re: 2017 NHL Playoff Thread: PENGUINS WIN THE CUP, Crosby robs Malkin of the Conn Smythe

I wasn't gonna lead with the Corsi numbers, but holy mother of God. Caps outshot the Pens 35-21. At 5v5, the Caps had more attempts by a margin of 72-32 and scoring chances by 41-15. FORTY-ONE to FIFTEEN. If the Caps play like this for the rest of the series, they will advance.

But let's also take a moment to admire Crosby's opening shift to the second period. He created that first goal pretty much all on his own, and then the Caps got sloppy on the second, failed to mark him, and then Holtby let up a juicy rebound. Just like that, 2-0. That was a monster shift, and it that minute was the difference in the game.

Caps did get a little too cutesy early on and overpassed the puck, turning down very good chances for the perfect shot. They have to throw more pucks on net. They didn't really start to do that until the third period, when it just became an all out shooting gallery.

The Caps have won the first game against the Pens 8 times, and the Pens have won the series 8 times. I'm not happy with the loss, but I'm thrilled by how the Caps played. Keep the same effort, cut down on the extra passes, and don't have a dramatic defensive breakdown late in the third period (God, Orpik should be benched for that play).

They tilted the ice throughout the game. Keep doing that, and goals will come. I'm strangely happy with how the game played out, even with the loss. I felt a lot worse after Game 3 against the Leafs.

Oh, call a goddamn penalty, refs. No power plays? Really?