NHL Eastern Conference Finals game 2: Pittsburgh Penguins

1st Period PIT 2 TB 2

High pace start for this game by both teams who skated all ice long side by side to try to score, Tampa Bay had the first scoring chances of the game but Pittsburgh scored first on a breakaway that started with Cullen who intercepted a puck in his own zone and ended with the same Cullen who beat Vasilievski on the farther high corner with a perfect slap shot after the visitors goalie blocked a Fehr shot. The high rhythm of the game gave the chance to the visitors to tie it but Drouin's shot from the low circle found Lovejoy to save a sure goal, on the other side the Pens made a perfect circling play with accurate passes that confused the Lightning defense and left Kessell alone in the low circle able to beat Vasilievski once again to extend their lead. Tampa Bay cut the lead in a half with 3 left to play in a beautiful first period when Crosby and Sheary collided returning in their defensive zones leaving free a passing and to Stralman across the ice who beat Murray on the closest post with a precise shot under the crossbar. The Pens got their second power play of the period with 2:50 left in the game but the Lightning killed it perfectly giving Drouin a chance on breakaway to tie the game so he did with a wrist shot that entered in the net on the farther post.

2nd Period PIT 2 TB 2

The pace in the second period slew down and so the scoring chances but the physicality of the game grew up especially at mid-ice and in front of the goalie, the Lightning have been more aggressive and it let them drew a penalty on goalie Murray for tripping but as it happened for the Pens they have been inconsistente on it with poor puck movement and difficulties to enter in the offensive zone. The biggest chance of the period thus far came in Crosby back hand shot from the low circle but it found an attend Vasilievski who blocked it to deny the goal. The period ended with the Lightning unable to shoot on goal and with the Pens try to hit them on fastbreaks.

3rd Period PIT 2 TB 2

The third period has been so similar to the second one with both teams a lil bit tired due to the very expensive in matter of energy period one, Tampa Bay's biggest chance came around the mid part of the period with Johnson who hit the crossbar with an hard wrist shot, on the other side the Pens tried to score putting some players in front of Vasilievski creating a screen and also trying to take advantage of the rebounding puck but no team has been able to score due to the low level of energy and the higher physicallity around the blue line compared to the first part of the game so the game went to the OT.

OT PIT 3 TB 2

It has been such a quick OT where the Lightning never have the possession of the puck and at the very first shot from the left circle Crosby found the back of the net with a perfect slap shot that beat Vasilievski under the crossbar to give his team a desperate needed win.

MY 3 stars of the game

1 Cullen
2 Crosbly
3 Drouin