Penguins Defeat Devils To Claim Eastern Conference Title
Pittsburgh 3, New Jersey 1 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | T | Final | PIT (4) | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 3 | NJD (2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | | 1 |
|
,
Prudential Center,
Newrutherford, NJ |
Shots PIT 22 NJ 25
New Jersey (AP)--
In a series that looked to be going the Devils way just 4 games ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins and
Marc-Andre Fleury have come away with a seemingly unlikely series win due to some great fortune depending on your perspective.
The loss of
Martin Broduer by the Devils really only set the stage for an unlikely hero to show the hockey world that he still has the skills to play on the worlds grandest frozen stage.
Kevin Weekes stopped 70 of the 79 shots he faced in the series, some of them in highlight reel fashion.
"I did what I could...I know the fans would have loved Marty to play and so would I for the good of the team. But I left it all out on the ice and thats all I can do or say", said Weekes of his admirable effort in the series.
"He was extremely competitive...I had no idea we would have such a tough time with him", said
Pavel Bure who leads the Pens going into the Stanley Cup Finals with 10 goals and 11 assists in 17 games.
The Pens would get on the board first in game six when
Pavel Bure would score his 4th goal of the series on a breakaway 17:15 into the frame.
The Devils would answer back just 2 minutes into the 2nd period when
Dainuis Zubrus would tally his 9th goal of the post season on a breakaway of his own tying the contest at 1-1.
The Pens would take the lead heading into the 3rd period when
Chris Kunitz would dangle through the New Jersey defense and beat a diving Weekes with a wrister giving the Pens a 2-1 lead that would be emphasised by an
Evgeni Malkin empty net goal late in the 3rd, sealing the Pens birth to the Stanley Cup Finals where they will take on the winner of the Ducks/Hawks series, currently led 3-2 by Anaheim.
"We're ready...we've persevered and I honestly thing nothing can get us down. We could go down 3-0 and still have the same fight we've had all along", said
Sidney Crosby who is second on the Pens in scoring with 8 goals and 10 assists this postseason.
Key Stats
Bure Goal (10)
Kunitz Goal (5)
Malkin Goal (9)
Crosby/Letang Assists
Fleury 24/25
Zubrus Goal (9)
Langenbrunner Assist
Weekes 19/21
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NHL News Wire--The Hunt For Stanley
The 1st seeds from both the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference will meet in the Stanley Cup Finals as the Presidents Trophy Winning Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Anaheim Ducks.
ANA 3
CHI 2
(Ducks win Western Conference Finals in 6)