PITTSBURGH – The stars are aligning for something special.
Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are through to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals are one win away from joining them.
It would be just the second time the two generational greats have faced off in a playoff series, with the Penguins beating Washington in a seven-game thriller en route to winning the Stanley Cup in 2009.
They have appeared to be on a crash course for one another throughout the second half of this season. The Penguins held up their end of the bargain by wrapping up an impressive five-game series victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday, while the Capitals hold a 3-2 lead on the Philadelphia Flyers heading into Game 6 on Sunday.
Even if Washington were to somehow squander it, Pittsburgh is assured of facing a heated rival in the next round.
“It doesn’t get any easier, that’s for sure,” said Crosby. “I think this series was a good step. I think we were definitely tested. … We’ve seen that (Rangers) group year after year and know how difficult they can be. I think this should build some confidence that we can play in those tight games and create (offence) even when it is that tight.
“That being said, we’re going to need the same type of effort if we want to continue here.”
What more can be said of this well-oiled Penguins machine? They chased Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist from the last two games of the opening-round series, putting 10 of 41 shots past him in slightly more than three total periods of action.
This was hardly all on The King, either.
Pittsburgh generated odd-man rush after odd-man rush, beating Lundqvist to the glove side on high-danger chances for each of the last three goals they scored during Saturday’s 6-3 clincher.
New York’s No. 1 man called it a “hopeless” feeling.
“I think we played a team that was smarter, better, and (had) better goaltending,” said Lundqvist.
It was an emphatic statement about the possibilities awaiting the Penguins this spring. New York had eliminated them the last two years, including erasing a 3-1 series deficit in 2014, but this is a stronger, more well-rounded group.
“We’re a way better team this year than we were last year,” said Pittsburgh winger Patric Hornqvist.
There were reminders of that sprinkled throughout Game 5.
You had a rookie goaltender in Matt Murray holding down the fort during a strong early push from the Rangers – at 21 years and 335 days, he became the fifth-youngest goalie in the last 28 years to close out a series, per Elias Sports Bureau – and then it was other new faces in Bryan Rust (with two), Conor Sheary and veteran Matt Cullen accounting for the four second-period goals that broke open the game.
When you add that to the fact the Penguins’ star players all produced offence during this series you can begin to understand why hopes are on the rise here.
“We’re a different team,” said defenceman Kris Letang. “We have a lot more depth than we used to. If you look at the past few years, if Sid and (Evgeni Malkin) were not scoring, we were not scoring any goals. But right now all four lines are able to create offence, we have a lot of speed.
“I think that changed.”
The Consol Energy Center was shaking on its foundation as the Penguins skated the Rangers into submission. This was only the second playoff series Pittsburgh had closed out on home ice since moving across the street to the new building in 2010.
Given how well the team has played since Mike Sullivan took over as head coach on Dec. 12, this is also its best opportunity in years to claim another championship.
Back in the spring of 2009, it seemed like an inevitability that the Penguins would become a dynasty. Crosby had eight goals and 13 points during that second-round series win over Washington and wound up lifting the Stanley Cup as a 21-year-old captain.
The team’s No. 2 centre, Malkin, was only 22.
But things have not unfolded as many in the hockey world once expected – starting with the concussion issues that dogged Crosby during his prime years and then the cumulative effect that constantly dealing away futures had on the organization’s depth.
Now they have the usual suspects, a couple useful kids and Phil Kessel, who scored six points in this series to run his career playoff numbers to 27 points in 27 games. He’s pretty comfortable in his new home after spending six seasons in Toronto.
“I’m happy about it,” said Kessel. “We’ve got a good team.”
The Penguins were the hottest team in hockey by a wide margin during the last four months of the season. They hoped that it was a sign of good things to come but couldn’t be sure until arriving for the first exam.
“We believed in it,” said Crosby. “I think you still have to go out there and do it and prove to one another.”
The next test will come from either Washington or Philadelphia. It’s likely going to be the Sid and Ovi show.
Buckle up.
