Penguins Earn Game 1 Win

After the first period, it looked like the first game of the Eastern Conference was going to be an absolute shootout. The first period ended 3-2 for Pittsburgh, but the game only ended 4-2. It was a good game and there was even a little flavour of the physical play we'll be coming to expect by the end of the series.

For pool purposes, the big winner of the night was Evgeni Malkin (Box 14), who finished with a whopping 4 points on the night. 2 goals, the winner and an assist was in his basket as he left the igloo on Friday night. A pretty good haul for the young Russian, who is quickly showing Sidney Crosby (Box 13) to the passenger seat, as he drives the team further into the playoffs. Malkin was even getting his hands dirty in the scrum at the end of the third period with Derian Hatcher (non-pool). Malkin may not get the Hart or the Pearson trophies this summer, but if the Pens do it all, he could have the Conn Smythe on his mantle.

With the victory in Game 1, Marc-Andre Fleury (Box 24) earned another two points and kept his lead in the pool scoring race, but he's only 2 points ahead of Malkin. Fleury now has 9 wins and 2 shutouts for 22 points so far this playoff season. Don't you wish you were one of the eleven teams that have him in the pool?

Also having good nights for the pool were actually both Flyers. Both Mike Richards (Box 13) and R.J. Umberger (Box 17) had a pair of points. Richards had two goals and Umberger had a pair of assists. All the other Penguins finished with a single point, if they got one.