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E-mailBlackhawks-Wings grab Penguins' attention
Slideshow: East Final 3
Penguins 6, Hurricanes 2
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A popular topic Saturday was a first-period hit Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall laid on Chicago's Martin Havlat in Game 3 of the Western Conference final Friday. Havlat left the game injured. Kronwall was given a five-minute interference penalty and a game misconduct.
Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik thought Kronwall's hit was clean, as did Detroit coach Mike Babcock.
"A bunch of us were watching it, and our first reaction was he left his feet," Orpik said. "The referees don't get the luxury of seeing replays, though, and with every replay, the general consensus of us watching was that it was a clean hit, just unfortunate that (Havlat) got hurt.
"The puck was right there, so we didn't think it was interference. Kronwall uses his legs so much when he hits. If you actually watch it, he's on his skates and hits him so hard, he comes off afterward."
Scratches
The Penguins dressed seven defensemen for a sixth consecutive contest in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final at RBC Center. Right wings Petr Sykora and Eric Godard, left wing Pascal Dupuis and defenseman Alex Goligoski were scratched. Carolina did not dress center Dwight Helminen and defensemen Anton Babchuk and Tim Conboy. Hurricanes right wing Tuomo Ruutu returned to the lineup after missing Game 2 because of a lower body injury.
Quite alarming
Cranking a siren prior to playoff games is a tradition at RBC Center, and last night former Hurricanes left wing Bates Battaglia did the honors. The siren-sounder Tuesday for Game 4 of the ECF is scheduled to be former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who moved to Raleigh (N.C.) three years ago. He may feel at "home" if patches of Pittsburgh fans twirling Terrible Towels find their way into Game 4, as they did for Game 3.
In and out
Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice on the in-arena atmosphere at RBC Center: "At ice level, it is something else. You can feel it on the bench. You can feel it in the glass. It's just a spectacular atmosphere for both teams."
Elite company
Prior to last night, players with the best points-per-game average through a minimum of 40 playoff contests: 1. Wayne Gretzky, 1.84; 2. Mario Lemieux, 1.61; 3. Sidney Crosby, 1.40; 4. Evgeni Malkin, 1.28; and 5. Mark Messier, 1.25.
Satan's battles
Surprising as it was to see normally mild-mannered Penguins right wing Miroslav Satan fighting Carolina right wing Patrick Eaves with 1:19 left in Game 2 of the ECF, it might come as more of a surprise to know that Satan's only other NHL fight pitted him against Sykora, the man he has replaced in the Penguins' lineup. Technically, it was a fight, anyway. The two traded half-hearted punches — with gloves on — in a game last season, when Satan played for the Islanders.
"I got five minutes, but it wasn't really a fight," Satan recalled yesterday. "He was mad at somebody else and thought it was me. I knew he had the wrong guy, so I just held him. It was basically a wrestling match."
Just fine
Hurricanes left wing Ryan Bayda was fined $2,500, but not suspended, for his high stick on defenseman Kris Letang in the final minutes of Game 2 at Mellon Arena on Thursday. Bayda explained his actions yesterday following the morning skate: "I kind of wasn't aware that it was an icing. I didn't hear a whistle and I just finished my check. He came back at me, and I just kind of put my stick up. I don't know if I got him in the head or what. It was just kind of a melee from there."
THE RISING
Crosby's 14 playoff goals rank third all-time among Penguins, behind former LW Kevin Stevens' 17 (1991) and Lemieux's 16 (1991, '92). Malkin's 12 playoff goals are tied for fourth in team history with former RW Marian Hossa (2008) and Lemieux (1989). The all-time NHL single-season playoff record for goals in 19.
TAKE A SHOT
The Penguins out-shot the Hurricanes, 40-34, in Game 3, bringing their ECF advantage to 113-87. They have out-shot opponents in 12 consecutive games and 14 of 16 playoff contests.
Digits
11 — Best-of-seven playoff series won by the Penguins when they've taken a 2-0 lead. They have lost only two such series (1975 against the Islanders and 2000 against the Flyers). They Penguins have won five consecutive series they've opened with two victories.
