I’ll be live blogging during the first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Detroit Redwings. The puck is about to drop.
I’m with Pittsburgh.
Detroit is playing aggressively, taking a few shots on goal, all stopped.
Osgood just stops an advance from Pittsburgh.
Detroit off sides at 18:27, play stops.
Pittsburgh needs to start playing the puck into their home area, not shooting all the way in.
This is not a friendly game. Both teams very aggressive.
Another shot by Pittsburgh. Osgood stops.
Pittsburgh has the puck at 13:55.
Pittsburgh is playing fierce hockey. Even the neutral zone is not safe.
Detroit scores first goal. Puck dribbled in from the back.
2:40 remaining in the first period.
Pittsburgh needs more control of the puck. The first goal was lucky for Detroit, no doubt about that.
PITTSBURGH SCORES A REAL GOAL! Osgood flubs a shot from Malkin, puck dribbles out and Fetitenko slams it home.
Game tied. End of first period.
INTERMISSION: NBC’s Pierre McGuire is so in love with Detroit it isn’t even funny. The man takes every opportunity to talk up the Redwings over Pittsburgh. Is he on the take?
Ready for the second period. Shut up McGuire.
SECOND PERIOD ACTION
Puck out of play on a deflection, no penalty.
Slow play at in the first 2 minutes of the second period. Teams sizing each other up.
There’s McGuire blabbing in his cozy seat between the two benches. No helmet, though, so there’s still a chance…
Breakaway Malkin, but Osgood stops the shot.
Again, Penguins need to stop these damn shots from the blue line to behing the net, with no follow-up.
PITTSBURGH POWERPLAY
Detroit has cleared twice. Pittsburgh needs to take a few shots now.
Detroit kills the powerplay. Pittsburgh is doing too much thinking, not enough shooting. But they’re playing excellent defense against Detroit.
PITTSBURGH POWERPLAY II
Pittsburgh needs to be aggressive on this powerplay. A steal and shot by Detroit. Detroit clears again with 1 minute left in the powerplay.
Powerplay ends. Detroit back to full strength. Pittsburgh keeps the puck in play.
Icing Detroit at 9:34.
The NHL Gamecenter has gone dark. Good thing, too, because, you know, there’s a game and all.
DETROIT POWERPLAY I
Time for a short-handed Pittsburgh goal. Two minutes.
Pittsburgh clears.
Both teams at full strength.
Pittsburgh shot saved by Osgood. Hard shot, took some time for him to get control. Pittsburgh is finally playing hungry. Another shot on goal stopped by Osgood, but Pittsburgh’s getting closer.
Icing Pittsburgh. Just over a minute left in the second period. Game still tied.
Detroit scores with 57.4 seconds left. Very aggressive play from Detroit. Many, many shots on goal.
End of second period. It’s close. Detroit has the edge. Pittsburgh needs to come out hungry.
In all honesty, Marc-Andre Fleury needs to step up. He should have stopped both of Detroit’s goals. They were not hard goals.
THIRD PERIOD PLAY
Icing call against Detroit. Pens need to tie.
Fleury catches a shot.
Detroit scores again. 3-1. Pittsburgh is getting sluggish, not paying attention. That was a good goal.
Pittsburgh is NOT playing to the goal. Too much fuss on the boards. The game is NOT in the hits.
Close one on Osgood. Pile-up in front of the net. Puck lands on Osgood’s back and looks like Detroit players grab it, but no penalty.
Pittsburgh is spending too much time playing the boards and not enough time shooting at the net. Puck won’t go in that way.
It’s time for Miroslav Satan to score. Kid’s due.
Pittsburgh is simply unable to bring the puck into their own zone — or they’re not trying. Just settling for those whimpy shots up the side, and those shots all go to Osgood. Detroit enters their zone with a plan.
Let’s go, Pens.
Empty net. Pens take some shots, but look sluggish. Pens are trying to play a slow game, and Detroit is too fast. Trouble is, Pittsburgh is fast too. But not tonight.
Game over. Detroit takes game one.