WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! End this series TONIGHT. Pack 'em up and ship 'em back to D.C. with a decisive win!!!
First Period
Things got started with a lightning quick shot from Cooker that was tipped away by the webbing in Varlamov's glove. Then Laich missed putting a pass from Semin into a w-i-d-e open net; instead he shoved it into the outside of the net. Guerin, who had solid familial support in the stands, threw a wicked shot at the net. Siddo was right on the doorstep, but a Cap defender had him boxed out so he couldn't send it home. No worries - seconds later, Kuni made a great play on the wall and sent the puck to Siddo. He flew down the ice with Guerin 2-on-1. Siddo to Billy = GOAL!!! [Pens 1, Caps 0] Guerin's son was shown with a sign saying, "My Dad Rocks! #13" Indeed he does, young sir. :)
A-hOle,™ still living his life at the blue line and refusing to play anything resembling defense, left his feet to hit USS Gill. Gill went down, but A-hOle™ did not go to the box. Backstrom was called for hooking. On the ensuing power play, Morrisonn tried to decapitate Geno with his stick as Siddo was simultaneously being repeatedly assaulted by Laich in front of the net. Finally the whistle came and Laich was assessed a crosschecking penalty. (Nothing for Morrisonn, though.) On the 5-on-3, Steckel took a page out of A-hOle's™ book and dove harder than Jacques Cousteau, which drew an interference penalty on Siddo. On the replay, it was clear that Sid not only didn't interfere, he didn't even touch Steckel. Neither team scored while their men were in their respective boxes.
A little later, Sid lost his lid as a result of an elbow from Pothier. At one point, A-hOle,™ shot the puck up into the mesh, which normally draws a whistle, but the officials were out getting coffee so play continued. After taking a crosscheck from Semin and subsequently jousting with him, Kuni took a penalty for crosschecking in the last 30 seconds of the period. The Caps didn't score on their abbreviated power play. As we went to intermission, Steigy quipped, "Has anybody ever shot it harder [than Ovechkin]?" Um, hell yeah someone shoots it harder than A-hOle,™ - I'm pretty sure Zdeno Chara's got a pretty wicked shot that might give A-hOle's™ shot something to think about.
Second Period
The Caps didn't score on the remainder of Kuni's penalty. The Pens tried to get an odd man rush when he emerged from the box, but it just didn't happen. Laich shot the puck just wide, preserving the Pens' lead until Siddo blocked a shot by Green with his foot and had to leave the ice. He slowly made his way to the bench, and as he did, the Caps got a quick 4-on-2 which resulted in a goal from Koslov. [Pens 1, Caps 1]
Geno served a bogus too many men on the ice penalty. (← Usually the extra guy has to actually play the puck for that call to be made, but not evidently that wasn't the case tonight.) Siddo was back out on the ice, just in time for Green to blatantly use his body to pin Sid's leg against the goal post and prevent him from getting the puck in the Caps' zone. Tank manned up on A-hOle,™ and took the brunt of the initial hit, but because Tank was there, A-hOle,™ didn't get a lot of speed behind it. Guerin tripped Semin. Fleischmann scored during the delayed penalty. [Pens 1, Caps 2]
Pothier drew his stick up and pulled Staalsy backwards down to the ice. He was called for interference, and the remarkable thing was that he and Staal were shown discussing it and laughing together on their way back to the benches. Well, in Pothier's case, he went to the penalty box. On the ensuing power play, Geno tried to go to Kuni. It was blocked and bounced right to Eaton for the 5-hole goal. [Pens 2, Caps 2] At the end of the period, Semin nearly got a breakaway, but it was prevented by a diving Gill. He tripped Semin, but no call was made.
<Begin Rant>
That could be said for all the disciplinary calls across the entire NHL! Ovbiously I wasn't happy that A-hOle™ didn't even get even a fine for his deliberate kneeing on Gonch. Watch it on the super slo-mo replay and you'll see that A-hOle™ subtly and willfully kicks his leg out at Gonch at the last second; therefore, by definition it was deliberate. For Mario's sake, if Sarge's knee had been a puck in front of an open net, the resulting goal would have been waved off! But because he's Alexander Ovechkin, he didn't face any kind of disciplinary action at all.
And yesterday, any of you who have been keeping up with the Bruins/Canes series saw something that completely defies explanation. Scott Walker suckerpunched Aaron Ward in the few last minutes of the game. That is an absolute no-brainer for a suspension because it is clearly defined in the NHL rulebook. But hold the phone!! Today, Colin Campbell actually decided to rescind the suspension and simply fine Walker a mere $2,500.00. (Walker is a professional athlete; the equivalent would be like fining me 25 cents.)
Colin Campbell is a complete joke.
Don't get me wrong - I know this is playoff hockey, I know it can get intense, and I'm all for "letting them play," but letting things go so much that guys are getting hurt and no one has to answer for it is absolutely ridiculous.
</End Rant>
Third Period
After a series of near misses, Siddo sent the puck to Kuni for a shot. Sid was there to make a go at the rebound, but Erskine did a phenomenal job of staying with him and keeping our Captain from scoring. Steckel slashed and broke Eaton's stick. FSN didn't even have a chance to put the scorecard back on the screen before Goose (new nickname for Gogo!) shot the puck to the corner so Legame could send it into the twine with a wicked one timer. [Pens 3, Caps 2]
There wasn't too much time to celebrate because Brooksie was called for a legitimate hooking call, although Semin fell like he'd been speared. Semin, of course, then turned around and scored the tying PPG. [Pens 3, Caps 3] I didn't even have time to finish writing my notes before Koslov scored. He capitalized on a crazy bounce in the corner as Flower was kept from getting into position due to a miscommunication with Gill. [Pens 3, Caps 4]
Laich tripped Eaton right in front of the official but no call was made. The last straw came when Sid took a non-called highstick to the face from Morrisonn. He went to the refs, presumably to say, "Are you going to call anything tonight?" Siddo was clearly angry. And good things happen for the Pens when Siddo gets angry... Geno passed the puck to Sid for a shot, but Varlamov made a pretty stick save. Just a bit later, Brooksie shot the puck from the point, and Siddo was right on the doorstep to bang it once, twice, INTO THE NET! [Pens 4, Caps 4]
With two minutes left in the game, Laich was called for slashing and knocking Kuni's stick out of his hands. Boudreau nearly stroked out on the bench, but considering all the other stuff went unnoticed, it did him no good. After a save, we had to go to the War Room to see how much time was left. With 1.5 seconds back up on the clock, Boucher had his stick whacked out of his hands before the faceoff. He had to go to the corner to get his stick, and as he came back, a Cap actually hit a linesman to try to get to Boucher. Even that didn't garner a penalty call. I didn't know you could put your hands on an official and not have to pay a price for it. Either way, we headed to...
First Overtime
During the intermission interview, Brooksie said that there were a lot of "weird penalty calls" in the game so far. And how! Scuds hit the post, Flower made a GLORIOUS glove save on A-hOle,™ and when Superstar's stick broke, Steckel made the most of it and scored. [Pens 4, Caps 5]
Well, Gary Bettman's probably celebrating tonight - the ratings juggernaut lives to see a Game 7. We'll just have to take them down in their house.
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