Pregame
The Penguins roll with the same lines and personnel from the last game.
The Game Seven lineup has carried over for Game One. Hoping for a similar result. Let's Go Pens! pic.twitter.com/pbnaHYtmei
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 13, 2017
1st period
The Senators take 4 penalties but fail to cash in and look pretty poor despite all the chances.
Ottawa scores the game's first goal when Brian Dumoulin makes an ill-advised drop and Bobby Ryan intercepts and then throws a beautiful pass to Jean-Gabriel Pageau who beats Marc-Andre Fleury.
Ryan to Pageau to the back of the net. #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/D4gIz3wzOb
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) May 14, 2017
Despite that, Pittsburgh pretty much carried the play for much of the period, though all those power plays certainly influenced it too. Shots on goal 8-6 for the Pens and this finally looks like a series where they can and will impose some possession on their opponent.
2nd period
More of the same, the Pens push but Craig Anderson makes a ton of saves.
That's A LOT harder than it looks. #StanleyCup #OTTvsPIT pic.twitter.com/W9covJ8ZbU
— NHL (@NHL) May 14, 2017
The Senators score again but the refs take it back, ruled to have whistled the play dead just before. Seems like about the first break Pittsburgh has caught.
Fleury had the puck covered & Burrows jammed it loose and into net. Ref Meier considered play dead & was in act of blowing whistle. Correct!
— Kerry Fraser (@kfraserthecall) May 14, 2017
Shots are 19-18 overall for Pittsburgh after 2 periods.
3rd period
Ottawa plays well in the 3rd, even getting the majority of the shots early. The Pens put a small push on but don't do too much
Finally, the Pens score. Evgeni Malkin had a quiet night up to this point but he gets a nice redirect on a Chris Kunitz shot and it just sneaks under the pads of Anderson to tie it at 1.
Evgeni Malkin has now surpassed Jaromir Jagr for sole possession of third place on the #Pens all-time playoff points list with 148. pic.twitter.com/nYKHivW4kH
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 14, 2017
After Fleury makes a nice save, Kessel hits the cross-bar.
Overtime
The Senators knock a puck past Justin Schultz and Bryan Rust in the Pens offensive zone and Bobby Ryan is off to the races, zooming past Olli Maatta then lifts a backhand shot over Fleury to give Ottawa Game 1.
Goal: Bobby Ryan@Senators 2 - 1 @penguins #Pens #OTTvsPIT #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/c38qq8kP6S
— EMN (@EMN) May 14, 2017
Some Thoughts
- A lot of folks pointing out, accurately so, that this game was a lot like G1 of the 2016 ECF against Tampa. Pittsburgh controlled play for the most of both games and got a ton of power play time but couldn't make the most of it. And they played quality goaltending and the Pens lost. Hopefully that script changes for Game 2.
- Tough to go 0 for 5 on the PP (with significant 5v3 time) and expect to win.
- Ottawa is now 6-1 these playoffs in overtime games. They're clearly comfortable and used to playing tight games and finding the rabbit to pull out of their hat. Worked on this night, NBC's Ed Olczyk said the OT winner was their first odd-man rush of the night. Made it count.
- I'm sure a hangover from last round narrative will start soon if it already hasn't, but no so certain that was necessarily the case. True, the Pens were sloppy. Also true, not a very complete effort all night long. Seemed more a case of not hitting paydirt on all those early PP's and thrown out of sync.