PREVIEW: Pens vs. Caps Round 2

Finally we have a Penguins vs Capitals series again! The Pens eliminated the caps in seven games in 2009 by a score of 6-2 in game 7 that ended this series in the penguins favor. Sidney Crosby had two goals and Marc Andre Fleury had 19 saves in a game 7 victory. The Penguins actually went on to win the cup that year by beating the Red Wings 2-1 in game 7 led by two goals by Maxime Talbot and a huge save with less than 10 seconds left by Fleury on Nicholas Lidstrom. But that's not what matters, let's skip 7 years into the present to the Pens Caps series.

The Penguins ended up drawing the Rangers in round one for the third year in a row. The Rangers eliminated the penguins 2 years ago 4-3 in seven games coming back from a 3-1 deficit. And they downed the Penguins last year 4-1 easily. But this years Penguins team had a lot of confidence heading into another rematch with the Rangers by winning 14 out of their last 16 games. And man were the penguins firing. We head to game one where the penguins dismantled the rangers at the CEC 5-2 with a 35 save effort from Jeff Zatkoff and a hat trick from Patric Hornqvist. Game two came two days later and the penguins got Malkin and rust back but they looked slow because they just came back from injury and the penguins lost this game 4-2. Phil Kessel provided the only offense for the penguins in this game with 2 power play goals. Game 3 for the penguins was different, at practice earlier that day before game 3, Jeff Zatkoff skated in the starting goalies net and left the ice first and did not start. Another goalie took the ice for his third straight practice since returning from a concussion against the flyers and that was Matthew Murray. According to head coach Mike Sullivan, he was considered an option for game 3 but did start and made 16 saves for a 3-1 victory and the penguins led the series 2-1. On to game 4, the penguins came out firing this game. The penguins got a goal from Eric Fehr not even two minutes in and then the penguins could not be stopped. They won this game 5-0 behind two power play goals from Evgeni Malkin and 31 saves in a shutout for Matt Murray and the pens led the series 3-1 looking to close the series out back at home. Finally game 5 came and it was back at home. The rangers scored a minute it then Hagelin answered then the rags scored again and Kessel answered on the power play. Then the second period came and the pens scored 4 times and led 6-2 after three. The pens won this game 6-3 behind two goals from Bryan Rust and 38 saves on 41 shots from Matt Murray and the pens shook hands with the rangers and won the series 4-1 and eliminated the rangers.

The Capitals play a different role in this story. They won the presidents trophy with a record of 56-18-8 and drew the flyers in round one. They dispatched the flyers in games one, two, and three. They had a 3-0 series lead and the flyers decided to change from Steve Mason to Michal Neuivirth and came back to make the series 3-2 heading to game 6, behind a 44 save shutout in game 5. Game 6 had the score nodded at 0 heading to the second. In the middle of the second, Nickolas Backstrom scored a power play goal midway into it and made it 1-0 and held on to shake hands with the flyers after 6 games. What a series for the caps. They had trouble with the last wildcard team In the flyers but still came out victorious. They move on to play our pens in round two.

Let's talk about Matt Murray vs Braden Holtby. Matt Murray went 3-0 with a 1.55 GAA and .955 save percentage in the playoffs this year. Winning his 3 games 3-1, 5-0, and 6-3. Those are some impressive numbers for Mr Murray. Braden Holtby went 4-2 with a .084 GAA and a .968 save percentage. Those numbers are huge. Watch out for this goalie matchup in this second round series which is bound to be an amazing one.

How about another era of Crosby vs Ovechkin? Ovechkin has been kept off the scoreboard in five matchups against the eons this season. Isn't that remarkable? To keep the great 8 off the scoreboard in five games. That is pretty impressive if you ask me.As for Crosby, he ended up 3rd in points this season. Watch out for this matchup because it will be an intriguing one.

If you were to ask me who i think is gonna win this series I would say our pens. But how many games you ask? I say 6 or 7. This series is gonna be an amazing one. This series is the one to watch.