To borrow from the 1970 tearjerker, Love Story, ironically involving a hockey player, “Where do I begin?”
Indeed, how do I even begin to describe one of the most intensely entertaining hockey games I’ve had the privilege of watching in my 50+ years of following the Penguins? Except to say last night’s Game 6 reinforced why no other sport comes close to matching playoff hockey in terms of riveting intensity and pure entertainment.
Unfortunately, our Pens wound up on the short end of a 1-0 score. Moments after Arturs Šilovs made an astounding, blocker-hand save on Flyers rookie Porter Martone that bordered on the miraculous, Cam York scored on a rather routine snap shot from distance at 17:32 of overtime. Sending the final curtain crashing down on a Cinderella season loaded with thrills, chills, and…ultimately…spills.
Speaking of Šilovs, he was simply superb while turning aside 31 of 32 shots. Flashing cat-like quickness and Fleury-esque athleticism, the 25-year-old Latvian made so many huge saves it’s almost impossible to list them all. Stops on Owen Tippett, Luke Glendening and Martone in the opening period, when the Pens were at their sloppiest. A pair of stand-out saves in the second on Matvei Michkov, the second on a breakaway. Huge glove saves on Sean Couturier and Michkov in the third. And game-extending stops on Travis Konecny and Martone in OT, the latter which rivaled Frank Pietrangelo’s “The Save” in terms of sheer brilliance.
Prior to the series, there was talk in some circles of re-signing pending UFA Stuart Skinner to serve as a partner for up-and-coming phenom, Sergei Murashov, and perhaps moving on from Šilovs, an RFA-to-be. With his extraordinary play this series (1.52 GAA, .939 SV%), I’d say Arturs has re-written the script and re-inserted himself in the team’s future plans.
However, at the far end of the rink, his black-and-gold mates just couldn’t solve Philly netminder Dan Vladar. He, too, was terrific, stopping all 42 shots he faced, including many of the 10-bell variety, while posting his second shutout of the series.
As for the game itself, I thought the Pens were shaky in the first period before settling down in the second and completely taking over in the third period and OT. The numbers bear that out. According to Natural Stat Trick, we piled up a staggering 51-21 advantage in shot attempts over the final 37+ minutes and a lopsided 23-11 edge in shots on goal as well.
However, as the game progressed I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that the bounces weren’t going our way. Egor Chinakhov and Tommy Novak each struck iron. So close and yet so far.
Big Elmer Söderblom was unable to jam the puck past Vladar in OT during a side-of-the-net scramble following a golden opportunity by snake-bitten Anthony Mantha.
In the end, we just couldn’t solve Vladar.
Some random thoughts.
How I wish the Pens had been more playoff-ready to begin the series. We pretty much gave away the first two games before getting up to speed. Credit Rick Tocchet and the Flyers for taking full advantage.
A special shout-out to Parker Wotherspoon, who was outstanding on the PK, and a physical force all series.
I was happy as all get-out when Noel Acciari drew a bead on the rat-like Konecny and blasted him into the sideboards during the first period. Although Kris Letang took an extremely ill-advised and potentially costly retaliatory penalty, I privately cheered when he decked the Philly shite-stirrer with a punch to the mush.
As the old saying goes, if you live by the sword you’ll surely die by it. Perhaps ‘Canes road-grader Bill Carrier will make road-kill of Konecny in the second round. We can only hope.
Speaking of Acciari and fourth-line mates Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte, my word were they superb. All over the Flyers, all night. I truly thought they’d be the difference maker. It pains me to think Acciari and Dewar are UFAs-to-be and may not be re-upped, especially with kids like Avery Hayes and Tanner Howe waiting in the wings.
With so many players up for new contacts, Evgeni Malkin and Mantha the most prominent, it figures to be a summer of re-construction (or de-construction?) for our Pens. That makes me sad, for I truly love this team.
True confession, there was a time earlier this season when I seriously contemplated retiring from the blogging business. I’m 69-years-old, still work a full-time job, and although a labor of love, the grind of writing recaps does get to you. Plus, there are so many great Pens sites, including Pensburgh and Pittsburgh Hockey Now. But this team, with its heart-‘n’-soul character and never-say-die nature, compelled me to keep on writing.
I’ll close with a quote I referenced not too long ago. After his team had been ousted by the Blues (also in six games) following a fiercely contested Semi-Final series back in 1970, Pens coach Red Kelly paid his vanquished squad the ultimate compliment.
“You feel bad about losing,” he said, “but you never feel bad when you’ve given everything you have and that’s what this team did. This club has more heart than any club in the world.”
So it was for our present-day Pens.
Thanks, ever so much, for a truly fantastic season.
