It's playoff time in 2017, as the NHL's quest for the Stanley Cup begins. This series features Metropolitan Division rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Game 1: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In goal: Sergei Bobrovsky of the Blue Jackets and Marc-Andre Fleury of the Penguins. Pittsburgh dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Bryan Rust goal, coming off of Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins added on with a Kessel power play goal, powered by Justin Schultz and Malkin. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Nick Bonino scored, thanks to Patric Hornqvist and Olli Maatta. Columbus got on the board in the third period with a Matt Calvert goal, with a lone assist from Josh Anderson. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars being Kessel, Malkin, and Fleury (31 for 32 in saves). The Penguins hold a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In goal: Sergei Bobrovsky of the Blue Jackets and Marc-Andre Fleury of the Penguins. Pittsburgh led off in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, via Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary. Columbus tied it in the second period on a Brandon Saad goal, assisted by Alexander Wennberg and Seth Jones. The Penguins retook the lead with a Guentzel goal, coming off of Crosby and Ian Cole. Pittsburgh added on in the third period with an Evgeni Malkin goal, passed from Crosby and Cole. The Penguins iced it at 4-1 with a Patric Hornqvist empty net goal, set up by Matt Cullen and Tom Kuhnhackl. The three stars were Crosby, Fleury (39 for 40 in saves), and Guentzel, while Cole gets an honorable mention. The Penguins take a 2-0 series lead west with them.
Game 3: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio. In goal: Marc-Andre Fleury for the Penguins and Sergei Bobrovsky for the Blue Jackets. Columbus began in the first period with a Cam Atkinson goal, assisted by Brandon Dubinsky and Nick Foligno. Pittsburgh tied it on a Jake Guentzel goal, his second of the postseason, coming off of Ron Hainsey and Sidney Crosby. The Blue Jackets retook the lead with another Atkinson goal, his second of the game, going in unassisted. Columbus added on with a Zach Werenski power play goal, powered by Sam Gagner and Foligno. The Penguins pulled back with a Bryan Rust goal, his second of the playoffs, made possible by Brian Dumoulin and Evgeni Malkin in the second period. Pittsburgh tied it on an unassisted Malkin goal, his second of the postseason. The Penguins took the lead with Guentzel's second of the game and third of the playoffs in the third period, helped along by Malkin and Phil Kessel on the power play. The Blue Jackets retied it on a Dubinsky goal, guided in by Jack Johnson and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Pittsburgh won 5-4 in overtime with a Guentzel goal, completing his hat trick with his fourth of the postseason, fueled by Crosby. The three stars were Guentzel, Malkin, and Crosby, while Atkinson, Dubinsky, and Foligno get the honorable mentions. The Penguins have a stranglehold on the series at 3-0.
Game 4: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio. In goal: Marc-Andre Fleury for the Penguins and Sergei Bobrovsky for the Blue Jackets. Columbus started in the first period with a Jack Johnson goal, with a lone assist by David Savard. The Blue Jackets added on with a Josh Anderson goal, via William Karlsson and Kyle Quincey. Columbus extended the lead as Markus Nutivaara scored in the second period, thanks to Boone Jenner and Brandon Saad. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Patric Hornqvist power play goal, his second of the postseason, powered by Justin Schultz and Phil Kessel. The Penguins replied with a Ron Hainsey goal, assisted by Kessel and Evgeni Malkin. The Blue Jackets shot back with a Karlsson goal in the third period, coming off of Matt Calvert. Pittsburgh chipped back with a Tom Kuhnhackl goal, passed from Matt Cullen and Ian Cole. Columbus answered on a Jenner goal, made possible by Saad and Nutivaara. The Penguins shot back with a Jake Guentzel shorthanded goal, his fifth of the playoffs, set up by Kessel, who got a sock trick, and Malkin. The final stayed at 5-4, with the three stars going to Jenner, Nutivaara, and Karlsson, while Saad, Kessel, and Malkin get the honorable mentions. The Blue Jackets stayed alive, but the Penguins still have a 3-1 series lead.
Game 5: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In goal: Sergei Bobrovsky of the Blue Jackets and Marc-Andre Fleury of the Penguins. Pittsburgh opened in the first period with a Phil Kessel power play goal, his second of the postseason, powered by Justin Schultz and Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins added on with a Bryan Rust goal, his third of the playoffs, via Kessel and Malkin. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Rust scored his second of the game and fourth of the postseason, with a lone assist by Ron Hainsey. Columbus got on the board with a William Karlsson goal, his second of the playoffs, made possible by Sam Gagner. The Blue Jackets got closer with a Boone Jenner power play goal, his second of the postseason, with assists provided by Seth Jones and Cam Atkinson. The Penguins replied with a Sidney Crosby power play goal, his second of the playoffs, fueled by Malkin, who got a sock trick, and Kessel. Pittsburgh iced it at 5-2 with a Scott Wilson goal, passed from Trevor Daley and Conor Sheary. The three stars were Rust, Malkin, and Fleury (49 for 51 in saves), while Kessel gets an honorable mention. The Penguins advance with a 4-1 series win, heading to the Metropolitan Division Finals.
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