While Game 3’s victory over the Washington Capitals was a step in the right direction for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the series is far from over. Yes, optimism is running as fast as Pittsburgh’s offense, but do not forget the havoc Washington caused in the NHL during the regular season.
Of course, there is reason to have a positive mindset going into Game 4, but with the news of Kris Letang’s suspension, the weakest part of the Penguins just got weaker. The defense has already had a tough task in playing against an elite offense. Now without their best defenseman, the challenge has increased substantially.
Although the Penguins currently hold a slim 2-1 series lead and have looked to play much better since their opening Game 1 performance, there is still a lot of work to be done in order for Pittsburgh to move on to the next round.
Ovechkin is Missed
Alex Ovechkin began to make a little more noise against Pittsburgh in this series with his performance in Game 3. Scoring two points (1 G, 1 A) Ovechkin has started to get his game back and that could spell trouble for the Penguins as the series continues.
A big reason as to why the defense has had so much success against Ovechkin is the fact that Matt Murray has stopped most of what he puts up. That ended in Game 3 when the Capitals captain slapped a shot just over the shoulder of Murray, bringing the Caps within striking distance of tying up the game.
Expect to see Ovechkin taking more shots, but more importantly getting them on net. He is missed a surprising number of shots, many of which were within a hair’s length of hitting a post or the netminder himself.
Murray’s Stamina
It was a good sign to see Marc-Andre Fleury sitting on the bench during Game 3. It is equally important because at some point Murray will need to take a game off, especially after being bombarded by shots in this series.
Murray has performed beyond expectations, but his stamina is something that will continue to be tested. Not to mention, at some point, Fleury will need to get back in-between the pipes to shake off any rust that may have accumulated over the last month.
Playing the 21-year-old netminder too much could open him up to injuries and poor performances. It is great to see him play well against a formidable team, but at some point he will need to take a rest.
Taking the Body
Washington, although losing its last two games, has done one thing right and that is that they hit, a lot. The Capitals can get in the heads of their opponents, something fans may have seen in Game 1 by Evgeni Malkin.
Not only do the Capitals take the body, they take them to the ice which wears down the Penguins even more. The exhaustion seen in the Penguins faces towards the end of the third period in each game is a clear indication that the hits are working in favor of the Capitals.
Washington will not let up at all and continue playing smash-mouth hockey until they are sent home. The Penguins expect a fight and know anything can happen in the game of hockey. This series is a long way from being over and a pivotal Game 4 will see two talented teams searching for a highly sought after victory.
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