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Monday, June 3, 2013

Tonight's Playoff Match-up 03/06


Boston Bruins @ Pittsburgh Penguins (8:00pm ET)
TV: CBC, RDS, NBCSN
Series: 1-0 Boston
The 3-0 win by the Bruins was notable for a couple of reason. For one, the Pittsburgh Penguins now find themselves trailing a series for the first time this post-season. Secondly, it marks the first time the Penguins have been shutout since February of 2012. Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Jarome Iginla have combined for 59 points these playoffs, but couldn't produce anything on Saturday night. I've got to think that with all these big guns in the Pittsburgh lineup that they're going to break through in game two, though Tuukka Rask will certainly have something to say about that. Boston's young netminder was excellent in game one, finishing with 29 saves to get his first career playoff shutout. Rask now has a 2.06 goals against average and .933 save percentage through 13 games. His counterpart on the other end, Tomas Vokoun, did not have such a great night and there was some speculation whether it would prompt coach Dan Bylsma to start Marc-Andre Fleury. The latest word is that Vokoun will get another chance to turn things around tonight. Vokoun can't really be blamed though, as the Penguins defensive coverage was horrible in game one. They'll need to be better on both sides of the puck tonight if they want to avoid going down 2-0 to a Bruins team that is firing on all cylinders. Matt Cooke managed to avoid suspension for his major hit from behind against Adam McQuaid in game one and will be in the lineup tonight for Pittsburgh. The Bruins will again be without  defenseman Wade Redden, who hasn't played since the first round.
Prediction: 4-2 Penguins.

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