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First, I think there’s only one thing to be done in Pittsburgh: trade Evgeni Malkin. This is not a commentary on Malkin’s post-season – although chances are I wouldn’t be writing this if the Pens were still alive – and it’s not a new thought.
Jaroslav Halak did outplay Marc-Andre Fleury, especially in Game 7, but in a larger sense the Canadiens did exactly what they needed to do to the Pens – take away the center of the ice. And now Sidney Crosby, Malkin and No. 3 center Jordan Staal are taking heat. Not all the heat by any means, but heat nonetheless.
That Habs’ plan worked to the nth degree and exposed the Pens’ ugly underbelly. Take away those three guys and there’s basically nothing left up front to scare anyone. Pittsburgh’s best scoring options quickly become blueliners Sergei Gonchar – who will more than likely price himself out of Pittsburgh this summer – along with the still-maturing Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski.
And we all saw how well that worked.
Jaroslav Halak did outplay Marc-Andre Fleury, especially in Game 7, but in a larger sense the Canadiens did exactly what they needed to do to the Pens – take away the center of the ice. And now Sidney Crosby, Malkin and No. 3 center Jordan Staal are taking heat. Not all the heat by any means, but heat nonetheless.
That Habs’ plan worked to the nth degree and exposed the Pens’ ugly underbelly. Take away those three guys and there’s basically nothing left up front to scare anyone. Pittsburgh’s best scoring options quickly become blueliners Sergei Gonchar – who will more than likely price himself out of Pittsburgh this summer – along with the still-maturing Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski.
And we all saw how well that worked.
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