Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions for the Eastern Conference Final.
| Penguins vs Lightning ML -137 / +124 O/U 5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
There just is no quit in the Tampa Bay Lightning.
It does not matter that they are missing one of the best scorers in the world. It does not matter they are missing their Vezina caliber goaltender. It does not matter that their top pairing defensemen have been victimized multiple times. They simply do not die.
The Bolts took a 3-2 series lead thanks to late game heroics from (who else) Nikita Kucherov.
Marc-Andre Fleury got the start in net for the Penguins. The Pens gave him some goal support with just a second remaining in the first. Bryan Rust bullied his way past Victor Hedman to get a breakaway chance which was stopped by Andrei Vasilevskiy. As milliseconds ticked away, Brian Dumoulin followed up the play and slipped the rebound under the Tampa goaltender.
Patric Hornqvist picked up where the action left off early in the second period, as he put home a deflection off Carl Hagelin’s stick.
https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/734553926146621441
With a goal as time expired in the first period and a quick goal to start the second on home ice, it looked as though the Penguins were in command of the game. Alex Killorn got the Lightning back in the game with a perfectly placed shot from the far boards. About a minute later, Nikita Kucherov buried a feed from Vladislav Namestnikov. And just like that, the game was tied.
https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/734560252121735170
Just as momentum swung the opposite direction, the Bolts once again had the wind taken out of their sails with a goal allowed in the final minute of play in the period. A broken play had the Penguins on the attack and simply throwing everything at Vasilevskiy. A blind shot from Malkin in the slot got through traffic and eventually found the stick of Chris Kunitz. The Pens had another goal down low and the lead once again.
After a back-and-forth period in the third, Tampa finally seized their opportunity. Kucherov broke into the offensive zone along the near side boards. Under pressure, he dropped it back for Tyler Johnson, who flung a backhander towards Fleury. The puck bounced off his pads and landed back on the stick of Kucherov, who in stride wrapped around the net and stuffed home the equalizer.
https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/734576141093244929
The Lightning wasted no time ending the game in overtime. Less than a minute into extra time, Jason Garrison, who had an overtime winner against the New York Islanders in Round 1, banked a wrist shot off the rear end of Tyler Johnson and past Fleury. Game, set, match. 4-3 final, 3-2 series lead.
The Bolts took full advantage of Fleury’s rusty positioning. While Flower made some impressive saves along the way, the fact is that his rebound control and his lateral movement left a lot to be desired. The Pittsburgh netminder stopped 21 of 25 shots. Players in the Tampa locker room even went so far as to openly admit they knew Fleury would be susceptible to weaker goals if he was peppered with enough shots.
They saw that he was struggling and that was a major motivating factor. That should be worrisome for Pittsburgh.
Contemplate for a moment that the Pittsburgh Penguins have lost consecutive games. The last time that happened, their famed third line was not even a thing yet. Carl Hagelin was not yet on the team.
The tricky part of the situation the Pens find themselves in is the blame game. The plethora of mistakes that have been made makes them look lackadaisical or lazy. The fact that Sidney Crosby has been held off the scoresheet the last two games in losses means that he is open for some “hot taeks” from the media.
And boy have they been scalding.
One media member from the Sporting News called for Crosby’s captaincy to be removed claiming the team has no leadership. Yes, the captain who has won two Conference Finals and a Stanley Cup donning the ‘C’ has not grown into the role. Notoriously awful Pittsburgh media has been quick to ask where their beloved Captain is. Sure, he got the overtime winner in Game 2. Sure he had points in each of the first three games of the series. But no points in the last two? Invisible. Unacceptable.
Yes, Crosby and Malkin both turned in bad games in the last two. But writing them off entirely and attacking their track records as leaders seems a bit extreme. Down 3-2 is far from insurmountable; in fact, the Pens are 4-2 when they lose Game 5 all time.
Someone who was undeniably terrible? Beau Bennett. A -2 with two shots on goal in his first game back from a long absence. Bennett skated on the top line with Chris Kunitz and Sidney Crosby. It did not work. Yet, they will give it another try for Game 6.
The Bolts are currently the underdog heading back home with a chance to close out the series. That is a good chance to take if you are looking to cash in.
The Pens are boxed in. This could finally be the end for what has otherwise been a very good year for Pittsburgh.
Prediction: Take advantage of the line and take the Lightning to win. Play the over.
