way too many pucks. Just unreal.

11:03 - A terrible power play for the Pens. It looked like the Capitals were on the power play instead. Murray had to hold down the fort.

13:03 - Pens to the power play as Kuznetsov goes off for tripping.

13:55 - Niskanen's shot from the slot is saved by the blocker of Murray. Really solid save. The Capitals are pinning the Pens in their own zone.

14:43 - Similar to Game One, the Capitals are pressuring early. They are outshooting the Pens and Murray is trying to weather the storm for the Pens. Also, the Capitals are going for high-glove shots on Murray.

15:59 - By the way, that goal was high-glove. That has been a problem for Murray for a while now.

18:34 - Alex Ovechkin scores. A bag pinch by the Pens leads to a rush for the Capitals. Evgeny Kuznetsov pokes the puck away from Hornqvist and it goes right to Ovechkin, who has plenty of time and space on the wing. He puts a rocket shot past Murray. 1-0 Capitals

19:23 - Letang fires a shot from the point that Crosby redirects just wide. Solid play.

20:00 - Game time! The Pens need to come out with speed and put the pressure on the Capitals. Don't let them have any hope. Lets Go Pens!

Old rivals collide once again - Round Two - 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs

PPG Paints Arena / MF (the reason for the same picture is that I am very superstitious)

By: MF, 

The Pittsburgh Penguins have made it to the Second Round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs as they dispatched the Philadelphia Flyers in the First Round in six games.

Now the challenge gets harder. Every round raises new challenges, obstacles, and physical dilemmas. It seems to be destiny for the Penguins to meet the Washington Capitals and they will do just that in this round. It won't be an easy series for either team, but it will be an interesting one as always.

However, the Penguins will start the series down two critical forwards. Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin will not be in the lineup for Game One. Malkin did travel with the team to Washington, but Hagelin did not. The Penguins have to rise to the challenge, which they have done before in the past.

Old rivals collide once again in the playoffs. The question is, do the Penguins still have the Capitals number or is this finally the season for the Capitals? It all starts tonight! Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Guentzel - Crosby - Guentzel
Simon - Sheahan - Kessel
Sheary - Brassard - Rust
Aston-Reese - Rowney - Kuhnhackl

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Schultz
Oleksiak -  Ruhwedel

Murray in the net!

Play - by - Play
PENS 3 Capitals 2

3rd Period
0:00 - THE PENS TAKE GAME ONE 3-2! They come back after being down 2-0 and get the win. What a game for them. Murray was huge for them!

0:36 - What a game by Murray.

0:47 - The Capitals call a timeout. Murray has been unreal. 

1:40 - Empty net for the Capitals. 

2:37 - Murray robs Brett Connolly at the side of the net. Unreal save. 

6:10 - A set faceoff win for the Capitals. Ovechkin's quick shot hits the mask of Murray and goes up into the netting. 

7:48 - A successful penalty kill for the Pens. 

8:20 - 32-second power play for the Capitals. 

9:48 - Guentzel gets a high-sticking penalty. Four-on-four hockey for 1:28. 

10:20 - Now the Pens get a power play chance. Chandler Stephenson is ticketed for high-sticking. 

12:12 - GUENTZEL SCORES! Crosby gets the puck off the half-boards and quickly fires a shot on net. Guentzel gets a piece of the puck as it travels to the net. The puck goes between the post and blocker arm of Holtby. 3-2 Pens 

13:21 - A bad turnover for the Pens. Lars Eller gets the puck and Murray ends up denying him. 

14:40 - CROSBY SCORES! Dumoulin finds Hornqvist right at the blue line. He chips the puck over to Guentzel who fires a pass across the ice to Crosby. Ovechkin gets a piece of the pass to slow it down, but Crosby still gets the puck. He beats Holtby five-hole. 2-2 tie game. 

17:01 - HORNQVIST SCORES! Schultz fires a shot from the point and is able to elevate the puck over a fallen Ovechkin. Hornqvist redirects the shot past Holtby. 2-1 Capitals 

19:32 - Ovechkin scores. Another two-on-one chance for the Capitals. Ovechkin holds and fires a shot over the glove of Murray. 2-0 Capitals 

20:00 - We are back for the third period! The Pens have to put the pressure on Holtby even more, but not let the Capitals get quality chances in the process. Lets Go Pens! 


2nd Period
0:00 - The second-period horn sounds. The Capitals still hold the 1-0 lead. 

1:17 - Sheahan is back on the ice, sporting a black eye. 

3:05 - Holtby denies the Pens with chances right in front. 

3:40 - Sheahan takes a puck up high and he heads straight to the bench holding his face. 

5:52 - Murray has been really solid for the Pens. He makes another pad save with bodies in front. 

8:04 - Finally a whistle. None stop up and down hockey for quite some time. 

9:34 - Crosby's line has been generating some good chances. If Malkin was here, the Capitals would be in trouble. They haven't been able to really contain Crosby. 

11:57 - Murray and Holtby have settled into this game well. Both teams are flying and trading chances. 

15:04 - Power play time expires. Only two shots on net for the Pens during that power play. 

17:04 - The first power play of the game goes to the Pens as Tom Wilson is called for interference. A huge chance for the Pens. 

18:18 - What a save by Murray. He comes sliding across to deny a shot with his blocker. Unreal. 

19:45 - Guentzel and Crosby have a two-on-one chance. Guentzel holds and fires a shot that rings off the goal post! 

20:00 - Time for the second period! The Pens need to communicate better and clean up their defensive gameplay this period. Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00 - The first period comes to an end and the Capitals have the 1-0 lead.

0:58 - Some nice work by the first line of the Pens in the offensive zone. Holtby makes a save on Hornqvist's shot.

3:07 - It seems the Pens have settled into the game a little bit. Both teams getting looks and chances.

6:16 - Holtby shuts the door on Guentzel's chance.

7:01 - Sheahan holds strong to go behind the net and outlet a pass to Simon, who is driving down the center. Holtby gets a piece of his shot to direct it wide.

7:47 - To be honest, if the Pens end this period down by one that would be great. The Pens have given up way too many chances. Luckily not much develops, but still, the chance is there for the Capitals.

8:42 - Murray holds strong as Devante Smith-Pelly as he comes crashing into him. Murray keeps the puck out. The Pens are breaking down defensively. They have to pick up their gameplay.

9:11 - Simon beats Holtby, but he cannot beat the goal post.

9:50 - The Pens have gotten lucky on a few plays now. Murray with a solid glove save.

10:41 - Brooks Orpik lays a heavy hit on Hornqvist. Hornqvist seems to be okay.

13:02 - Crosby is robbed by Braden Holtby.

13:30 - Murray gets a piece of the puck. It trickles through the blue paint. Luckily two Pens were there to clear the puck out of blue paint.

15:12 - Another odd-man rush for the Capitals. Ovechkin has a wide open net but fires the puck wide. The Pens got lucky there.

16:20 - Dumoulin was hit hard into the boards. He was slow to get back up and is not happy with the referee.

17:52 - Not the start they were looking for, but the Pens have been able to generate some chances in the offensive zone.

19:43 - Evgeny Kuznetsov scores. Ovechkin chips the puck up to Kuznetsov who is behind the Pens' defense. He beats Murray high glove. 1-0 Capitals

20:00 - The Second Round of the playoffs has officially started! The Pens need to come out with energy and speed. Time to quiet down this building. Lets Go Pens! 

Round Two or Game Seven?

PPG Paints Arena / MF

By: MF, 

Well, here we sit. Game Six. The Pittsburgh Penguins allowed the Philadelphia Flyers to get some life back into their game and keep themselves alive in this playoff round.

It wasn't a good Game Five for the Penguins. The Flyers had the energy and determination, whereas the Penguins did not. The team that worked hard all game came out with the win. Today, that has to be the Penguins.

However, the Penguins have some good and bad news when it comes to their lineup today. Patric Hornqvist will be returning, but Evgeni Malkin will not be in the lineup. Malkin had a Flyer fall on his leg, which caused it to bend in an odd way in Game Five. Not surprising to see him out, but hopefully, it's nothing very serious and won't affect the team moving forward.

The Penguins can still close out this game even without Malkin. They just need to play smart, stay disciplined, and play a game full of energy. Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Guentzel - Crosby - Guentzel
Hagelin - Sheahan - Kessel
Sheary - Brassard - Rust
Aston-Reese - Rowney - Kuhnhackl

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Schultz
Oleksiak -  Ruhwedel

Murray in the net!

Play - by - Play
PENS 8 Flyers 5

3rd Period
0:00 - THE PENS HAVE WON 8-5! THEY ARE HEADED TO THE SECOND ROUND! 

0:29 - Flyer fans are still throwing things onto the ice. Full beer cans at that. Show some respect. Just terrible. 

0:30 - RUST SCORES AN EMPTY NETTER! 8-5 Pens 

2:24 - Empty for the Flyers again. 

2:53 - Couturier scores. Hat trick. Sheahan tires to clear the puck down the center, but the puck goes right to Giroux. Murray makes the initial save and Couturier puts in the rebound. The Pens challenge the goal, but it's ruled a good goal. 7-5 Pens 

3:01 - Empty net for the Flyers. 

7:02 - GUENTZEL SCORES HIS FOURTH! What a game for Guentzel. He is firing everything he can on the net. This time he gets his fourth one past Neuvirth. 7-4 Pens

7:11 - After watching that play by Letang. To be honest, a bit of a missed call. Looked like a slight trip by Letang. However, many calls have been missed that have benefited both teams. So that is the way of the NHL playoffs it seems. 

7:12 - GUENTZEL SCORES! HAT TRICK! Letang pokes the puck away from Couturier, who ends up going down in the process. The puck bounces out to Guentzel in the slot. He snaps one past Neuvirth. 6-4 Pens 

7:23 - Letang is set free. 

7:55 - The first set of penalties expire. Regular Flyer power play for 32 seconds. Murray comes up with some big saves. 

9:23 - Not a good penalty by Letang. He sits for cross-checking. Four-on-three power play for the Flyers for 1:28. 

9:55 - Four-on-four hockey time. Guentzel (interference) and Jakub Voracek (embellishment). 

10:32 - Sheahan has done a great job today. It's not an easy task to slot in for Malkin, but he has stepped up to the challenge. Solid game for him. 

11:45 - Another successful penalty kill. Flyers had zero shots on their power play chance. 

13:45 - Dumoulin puts the puck over the glass and will head to the box. Delay of game penalty. This is a huge penalty kill. 

19:30 - GUENTZEL SCORES! Ivan Provorov turns over the puck to Kessel in the defensive zone. Kessel has Guentzel on the wing as he drives to the net. He holds and makes a pass over to Guentzel, who puts it in the open net. 5-4 Pens 

19:59 - No Hagelin on the bench. 

20:00 - We are back for the third period! The Pens have to put the pressure on Neuvirth and step up their game. Now is the time to finish this. Lets Go Pens! 


2nd Period
0:00 - That does it for the second period. Things are tied 4-4. 

0:53 - GUENTZEL SCORES! Some great work behind the net by Guentzel to get the puck out to Maatta at the point. Maatta fires a shot and Guentzel redirects it past Neuvirth in front. It trickles over the goal line. 4-4 tie game. 

1:51 - Sheary and Konecny are set free. 

3:51 - Sheary and Travis Konecny have a disagreement and exchange some hits. It took the referee a long time to make a call. They both end up getting a penalty. Four-on-four hockey. 

6:25 - HORNQVIST SCORES! Dumoulin keeps the puck in the offensive zone and goes up to Crosby. He goes to Guentzel, who finds Hornqvist in the slot. Hornqvist beats Neuvirth. Beautiful passing play. 4-3 Flyers

7:46 - Laughton scores. Laughton snaps a shot from the wing and beats Murray, blocker side. Bad goal for him to allow. 4-2 Flyers

8:17 - The penalty kill is good. 

10:17 - Giroux hits Hagelin hard. Hagelin is slow to get up. Kessel goes after Giroux and ends up taking a penalty. The Flyers get a power play chance. Hagelin heads to the locker room as he is bleeding from the mouth. 


12:10 - Murray robs Claude Giroux in front. What a save! Murray got a snowed in the process by Giroux. Letang responded with a hit on Giroux.  

13:32 - Pens need a spark. 

16:18 - Kessel rings a shot off the goal post. 

16:34 - Frustrating game to watch right now. The Pens are not matching the determination of the Flyers every shift. 

19:20 - Couturier scores. Couturier gets a breakaway chance and Hornqvist is unable to disrupt him. Couturier drives right to the net and stickhandles to put a shot through the five-hole of Murray. 3-2 Pens 

19:25 - Power play time expires. 

20:00 - Time for the second period! The Pens start with 35 seconds still left on their power play. Get a goal here and push forward! Lets Go Pens! 


1st Period
0:00 - Horn sounds to end the first period. Things are tied 2-2.

1:25 - The Flyers get possession of the puck and the delayed penalty situation ends. Scott Laughton heads the box for interference and the Pens power play unit comes onto the ice.

2:22 - Neuvirth looks to be down and out, but still robs Sheary at the side. A scramble in front of the net. A penalty will come to the Flyers. Delayed penalty situation right now.

3:44 - Not a surprise that things are tied up. The Pens have been sitting back way too much since Hagelin scored. The Flyers have the energy and jump.

4:12 - Andrew MacDonald scores. MacDonald fires a rocket shot from the point and beats a screened Murray. 2-2 tie game.

6:58 - The Pens have done a good job of disrupting passes and plays of the Flyers. More pressure by the Pens in the offensive zone is needed. They cannot afford to sit back.

11:21 - Hornqvist lays a solid shit on Jakub Voracek.

12:43 - HAGELIN SCORES! Claude Giroux turns the puck over at the blue line to Sheahan. Sheahan goes behind the net and leaves the puck for Kessel. Kessel quickly outlets a pass to Hagelin in front. His quick release beats Neuvirth. 2-1 Pens

13:30 - CROSBY SCORES! A set faceoff for the Pens and Letang gets a shot off from the point. Neuvirth makes the pad save, but Crosby is right at the side of the net to send the rebound to the back of the net. 1-1 tie game.

13:34 - Finally some good pressure by the Pens. Their third and fourth lines getting to work in the offensive zone. Michal Neuvirth makes a save on Ruhwedel's shot.

14:49 - Murray has made a few solid saves. The Flyers have the jump to start this game.

17:45 - Couturier scores. Murray gets a piece of Simmonds' shot, but it trickles past him and lays behind him in the blue paint. Ruhwedel and Oleksiak are unable to clear the puck over put it under Murray. Couturier gets to the loose puck and puts it in. 1-0 Flyers

20:00 - Game Six is underway! The Pens have to come out with some energy and put the pressure on the Flyers early. Lets Go Pens! 

The Penguins look to wrap up Round One

PPG Paints Arena / MF

By: MF, 

A chance for the Pittsburgh Penguins to finish this series in the Burgh. They have that chance tonight, all they need is a win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game Five.

The Penguins have dominated in three of the four games they have played. Matt Murray has been outstanding and the guys have stepped up to the challenge. Tonight is a whole new challenge, as the Flyers will be a desperate team trying to hold onto their playoff dream. The Penguins have to close this game out in Game Five. History has proven that it needs to be done and it will give the Penguins a chance to rest up a bit before moving onto the second round. That will be critical for them in Round Two.

On the injury front, Patric Hornqvist is still out for the Penguins tonight, but he did skate with the team this morning. As for the Flyers, Sean Couturier took pre-game warmups and seems to be ready to join the Flyers lineup after missing Game Four.

In addition, the Flyers will start with Michal Neuvirth in net tonight.

Time to finish this series and put the Flyers onto the golf course. Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Guentzel - Crosby - Simon
Hagelin - Malkin - Kessel
Sheary - Brassard - Rust
Aston-Reese - Sheahan - Kuhnhackl

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Schultz
Oleksiak -  Ruhwedel

Murray in the net!

Play - by - Play
Pens 2 Flyers 4

3rd Period
0:00 - This game comes to an end. The Flyers stay alive with a 4-2 win in Game Five. The Pens still have a 3-2 series lead. 

0:17 - Read scores an empty-netter. Another turnover by the Pens, this time Letang, leads to Read getting the puck. He puts it in the open net. 4-2 Flyers

0:50 - Neuvirth robs Crosby at the side of the net. 

1:00 - Empty net for the Pens. 

1:15 - Sean Couturier scores. More bad turnovers by the Pens and they cannot clear the puck. Couturier fires from the point, the puck hits Dumoulin, and beats Murray. 3-2 Flyers

3:56 - My computer decided to update in the middle of this game. Bad turnover by the Pens leads to the Flyers getting chances. Murray holds strong. Also, Neuvirth makes a good save on Sheary's shot. 

9:25 - Still some sloppy gameplay by the Pens. They need to clean up with play and keep the pressure on Neuvirth. 

15:13 - Oleksiak lays a hard hit on Giroux. Giroux ends up going to the locker room. Gudas goes after Oleksiak and they drop the gloves. Also, Giroux is back on the bench now. 

15:50 - Bodies and sticks everywhere in the Flyers' zone. Letang and Malkin both denied by Neuvirth. 

17:45 - The Flyers kill off Filppula's penalty. The Pens had some great scoring chances, but couldn't find the back of the net. 

19:45 - Power play time for the Pens. Filppula takes a seat in the box for tripping. This is a critical power play chance for the Pens. 

20:00 - The third period is underway! The Pens have to pick up their game. Sloppy plays have cost them dearly in this one. Lets Go Pens! 


2nd Period
0:00 - The horn sounds to end the second period. Things are tied 2-2. 

1:45 - Valtteri Filppula scores a shorthanded goal. Kessel with terrible play turns the puck over to Filppula. He makes a pass over to Lehtera and his shot is stopped by Murray. Murray is unable to control the rebound and Filppula goes around Letang to get the loose puck. He puts it past Murray. 2-2 tie game. 

2:58 - Another power play chance for the Pens as Radko Gudas is called for holding.  

3:15 - GUENTZEL SCORES! Simon makes a perfect touch pass over the Crosby in the center. Crosby drives down the center and outlets a pass over to Guentzel on the wing. Guentzel beats Neuvirth five-hole. 2-1 Pens 

4:41 - Power play is up for the Pens. 

5:05 - Aston-Reese and MacDonald are released. The Pens still have a power play for 24 seconds. It is now a regular five-on-four power play. 

6:41 - Gostisbehere takes down Crosby and he will head to the box for holding. The Pens get a four-on-three power play for 1:36. 

7:05 - Things are getting chippy. We will get some more four-on-four hockey as Aston-Reese (interference) and Andrew MacDonald (roughing) get matching minors. 

8:00 - RUST SCORES! Great forechecking by the Pens. Rust keeps at it and stripes Read of the puck. He then gets separation from Reading and goes behind the net. His wraparound shot beats Neuvirth, short-side. 1-1 tie game. 

8:55 - Neuvirth robs Brassard. 

9:35 - Pens are taking more shots. Lots of them are going high or wide of the net. 

11:18 - Power play time ends for the Pens. The second unit had the best chances on net. Neuvirth comes up big for the Flyers. 

13:18 - Malkin gets the puck and splits the Flyers defense. He ends up drawing a slashing penalty. Shayne Gostisbehere is the guilty party. Power play time for the Pens. 

13:25 - Malkin and Manning are set free. 

15:25 - Great pressure by Malkin's line in the offensive zone. Manning goes after Malkin. The Flyers are definitely targeting him. Manning initially gets called for roughing but goes after Malkin when the play ends. Malkin ends up taking a roughing penalty in the process. Four-on-four hockey. 

16:49 - Guentzel's shot is turned away by Neuvirth. 

17:22 - As for how Malkin looks. He doesn't look 100% percent out there. Hopefully, he doesn't make things worse. 

18:52 - Nolan Patrick has a breakaway chance, but Murray shuts him down. The rebound chance is bobbled Michael Raffl. Pens get lucky there. 

20:00 - We are back for the second period! The Pens have to clean up their gameplay and put more pressure on Neuvirth. Malkin is back on the bench to start this period. Lets Go Pens! 


1st Period
0:00 - That will be the end of the first period. The Flyers hold the 1-0 lead. 

1:17 - Matt Read rings a shot off the goal post. 

2:31 - Claude Giroux scores. Giroux is left wide open in the slot. He receives a pass right on his stick and blows a shot past Murray. 1-0 Flyers

3:32 - Jori Lehtera and Malkin battle for a puck. Lehtera ends up flying down and Malkin's leg is twisted underneath him. Malkin is slow to get up and heads to the locker room. 

5:49 - Pens are playing sloppy hockey. They need to pick things up. They cannot afford to let the Flyers have any life in this series. 

7:56 - Power play time expires for the Pens. Neuvirth had two solid saves during that penalty kill. 

9:56 - Now the Pens will get a chance on the power play as the Flyers are called for too many men on the ice. 

10:44 - A successful penalty kill. A great effort all around by the penalty killers. 

12:44 - Crosby's line gets some pressure in the offensive zone. Guentzel and Crosby both get quality shots on net, but Michal Neuvirth turns them away. Great shift until Simon takes an interference penalty. Flyers to the power play. 

13:37 - The Pens are still looking for their first shot on net. They have been passing the puck too much. 

15:20 - Malkin with some great stick handling to gain the zone. He finds Kessel open on the wing. Kessel tries to make a pass to Aston-Resse, who is in the slot. The puck goes wide of his stick. Kessel needs to shoot that puck there. 

17:23 - Flyers with some pressure and traffic in front. The puck never gets to Murray in the end. Sheary gets the puck up the ice. Solid work by him. 

19:04 - Murray with a solid pad save on a shot by Brandon Manning. 

20:00 - Puck drop at PPG Paints Arena! The Pens need to use the crowd's energy and get on the board early! Lets Go Pens! 

The cross-state war continues in game three

PPG Paints Arena / MF

By: MF,

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers are back in action for Game Three. The Penguins took Game Two and now hold a 2-1 series lead.

Both teams will be without key players. The Flyers will miss Sean Couturier in their lineup, while the Penguins deal with Patric Hornqvist being out with an upper-body injury.

Hornqvist's injury is a tough blow for the Penguins as he has been critical to their gameplay. They will have to push forward and get a better start tonight. The Penguins have a chance to wrap things up back in the Burgh for Game Five. They just need to play smart, stay focused/disciplined and put the pressure on Brian Elliot. Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Guentzel - Crosby - Simon
Hagelin - Malkin - Kessel
Sheary - Brassard - Rust
Aston-Reese - Sheahan - Kuhnhackl

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Schultz
Oleksiak -  Ruhwedel

Murray in the net!

Play - by - Play
PENS 5 Flyers 0

3rd Period
0:00 - THE PENS TAKE GAME THREE 5-0! Murray has another outstanding game and earns another shutout. The Pens now have a 3-1 series lead over the Flyers! 

1:26 - Oleksiak rings a shot off the goal post. 

1:37 - Cheap slash by Read. He whacks the back of Brassard's knee. He will take a seat and the Pens get a power play that will last the rest of this one. 

2:00 - There hasn't been much going on this period. Murray has held down the fort, Sheahan got himself a goal, but that was really it. 

4:14 - SHEAHAN SCORES! Maatta chips the puck up in the air over the heads of the Flyers. Sheahan has a step on the Flyers and ends up beating Neuvirth. 5-0 Pens

9:11 - Nice stick handling by Kuhnhackl to drive down the center and get a shot on net. Neuvirth turns away the puck with his pad. Sheahan just puts the rebound wide. 

12:22 - Murray is shutting the door in the faces of the Flyers. Solid goaltending. 

15:29 - Murray has been great in this one. He comes up big when needed and hasn't allowed the downtime in between surges to mess with his game. 

15:51 - Kessel's quick shot is stopped by Neuvirth. Not much to update on.

19:43 - Power play time is up for the Flyers. 

20:00 - We are back for the third period! The Flyers start with a 17-second power play. The Pens need a quick kill and they just need to keep doing what they have been all game. Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - The horn sounds to end the second period and the Pens extend their lead to 4-0! 

1:39 - The first half of Malkin's double-minor penalty is taken care of. 

3:43 - Malkin goes to the sin bin for high-sticking. It's a double-minor penalty, so a four-minute power play for the Flyers. 

6:27 - Not much to update on right now. 

9:00 - Crosby now holds the lone spot for the most all-time playoff points in franchise history. He past Mario Lemieux (172). 

9:04 - CROSBY SCORES! Crosby gets right to the forecheck and ends up with the puck. He goes to Guentzel, who is also behind the net. Guentzel quickly goes back to Crosby, who steps out to put it into the net. Crosby caught Neuvirth looking the other way. 4-0 Pens 

11:56 - The Pens chase Elliot from the goal for the second time in this series. Michal Neuvirth will replace him. 

11:56 - LETANG SCORES! Guentzel retrieves the puck off the side boards and goes across the ice to Letang at the point. Letang quickly releases a shot with traffic in front. The puck goes high over the glove side shoulder of Elliot, off the corner, and into the net. 3-0 Pens

12:23 - Brassard has been flying on the ice for every shift he has had. He has been doing a great job at striping Flyers of the puck. 

14:29 - A successful penalty kill for the Pens. Kuhnhackl is set free. 

15:35 - Nice work by Brassard to get the puck from behind the Flyers' net. That knocks a few seconds off the Flyers' power play. 

16:29 - Kuhnhackl heads to the box for holding. A critical penalty kill ahead for the Pens. 

18:30 - The brief power play ends. Both teams are back to full strength. 

18:38 - Eight-second power play for the Pens. 

19:24 - Crosby finds Sheary, short side, but Elliot gloves up the shot. 

20:00 - Time for the second period! There will still be four-on-four hockey for 1:22 and after that a very, very brief power play for the Pens. Lets Go Pens! 


1st Period
0:00 - The first period comes to an end and the Pens hold the 1-0 lead.

0:30 - Just like that the Flyers' power play comes to an end. Wayne Simmonds is sent to the box for slashing. Four-on-four hockey for 1:53.

0:38 - Maatta ends up clearing the puck up over the glass and the referees gather to discuss if it went off Claude Giroux's stick on the way out. They say no and it's the right call. Penalty killing time for the Pens.

0:41 - Konecny gets a breakaway after coming out of the penalty box, but Murray denies him.

0:48 - Power play time is up for the Pens.

2:48 - Another power play chance for the Pens as Travis Konecny is called for interference.

3:20 - Murray with a solid save. It was a deflection shot, but he grabbed it up and didn't allow for a rebound chance.

5:23 - KESSEL SCORES! The Flyers are unable to keep the zone and the puck ends up going up the ice to Malkin. He takes the puck up ice into the zone with Kessel flying down the wing with him. Malkin makes a perfect pass across the ice to Kessel. He snaps a shot on net that trickles through the five-hole of Elliot, off the goal post, and into the net. 2-0 Pens

6:40 - The Flyers had a very extended shift in the offensive zone. The Pens on the ice were spent, but Murray holds strong and Dumoulin is able to take the puck up ice. A complete line change for the Pens.

8:03 - Flyers are getting more physical as the game progresses. 

10:25 - Guentzel picks the pocket of Shayne Gostisbehere at the blue line. Elliot makes a shoulder save on Guentzel's shot. 

13:08 - Crosby finds Kessel entering the zone on the wing with plenty of time and space. Elliot gets a piece of Kessel wrist's shot with his glove. Flyers are able to clear the rebound. 

15:27 - MALKIN SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! Kessel has the puck at the side boards and finds Crosby at the side of the net. Crosby makes a backhanded pass across the blue paint to Malkin, who is all alone at the side of the net. He puts it in the open net. 1-0 Pens

17:00 - The first power play of the game will go to the Pens. Matt Read is ticketed for holding.We shall see how the Pens handle not having Hornqvist on this power play chance. 

17:35 - A better start for the Pens compared to Game Two. The Pens with the pressure and the Flyers are on their heels. 

20:00 - Time for Game Three! The Pens need to get a better start in this game and put the pressure on Elliot. Lets Go Pens! 

Penguins look to bounce back in Game Three

PPG Paints Arena / MF

By: MF, 

Time for the Pittsburgh Penguins to bounce back after getting stomped on in Game Two, where the Flyers tied the series 1-1 with a 5-1 win.

It was a wake-up call for the Penguins after winning Game One 7-0. Now they know that the Flyers will not go away quietly. The key words are: Bounce Back. The Penguins need to move the puck quicker, play smart, stay disciplined, and focus on their game.

There were a lot of miss chances for the Penguins, but they did outshoot the Flyers. That was a good sign, but they need to continue to pressure Brian Elliot. With their firepower, the Penguins have the tools to beat the Flyers' netminder.

This is a critical Game Three for the Penguins. A game that could set the momentum for the rest of the series. Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Guentzel - Crosby - Rust
Hagelin - Malkin - Hornqvist
Sheary - Brassard - Kessel
Aston-Reese - Sheahan - Kuhnhackl

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Schultz
Oleksiak -  Ruhwedel

Murray in the net!

Play - by - Play
PENS 5 Flyers 1

3rd Period
0:00 - THE PENS GET THE 5-1 WIN IN GAME TWO AND TAKE A 2-1 SERIES LEAD! A great game by Murray, who allowed the Pens to settle into their game and get things going. 

0:15 - The penalty kill of the Pens does the job once again. 

2:15 - Right back onto the power play for the Flyers. Sheahan gets a penalty for closing his hand around the puck when it was in the air. 

2:17 - Pens with a good penalty kill. Dumoulin with a terrible turnover to the front of Murray, but the puck stays out.

4:17 - Now a power-play chance for the Flyers. Crosby sits for hooking. 

7:34 - Flyers kill off Gudas' penalty. 

9:34 - The Flyers have been shooting themselves in the foot with these penalties. They are very blatant ones. Radko Gudas with the latest one. He sits for tripping. Back to the power play for the Pens. 

12:52 - SCHULTZ SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! Malkin and Schultz go back and forth to each other. Malkin pulls up and this creates space for Schultz at the point. Schultz receives the pass and lets go of a laser shot. It goes through some bodies in front and under the blocker arm of Elliot. 5-1 Pens

13:47 - Another high-sticking penalty for the Flyers. This time Voracek is the guilty party. He whacked the back of Oleksiak's neck. Power play time for the Pens. 

14:54 - Power play time expires. Hornqvist had a great chance at the side of the net, but Elliot makes a save with his mask. That was the best chance on the man advantage. 

16:54 - Scott Laughton is ticketed for high-sticking Crosby. A power play opportunity for the Pens. 

17:21 - Oleksiak and Ruhwedel have had a rough start to this period. They have to be better. 

19:10 - Another solid penalty kill for the Pens. Murray is sharp to start the third. 

20:00 - We are back for the third period! The Pens still have to kill off a Flyers' power play for 50 seconds. Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - The horn sounds to end the second period and the Pens extend their lead to 4-1!

1:10 - A terrible penalty by Brassard as he is called for tripping. A critical penalty kill for the Pens. 

2:40 - Kessel finds Hagelin driving down the center. Hagelin is robbed by Elliot. 

6:18 - Travis Sanheim scores. Sanheim fires from the blue line with some traffic in front. The puck trickles through the five-hole of Murray. 4-1 Pens 

7:25 - That does it for the power play. 

9:25 - The Flyers have too many men on the ice for the second time in this game. This time they will be penalized. Power play time for the Pens. 

10:05 - Penalty killing time is up and Malkin is set free. 

12:05 - Malkin is called for interference, which gives the Flyers a power play chance. Even with a 4-0 lead, the Pens need to stay disciplined.  

13:07 - DUMOULIN SCORES! Crosby, with a little help from Guentzel, wins the faceoff and goes forward with the puck. He gains the zone and makes a cross-ice pass over to Dumoulin. Dumoulin gets the bouncing puck and fires a quick shot that beats Elliot. 4-0 Pens

13:11 - Four-on-four hockey again for 31 seconds. 

13:12 - MALKIN SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! Letang slides a perfect pass over to Malkin at the faceoff circle. Malkin fires a sniper shot over the blocker shoulder of Elliot. 3-0 Pens

14:04 - Four-on-three Pens' power play for 1:23 as Jakub Voracek is called for hooking. 

14:41 - Time for some four-on-four hockey. Schultz (high-sticking) and Konecny (roughing) get matching minors. 

17:12 - BRASSARD SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! Letang fires a shot from the point and Elliot makes the first save. The rebound goes out to Kessel, who holds and pulls back to behind the red line. He puts the puck right into the wheelhouse of Brassard. His shot blows past Elliot. 2-0 Pens 

18:48 - Power play chance for the Pens as Giroux is sent to the box for slashing. 

19:44 - Another good penalty kill for the Pens. Murray was outstanding. 

20:00 - We are back for the second period! The Pens will be on the penalty kill for 16 seconds. A quick kill to start and back to putting pressure on Elliot. Lets Go Pens! 


1st Period
0:00 - The first period comes to an end and the Pens hold the 1-0 lead!

1:44 - Flyers will get another power-play chance as Hagelin is ticketed for slashing.

1:46 - Murray with a great save on Valtteri Filppula. Travis Konecny tries to fake out Murray but mishandles the puck. Murray dives out to poke check the puck away.

3:19 - Power play time expires for the Pens. Kessel had the best chance in his usual spot, but Elliot is able to get a piece of the puck to make a save.

5:19 - Now the Pens are getting a power play chance as Brandon Manning is called for tripping.

6:05 - A successful penalty kill. Murray was unreal.

8:05 - Rust takes a terrible penalty at the critical time. The call is tripping. A huge penalty kill is needed.

9:35 - CROSBY SCORES! Dumoulin pressures Michael Raffl to force a turnover. In front, Hornqvist chips the bouncing puck to Crosby. Crosby uses his skate to gain control of the puck, goes behind the net, and wraps a shot around on Elliot. 1-0 Pens

10:32 - Kuhnhackl, in the slot, gets the puck and quickly turns to fire a puck short side. Elliot denies him.

12:31 - FYI: My NBC feed keeps getting interrupted due to tornado warnings, not even close to me, so I am missing parts of the game at times. That is why you might see large time gaps. 

15:12 - Another great save by Murray and the Pens are able to keep the rebound from going into the open net. Great start for the Flyers. The Pens have to pick up their game.

16:01 - A few terrible turnovers by the Pens. Luckily nothing comes of them, but that won't always be the case.

17:52 - Solid start for Murray. Also, the referees made a good no call. Maybe they learned something after the bad/missed calls in Game Two.

18:45 - Murray with a great glove save on Nolan Patrick who blew past Maatta.

20:00 - Time for Game Three! This is a critical game for the Pens as they need to bounce back after Game Two. Lets Go Pens! 

Keep pushing forward in Game Two

By: MF,

The Pittsburgh Penguins are back in action to face the Philadelphia Flyers in Game Two. The Penguins hold a 1-0 series lead after dominating in a 7-0 Game One win.

PPG Paints Arena / MF

The Penguins had a great first game, but now they need to shift their focus to this game. A completely different game. They had a few mistakes in Game One that the Flyers didn't capitalize on, which included a few power-play chances. The Penguins need to keep their cool as the Flyers will surely look to knock them off. They cannot afford to allow the Flyers to gain any hope or momentum.

Now is not the time to sit back, but the time to push even further ahead. Find unique ways to keep winning and the Penguins are great at doing just that. 3elieve! Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Guentzel - Crosby - Rust
Hagelin - Malkin - Hornqvist
Sheary - Brassard - Kessel
Aston-Reese - Sheahan - Kuhnhackl

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Schultz
Oleksiak -  Ruhwedel

Murray in the net!

Play - by - Play
Pens 1 Flyers 5

3rd Period
0:00 - The Flyers take Game Two 5-1 and tie the series 1-1. A good wake up call for the Pens. They need to bounce back in Game Three. 

0:15 - MacDonald scores. MacDonald fires the puck down the ice into the open net. 5-1 Flyers

0:43 - Crosby's shot hits the goal post. 

1:01 - Nice work by Maatta to keep the puck in the offensive zone. 

4:04 - Hornqvist and Manning get misconduct penalties. They are done tonight. 

4:28 - Empty net for the Pens. 

7:29 - Power play time is up. 

8:19 - MacDonald with a nasty cross-check on Hornqvist that sent him hard into the boards, face first. MacDonald will sit for cross-checking, but Hornqvist gets an embellishment penalty. Matching minors. I cannot believe they called that on Hornqvist. Even the announcers are wondering what is going on. 

9:29 - Now Simmonds will head to the sin bin for slashing. Would be nice to see the Pens get one on this power play. 

11:05 - A successful penalty kill for the Pens. 

13:05 - A terrible penalty for Hornqvist to take. He will sit for roughing. A huge penalty kill for the Pens. 

14:33 - HORNQVIST SCORES! Hornqvist stick handles around Brandon Manning and puts a shot over the blocker shoulder of Elliot. 4-1 Flyers

14:50 - Nolan Patrick scores on the power play. Couturier makes a great pass, which allows for Patrick to put the puck in an open net. 4-0 Flyers

16:09 - Rust takes a slashing penalty. Flyers to the power play. 

18:31 - Travis Konecny scores. Konency gets a chip pass in the neutral zone and outskates Ruhwedel. He elevates the puck over the blocker shoulder of Murray. 3-0 Flyers

19:57 - Power play time is up for the Pens. 

20:00 - Third period time! The Pens have 23 seconds left on a power play. They need a quick goal to start. Lets Go Pens! 


2nd Period
0:00 - Horn sounds to end the second period. Flyers up 2-0. 

1:30 - Letang is back on the bench. 

1:37 - Wayne Simmonds and Malkin have a disagreement. Malkin ends up drawing a penalty as Simmonds hits him up high. Roughing is the call.  

3:20 - That does it for that power play. Awful. 

5:20 - Another power play chance for the Pens as Travis Sanheim is called for hooking. 

6:00 - Four-on-four play is over. The officiating in this game is very inconsistent. On another note, Letang still hasn't come back. 

7:28 - Crosby gets a breakaway chance and tries to go backhand on Elliot. However, Elliot tracks the puck the whole time and robs Crosby. 

8:00 - What a shift by the second line of the Pens with Schultz and Maatta at the points. Some great chances on net. Hornqvist and MacDonald end up getting matching slashing minors. Four-on-four hockey. 

8:37 - Shots this period are 8-4 in favor of the Pens. 

10:28 - Power play time expires for the Pens. 

12:28 - Travis Konency will head to the box for roughing. Power play time for the Pens. 

13:00 - Claude Giroux with a hard hit on Letang, who had no idea it was coming. Nasty collision. Letang takes his glove off and is bleeding. He goes right to the locker room. 

13:29 - Hornqvist and Hagelin crash the net with the puck in the blue paint. Elliot finally covers for a whistle. A little scrum breaks out. 

15:36 - Hornqvist's tires to go short-side on Elliot, but it goes off the side of the net. He gets the loose puck behind the net and tries a wrap-around shot. Andrew MacDonald denies Hornqvist's chance. 

17:11 - Sheahan rings a shot off the goal post. That is three goal posts for the Pens tonight, so far. 

17:22 - Brassard's chance is knocked down. 

19:13 - Sean Couturier scores. Couturier puts the puck to the front of the net and it ends up going off Letang past Murray. 2-0 Flyers

20:00 - Time for the second period! The Pens need to put that first period behind them. Put the pressure on Elliot. Lets Go Pens! 


1st Period
0:00 - The first period comes to an end and the Flyers have the 1-0 lead. 

0:37 - Shayne Gostisbehere scores on the power play. The Pens are unable to clear the puck and the Flyers get the puck back out to Gostisbehere at the point. He fires and it trickles through the five-hole of Murray. 1-0 Flyers

1:30 - The first power play will go to the Flyers as Aston-Reese is ticketed with boarding. Not a great call, after all, they haven't called. 

2:45 - Goal post = 2...Hornqvist = 0 

5:30 - A very fast pace to this game. 

8:14 - Elliot robs Aston-Reese at the side of the net. 

9:45 - Hornqvist's shot beats Elliot, but not the goal post! The ring of the puck hitting iron echoed throughout the arena. 

12:44 - Hornqvist and Malkin with some big hits of their own. The referees are just letting them play for now. 

14:19 - Ruhwedel's shot is kicked out by Elliot. Flyers getting physical against the Pens. 

15:58 - Murray has come up big early in this game. Flyers with a good start. 

17:23 - Both goalies have been tested early in this game. Brian Elliot with a solid save against Guentzel and Murray has made a few saves to start. 


20:00 - Game Two is underway! The Pens need to come out with energy and passion. Keep pushing forward. Lets Go Pens! 

The quest for three begins

PPG Paints Arena / MF

By: MF, 

We find ourselves back in a similar position as the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoff begin tonight with the Pittsburgh Penguins taking on the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round.

There are some many things to say about this team, but either way, you look at things, this team has done great things. That shouldn't be forgotten as we, Pittsburgh Nation, have gotten a bit spoiled over the last two years.

With all that aside, the Penguins are focused on the Flyers and one game at a time. They need to put all their focus on playing their style of hockey, which can be difficult against the Flyers. These two teams are no strangers to each other and know how to push the other's buttons. The Penguins have to rise above that and play smart hockey. They know how to get the job done and all we have to do as fans is...3elieve in this team. Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Guentzel - Crosby - Rust
Hagelin - Malkin - Hornqvist
Sheary - Brassard - Kessel
Aston-Reese - Sheahan - Kuhnhackl

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Schultz
Oleksiak -  Ruhwedel

Murray in the net!

Play - by - Play
PENS 7 Flyers 0

3rd Period
0:00 - THE PENS TAKE GAME WIN WITH A DOMINATING 7-0 WIN OVER THE FLYERS! Crosby gets the hat trick and Murray earns a shutout! 

1:39 - Gostisbehere breaks up a chance in front for the Pens. 

4:38 - Another successful penalty kill for the Pens. Flyers are zero-for-four on the power play with zero shots during them. 

6:38 - The Pens have been doing great, but one thing that they can improve on is their penalties. Letang is the latest offender. He sits for high-sticking. Penalty killing time. 

9:19 - CROSBY SCORES! HAT TRICK FOR OUR CAPTAIN! Dumoulin with a point shot and Crosby redirects the shot from the slot past Mrazek. 7-0 Pens

10:02 - A very fast third period. Not many whistles so far. 

12:19 - CROSBY SCORES HIS SECOND OF THE NIGHT! Schultz fires a shot from the point and it ends up going off a body in front right to Crosby, who is stationed at the side of the net. He puts the loose puck into the open net. 6-0 Pens

12:48 - The Flyers are zero-for-three on the power play. The penalty kill has been on point for the Pens. In large part due to the performance of Murray. 

14:48 - Power play chance for the Flyers as Letang is called for slashing. 

15:02 - Sheary digs out the puck from the boards behind the net. He outlets to Kessel in front. He goes down to one knee to fire a shot. Mrazek robs Kessel. 

16:47 - Aston-Reese takes a hard hit at the blue line. That one hurt for sure. 

20:00 - We are back for the third period! Even though the Pens hold a commanding lead, they cannot afford to give the Flyers any hope. Lets Go Pens! 


2nd Period
0:00 - The Pens have extended their lead to 5-0 over the Flyers after two!

0:34 - Crosby puts the puck right in the blue paint for Letang. Mrazek holds down the pad to make the save and Letang ends up getting shoved away. Mrazek covers for a whistle. 

2:55 - Raffl is set free and the Flyers are back to full strength. 

3:30 - Solid save by Mrazek to deny Hornqvist.

4:55 - Power play time once again for the Pens as Michael Raffl goes to the box for hooking. 

5:02 - Kessel gets in behind the defense. Andrew MacDonald hooks up Kessel a bit as he tries to get back to help Mrazek. Kessel fans on the shot. 

5:41 - Malkin's shot just goes off the goal post. He had Mrazek beat. 

6:09 - Guentzel, in the slot area, fires a shot that is fought off by Mrazek. 

8:04 - Power play time expires for the Pens. Zero shots on that power play. They tried to get a little too fancy with their shots. 

10:04 - Back to the power play for the Pens as Laughton is caught slashing Malkin. 

10:59 - Elliot is finally chased from the net. Mrazek will replace him. 

10:59 - CROSBY SCORES! Guentzel carries the puck into the zone and circles behind the net. He outlets to Dumoulin at the point. Dumoulin fires a high shot. Crosby waits for the puck to drop below the crossbar and whacks the puck out of midair, on his backhand, past the blocker of Elliot. Unreal. 5-0 Pens

12:10 - GUENTZEL SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY! A tic-tac-toe goal for the Pens. Sheary goes across the center to Brassard, who makes a pass across the front of the ice and right on the stick of Guentzel. Guentzel was all alone at the side of the net and directs Brassard's pass into the net. 4-0 Pens

14:06 - A perfect chance for the Pens to get back to their game as they will head onto the power play. Couturier is called for tripping. 

14:36 - The puck just slipt in half. Very bizarre. Nothing is safe when these two teams collide. The slow motion came showed the puck breaking after hitting Letang's skate as he blocked a shot.  

14:42 - Another solid save by Murray with traffic in front. The Flyers have come out to play this period and the Pens have to get things back under control. 

15:55 - Murray with a great glove save on a shot right off the faceoff win by Jakub Voracek. The Flyers with some pressure. Murray holding down the fort. 

18:10 - Laughton gets some time and space down the wing. His shot goes wide, glove side of Murray. 

19:59 - A little surprising to see Elliot in net to start. I thought they would pull him for Petr Mrazek, but you won't see me complaining. 

20:00 - Time for the second period! The Pens need to keep putting on the pressure, while also playing a smart hockey game. Staying out of the penalty box would be a good start. Lets Go Pens! 


1st Period
0:00 - That does it for the first period and the Pens hold the 3-0 lead!

1:48 - Some good pressure by Crosby, Kessel, and Guentzel who were on a makeshift line. Elliot ends up making a save on a point shot by Ruhwedel.

2:29 - Another solid penalty kill by the Pens. They held the Flyers to zero shots. Letang was impressive on that penalty kill effort.

4:29 - The Flyers are turning over quite a few pucks right now. They are trying to engage the Pens after the whistle. The Pens have to stay away from that kind of stuff. Malkin ends up taking a slashing penalty. Flyers to the power play.

5:51 - MALKIN SCORES! Malkin is released from the penalty box and gains control of the puck after it is lifted to the neutral zone. Shayne Gostisbehere drives Malkin to the outside, but that doesn't stop him. Malkin strong arms Gostisbehere and gets a backhanded shot off. He beats Elliot. 3-0 Pens

6:03 - The Pens penalty kill is successful.

7:15 - Flyers are now on the power play for 1:12. Penalty killing time for the Pens.

7:28 - Oleksiak and Simmonds exchange words and shoves. Simmonds is trying to fire up his team.

8:03 - A bad penalty for Malkin to take on the powerplay. He will head to the box for hooking and there will be some four-on-four hockey for 48 seconds.

9:15 - Now the Pens will head onto the power play as Travis Konecny is ticketed for tripping.

9:53 - HAGELIN SCORES! Some sustained offensive pressure by the Pens as they get a complete line change while holding the zone. Hagelin forces Couturier to turnover the puck to Sheahan. Hagelin goes to the front of the net. Sheahan goes to Hornqvist who fires a shot/pass on net. Hagelin redirects the puck past Elliot. 2-0 Pens

10:49 - The Flyers have had some quality chances and the Pens need to do a better job of shutting them down.

11:44 - I was a bit worried about Murray. He has fallen down in the blue paint twice now. However, he steps up for the Pens once again. At the side of the net, Scott Laughton was left wide open and he thought he had an open net to score, but Murray dives out to deny him. Spectacular save.

14:41 - Shots are 5-2 in favor of the Pens. Lots of energy both on and off the ice.

17:22 - RUST SCORES! FIRST GOAL OF THE 2018 NHL PLAYOFFS! Letang comes flying down the wing and fires a high shot on net. Brian Elliot makes a blocker save, but the rebound goes right to Rust in the middle of the ice. Rust quickly releases a shot that beats Elliot. 1-0 Pens

18:23 - Hagelin comes down to the slot to help out the defense. He stripes Wayne Simmonds of the puck and Schultz is able to clear the puck. 

18:44 - A great atmosphere at PPG Paints Arena. I can feel it through the television. 

20:00 - The puck has dropped and the first round of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs is officially underway! The Pens need to take it to the Flyers and put them on their heels early. Lets Go Pens!