Capital Targets: Penguins Stand By While 3-0 Lead Evaporates, Ovechkin Targets Malkin All Night

"Unacceptable"

Those were Penguin coach Michel Therrein's words following last night's meltdown at the Mellon Arena, where the Penguins blew a 3-0 lead and lost to the Washington Capitals, 4-3.

Although the words were certainly applicable to the Penguins play in the final period, when they were outworked, outhustled, outshot 21-6, and gave up 3 unanswered goals, they also were applicable to the way the Penguins team reacted to the way center Evgeni Malkin was being treated by Capitals star and defending league MVP/scoring champion Alexander Ovechkin.

All game long, Ovechkin went out of his way to take runs at Malkin. Some were legitimate hits. Some, however, were late, borderline and the type of hits that cause long term injury -- particularly one where A.O. took a dangerous shot on Malkin in front of the Capitals bench. Clearly, Ovechkin was headhunting Malkin out there. In fact, he was focused on Malkin so much, he didn't have a piont the entire game.

What did the Penguins do in response?

Nothing.

Their reaction reminded me of a game 2 years ago on Long Island when current Toronto Maple Leafs and then Islander Jason Blake speared Sidney Crosby near the end of the game. The Penguins did nothing in response, and there wasn't nearly enough outcry about it.

It's the same thing here. They did nothing, and I think the Penguins let it go in this case for 2 reasons, both of which are meritless:

1) Because they were, eventually at least, in a close game; and
2) Because Ovechkin was the one doing the hitting.

I don't care whether it's Donald Brashear or Alexander Ovechkin running around, that conduct must be addressed, close game or otherwise. You don't allow your superstar player to get run and potentially be subject to severe injury like that. Besides, if you allow that kind of conduct to go on, you set a precdent for other teams in the league. Whether it's Eric Godard or Sidney Crosby, someone should have gotten in Ovechkin's face and made it clear to him -- physically -- that they won't permit that to go on. And I'm not talking about someone maiming Ovechkin or doing anything like that. I'm just saying that he should have been sent a message.

It's untolerable.

Period.

To Malkin's credit, Ovechkin's antics didn't seem to rattle him a great deal. He had 3 points and a career high 9 shots. But you still can't let that go on.

Did I mention that the guy who was making these cheap shots is supposed to be an ambassador for the game?

Things started last season between A.O. and Geno, and it was plain they had a healthy distaste for each other. Last night, Ovechkin took things to a whole new level.

It has to be dealt with. Starting the next time the teams play: January 14, 2009 at the Mellon Arena.

Mark it down.

It probably will be forgotten about by then, but it shouldn't be. The first time Ovechkin is on the ice, business should be taken care of.

As far as the game goes, the Penguins lost because they didn't show up in the 3rd period. Some might wonder about Fleury's performance, but he was mostly blameless on every Captials goal. The first Washington goal (in the second period), was the result of a lucky bounce. The 2nd one was the result of a clean faceoff loss by Malkin and a laser shot by Semin over the right shoulder of Fleury into the top corner.

On their 3rd goal, the Capitals made a nice play to create -- and capitalize on -- a short odd-man break situation that defenseman Kris Letang handled poorly. He didn't have a good game at all. Then, the 4th goal -- which was not ruled a goal until video review after a play stoppage confirmed it was in -- was another top corner shot by Boyd Gordon.

Boyd Gordon?

Please.

If referree Rob Shick had called the high-sticking penalty he should have called on that rush -- Gill was clipped in the face (something not easy to do for a guy that tall, which makes it even more obvious) -- the Capitals would not have gotten that goal.

Still, after their goals from Goligoski, Satan and Malkin, the Penguins just didn't come to play in the 3rd period. They coasted beacuse they thought they had the game in the bag -- a mistake against a Capitals team that, Ovechkin notwithstanding, deserves a lot of credit for coming back they way they did.

The Penguins have a lot of work to do. Aside from the fact that they blew a lead at home in the 3rd period for the 2nd time in the last 3 games, they haven't scored a 5-on-5 goal in FOUR GAMES.

That's right.

4 games.

All of their goals since then have been special teams or 4-4 goals. I believe Malkin, Sykora and a few other star players last night were -4 for heaven's sake.

The only bright spot for the Penguins in the game was the TKO by Paul Bissonette over Capitals winger Matt Bradley in the 2nd period. After Bissonette dominated the first few seconds of the fight by landing an initial flurry of punches, the players fell to the ice. Right after the linesman allowed them to get up, Bissonette just one-punched Bradley and he went down. Bissonette immediately let him go and went straight to the box with a clear win. Bradley, bloodied, went straight somewhere, too. To the locker room.

I've seen a lot of fights in my 26 years of following hockey and I'd say less than 1% end in one-punch knockdowns. Just outstanding stuff by Bissonette. See for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqTITLna11I

Hopefully the Penguins can regroup on Saturday against the Maple Leafs. They better or they're going to get left behind in the division early this year. They need to rally around each other. Like coach Murray Chadwick said in one of my favorite all time movies, Youngblood:

"You're in this together ... a team ... a family. You want to win? Start acting like one."