Crosby Dives! Penguins Refs Win Game One 5-4!!

Crosby 'dives' into Colton Orr. 

Read more at Pensburgh.com

Now that we got that crap out of the way, we can get to talking about the game.

If the game one matchup was any indication of the what play is going to be like for the remainder of this series, Rangers and Penguins fans alike better buckle up and get ready for a fluctuating and irregular heartbeat.

As Penguins fans you love it, and as Rangers fans you'd probably like to forget, but this game was strikingly reminiscent of the Rangers vs Montreal game on

In what I choose to dub Montreal Redeux, as a special momentous tribute the Rangers' 6-5 shootout loss to Montreal (after at one point leading 5-1) on February 19, game one had everything you could ask for in a playoff game.  It was exceptionally fast paced, extremely hard hitting and oddly high scoring.  Despite preconceived speculations that this would be a low scoring affair, perhaps fans and experts alike have to reassess the situation.

And oddly enough, this entire game came full circle up until the final two minutes.  New York's first goal went off Gonchar's skate, while the second one required a video review to check whether or not Drury's stick was a high-stick redirect.

Pittsburgh's first goal was off a Rangers' skate, while Crosby's game winning goal in the third was reviewed for the redirect off Malkin's leg.  Malkin didn't kick, and was rewarded the goal in the process.

Now I know excuses can fly from every side.  Crosby dives, Straka's call was BS, Malkin kicked it, the refs side with the Pens - I've heard them all.  And frankly, thanks to the New York media leading up to the game, I'm oddly desensitized by it.

Thanks New York.

So here we go, heading into Sunday's Game Two.  We've already seen that predictions mean nothing, expectations (aside from victory) were hardly met and the goaltenders would've had better luck stopping the cliche beach balls.

Can one expect New York to come firing out of the gate in a crazed, blood thirsty vengeance ridden frenzy?  Perhaps.  But can we also expect Pittsburgh to do the same in efforts to go up two games?  You bet.

Game two: Sunday at 2pm on NBC.

On a final note, I love this picture.  Amazing timing to get the puck in the net before anyone in the crowd, or on the ice for that matter, has time to react.

SSreportersLegend

567 days ago

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That was an amazing game, huge loss for the Rangers, that was a chance to steal home ice.

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

567 days ago

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I swear, my heart rate was through the roof.

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KelsdadAll-Star

567 days ago

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Nice pictures, Frank, were you at the game?

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

567 days ago

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no sir, I could only wish. Those are actually AP pics.

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SSreportersLegend

567 days ago

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If you find the CBC clip of the game, post it. Jim Hughson and Gary Galley at their best.

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SSreportersLegend

567 days ago

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Craig Simpson sorry.

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CityhockeyfeverVarsity Captain

567 days ago

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Enjoy the series and congratulations, Frank. I'm personally happy for you and a few of my Penguins friends here at ArmchairGM, but completely incensed with my hometown team. Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me of the February 19th disaster. It just could not be avoided by mention, could it? The rest of the NHL world is already just laughing at the Rangers yet again.

It looks like the Penguins are going to sweep away the biggest choke artists in hockey namely the New York Rangers. What a God damn blessed joke of a hockey game that the Rangers played and was beyond insane belief. Any Penguins fan can be celebrating like they've got this series and the Cup in the bag just like Habs fans thought on the night over three months ago. Yet, Montreal and Pittsburgh just might meet in the Eastern Conference Finals after all.

The ghost of Mario Lemieux continues to haunt the Rangers...

And what are you talking about in regards to the New York media?

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

567 days ago

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I wouldn't draw conclusions just yet buddy. This is still only one of many games.

The New York media references are in regards to this guy Arthur Staples. His article can be found here: http://www.n...78896.column

That was also part inspiration for the title of this article. Apparently it was decided beforehand that the Rangers would be going up against not only the Penguins but also the refs. Give it a look and lemme know what you think.

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CityhockeyfeverVarsity Captain

567 days ago

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In regards to that Newsday article, I understand what you're talking about and where you come from, Frank. While there is some validity to it such as the questionable calls being made by the on-ice officials, the Rangers can only blame themselves for their very big losses over the years to the Penguins. Henrik Lundqvist hasn't had a sound performance since Game 2 of the Devils series, but was just good enough in Games 4 and 5 to squeak by the first round. Aside of a handful of quality saves to keep Pittsburgh at bay early on, he was not sharp from the moment he allowed Jarko Ruutu's goal through the rest of the game. If I heard correctly, just like the absolute rarity where history was made for the Rangers' first blown five-goal lead in their history on February 19th, they lost for only the second time ever in 95 playoff games in which they had lead by three goals... play like they did tonight, they'll get swept. I've seen the Rangers far too long not to believe this. They may be able to match the "star power" of the Penguins, but the Rangers cannot score like Pittsburgh can. That's the definitive problem they have to overcome in this series.

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

567 days ago

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I just find it amazing that a lot of people thought this would be a one goal to two goal a game sort of series. I was pretty shocked at how both teams were just racking them up.

Fleury was also a bit shaky in net, as evidenced by the horrific start that was thankfully not too much for Therrien to pull him out of the cage. I think he did a decent job of keeping the Pens in this one, but nearly cost the game on Jagr's post hit in the final seconds.

You did hear right - 93-2 when leading by 3 goals in the playoffs. The way they worded it thought made you actually have to think about it...perhaps they could've said something like "For only the second times in 95 games" or something like that.

Either way, this is far from over. While I admire and appreciate your honesty about the Rangers, I won't allow myself to believe the series is over till it's official.

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CityhockeyfeverVarsity Captain

567 days ago

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I guess I'll have to see how this series unfolds. I had laid out a few keys for the Rangers to win this series as brought up in my Rangers-Devils recap/Rangers-Penguins abbreviated preview article from hours ago... and in my mind, the Rangers failed to meet most of them in Game 1. Give the Penguins credit, they rallied when it mattered and found a way to beat Lundqvist with a few redirected shots that found the back of the net... Oh, I have saved some of the press photos from Game 1, so if you'd like me to send them to you at some point, let me know.

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

567 days ago

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I have the press shots saved too actually. Two obsessive fans perhaps? haha

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Pittsburgh GunnyMajor Leaguer

567 days ago

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Great stuff as usual Frank. Once again Jarkko Ruutu has made me laugh uproariously.

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

567 days ago

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Oh man - that stick in Roszival's face was hilarious. And then after he scored the refs had to stop him from going over to the New York bench because he was talking crap. I agree - he's hilarious.

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J-DawgVarsity Captain

567 days ago

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After Ruutu's goal to make the game 3-1, I remember saying to my dad, "Could this be a comeback?" Then my dad saying, "Maybe, if they can get another goal before the end of the period." Then sure enough, 14 seconds later, Crosby with the beautiful feed to Dupuis and the game is 3-2. This is why we love playoff hockey!

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

567 days ago

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That's funny, because I remember saying, "As long as they can get two goals this period they'll be in good shape in the third." Then there was one - and another seconds later. It was incredible. The two most ridiculous goals on the night were Malkin to Sykora and Hossa shooting it through the hole in someone's skate. Unbelievable. Even Barry Melrose said, "I didn't think that could happen...ever."

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Pwinter713Varsity

566 days ago

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The kiss of death was either Hughson or Simpson(can't remember which)commenting that the Rangers were the only team that were able to stop the Pens from scoring in bunches....jeez....worse than mentioning a pitcher has a no-hitter going.

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FrankDDiv-I Stud

565 days ago

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hah you said it. Kind of like how I barred anyone in the room from talking about the Pens winning that night. I didn't want to jinx it.

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