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Dan’s Daily: Sidney Crosby Takes Heat in DC, Auston Matthews Puts on a Show
The next generation of superstars is burning bright this season. Leon Draisaitl reached 100 points, and Auston Matthews scored more than 50 goals in his last 50 games. He put on another show on Saturday night. Sidney Crosby made headlines in Washington D.C. for punching Nic Dowd. Again, the Pittsburgh Penguins wilted as the Washington Capitals were the next team to feast on Penguins mistakes. The San Jose Sharks are searching for a new GM, and the New York Rangers clinched a playoff spot.
Sure, the Penguins’ playoff spot is not in question, but their level of play indeed is drawing scrutiny.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Penguins lost 6-3 to the Capitals. You can get the gory Penguins game details here, but the postgame was the real story. After a week of looking on the bright side of life after losses, the Penguins were self-critical and a bit angry on Saturday. Pittsburgh Penguins postgame.
Washington Hockey Now: Sidney Crosby showed his intensity level in the first period. He popped Nic Dowd square in the mouth. Crosby would have served his time (two minutes) if Dmitry Orlov didn’t score, but Washington fans wanted a bit more. Washington Capitals reaction.
WBS Penguins: 48 shots. No goals. The Baby Pens dropped a 1-0 decision to Syracuse and Maxime Lagace…
NHL News & National Hockey Now
Mark Messier. Doug Gilmour. Sidney Crosby. Tough always wins over pretty. Anyway…
Sportsnet: Auston Matthews is the first player since…Mario Lemieux…in the mid-1990s to 50 goals score goals at this pace. Incredible. Maybe we shouldn’t worry as much about Ovechkin getting to Gretzky as Matthews. Toronto is following the charge and winning big games.
Maybe the NHL should worry about playoff officiating so yet another team of pluggers, plumbers, and hacks doesn’t roll through the playoffs at the expense of teams who play the game the right way. You can punch a player, send your message and serve two, but you shouldn’t be able to tackle players without penalty.
HNIC: 32 Thoughts. College free agents. San Jose Sharks GM search. And more…
Montreal Hockey Now: Jonathan Drouin, who took some cheap shots from Montreal radio hosts a couple of weeks ago, is out for the remainder of the year after having wrist surgery. Another setback for Drouin with the Montreal Canadiens.
Boston: One goalie, two goalies? Three potato four. A goalie rotation into the playoffs for the Boston Bruins?
Philly: Bobby Brink–of Denver University, crowned college hockey National Champions last night–is free to negotiate his pro deal with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Florida Hockey Now: Seven in a row. The cream is rising to the top. The Florida Panthers steamrolled Nashville.
Vegas: Ok, this is going to be fun. The only actual playoff race in the NHL. The Dallas Stars LOST. And the Pittsburgh Penguins sister team to the west…won. Vegas is back in the playoff seeding. Vegas Golden Knights wrap.
Vancouver: But I’m not dead yet. The Canucks beat the Sharks to stay just behind the wild-card battle…Vancouver Canucks win.
And since I’ve now referenced Python twice…