Penguins Game 3 Review

"[The Flyers] seem to bring out the worst in me."  

   -Sidney Crosby, 4/2/2012

Turns out that was a bit of an understatement.  Another game, another early Penguins lead, and another collapse by the Penguins.  With each game, the Penguins mental capitulation gets more severe, and today they completely lost their sh*t.

I was a little nervous going into this game, for two reasons.  One, the Flyers were terrible in day games this season, with even worse first periods than usual.  Second, I said after game one that the Pens were being distracted by trying to hit too much and punish the Flyers physically, and I thought being on the road they might tone it down and played more poised hockey.  Neither of those occurred.

The Pens got an early gift goal from Bryzgalov, but then on a PP (for what appeared to be a phantom high sticking call), Giroux made a good play shorthanded, and Fleury put the puck in his own net trying to cover a loose puck.  It was all downhill from there.

As the game wore on, the Penguins became a total embarrassment.  Asham's high crosscheck to Schenn (and punch to the back of the head while Schenn is defenseless and face down on the ice) after Schenn made a perfectly legal check was a disgrace.  Things got worse, as another melee was caused when Crosby was determined to cause trouble, slashing Bryzgalov after he covered the puck, prodding Voracek and hassling Timonen until Giroux finally stepped in and went with him.  Letang beat up Timonen (whom I've never seen fight) then petulantly tried to shoosh the crowd.

Apparently that wasn't enough, as Neal threw 2 dirty hits in the space of a minute after the game was out of reach.  He launched himself at Couturier well after the puck was gone, and quite frankly it would've been an illegal charge even if Cooter still had the puck.  As it was, it was an indefensible hit.  Then he stayed on the ice and hit Giroux in the head with another late hit.  At the ensuing stoppage Crosby was grabbing Hartnell (apparently to keep him away from Neal), and when Hartnell engaged Crosby, Adams starting punching him in the back of the head.  Once the two squared to fight and grappled, Adams starting pulling Hartnell's hair.  What is this?  A lunch time scrap between middle school girls?  Ridiculous.

The NHL would be wise to suspend both Asham and Neal for this nonsense.  For one, their actions merit suspension in any scenario.  Second, the outcome of the series is all but settled, and the NHL should reel it in rather than invite more cheapshots or score-settling in an inconsequential game.

The Penguins should be embarrassed enough by allowing 20 goals in three games to their hated rival, in a series in which they were favored.  I guess that wasn't enough, and they've turned themselves into a farce.  This series was there for the taking for them, with 3-0 and 2-0 leads in the first two games.  The Pens were unable to control their passion and quite frankly lost their cool and their minds trying to prove something, and they psyched themselves out of the series.  Crosby was definitely right with the quote above.

Notes:
-I hope Couturier, Giroux and Schenn are okay after absorbing cheapshots.  Giroux appeared woozy and stumbled after being hit by Neal.

-It shouldn't be lost in the shuffle that Bryzgalov let in 2 terrible goals again today.  He's looking leaky and his 5-hole has been gigantic.  This series is a goalie's nightmare, but this will have to tighten up against the likes of the Rangers and Bruins.

-With 20 goals, the Flyers have scored several more goals than any other series has featured COMBINED between the two teams.