Pens take series lead.....and take out the trash

The hateometer for all things from Ottawa is rising..............FAST

Well tonight was interesting for me to watch........for years the Penguins have had the reputation for being a skilled team, and therefore somewhat soft...........that has not been true for the last several seasons, and in fact the Penguins thrive when the going gets tough........and tonight was no different, in fact ever since Andy Sutton upped the ante with his hit on Leopold, the Penguins have looked an awful lot like the Penguins of the past two playoff seasons.........if they can do that for any stretch the rest of the conference may have some issues...........the Senators are a chippy somewhat dirty team and the Penguins have risen to the challenge and won the third game which is usually a pivotal game in a playoff series.........the game tonight was a brutal, physical battle and the Penguins have many players who thrive in that environment, especially Craig Adams, Chris Kunitz, Sidney Crosby, Brooks Orpik, and Max Talbot. I will dispense with the ugly first.....the Penguins special teams looked pretty bad tonite.....they did get a PP goal, but most of the time it looked anemic, and the usually stout PK gave up 2 goals...........but there was far more to like than not tonight.

Random notes about tonights game-The Penguins top guns Malkin and Crosby have been money in the post season:

Crosby going into this series:

51 games-68 points/25G and 43A/+19-This season Crosby in 3 games has 7 pts/2G and 5A

Malkin going into this series:

51 games-65 points/26G and 39A/+5-This season Geno in 3 games has 4 pts/3G and 1A

Pretty consistent excellence in the post season from both of the big guns! Indeed a post season two headed monster.....................

Crosby was also 69% on faceoffs tonite and 66% in game two.

Perhaps we should send Colonsniffer Campbell and Gary Butthole flowers for not suspending Any Sutton........he has been on the ice for four of the five Penguins goals, and looking pretty damn bad on most of them......talk about getting some justice!

Poni finally scored a goal tonite.....he quietly had 5 shots in game two, and tonite put one in the net.........getting him going would mean quite a bit to the cause;

The Penguins third line, usually a catalyst for this team came into the game tonite with each player a minus 3.............they played a lot better tonite, though they did not score;

Kris Letang has been very solid defensively and chipped in some offense....if this kid ever learns how to find the net, he will be unreal.....Orpik remains a beast on the backend;

For those who question the value of Chris Kunitz, watch tapes of these three games.....the kid wins the battles against the walls, and gets the puck to Crosby....he forechecks like a demon, and is part of the seven game investing strategy Bylsma preaches............Adams hits everything that moves, kills penalties, and plays such solid defense..............

Nice to see Bill Guerin on the scoresheet too..........Game 4 presents a chance to take a stranglehold on the series......GO PENS