Return of The Russian Rocket...But To WHO???

[onlybygrace]

Pens Handle Defending Champs In Convincing Fashion In Finals Opener

Pittsburgh 5, Anaheim 3
1 2 3 OT T Final PIT (1) 2 2 1 5 ANA (0) 1 1 1 3	, Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA

Shots PIT 26 ANA 22

Anaheim (AP)--

It would take until the Stanley Cup Finals for the Pittsburgh Penguins to finally open up a series with a victory as they would handle the Ducks with relative ease in a 5-3 victory tonight at Arrowhead Pond.

The scoring would start early for the Pens when Sidney Crosby would tally his first of two goals just 1:20 into the contest when a rebound would come to rest at his feet with J.S. Giguere down and out. Crosby would tap the puck home and would score again under 10 minutes later when a cross slot pass would deflect of Scott Neidermeyers stick and into the net for a 2-0 Penguins lead.

The Ducks would claw back into the game with a pair of goals from Jason King and Rob Niedermeyer, tying the game 2-2 at the midway point of the contest.

The deadlock would be short lived as Jordan Staal would tally his 9th goal of the post season just 2:59 later and Chris Kunitz would extend the Pens lead to 4-2, scoring just 1:42 after Staal sending the Pens into the second intermission leading by two goals while the shots were tied at 14-14.

In the third period the Ducks would attempt a comeback when Travis Moen would score his 6th playoff goal 14:14 into the frame pulling the Ducks to within one. The rally would be snuffed out when the Ducks would pull the goalie and cough the puck up to Pavel Bure, who would race towards the Ducks net as J.S. Giguere attempted to return to the net. Bure's shot would hit Giguere as he dove back into the crease a second or so too late as Bure's 11th marker of the postseason would seal the 1-0 series lead.

"That was as strange of a goal as you'll see...it should have an asterisk next to it since for all intents and purposes, that net was empty", said an upset Chris Pronger who felt that Bure's celebration was out of line considering the positioning of Giguere on the play.

The two teams face off once again as the Pens look to take a 2-0 lead heading back to Pittsburgh for games 3 and 4.

Key Stats

Crosby 2 Goals (10), Assist, 7 SOG
Kunitz Goal (6), Assist
Staal Goal (9)
Bure Goal (11), 5 SOG
Fleury 19/22

O'Donnell/Kondratiev 2 Assists
R. Neidermeyer Goal (1)
King Goal (1)
Moen Goal (6)
Giguere 21/26

[thrashman]

Nice start to the Finals. Sounds like that would have been quite a save by Giguere but good to see the Russian Rocket finish them off.

[onlybygrace]

Quote: Originally Posted by thrashman

Nice start to the Finals. Sounds like that would have been quite a save by Giguere but good to see the Russian Rocket finish them off.

It really was a cool goal.

[onlybygrace]

Defending Champs Tie Pens As Series Shifts To Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh 2, Anaheim 3
1 2 3 OT T Final PIT (1) 1 0 1 2 ANA (1) 2 1 0 3	, Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA

Shots PIT 28 ANA 25

Anaheim (AP)--

The Anaheim Ducks set the record straight tonight in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals:

They are serious about repeating as NHL Champs.

"We're here to win. If anyone thinks we are intimidated by these guys, they're nuts", said Anaheim's Chris Pronger when asked if the Ducks had the same fire as they had last season.

The Ducks would come out firing, outshooting the Pens 13-11 in the 1st period while striking first, taking a 1-0 lead on Corey Perry's 5th goal of the playoffs with the Ducks on the powerplay.

The Pens would tie the score a little over 6 minutes later when Jonathan Cheechoo would score off of Chris Pronger who was attempting to play goaltender while J.S. Giguere was sprawled out on the ice after the initial shot.

The deadlock would last just 28 seconds when Anaheim would strike again on Todd Bertuzzi's 5th playoff marker sending the Ducks into the 2nd period with a 2-1 lead.

Anaheim would strike for their third and final goal when Samuel Pahlsson would score 5:53 into the 2nd frame giving the Ducks a 3-1 lead.

The Pens would hit the post 3 times in the 3rd period while outshooting the Ducks 6-3. Chris Kunitz would pull the Pens to within a goal when he scored his 7th playoff goal on a breakaway with just 6:42 remaining in regulation.

The Ducks, with the win, even the series as it heads back to Pittsburgh where game 3 will commence in under 48 hours.

Key Stats

Kunitz Goal (7) Assist
Cheechoo Goal (7), SHG
Bure 5 SOG
Fleury 22/25

Bertuzzi Goal (5)
Perry Goal (5)
Pahlsson Goal (3)
Weight/Getzlaf Assists
Giguere 26/28

[onlybygrace]

Pens Take Rocket Ride Into Series Lead

Anaheim 2, Pittsburgh 6
1 2 3 OT T Final ANA (1) 1 0 1 2 PIT (2) 0 5 1 6	, Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA

Shots ANA 28 PIT 32

Pittsburgh (AP)--

The defining moments of this game were painfully obvious to Ducks fans and gloriously entoxicating to the fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After the Ducks had taken a 1-0 lead into the 2nd period on a goal by Doug Weight, Pavel Bure would score twice in the first 29 seconds of the 2nd period giving the Pens as instant lead and the momentum they would need to score 3 more 2nd period goals. Sidney Crosby and George Laraque would also score in the next 4:30 as the Pens lit J.S. Giguere up for 4 goals in a little over 6 minutes, but it wasn't until Jordan Staal would score the 5th goal of the period that Giguere would be yanked in favor of Ilya Bryzgalov.

By that time it was too late as the Pens would roll to a 6-2 victory as Todd Bertuzzi and Mike Grier would both score 3rd period markers.

The Pens, with the blowout lead, have taken a 2-1 series lead into Game 4.

The Anaheim Ducks announced after the disappointing loss that J.S. Giguere has been benched in favor of Ilya Bryzgalov who will start Game 4.

Key Stats

Crosby Goal (11), 2 Assists
Bure 2 Goals (13), 7 SOG
Eaton/Sydor 2 Assists
Staal Goal (10)
Laraque Goal (1)
Grier Goal (2)
Fleury 26/28

Giguere 20/25 in 34:43
Bryzgalov 6/7 in 24:43
Weight Goal (5)
Bertuzzi Goal (6)
Moen/Getzlaf Assists

[onlybygrace]

Pens Take Commanding 3-1 Series Lead

Anaheim 2, Pittsburgh 5
1 2 3 OT T Final ANA (1) 1 1 0 2 PIT (3) 2 0 3 5	, Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA

Shots ANA 24 PIT 35

The Pittsburgh Penguins are just one victory away from winning their first Stanley Cup since 1992 as they now hold a commanding 3-1 series lead over the defending champion Ducks of Anaheim.

The scoring would start early tonight when Pavel Bure would score his 14th goal of the postseason just 1:13 into the contest. The Ducks would answer right by just 2 minutes later when Martin Rucinsky would tie the game at 1 with his 4th playoff marker. Chris Kunitz would benifit from some great passing by Evgeni Malkin and Miroslav Satan, scoring his 8th goal of the post season before the end of the 1st to give the Pens a 2-1 lead heading into the second period.

The Ducks would tie the score heading into the 3rd, getting the lone goal of the 2nd period on a shot by Ryan Getzlaf that would hit both posts before hitting Marc-Andre Fleury's skate and crossing the line for a 2-2 draw after 40 minutes of play.

"We knew going into the third that it was win now or go to Anaheim tied at two...so we came out as strong as possible", said Mike Grier who scored twice in the 3rd period, once on an empty net, as the Pens would dominate the frame, outshooting the Ducks 15-4 en route to a 5-2 victory and 3-1 series lead.

The Ducks will fight for their playoff lives less than 48 hours from now as the series shifts back to Anaheim.

Key Stats

Letang Goal (1) 2 Assists
Grier 2 Goals (4)
Kunitz Goal (8)
Bure Goal (14)
Staal/Malkin/Cheechoo Assists
Fleury 22/24

Rucinsky Goal (4) Assist
Getzlaf Goal (7)
Pronger Assist
Bryzgalov 30/34

[onlybygrace]

Bryzgalov Shuts Out Pens In Game 5 Victory

Pittsburgh 0, Anaheim 2
1 2 3 OT T Final PIT (3) 0 0 0 0 ANA (2) 1 1 0 2	, Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA

Shots PIT 31 ANA 28

Anaheim (AP)--

The Ducks are still alive.

Ilya Brzgalov was dominant tonight in a 2-0 shut out victory for the Ducks in game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Ducks would get goals from Todd Bertuzzi in the 1st and Ryan Getzlaf in the 2nd as the Ducks live to fight another day, facing elimination on home ice in game 5 before a standing-room only crowd of 20,767.

The Pens would press hard for the Stanley Cup clinching victory but would be repeatedly shut down by Bryzgalov.

"Very frustrating game...but hey, we still have the lead and are heading back home. It would seem more exciting that way to win in front of our home fans", said Sidney Crosby, trying to stay optimistic about the loss.

The series will now shift back to Mellon Arena for game 6.

Key Stats

Bure, 5 SOG
Fleury 22/24

Bertuzzi Goal (7)
Getzlaf Goal (8)
S. Neidermeyer/Rucinsky Assists
Bryzgalov 31/31

[derrickthomas58]

C'mon man!! Close it out!!!