The defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins have looked dysfunctional in the eastern conference final against the Ottawa Senators.
In a tight-checking second game, Pens’ teammates Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin were visibly frustrated with one another.
The Pens did pull out a 1-0 win in that game, but you could see the Senators game plan was taking a toll on Penguin morale. In game three, Penguins starter Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled 12 minutes into the game after allowing four goals on nine shots.
Many hockey fans in Canada are hoping the Ottawa Senators can get the Stanley Cup final – and maybe they can.
I’m not one for predictions, but I guarantee the Penguins stars will only be held at bay for so long. Despite some sub-par Pittsburgh performances, the Senators are still the underdogs in this series.
Ottawa coaches and players will need to be mindful of that as this battle plays out.