Cook: Tampa Bay never finds a reason to quit, and Penguins are to blame
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Eddie Johnston has served the Penguins for about 100 years in every capacity from coach to general manager to wise, old adviser. He's one of the smartest hockey people I've ever known. When he speaks, I listen.
"We've got to jump on 'em," Johnston said Saturday before the Penguins played the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of their Stanley Cup playoff series.
The Penguins did just that once they dropped the puck shortly after high noon at Consol Energy Center.
"We've got to give 'em a reason to quit," Johnston said, more emphatically.
It was a heck of a plan, anyway.
Too bad the Penguins couldn't execute the second part of it despite thoroughly dominating the first 16 minutes-and-change.
Chris Kunitz got a lucky bounce off the boards and one-timed a wicked slap shot that Lighting goaltender Dwayne Roloson couldn't have expected yet somehow turned away just 1:28 in. The Penguins' power play couldn't score after Tampa Bay defenseman Pavel Kubina went off on an interference call at 6:47 despite getting four good chances. Brooks Orpik beat Roloson with a blast from the blue line at 13:09 only to have the puck clang off a goal post. Tyler Kennedy had not one, but two good opportunities at 16:10 and 16:33 only to have Roloson make both saves.
That's why the Penguins lost.
It wasn't because Tampa Bay later scored a touchdown and a 2-point conversion in its playoff-sustaining 8-2 win.
The Penguins just couldn't give the Lightning that reason to quit.
"It's difficult to put a team out," coach Dan Bylsma philosophized afterward. "They're playing for their last breath."
The good news for the Penguins is this loss counted as just one. It was so ugly it probably should have counted for three, but that's not the way it works in the playoffs. The Penguins still hold a 3-2 lead going into Game 6 Monday night at Tampa. Yes, they would be smart to jump on the Lightning early and give 'em a reason to quit.
You know, by scoring the first goal.
The team that has scored first has won every game in the series.
Bylsma talked at length about the "comfort" and "confidence" that first goal provides. Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher mentioned that his team played with more "poise" after Simon Gagne gave the Lighting a 1-0 lead by knocking a rebound by goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury at 16:57 of the first period.
First Published April 24, 2011 12:00 am
