Some random thoughts heading into Game 4…
The Senators are down only 2-1. How quickly momentum shifts in hockey series always amazes me. A bad goal by Fleury…a lucky bounce or two and the Senators are right back in this. Of course they can come back.
Pittsburgh will be tougher to beat as this series goes on because the gap between the two teams is widening. Fleury was shaky in Game 1. He let in a bad goal early in Game 2. Since then, he's been solid.
Brian Elliott was good in Game 2. Apart from that, he hasn't looked good. He seems to be either really good or really bad. We're seeing more of the bad Elliott this series and that's not good for Ottawa. If he's not better, the Senators will be out early. Players feed off good goaltending. As we saw two nights ago, a bad goal early can be crushing.
Sidney Crosby. If you take him out of the Penguins lineup….the Penguins are barely a playoff team. He is a marvel to watch. I'm sensing…he's a perfect teammate. The humility and politeness we see from him is real. He was groomed to be a star. Along the way, Crosby has developed into a good person. Crosby is the real deal.
The Sutton hit in Game 1 on Leopold. I've given this a lot of thought. And bring it back to Crosby. Game 3, Alfredsson cruising with his head down and Crosby hits him. Crosby says he saw the head first and had time to think. He saved the head, and went for the body. Alfredsson plays on. Crosby passed on an opportunity to lay out a star. Sutton and most players in the league hit to deliver maximum punishment.
Without question Sutton's hit was within the rules. He plays by a commonly accepted hockey culture….head down…and pay a price. I think I have a lot more time for the Crosby culture. Do you think less of Crosby because he let up on Alfredsson in a playoff game? Not me.
Ottawa's depth is being tested. Kuba, Kovalev and Michalek are top players. Cheechoo was once. He's back in the lineup tonight for Ottawa. Enough said.
More tomorrow.
- Terry
