leaders Leicester on Monday Night Football despite from corse178's blog
PITTSBURGH -- Even as numbers on a roster, the Pittsburgh Penguins power play appears intimidating. Blue Jackets Jerseys From China . At times on the ice, it looks borderline unfair. Start with two NHL MVPs in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Add a future Hall of Famer like Jarome Iginla and a Norris Trophy finalist in defenceman Kris Letang. Throw in a grinder to do the dirty work in Chris Kunitz and the Penguins have a unit thats an electric mix of skill, speed and grit. Give them 2 minutes to work and they can quickly turn a game into a mismatch. Its a lesson the Ottawa Senators painfully learned during a 4-1 loss to the Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday. Despite dictating play at even strength for long stretches, the Senators were practically blown out on the scoreboard after the Penguins went 2 for 3 on the power play and even added a shorthanded goal to seal it in the third period. Pittsburgh made it look easy against the NHLs best penalty killing team. The Senators stopped 88 per cent of the power plays they faced during the regular season, easily tops in the league. All power plays, however, are not created equal. And if the Senators want to even the series in Game 2 on Friday night, they have to either stay out of the penalty box entirely or find a way to stop a unit thats scoring 38 per cent of the time in the playoffs when it goes a man up. The key to Pittsburghs success doesnt rely on Xs and Os as much as remarkable talent that few -- if any -- teams can match. An eye-popping 37 per cent of Penguins power plays in the playoffs have ended with an opponent skating slowly out of the penalty box after the red light behind their goal flicks on. "They have basically five All-Stars on the first (power play) and its tough to chase them and get hits on them when theyre moving the puck properly," Ottawa defenceman Marc Methot said. "Weve got to be better." It might already be too late. The Senators have won just two playoff series in franchise history after dropping the first game, and none since 2003 and have never rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the post-season. Yet Ottawa remains upbeat, pointing to the way it was able to tilt the ice at even strength, peppering Pittsburgh goaltender Tomas Vokoun with 36 shots. A bounce here, a bounce there and a little more production on the power play -- where the Senators were 0 for 6 in the opener -- and Ottawa believes it can head home with things all tied up. "Were a confident group in here," Methot said. "We know we can hang in there with them." And Methot and his teammates insist it wont take a perfect game, just a smarter one. While three penalties is hardly a ton, the Penguins proved in Game 1 that even a single shift with the advantage is enough to take firm control of things. "If we break even on the special teams battle it gives us a good chance to win," Ottawa coach Paul MacLean said. After dealing with some jitters on Tuesday while making its first appearance in the second round of the post-season since making the Stanley Cup finals in 2007, Ottawa believes it has found its legs. The Senators will need them more than ever with burly defenceman Eric Gryba likely out with an upper body injury sustained after a collision with Pittsburgh defenceman Brooks Orpik Grybas job was to try and clear space in front of Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson. Without him there will be a little more room for Crosby and company to work. Its a group that is finally starting to get comfortable with each other. Pittsburgh picked up Iginla, forwards Jussi Jokinen and Brenden Morrow and defenceman Doug Murray at the trade deadline to gear up for a Cup run. Yet injuries to Crosby, Malkin, Orpik and defenceman Paul Martin late in the regular season made it difficult for coach Dan Bylsma to get a look at what he really had on his hands. In a way, Bylsma still doesnt know. He continues to tinker with lineups during games, trying to search for the right mix. The Penguins found enough in the first round to dispatch the New York Islanders in six sometimes-frantic games. They may have taken the next step in Game 1, playing more soundly defensively and more patiently offensively in perhaps their most balanced game of the playoffs. Take Pittsburghs third goal of the night, a power play score by Kunitz. Letang found himself working in the left circle and instead of moving to his left instead turned to his right and slipped a pass to Iginla. Kunitz pounced on the rebound and the Penguins had things well in hand. It started with a move Letang doesnt typically make and ended with Pittsburghs ninth power-play goal in seven playoff contests. While the goal was timely, the message it sent, however, was just as important. "When you get that power play ultimately you do want to score," said Iginla, who has two goals and eight assists in the post-season. "But a big part of our focus is to just go out there and get some momentum, get some shots, put some pressure on them." Its working vs. the Senators. Blue Jackets Jerseys Outlet .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. Adidas Blue Jackets Jerseys . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. http://www.cheapbluejacketsjerseyschina.com/ . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.Newcastle have made an approach for Rafa Benitez as they consider alternatives to Steve McClaren, according to Sky sources. Sky Sports News HQ understands that although McClaren remains in charge, the club have made contact with Benitezs representatives about the Spaniard stepping in to try to salvage their season.Benitez is available after leaving Real Madrid in January, and sources close to him indicate he would have a qualified interest in the vacancy. McClarens nine-month tenure as Newcastle head coach looked no closer to being resolved on Wednesday night with the former England boss holding talks with managing director Lee Charnley on the phone in the afternoon.The pair were due to meet for talks at St James Park, but the planned face-to-face meeting did not take place. McClaren left the training ground after speaking to Lee Charnley on the phone After four days of silence from the Newcastle hierarchy, it would have been the first time the two had met since Saturdays 3-1 home defeat to Bournemouth which left the club languishing in the bottom three.A telephone conversation did happen and McClaren is set to take training on Thursday, with further talks expected afterwards.SSNHQ earlier learned the former Derby manager would not face thee media for his weekly pre-match news conference, which had been scheduled for Thursday but was postponed. Wholesale Blue Jackets Jerseys. Newcastle fans reacted angrily to the clubs 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth McClaren has continued to prepare his side to face Premier League leaders Leicester on Monday Night Football despite intensifying speculation that he is about to lose his job.The clubs directors held a meeting on Monday, conducted without McClaren despite the fact he is also on the board. Former Chelsea and Liverpool boss Benitez tops a wish-list of managers who the club would like to put in charge should they decide to dispense with McClaren. Former Everton and Manchester United manager David Moyes is also understood to be under consideration as a potential successor.The loss to Bournemouth last weekend increased speculation that McClaren could be relieved of his duties, with the team second from bottom in the Premier League with just 10 games remaining. Also See: McClaren future unresolved Benitez & Moyes on Newcastle shortlist Newcastles decision-makers Whats wrong with Newcastle? McClaren determined to stay Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
The Wall