When Dwayne Roloson started for the Lightning in Game 7 of last year’s quarterfinals in Pittsburgh, he stopped all 36 shots to complete Tampa Bay’s comeback from a 3-1 series deficit.
After this season, Roloson may never want to play against Pittsburgh again, especially if number 71 is on the ice.
Evgeni Malkin tallied his ninth career hat trick, Jordan Staal added two goals, and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 34 of 35 shots as the Penguins destroyed the Lightning 8-1, Saturday afternoon.
Although the score may have failed to show how well Tampa Bay played for most of the game. In the first period, Tampa Bay outshot Pittsburgh 11-9 and had multiple chances to score. Fleury stopped Trevor Smith on a partial breakaway midway through the first, then stopped Nate Thompson with a rolling save as the final seconds died off in the opening period.
Meanwhile, the Penguins seemed to capitalize on every chance, scoring three times in the first period, including two goals 50 seconds apart. Chris Kunitz got on the board with his 17th goal of the season. Malkin fed Kunitz from behind the Tampa Bay net and Kunitz’s shot from the left circle, bounced off of Victor Hedman’s leg and into the net.
As the first goal was still being announced, Matt Cooke found a loose puck in front and fired a shot off the crossbar and in the net for a 2-0 lead.
Tampa Bay’s luck didn’t get any better.
With the Lightning on the power play, Hedman got tangled up with the linesman which gave Jordan Staal a breakaway and a shorthanded goal. Up 3-0 after one, the Penguins were just getting started.
Roloson may have surrendered 8 goals, but his biggest mistake may have been taking a few shots at the NHL’s best current forward. After stopping Malkin in front, Roloson threw a punch towards the points leader, who, at that point in the game, only had an assist.
Malkin took a retaliatory penalty, then retaliated by scoring on a one-timer from a nearly impossible angle minutes later. As the crowd rose to their feet in celebration, Malkin kept his sights on the 42 year old Roloson.
Tampa Bay got a power play goal from Teddy Purcell but otherwise, failed to solve Marc-Andre Fleury who stopped Martin St. Louis on a breakaway in the second period.
Malkin continued to breakaway from Steven Stamkos for the points lead in the third period. Just five minutes into the third, Malkin took the puck from his own end, skated through all five Lightning players, and slammed the puck into the net for his second goal of the game. The goal, scored by a 25 year old, brought nostalgia to the 18,596 fans at Consol Energy Center, reminding them of former Penguin Legend, Mario Lemieux.
Eight minutes later, Malkin scored on the power play to notch his third hat trick of the season and second natural hat trick against the Tampa Bay Lightning. James Neal, who finished with 3 assists, had his shot stopped in front of the net. As Eric Brewer attempted to clear the puck, Malkin lifted Brewer’s stick and jammed in the rebound. Pascal Dupuis scored to give the Penguins their eighth and final goal.
- After failing to register a point in his first matchup against Tampa Bay, Malkin finished the season series with 11 points (8 goals, 3 assists).
- Jordan Staal has 21 goals in 42 games this season.
- The Penguins will host the Columbus Blue Jackets tomorrow afternoon. Brad Theissen could start in net since Brent Johnson has a nagging injury.
Photo courtesy of Yahoo!
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