Fight Night in Ottawa, Penguins Take Series Lead

Penguins Defenseman Kris Letang Credit: Danielle King

The Penguins and Senators know each other extremely well, as their current series marks the third time in three years they have met in the playoffs. And there was plenty of bad blood spilling over into game 3. The Penguins, likely still stinging from Andy Sutton’s devastating hit on Jordan Leopold, came out hitting. The Sens were equal to the task, resulting in plenty of scrums after the whistle and six roughing related penalties between the two teams. Kris Letang, the hero of game 2, got nailed into the boards after his helmet got knocked off, while Crosby laid out a big hit of his own on Sens captain Daniel Alfredsson. Alfie left the game for a while but did return. The most significant exchange of the night was Daniel Alfredsson’s kneeing penalty on Brooks Orpik. Alfredsson wasn’t happy with a hit, and took out his frustrations by kneeing Orpik in the gut. Alfie got the only penalty and Orpik had an amusing exchange with a heckling Senators fan. There will likely be a debate among fans if Alfredsson deserves a suspension for his outburst on Orpik but regardless of the animosity within the game, the Penguins came out on top 4-2, taking a 2-1 series lead.

Pittsburgh opened the scoring early on Alexi Ponikarovsky’s first of the playoffs 1:17 in. The Sens appeared to have tied it at the end of period but the goal was disallowed because it was deemed that Peter Regin kicked it in. But early in the second, the Sens made up for the no goal with Mike Fisher’s first at 1:53. It didn’t hold up for long, as last’s years playoff hero Max Talbot made a nifty play to set up Evgeni Malkin to restore Pittsburgh’s lead at 5:57. Then, Sidney Crosby continued his playoff brilliance with a power play goal at the end of the period.

Bill Geurin put the Pens ahead by three early in the third period, but the Sens kept pressing and the cut the lead to 2 with Matt Cullen’s first at 12:58. But Pittsburgh would not let this game go, and despite a late a powerplay for the Sens, the Penguins lead would hold up, and they gain the upper hand in the series for the first time. No doubt both teams will be ramped up for game 4 on Tuesday, and expect another hard hitting contest as these two teams continue to develop hatred for one another. And building rivalries is definitely one of the best parts of the playoffs.