Posted: 5/23/2009 by Frank
Its the Canes biggest game of the year and LeBlanc has gone missing! No worries I will rescue us all....
Leblanc is at his sister-in-law's wedding and missing game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. I know, I said the same thing.......so? Okay I'm all talk, I would never say that. Thus, we've gone from a guy that dreams about forechecking to an Alabama redneck that played hooky more than I watched hockey. But we will get through it.
Pre-game thoughts:
- I got here about 4:45 and the first thing I saw was Salt and Demetri from 96 Rock in the parking lot. They're doing some sort of remote and promoting 96 Rock towel night. Don't worry I grabbed one. Then I headed to the owner of Wendell Siding, Joey King's, tailgate. AWESOME. Flank stank from Dan Hurley at Piper's Tavern, ice cold bee, I mean water, all sorts of awesome snacks, and desserts. I'm from Alabama and even I will say those boys know how to tailgate. I am stuffed.
-At the tailgate I ran into someone that is EXTREMELY close to Canes trainer, Pete Friesen. They told me that Ruutu looked good in the morning skate and will give it a go.
- LeBlanc must have slid out of the rehearsal dinner because he just sent me this......Checking in from Wilmington. We'll know early if the Canes have a chance tonight. If they get into another track meet it won't be good.
TZ: Amen to that. This is an elimination game. I give Carolina a chance to get this to 6 or 7 games and even win the whole series if they can win tonight. But if they lose it will be a Pens sweep. I'm sure of it.
- The crowd is still filing in and it wasn't a sellout two hours before the start. I think lots of fans are where LeBlanc is....at the beach.
-Confirmed.... Ruutu is playing and Cole is starting with Staal and Whitney. Seidenberg and Pitkanen also starting on D. Babchuk still a scratch.
-I love the new "O say can JUSSI!!!!" for the anthem! This place is totally full. Forget what I wrote about the beach.
1st period:
- The Canes come out clearly in attack mode. Samsonov had a really good look 90 seconds in but Fleury stopped it.
- Malkin had a chance on Ward at the 17 minute mark but Wardo said no sir.
-4:06 WHOOOO!!!! Patrick Eaves missed, got the rebound, went around the back of Fleury and made a GRRREAT pass in front to Matt Cullen for the goal. 1 zip good guys. (G-Cullen A- Walker and Eaves)
BL: The Canes are finally playing a physical game for the first time in the series. That goal was the result of some hard work on the boards
-5:10- Cam made some awesome stones as the Pens had several looks in close.
-6:18- Eaves sent to the penalty box. First PP for Pit.
-6:50- Malkin scores on more bad defense from Carolina. Gleason tried to clear it and shot it right into Malkin, who controlled and beat Cam. I guess Maklin got some of his mom's cooking today.
BL: Malkin made the Canes defense look silly again. The Canes need to start pounding him into the ice. That is, if they can catch him
- Wardo makes a flurry of saves at the 11:30 mark of the first period. Honestly, the Pens missed several open looks on an almost empty net. Carolina's offense looks good but their defense looks the same.....bad.
-10:55- Cole sent to the penalty box for roughing. Another PP for Pit.
-11:58- Ward made a FANTASTIC save on Malkin who had red capet to the goal.
- with about 5 minutes remaining in the 1st Jussi missed on a rebound. A few seconds later more standing on his head from Ward, who made several great stops.
Btw.... I'm starting to miss LeBlanc. I think I was born to provide a few tidbits but not keep a running track of what's happening (clearly).
- 19:17- Bill Guerin makes an incredible pass to Crosby right in front of Ward and Sid slips it through. (G-Crosby, A-Guerin, Kunitz)
- 19:48- Uh oh. Hope you didn't blink. All of the air is gone from this place after Malkin beats Ward. (G-Malkin, A- Adams, Gonchar).
BL: You could see that coming. Ever since the Canes scored they have been back on their heels and the Pens made them pay. Doesn't look good.
End of 1st period. Pit 3, Car 1. Shots on goal Pittsburgh doubling Carolina at 16 to 8. The Pens totally outskated and outplayed Carolina in the last 10 minutes. The Canes came out looking so strong but once Pittsburgh started having opportunities in the Canes zone it got ugly. The only way Carolina wins this is if Ward stands on his head and the Canes take every advantage on offense (hello Staal?).
BL: You never want to give up goals late in a period. The Canes gave up 2. Unless they come out with guns blazing in the 2nd this one's over.
2nd period:
- The Penguins come out and absolutely humiliate the Carolina defense but don't score. Crosby and Malkin were all over the Canes net but Ward started to doing one handed handstands. The man is a freak and that is the only reason it isn't 9 to 1.
BL: Great save by Ward on Talbot! They needed a big play to start the period and that did the trick.
- They just put this graphic up on TSN: Malkin and Crosby- 8 goals. Whitney and Staal- ZERO. Any questions?
BL: Versus just said that Crosby and Malkin are third and fourth all-time in playoff points per game behind Gretzky and Lemieux. Not bad.
- Going back to late in the 1st, Carolina went more than 7 minutes with a shot on goal. Around the 14 minute mark the Canes finally start taking some chances and get some looks on MAF. Unfortunately nothing is going in, though. At least their skating harder and starting to fight.
BL: At least the offense has woken up. The Jokinen line will score one at some point if they keep playing like this. But is it too late?
- It sure is starting to look that way. The Canes are getting a few looks but they're never as good as what Pittsburgh is getting. I'm starting to feel like there's a better chance this ends 5-2 than the Canes winning.
- At the end of 2 its still 3-1 Pit but it feels a lot worse. If the Canes didn't have the best goalie in the game (Ward was unreal towards the end of the 2nd) this game would be a total blowout. Pittsburgh has had so many chances, and while they are outshooting Carolina nearly 2 to 1 (31 to 16 through 2 periods), their looks are a lot better too. The Penguins are going to have to turn it over, Fleury is going to have to blink a few times, and Staal, Whitney, and Co. need to show up.
BL: If this is the best the Canes have, this game is a foregone conclusion. Fleury is seeing everything. They haven't drawn a power play. Not any worse at least, but not much better either. If the Canes do score again, it's hard to imagine the Pens not doing so as well.
3rd period:
- Here we go! 1:58-
Sammy on the rebound off the Cole slapper. Let's see if that gets something going. (G- Samsonov A- Cole, Pitkanen) PIT 3, CAR 2.
BL: Huge goal. Fleury is prone to giving up rebounds and the Canes need to keep pressuring him and score another dirty goal.
- Vintage Wardo. He stoned Talbot and then made a great save on Kunitz with a flurry of activity in front.
BL: Good job by Ward to shut down Kunitz. The last thing the Canes needed was for the Pens to score a quick goal and get back up by two.
- 7:38- Scott Walker goes hard into the wall behind the Penguins net as Gonchar rammed his neck into the glass. Walker didn't move for a solid 2 minutes. Finally he got up but looked very woozy. In good news, the Canes have their FIRST PP!!!! Now, can they do something with it.....
BL: Tough hit for the Canes to absorb if they lose Walker. But they can make the Pens pay by scoring on the power play. Huge PP for them now.
- Nope. Carolina didn't even get a good look. Maybe its about time we give the Pit D some credit. Eaton, Gill, Boucher, Leteng, Orpik, and Scuderi all deserve recognition. Gonchar doesn't because he's a pile of garbage. Sorry. I feel better now.
- That should do it. 11:29 (G- Fedotenko, A- Malkin)
BL: Yet again the Canes defense lets them down. The Pens have mastered the practice of finding the late man and the Canes have no answer.
- Empty netter at 18:12 by Adams. Pit 5, Car 2. It was a fun ride but this series is over.
BL: How do you know it's not your night? One way is when the opposition wins a faceoff from 150 feet into the empty net.
- 18:52 . Pit Goal by Kunitz. A game that Carolina once made close totally got out of control. Tuesday night may be the end. Good night. I'm headed to the locker room.
BL: The Canes looked shell shocked. I don't see any way they channel the 1975 Islanders and pull out of a 3-0 hole. They're cooked.