Pat Pickens, sportsnet.ca
Raise your hand if, while filling out your 2013 Stanley Cup Playoff bracket, you picked the East’s 1/8 matchup to go more than five games.
Now raise your hand if, after watching the Pittsburgh Penguins pummel the New York Islanders in game 1, 5-0, then build a 3-1 lead in Game 2, you picked the series to go more than four games.
And yet, that wild unpredictability — and the fact the series is knotted at two after four games — has helped make Pens/Isles the postseason’s best series thus far.
Consider what those of us following the series have seen so far through only four games: A breakneck pace that’s bordered on shinny hockey, lead changes, weird goals, bad blood, a budding superstar growing up before our eyes, controversy, and of course, Sidney Crosby as a villain.
Oh yeah, and goals. Lots of goals.
What more can you ask for in a playoff series? Sure, we could have the war of words — and fisticuffs — the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators series has, but I prefer goals over fights any day. Plus, when Evgeni Malkin is getting a fighting major — as he did after the game-ending horn went in New York’s 6-4 win over Pittsburgh Tuesday at the Nassau Coliseum — you know things are getting nasty.
“It’s playoff hockey,” Islanders forward Kyle Okposo said. “There’s nastiness around the league everywhere, and this series is no different.”
Okposo helped incite that nastiness in Game 2 when he picked a fight with Pittsburgh’s Matt Niskanen, leaving the veteran defenceman bloodied. The Islanders scored three-straight, third-period goals, to steal a 4-3 win and knot the series at one.
Crosby earned villain status, when he apparently dove to draw a power play that led to Chris Kunitz’s game-winning goal in overtime of Game 3 on Sunday. Prior to Game 4, the Coliseum faithful printed and distributed “No diving” signs, then taunted Crosby with a “Princess Crosby” chant during the game.
Pittsburgh’s skill level has been on display all series long. The Penguins’ power play is firing at 40 per cent. Pascal Dupuis has four goals, while Crosby, Malkin and Jarome Iginla have combined for 21 points — with Crosby’s six points coming in only three games.
“They don’t need many chances, and they can strike quick,” Islanders coach Jack Capuano said.
Yet, it’s remarkable that in each game the Pens received relief, in the form of a superstar returning from injury, they’ve lost. In Game 2 it was Crosby. In Game 4, despite his goal, James Neal’s return couldn’t ignite a Pittsburgh victory.
And perhaps that’s a testament to the Isles’ superstar-in-bloom, John Tavares.
Tavares’ poise, leadership and timely play — he netted the game-winning goal Tuesday — has been symbolic of the Islanders all year. The 22-year-old — playing in his first playoff series — simply isn’t intimidated by the stage, or the Penguins, and he’s proving it.
“You put so much effort to get here,” Tavares said. “There was no doubt we’ve wanted to make the most of this opportunity, and we weren’t just satisfied being here.”
Oh yeah, and lest we forget the Coliseum. The 41-year-old barn was rocking during both playoff games and will get to open its doors for at least one more, Saturday.
New York, which averaged the NHL’s lowest regular-season attendance — yes, even worse than Phoenix — got a huge boost from its fans and the electric energy inside the arena.
“It’s an old building, but this place gets rocking, and these people are passionate,” Tavares said. “We’ve got some great sports fans in New York, especially on Long Island, and they care about their Islanders. We can’t thank them enough.”
And just a year after his notorious postseason implosion, Marc-Andre Fleury is at it again. His Game 1 shutout seems like a millennium ago, as Fleury’s surrendered 14 goals on 102 shots — which adds up to a VERY mediocre 86.3 save percentage — in the series’ last three games.
This series has AT LEAST two more games left in it— Game 5 is Thursday in Pittsburgh. No lead’s been safe — Pittsburgh’s gagged third-period leads in three-straight games, and the Isles coughed up two leads apiece on Sunday and Tuesday.
Plus, if Crosby’s words ring true, it could get even better.
“I think they let a lot go in the third period and let us handle it, and we’ll probably see more of that as the series goes on,” he said.
So tell me, which other series can boast more?