Pittsburgh Penguins defeat Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1

The Penguins weathered the storm Monday night against Carolina.

Per ESPN.com, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Despite not showing much life early in the playoffs, Penguins Philippe Boucher and Miroslav Satan made their first post-season goals on Monday. NHL's leading scorer in the playoffs, Sidney Crosby, who has accumulated 22 points, was limited to an assist. For the seventh consecutive game, Pittsburgh scored on a power play via Philippe Boucher.


"Watchin Game 1 Penguins in the Burg! FIGHTS!!!"
Twitpic posted by @tapoutpunkass

Joe Corvo and Chad LaRose made the Hurricanes' two goals of the night. Carolina has lost Game 1 in each series of the playoffs so far. The team lost Tuomo Ruutu and Erik Cole to unspecified injuries, and coach Paul Maurice did not say whether or not either would play in Game 2.

The Penguins and Hurricanes return to the ice for Game 2 on Thursday.

One Tweeter is hoping the Penguins can keep the championship teams in Pittsburgh:

1. 
   jeffglancy A Penguins win and a Pirates win in DC. A good night for the 'Burgh.....Btw what a game by Fluery! 19 May 2009 from TwitterBerry
2. 
   StallandDean Congrats to the Penguins, one sec there out of the playoff run, next min there looking at a possible confernce title... You gotta believe. 19 May 2009 from UberTwitter
3. 
   JezebelleX Just watched Penguins win! I really hope the Penguins win this series, I would seriously debate hitting up a Stanley Cup final game.. 19 May 2009 from web
4. 
   muskrat_john OK - here's the scenario: Steelers win the Super Bowl: DONE. Penguins win the Stanley Cup: on track. Pirates win the...in...nevermind... 19 May 2009 from Twitterrific
5. 
   socnorb777 Penguins draw first blood...I hope this is a long series, because it was pretty entertaining hockey, I thought. 19 May 2009 from web
6. 
   richprice81 Sleepin easy tonight. Penguins are 1-0 in the conference finals! 19 May 2009 from Twitterrific

After going 0-3 in Game 1 of the playoffs, Carolina isn't losing hope:

1. 
   AlexBroadwell game 1 fail. #hurricanes 19 May 2009 from web
2. 
   SeanWSG Come on Hurricanes... your bringing me down! Pull it together for Game 2! 19 May 2009 from web
3. 
   Talon22 And the Cardiac Canes leave me with another heart attack. #nhl #hurricanes #stanleycup 19 May 2009 from TwitterFox
4. 
   rsingh81 how to the pens keep winnin.. DAMN!!.. but the hurricanes came close no worries they'll get em nxt game 19 May 2009 from web
5. 
   kaiseruncc hurricanes injuries worry me... night all 19 May 2009 from web
6. 
   RyRy223 heading off to bed after watching the Hurricanes get whooped tonight. 19 May 2009 from web

Pittsburgh Penguins defeat Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1

Penguins advance with blowout win over Capitals in Game 7

Home ice and Alexander Ovechkin be damned, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby are taking their ice capades to another East Coast city.

The Penguins ran out to a 5-0 lead over the Washington Capitals in the second period on the way to a 6-2 victory, per ESPN, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals against the winner of the Boston Bruins- Carolina Hurricanes series (also heading to a Game 7).

Crosby scored the first goal for the Pens, and was followed just by eight seconds later by Craig Adams.

Bill Guerin, Kris Letang, and Jordan Staal were the other goal-scorers. Crosby scored again in the third period, eliminating any thoughts of a Washington comeback.

Steel City Twitterers enjoyed the surprising outcome:

1. 
   chrislovett To some #Caps fans - This is what you deserve for your hate and jealousy of Sidney Crosby. (via @penschat) 14 May 2009 from Tweetie
2. 
   Chris__Fink oh, hello Washington Senator. what's that? u're choking? on your own teeth that the pittsburgh penguins kicked down your throat. aw. pity 14 May 2009 from web
3. 
   hellohahanarf This Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game just might be the thing to help make me feel like not crying. GO PENS! 14 May 2009 from TwitterBerry
4. 
   swiftyjim Hockey's big chance to get back on the radar and it's Penguins 5, Caps 0. Doh! 14 May 2009 from web
5. 
   blue182skies @ChiBlackhawks Whatever it is that has happened to the Caps, I am thoroughly enjoying it! GO PENS! =) 14 May 2009 from twhirl
6. 
   pmazur Penguins killing the Craps in the playoffs...it's just like the old days 14 May 2009 from web

Ovechkin scored a goal as did Brooks Laich, but Caps fans had nothing cheer about:

1. 
   tmccool Ovechkin is a sad russian 14 May 2009 from txt
2. 
   Rhodes21 I'm confused, I see Ovechkin but I thought the season finale of The Biggest Loser was last night?!?! 14 May 2009 from web
3. 
   kweennikki If the caps lose tonight i think Ovechkin is gonna throw a molotov cocktail in the locker room and kill his whole team 14 May 2009 from txt
4. 
   carldunniii If anyone has seen the Real Washington Capitals please send them to the Verizon Center!!! #washcaps 14 May 2009 from Tweetie
5. 
   Truth_About_It I don't think Osama Bin Laden could have scripted are more disastrous start to this Washington Capitals - Pitt Penguins hockey game. 14 May 2009 from web

One Tweeter captured this shot of Ovechkin during the second period:

(Twitpic by @tylerabramfitch)

Penguins advance with blowout win over Capitals in Game 7

Crosby-Ovechkin, Round 3

He's the face of hockey purists everywhere. A grinder, blue-collar bootstrapper who possesses the touch of a Canadian knight when he holds a hockey stick.



He is the showboating alpha male, playing the sport with a wild abandonment typically reserved for a punk rock band frontman. He is also easily hockey's most Tweeted player.



Tonight, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin meet again. Game 3 of the Ovechkin's Washington Capitals vs Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins, with the Capitals leading the series 2-0. The game went to overtime, with the Penguins winning it 3-2 on a goal by Kris Letlang just over eight minutes in.


Reaction on the dramatic finish:

1. 
   NucksHub It is nice to see people who don't live in Canada getting stoked on hockey. #Penguins #Capitals 07 May 2009 from Tweetie
2. 
   djsaian woooowwwwww!!!! what a magnificent goal by #penguins!!!!! yeah!!!!!!! 07 May 2009 from twhirl
3. 
   SAGExSDX Pens score a nice outside slapshot. pens win. caps were seriously sloppy and did not deserve a win. #nhl #playoffs 07 May 2009 from web
4. 
   JonFogg Pens' Kris Letang rips a slap shot that hits a Caps defenseman in front and goes in ... Pens are far from dead in this series #capitals 07 May 2009 from web

-- this quote was brought to you by quoteurl


The Penguins jumped ahead 2-1 late in the 3rd on a power play goal by Evgeni Malkin, only to have the Capitals tie it on their own power play goal.

This one is headed to overtime. Here are a few in-game Tweets:

1. 
   djsaian scoressssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Penguins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2-1 vs #Capitals 07 May 2009 from twhirl
2. 
   TheMontyShow WOW! That is a HUGE goal for the Pens, Malkin and Guerin right in the action again! #NHL #Penguins #Malkin #Guerin #Capitols 07 May 2009 from TweetDeck
3. 
   Sinareo BOOOOOM! There it is! Too bad it's a tying goal, but it'll do... for now! #Capitals #NHL 07 May 2009 from TweetDeck
4. 
   gregotto amazing what happens when a team shows a lil fight against the #Penguins. 07 May 2009 from Friendbar

As for Alex the Great vs Sidney the Kid? The Twitterverse takes sides:

1. 
   mikeschaffer @david_schwab I think Crosby has slight edge bc NHL has pushed him harder on TV. #Ovechkin has had to create his own hype-and live up to it. 05 May 2009 from web in reply to david_schwab
2. 
   Dashredder9 I don't watch hockey but this #ovechkin guy is a beast 05 May 2009 from TwitterBerry
3. 
   macleod199 Oh snap! #Ovechkin can smell the net at fifty paces. He is an animal evolved purely for playing hockey. 06 May 2009 from twitterrific
4. 
   robby_d #crosby is not that big a boy. Don't know if he can carry the whole team on his back, but he sure the hell is gonna try. #pens 06 May 2009 from Netvibes

Crosby-Ovechkin, Round 3