Pens survive frantic final minute, take 3-2 edge up to Montreal

Game 5: Pittsburgh 2 @ Montreal 1

Marc-Andre Fleury came within thirty-one seconds of becoming the first ever Penguin to record two shutouts in the same playoff series, but still withstood a furious Montreal rally in the last three minutes of regulation time, helping Pittsburgh defeat the Canadiens 2-1 in Game 5 at Mellon Arena.  The Penguins will have a chance to end the Eastern Conference semifinal back in Montreal on Monday night.  Fleury made 32 saves in total and 14 in the third period alone.  During the final three minutes of the game, the Canadiens outshot the Penguins 7-0 and hemmed in the home side in their own zone during a power play stemming from a dubious slashing call on Pascal Dupuis.

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Montreal effectively created a two-man advantage by pulling goaltender Jaroslav Halak 36 seconds into the power play and at 19:29, after Brian Gionta’s wrist shot was partially stopped by Fleury, Mike Cammalleri found the puck after attempting a jump-screen and jammed it in between Fleury’s legs.  Cammalleri, who recorded the game’s first shot on a hard one-timer from right in front of the crease that was blockered away by Fleury, fittingly was stoned by the Pens’ netminder again on a pad save for the game’s final shot with 12 seconds left on another one-timer from the near circle.

Pittsburgh welcomed back Bill Guerin and Mike Rupp to the lineup after both missed Game 4 and the team’s vow to create more traffic in front of Halak was fulfilled in large part due to the contributions of Guerin and Rupp.  Though neither man earned a goal nor an assist, their teammates assuredly know that both were heavily responsible for both goals tonight.  Guerin drew a penalty on Josh Gorges the hard way when he was cross-checked in front of the Montreal net at 17:15 of the first period.  One minute later, he veered into Halak’s line of vision as defenceman Kris Letang unleashed a hard slap shot from the left point that beat the Habs’ goalie over the shoulder.

At 9:50 of the second period, the Penguins doubled their lead when Sergei Gonchar fired a bullet from the right point past a screened Halak.  Moments before the goal, Rupp was knocked down at the left side of the net but got back up, tracked the movement of the puck from defenceman Brooks Orpik at the left point across to Gonchar then set up in front of Halak just as Gonchar let it fly.  Earlier in the game, Rupp and his fourth-line teammates made their presence felt with a classic “energy” shift.  Rupp put a backhander on net that sneaked under Halak’s throat protector momentarily stunning the goaltender.  Later in the shift, on a determined forecheck, Rupp hustled into the offensive zone and took the puck away at the end boards and made a centering pass that was nearly converted by Craig Adams.

Rupp and Adams each had four hits while Adams also blocked four shots.  Gorges was on the receiving end of a thunderous shoulder-to-chest check from Adams in the last minute of the first period.  Rookie Mark Letestu picked up an assist on Gonchar’s game-winner.  The strong play of the fourth line was emblematic of how much tonight’s win was a true “team” win.  In addition to his first period power play goal, Letang showed great instincts on defence, laying down on the ice to block two attempted Montreal passes that would have moved the puck into the danger area in front of the crease.  Brooks Orpik tied Adams for the team-high of four blocked shots and laid out five of his own hits.

After Thursday’s 3-2 loss at Montreal, all kinds of questions were raised about Sidney Crosby, especially how he had not scored since Game 5 of the series against Ottawa.  Tonight, Crosby was shut out on the scoresheet again, limited by Montreal to one official shot on goal (though Canadiens’ skaters should receive credit for blocking five more shot attempts from Crosby).  #87 also lost 11 of 18 faceoffs.  Yet rather than revving up the tired “What’s wrong with Crosby?” machine once again, fans and media alike should consider the angle from Montreal’s perspective.

The Canadiens, in five games, have limited the Penguins’ captain to nine shots and three assists, all coming on the power play, yet they are one loss from being eliminated.  Likewise, Evgeni Malkin also has been limited to three power play points in the series, yet the Canadiens are still one loss from starting their summer.  There is certainly a place for dissecting statistics and expressing moderate concern over the contributions of star players, but the most successful teams receive contributions from the third and fourth lines and defencemen.  This is the advantage Pittsburgh possesses.  Including tonight’s goals, Pittsburgh blueliners have scored eight goals, tied with Detroit for first place among the eight active playoff teams.

Finally, how about Fleury?  The man who routinely gets roasted by fans and media turned in his second stifling performace in three games.  If not for Letang’s skate blade, which deflected the Game 4-winning goal past Fleury, this series might be over.  Bob Grove of the Penguins Radio Network noted on tonight’s post-game show that many think Halak is in the Penguins’ heads.  However, he pointed out truthfully it’s quite likely that after tonight, Fleury might be in the heads of the Canadiens.

NOTES:

• Montreal D Hal Gill left after the two-minute mark of the third period and did not return after getting tangled up with Pittsburgh LW Chris Kunitz behind the Montreal net.  Gill’s left thigh or knee may have been cut accidentally by Kunitz’ skates.
• Montreal outshot Pittsburgh 33-25 tonight.
• Montreal’s record when getting outshot: 6-3; when outshooting the opponent: 0-3
• Pittsburgh’s record when getting outshot 2-1; when outshooting the opponent: 5-3
• Pittsburgh C Jordan Staal (lacerated foot tendon) returned in Game 4, missing just 2 games
• After playing 13:24 in Game 4, Staal was on the ice for 16:57 including 2:16 shorthanded in Game 5.  He was exceptional on faceoffs in the two games, going a combined 15-8 for a winning percentage of 65.2%.