Game 3 in Boston will make or break the Penguins!

It may not be an elimination game but it will sure feel like one in Boston when the Penguins, trailing 2-0, go search for their first win of the series. Al Dannity previews a crucial Game 3.

Sidney Crosby may have a reputation as a whiner but he’s more than capable of being a classy operator. Even Grapes acknowledges that much. It’s not going to be class or complaining that will win the day for Pittsburgh. Tonight is about accepting what’s needed to beat the Bruins and it’s radically different from everything the Penguins have done through these playoffs.

Boston may not play the prettiest brand of Hockey but it is brutally efficient. They know the first rule of playoff Hockey is to not give the other guy chances. Break the man and keep the puck. It’s an old-school form of thinking but the nature of officiating means it works in the modern day. The Penguins have the players necessary to play this same kind of game. Calling them soft isn’t just an insult to the players; it’s degrading to anyone who watches the sport. No, Pittsburgh’s problem isn’t a lack of guts; it’s not having the plan to make the best use of them.

The Penguins don’t need to turn into Boston to win tonight; they just need to be a little less open and a lot more aware. The refs aren’t going to call the same stuff in the Eastern Conference Finals that they called in February. That goes both ways, the Pens shouldn’t think twice about getting physical. One of the reasons you get a deep roster is to tire out opponents in the post-season. The other is to cope with the loss of a key man or two on risky hits.

Pittsburgh can still win by playing their style of Hockey; it just needs to be more controlled. No stirring anthem from Rene Rancourt or raucous Boston crowd can change that. If the Penguins get their minds in the right place, they are more than capable of being the best team in the NHL be it regular or post-season. Tonight is going to be tough and I’m not making a pick but I will guarantee one thing. You will see the Penguins play a different game tonight. They must not be afraid to be themselves, that’s just playing into Boston’s hands, but if they can dial it back just enough they are good enough to win on the road.