The Penguins and Islanders are down to a best-of-three as their opening round Stanley Cup playoff series returns to Pittsburgh for Game Five tonight. The Islanders tied the series at two games apiece with a 4-1 win Saturday in Long Island.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan canceled practice yesterday while the Islanders practiced in New York before departing for Pittsburgh.
More than 9,000 fans are expected at PPG Paints Arena tonight as Pennsylvania’s attendance restrictions ease further. They can expect to see a more intense Penguins team after a generally lackluster performance on Saturday.
Sullivan said after the game Saturday that playoff hockey is a game of momentum.
Sullivan says the Penguins know what they need to do to win games.
The coach said he’d like to see better decision making in the neutral zone when the Penguins have the puck and need to either carry it into the Islanders’ zone or dump it in below the goal line.
Sidney Crosby says the Penguins need to recapture the energy they had in Game Three of the series.
Crosby says the Penguins want to possess the puck in the Islanders’ zone more in Game Five.
Islanders’ coach Barry Trotz said yesterday that even though Sidney Crosby has only one goal in the series, he knows Crosby is dangerous. Trotz said Crosby is the “gold standard” of hockey players.
Tonight’s game faces off at 7 PM. The airtime on 92.5 FM U92 and the U92 Sportschannel is 6:00.
Boston eliminated the Washington Capitals last night with a 3-1 win to take the series, 4-1. That means whoever advances from the bruising Penguins/Islanders series will have to take on a rested, experienced Bruins team.
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