It’s springtime and it’s playoff hockey. It’s tied after 3 periods, so we go to overtime and play until someone scores. If it’s the Blue Jackets who do, the series is 2-1, and Columbus has life. If it’s the Penguins, the series is 3-0 and Columbus are in big trouble.
Overtime comes and everyone starts suggesting who they think might be the one to get the big goal. Luckily for all of us, some genius suggests Jake Guentzel.
if we’re gonna go off the board from someone who hasn’t scored one for the Pens yet….
— coconut mike (@MikeDarnay) April 17, 2017
i’ve got Jake Guentzel for the hat trick
Sidney Crosby gets the puck behind the net in his office, and we all hold our breath.
A quick pass and just like that, it’s over. Let’s break this one down in detail.
As Conor Sheary gets involved in a puck battle behind the net with Jack Johnson, Sidney Crosby comes to help out and David Savard is approaching him.
Crosby uses his big old ass to bump Savard from the puck and gain possession of it himself.
Crosby pins the puck along the boards between Savard and Brandon Dubinsky.
At this point, the Penguins have a numbers disadvantage -- but the deceiving part of this is that with Crosby in his office behind the net, I don’t think it’s possible to ever be actually disadvantaged.
Crosby chips the puck along the boards towards Sheary and Jack Johnson, and Lil’ Conor moves it back across towards Crosby.
As Crosby gains possession of the puck, Jake Guentzel floats to the slot and tries to find a little patch of ice between Nick Foligno and Cam Atkinson.
Crosby moves towards the left side of the net looking for a passing lane. Trevor Daley is joining the play on the right side and could be an option.
Nope, no he isn’t. Vintage Crosby behind the net, he hits the brakes and loses David Savard.
Jack Johnson, in position to try and make a play, is somewhat blocking the passing angle to Guentzel as Crosby moves back towards the right side.
Elite play here. Jake Guentzel, sensing the Crosby pass about to be coming his way, quickly lifts Cam Atkinson’s stick, to make sure he’s not going to be able to break up the play.
To the surprise of no one, Crosby’s pass is right on the money.
Guentzel quickly rips it past Sergei Bobrovsky. Have a good laugh at resident shithead, Brandon Dubinsky.
Same guys, absolutely same.
What a fun goal. Vintage Crosby losing a guy behind the net in the manner that he did, tiny little Conor Sheary wining board battles, and wee Jake Guentzel stepping into the slot and ripping a hat-trick goal for a big OT win. What a game.
Just like that, the series is 3-0 in favor of the Penguins, and we’ve got the Blue Jackets on the ropes. Let’s go for the knockout punch tomorrow night.