PREMIUM
**$20 TUESDAY!** Rogers' 10* ICE BREAKER ~ 4-0 Monday! 53-23-2 L17 Days!
(NHL) Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa,
Money Line: 136.00 Ottawa (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: 136.00 Ottawa (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: Remember those Pittsburgh offensive woes? The defending champs were held to one goal in each of the first three games of the Eastern Conference finals against the Senators and were lucky to only be down 2-1 in the series (Pens won Game 2, 1-0!). However, the team made a goalie switch, Murray for Fleury, and while Murray has been excellent (Fleury sure wasn't the problem), the change has definitely sparked the team and awoken the Pittsburgh offense. Pittsburgh jumped out to a 3-0 lead in a "must win" Game 4 and held on for a 3-2 win. Then, back in Pittsburgh for Game 5, the Pens took a 4-0 first-period lead and won going away, 7-0! The series is back in Ottawa for Game 6 tonight, with Pittsburgh on the verge of returning to the Cup Finals. Ottawa head coach Guy Boucher has grown comfortable playing the underdog card in these playoffs and raised a few eyebrows and many sarcastic quips over social media after essentially "crowning" the Penguins after the barrage. "We know they're a better team. Everybody knows that on the planet," he said.
Pittsburgh: We've been really good at just focusing on the game at hand regardless of the situation, good or bad," captain Sidney Crosby told reporters on the heels of scoring in his third straight contest on Sunday. "We've had a lot of different things happen throughout the year where we've just had to focus on that next game and that will have to be the same approach here heading into Game 6." Evgeni Malkin (NHL-best 17 assists, 23 points) notched three assists to push his career playoff total to 98, moving him past team owner Mario Lemieux (96) for second on the franchise's all-time list. However, the most impressive part of Sunday's 7-0 win was that seven different players scored a goal! Pittsburgh's third line of Bryan Rust (goal, assist), Nick Bonino (two assists) and Carter Rowney (three assists) combined for seven points in Game 5. Matt Murray, who recorded his second career postseason shutout following a 25-save performance, has turned aside 68 of 71 shots (.958 SP) since replacing Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 3's 5-1 loss. He owns a 17-6 record in 24 playoff appearances.
Ottawa: Captain Erik Karlsson (team-leading 13 assists, 15 points) has been playing with two hairline fractures in his left heel but is expected to be back in the lineup after receiving a bit of a breather with Sunday's contest well out of hand. "We decided to shorten the bench a bit and come back (fresher) for the next one," Karlsson told reporters, with Boucher admitting as much in resting fellow defenseman Cody Ceci and forward Derick Brassard in the final period. Boucher also scoffed at the notion of starting backup Mike Condon over Craig Anderson, who will be back in net after being pulled twice for four goals on 14 shots in Game 5.
The pick: History doesn't favor the Senators in this spot, as Ottawa is 0-5 when trailing a best-of-seven series by a 3-2 margin and the team has only forced a Game 7 on two occasions. However, the Senators have had a terrific playoff run and the Senators plan on retreating to the style that brought them to the Eastern Conference finals. Expect the neutral zone to be a crowded piece of ice Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centre, as except for Game 5, Ottawa's 1-3-1 system has been largely responsible for flustering Pittsburgh's offense. Ottawa is "down to its last out" and I expect the Senators to bring their "A game!" Make Ottawa a 10* play.
Pittsburgh: We've been really good at just focusing on the game at hand regardless of the situation, good or bad," captain Sidney Crosby told reporters on the heels of scoring in his third straight contest on Sunday. "We've had a lot of different things happen throughout the year where we've just had to focus on that next game and that will have to be the same approach here heading into Game 6." Evgeni Malkin (NHL-best 17 assists, 23 points) notched three assists to push his career playoff total to 98, moving him past team owner Mario Lemieux (96) for second on the franchise's all-time list. However, the most impressive part of Sunday's 7-0 win was that seven different players scored a goal! Pittsburgh's third line of Bryan Rust (goal, assist), Nick Bonino (two assists) and Carter Rowney (three assists) combined for seven points in Game 5. Matt Murray, who recorded his second career postseason shutout following a 25-save performance, has turned aside 68 of 71 shots (.958 SP) since replacing Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 3's 5-1 loss. He owns a 17-6 record in 24 playoff appearances.
Ottawa: Captain Erik Karlsson (team-leading 13 assists, 15 points) has been playing with two hairline fractures in his left heel but is expected to be back in the lineup after receiving a bit of a breather with Sunday's contest well out of hand. "We decided to shorten the bench a bit and come back (fresher) for the next one," Karlsson told reporters, with Boucher admitting as much in resting fellow defenseman Cody Ceci and forward Derick Brassard in the final period. Boucher also scoffed at the notion of starting backup Mike Condon over Craig Anderson, who will be back in net after being pulled twice for four goals on 14 shots in Game 5.
The pick: History doesn't favor the Senators in this spot, as Ottawa is 0-5 when trailing a best-of-seven series by a 3-2 margin and the team has only forced a Game 7 on two occasions. However, the Senators have had a terrific playoff run and the Senators plan on retreating to the style that brought them to the Eastern Conference finals. Expect the neutral zone to be a crowded piece of ice Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centre, as except for Game 5, Ottawa's 1-3-1 system has been largely responsible for flustering Pittsburgh's offense. Ottawa is "down to its last out" and I expect the Senators to bring their "A game!" Make Ottawa a 10* play.
