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Subject :PITTSBURGH -- Columbus coach Todd Richards insists his upstart team isnt in the playoffs "just to go
PITTSBURGH -- Columbus coach Todd Richards insists his upstart team isnt in the playoffs "just to go to school. Cheap NBA Jerseys ." Maybe, but the Pittsburgh Penguins provided a pretty valuable lesson in perseverance during a 4-3 victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Wednesday night. Down two after 21 minutes of slow and sometimes sloppy hockey, the Metropolitan Division champions responded by scoring the final three goals, including Brandon Sutters go-ahead wrist shot 8:18 into the third period. "I think we expected a tight game," Sutter said after the third playoff goal of his career. "They got up and we stuck with it. It was a good win." One that came with more than a few tense moments. Beau Bennett and Matt Niskanen scored power-play goals 45 seconds apart in the second period, erasing Pittsburghs two-goal deficit. Jussi Jokinen also scored for the Penguins and Marc-Andre Fleury overcame some shaky defence in front of him to stop 31 shots. Game 2 is Saturday night. "We have to learn from it but we found a way to win," Pittsburgh forward Sidney Crosby said. "Obviously we didnt start the way we wanted, getting down two goals. I think we have to clean up some things." If not, a series expected to be a romp could turn into something else entirely. Jack Johnson, Mark Letestu and Derek Mackenzie scored for the Blue Jackets, who remain in search of their first-ever playoff win. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 28 saves but was handcuffed by Sutters knuckler at the end of a 2-on-1 break. "Ive seen Bob make that save a thousand times," Richards said. "It just got by him." The Blue Jackets insisted they wouldnt be intimidated despite Pittsburghs overwhelming edge in playoff experience and star power. The Penguins swept the five regular-season meetings between the teams, but Columbus surged after the Olympic break, rising to the seventh seed in the East while the injury-riddled Penguins coasted to a division title. If the NHLs youngest team was scared by the stage, it hardly showed. Johnson gave the Blue Jackets their first-ever post-season lead 6:20 into the game. He charged to the front of the net, got a feed from Brandon Dubinsky and beat Fleury with a beautiful deke from forehand to backhand. The Penguins answered with 2:51 left in the first when Evgeni Malkin -- returning after missing three weeks with a foot injury -- took advantage of a turnover by Fedor Tyutin and hit Jokinen in the slot. The knuckling wrist shot sailed over Bobrovskys right shoulder and Pittsburgh exhaled. But only briefly. With Pittsburgh defenceman Rob Scuderi off for interference, the Blue Jackets went back in front 2-1 when Letestu jammed home a rebound and sent Columbus soaring into the dressing room. "People were wondering how we would start the game with our inexperience, but we were pretty comfortable after the first period with a 2-1 lead and maybe let off the gas," Columbus centre Ryan Johansen said. Mackenzie got loose for a breakaway short-handed goal, pushing the advantage to 3-1 just 43 seconds into the second. But Columbus momentum then vanished against the leagues top power play. Bennett tipped in a Niskanen slap shot 51 seconds after Mackenzie scored. Johnson was quickly whistled for interference and Niskanen needed only 10 seconds to even the game with a snap shot from the left circle. Things settled down after the five goals in 5 minutes flurry, though Columbus didnt exactly fold. The Blue Jackets carried play at times in the first two periods. The Penguins righted themselves in the third. The miscues that plagued them for the first 40 minutes disappeared, replaced by the kind of responsible play they know theyll need to make a serious run at the franchises fourth Stanley Cup. "Nobody panicked," Fleury said. "The power play was huge for us like it has been all season. It got us back in the game and from then we were in good shape." NOTES: Pittsburgh is 10-3 in its last 13 Game 1s played on home ice. ... The Blue Jackets scratched forwards R.J. Umberger (upper body) and Nick Foligno (lower body), though coach Todd Richards said both players could be available for Game 2. ... Crosby assisted on Niskanens goal to give him 106 career points in the post-season, tied with Kevin Stevens for third on the franchise list. Wholesale Timberwolves Jerseys . a€“ All signs point to the Maple Leafs having their top offseason acquisition in the lineup on opening night. Cheap Minnesota Timberwolves Jerseys .3 million qualifying offer to outfielder Michael Cuddyer on Monday. http://www.cheaptimberwolvesjerseys.com/ . The 25-year-old McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, was eligible to play for either Ireland or Team GB when golf makes its return to the Olympics in Brazil for the first time since 1904. PHILADELPHIA -- Drew Hutchison showed a veterans poise after blowing a big lead. Juan Franciscos sacrifice fly in the 10th inning lifted the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night. Cody Asche hit a game-tying grand slam off Hutchison in the sixth to help the Phillies rally from a 5-0 deficit, but they were swept in a two-game portion of a four-game, home-and-home interleague series. The teams meet Wednesday night in Toronto. Hutchison took a five-run lead into the sixth, but couldnt hold it. He stayed in the game after the slam, however, and retired the last seven batters he faced. "Its really good to know he trusts me enough to go back out there," Hutchison said. Hutchison allowed five runs and nine hits in eight innings in his seventh start since Tommy John surgery forced him to miss the 2013 season. Hutchison also got his first two career hits, both singles to left. Jays manager John Gibbons was impressed with the way Hutchison pitched after giving up five runs. "He showed us what hes all about," Gibbons said. "Thats how you find out about a guy. He had two dominant innings." Edwin Encarnacion and Colby Rasmus went deep for the Blue Jays. Marcus Stroman (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings for his first career win. Aaron Loup got the final two outs for his second save. "Its an exciting feeling," said Stroman, who pitched in front of some friends and family. "It was a lot of fun out there." Cole Hamels, stuck on 99 career wins, allowed five runs and 10 hits in six innings. "He was not real sharp," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He fell behind and they didnt miss his fastballs." Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista hit consecutive singles off Antonio Bastardo (3-2) to start the 10th. After Encarnacion popped out to second, Franciscos shallow fly to centre scored Cabrera well ahead of Ben Reveress weak, off-line throw. Cheap Swingman Timberwolves Jerseys. . Carlos Ruiz started the Phillies rally in the sixth with a double and Chase Utley singled. Ryan Howard followed with an RBI single to cut it to 5-1. But Hutchison got the next two outs before pinch-hitter John Mayberry Jr. walked to load the bases. Asche then ripped a shot to the seats in right for his first career slam, tying it at 5. "The biggest mistake was the walk," Hutchison said. "Its something I cant do again. A home run can happen, but a walk is in your control." Asche finished 4 for 4. Encarnacion drove one deep into the seats in left leading off the second to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead. Jose Bautista led off the fourth with a double to left, advanced to third on Encarnacions single through a shift and scored on Franciscos grounder for a 2-0 lead. Rasmus hit a two-run shot out to right-centre to make it 4-0 in the fourth. Steve Tollesons RBI double in the sixth put the Blue Jays up 5-0. Hamels hasnt looked too sharp in three starts after beginning the season on the disabled list because of biceps tendinitis. The three-time All-Star lefty was supposed to start Sunday but the flu pushed him back two days. NOTES: Hutchison became the third pitcher in Blue Jays history to have two hits in a game. David Cone did it in the 1992 World Series against Atlanta. Roy Halladay did it in 2007. ... The four hits and four RBIs for Asche are career highs. ... Bautista has reached safely in 33 straight games, the longest streak in the majors since Joey Vottos 33-game streak in 2011. ... Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins wasnt in the starting lineup for the second straight game because of a strained groin. He grounded out as a pinch-hitter. ... Cliff Lee (3-2, 3.00) opposes Mark Buehrle (5-1, 2.25) in a matchup of left-handed aces when the series shifts to Toronto on Wednesday night. The Phillies will play the 20,000th game in team history on Thursday. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' ' |
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