PACE, GOALIES COULD SWING PENGUINS-SENATORS GAME 7
Pittsburgh Penguins center Matt Cullen has vivid memories of each of the six Game 7s he has played in the NHL — and not just because he has won them all.
“You don’t forget them,” Cullen said. “They stand out. It’s a different feel than any other game you play. They’re as fun as it gets.”
Cullen will appear in his seventh Game 7 on Thursday when the Penguins host the Ottawa Senators (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN) to decide the winner of the Eastern Conference finals. The winner advances to the Stanley Cup Final to play the Nashville Predators.
“These are the games you’re playing in the backyard when you’re a kid growing up,” Cullen said. “As players, this is what it’s all about. It’s a different level of intensity. It’s a different level of excitement.”
The five factors that will determine who will win.
1. Who dictates the tempo: The Penguins want to play fast and furious. Their speed and ability to make plays while jetting up the ice are what carried them to the Stanley Cup championship last season.
The Senators are a defensive team, wanting to create congestion in the neutral zone and make the Penguins feel as if they are fighting heavy traffic. They aim to slow the pace, create turnovers and turn those turnovers into scoring chances.
2. Craig Anderson vs. Matt Murray: It’s hard to say whether a goalie battle favors one team or the other. But Anderson played a major role in forcing Game 7 by making 45 saves in Ottawa’s 2-1 win in Game 6.
In four of the six games in this series, Anderson, 36, has given up one goal to the Penguins, stopping 167 of 178 shots (a .938 save percentage) in those games.
Murray, meanwhile, regained the starting job three games ago. In his three starts, Murray has given up four goals, stopping 77 of 81 shots (.951). Murray was the starting goalie during last year’s run to the title.
3. Penguins’ poise and experience: The Penguins were in the same boat last year, needing to win Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals. They defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1.
Cullen doesn’t have the most Game 7 experience on his team. Carl Hagelin and Chris Kunitz have both played in eight Game 7s. Plus, Sidney Crosby has played in multiple winner-take-all gold medal games, including in the 2010 Olympics where he delivered the golden goal to give Canada the gold medal.
“(Crosby) has played arguably in the most high-stakes environments in all different venues, whether it be the NHL, the Olympics, the World Cup,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “He has such a wealth of experience to draw on. He’s a fierce competitor. I think Sid’s a guy that wants to win in the worst way, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win. And so there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll lead by example.”
4. The Erik Karlsson factor: He is the most dynamic defenseman in the game and can take over a game with his puckmoving ability. He has been a critical factor in Ottawa’s three wins in this series. He had six shots in one of the Senators’ wins and five in another. He was +4 in the other Senators win.
The Penguins have to bottle him up in his own zone.
5. Home ice/first goal: In this postseason, home ice hasn’t been a true advantage except for when the Nashville Predators have been involved. But historically it has mattered in Game 7.
In NHL history, home teams are 98-70 (.583) in Game 7s. The Penguins are 9-7 overall in Game 7s, and they just won one last round when they knocked off the host Washington Capitals. The Senators are 0-5 in franchise history in Game 7s.
First goals are big in Game 7s. The team that has scored first has won almost 75% of the time.