The Pens curbstomped the Sens 7-0 Sunday afternoon, and now have this series in a headlock as they move to Game 6 in Ottawa Tuesday night.
The Pens have punctured a hole Guy Boucher’s trap so wide, even Bobby Ryan Stephenson’s dad could escape it. It was — completely and literally — as thorough an ass-kicking you could see in an NHL playoff game.
The depth was everywhere. The defense survived. Matt Murray could have taken a bottle of Xanax before the game and still probably come out with the shutout. But literally, everyone who played for Pittsburgh contributed somehow, and you have to wonder if Ottawa is going to be able to find an answer.
Pens Points (so far)→
Rowney 3A
Malkin 3A
Crosby 1G-1A
Rust 1G-1A
Kessel 1G-1A
Daley 1G-1A
Bonino 2A
Maatta 1G
Wilson 1G
Cullen 1G
Streit 1A— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 21, 2017
Just total domination. More Senators show up for work on a Sunday in Washington than did for Ottawa in their most important game of the season. The Pens’ performance was a step in the right direction after finding their way in Game 4, and now they have an opportunity to put the Sens away for good.
We know it’s never over until Rosie O’Donell sings, but it just feels like Ottawa lost their legs. Karlsson is banged up, so is Brassard. Then you consider Dion Phaneuf is scoring goals for the wrong team — it’s going to be an uphill battle for Ottawa to get this to seven games.
Either way, the Sens probably couldn’t play any worse than they did in Game 5. Craig Anderson save 10-of-14, proving he hasn’t completely given up on the idea of stopping shots, so there’s that, too.
Anyhow, not much else to say about a 7-0 game that isn’t already obvious. The Pens were always the better team, they just needed to prove it. And now they have. Deadspin gave it the Jim Ross treatment. It only seems right:
Unreal. Game 6 is Tuesday night.
crosby smiling at phaneuf on loop forever pic.twitter.com/xooCJDShCZ
— rich (@richtweetshere) May 21, 2017
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