Pittsburgh Penguins take 3-1 lead in quarterfinals by defeating Tampa Bay Lightning in double overtime
Pittsburgh won their second consecutive match against the Lightning on Wednesday when James Neal scored for them in the second overtime. The Penguins took control of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series 3-1 after the home team lost 3-2 at the sold
out St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa Bay, Florida.
The Penguins had a reason for the goal they were able to make and that was their enormous shooting difference as compared to the Lightning. Pittsburgh outshot Tampa Bay 53-31 throughout the match-up, while making 13 attempts in overtime alone. Marc-Andre
Fleury faced only 31 shots and saved 29 of them, while home goalie Dwayne Roloson was scrambling for the puck all over the place but still managed to save 50 of 53 shots at the net.
Tyler Kennedy, who won game three for the Penguins by making a game-winning goal in the final, made the opening goal this time. He took advantage of Tampa Bay’s first penalty of the match and scored through Roloson. Kennedy has become a good luck charm for
his team, in the seven post-season goals he has made in his career the Penguins have never lost a match in which he has contributed.
Tampa Bay were unable to take advantage on anyone of the four power-play opportunities awarded to them, which were equally spread out from the first till the overtime periods. The veteran forward, Arron Asham scored his third of the play-offs 2:39 into the
second period when he shot the puck from the right circle, which then hit a defenseman’s skate before going in the net.
High-scorer, Martin St. Louis added his fourth of the post-season while firing through the centre ice and charging at the net. With less than three minutes remaining, the Lightning came within one goal's reach of tying up the matchup.
Pittsburgh tried hard to maintain that gap, but with 3:17 seconds remaining in the final, St. Louis fed the puck to a wide open Sean Bergenheim, who scored, forcing the game into overtime.
The Penguins nearly gave the game-winning goal during the first overtime period when Craig Adams was booked and sent to the benches for Tripping Simon Gagne. Luckily, Fleury was there to back them up. James Neal made the early shot during the second OT giving
Pittsburgh a lead in the first-round of the play-offs.
Come Saturday, April 23, Tampa Bay stands on the verge of elimination when they travel back to Pittsburgh to face the Penguins in game five of the Western Conference quarterfinals.
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