With Amac out of the line-up, Jack had to make some changes to the line-up. Some times it works, some times it doesn’t. The Pens came out as physical as everyone expected and at 16:36 in the first the Isles couldn’t take any more of the pushing around. Strait took down Vitale and earned a penalty and then there’s a whole bunch of action in the corner. But only Strait got the penalty. Butchie did NOT like the call at ALL. “Give me a break!” Never heard Butch get that angry.
This is where the Isles had to shine. The Isles did a decent job of clearing the zone in the Power play and it was a “Significant kill” as Howie called it.
Isles went to the power play themselves as Neal dumped Aucoin and was called for roughing. Could they get a goal on Vokoun?
Well, they had some good chances, but Latang cleared with 32 seconds left of the power play. Okposo skated in and danced around every Penguin to get a shot to Vokoun which he squeezed between his knees. It almost squirted through, but no luck. Hickey also threw it at Vokoun and they almost got the rebound in the paint. That‘s almost..
Bailey ended up sandwiched between two Penguins and then Murray took him down by the boards and the Pens fans went wild. A “Tense and physical 1st period” was an understatement by Howie.
“It’s who can execute their game plan better at this time.” Travis Hamonic told Peter Ruttgaizer. The Isles had out shot the pens 14 - 7 in the first twenty minutes. While they continued to shoot, it was only the Pens that scored.
Second period started much the way the first ended, but then a turnover lead to a Tyler Kennedy breakaway and skated in at 12:33 of the second unimpeded to score on Nabokov. The ice was broken.
Nielsen took down Orpik in the corner and Orpik was very slow to get up. Nielsen -- Orpik.. Really? But Nielsen may have gotten the worst of the hit as he ended up with a “lower body injury.”
At 11:13 of the second Pens’ goal went off Nabby’s’ glove. Was it a lucky bounce for Murray? Nabby thought he had it but it went over his should and in. It was a bad goal.
JT had an excellent chance at the other end and it looked like it was going in, but Vokoun made the save. They could not solve Vokoun. Without missing a beat, it was vintage Sidney Crosby as he potted the third goal for the Pens, Neislen tries to stop him, Hickey tries to stop him, Visnovsky doesn’t even bother, then Nabby gets beat. So surprised that Hickey didn’t get a penalty for that one.
There was another scary goalie moment in Pittsburgh as Nabokov was kneed in the head by Kunitz and stayed down for a while. There was no penalty on the play, but the Isles on the ice were not happy.
Radek Martinek has a hell of a shot, and Crosby found out the hard way when it hit his boot and he continued his shift in pain then left for the dressing room as soon as he could.
Third period began and you had to wonder if Jack was considering putting Poulin in net. Crosby seemed much better after walking off the foot pain.
Both Martin’s wrestled to the ice but only Matt Martin ended up with the penalty. It should have been penalties for both. Matty didn’t even have a chance to sit down in the box when Letang scored the Pens fourth goal. Kevin Poulin was then given the net.
Four goals on 27 shots and some were just too easy. It was game one all over again. Nightmare time for Nabokov.
The Isles had another shot at a power play when Murray took down Aucoin and was called for interference. Too bad the Isles couldn’t keep the puck in the Pens zone. No go.
When Hamonic was given a penalty Butch and Howie noticed that Frans Nielsen was no longer on the bench. Brad Boyes gave Malkin a whack with his stick while Boyes was still on the bench and Malkin was on the ice. That earned HIM a place in the box.
With a little more than two minutes to go, Thomas Hickey took a penalty and the Pens and Isles came together along the boards and frustrations got out of hand.
One by one players were being sent to the dressing room instead of the box. There was plenty of room on the bench.
Kevin Poulin managed to keep the Pens from scoring a fifth goal of the night, so give him credit for that. But the Isles didn’t seem to have the same energy and didn’t seem to be “playing their game.” after the first period.
John Tavares put six of the Isles 31 shots on net, Colin McDonald had four. Matt Martin laid eight hits of the Isles 27, but the Pens out muscled them and doled out 33 hits. The Pens were much better at face-offs and Joe Vitale won nine of ten.
So we know how this game went, the question will be who will start on Saturday, for both teams. Does Jack give Kevin Poulin a start? Howie thinks it will still be Nabby on Saturday, even though he hasn’t been as good as he needs to be. He may have gotten the Isles to the playoffs, but he has to be able to keep them in it.
Another interesting thing is that Tyler Kennedy hadn’t played any of the other playoff games and they kept talking about him having “fresh legs.” Does that make a case to bring in one of the prospect D with Amac out of the line-up. And who knows where Frans Nielsen will be on Saturday. Could we see a new name on the ice on Saturday for the Isles? We had better see Carkner too.
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