Vokouna Matata. Pens WIN.

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Vokouna Matata, it means no worries.  All around better effort in this game by the Penguins.  Pens now lead series 3-2 going into Game 6 on the Isle.

Consol was jammed up to start the game, great atmosphere all around.  Pens started out the game strong, held the Islanders without a shot for the first 7 minutes.  Brian Strait took a stupid penalty for the Islanders again, shocking no one, but the Pens Powerplay didn't do much.  Pens took a penalty later in the period but no dice for the Islanders either.  Islanders finished the period with 14 shots on goal, Vokoun was up to the challenge on every one of them.

The second period had a different feel to it.  HCDB made a few adjustments and the Pens started playing better all around.  About seven minutes in, the Islanders turned the puck over deep in the Penguins end, Kris Letang made a beautiful stretch pass to none other than Tyler Kennedy, who snuck behind the Islanders D.  TK sniped one where momma hides the thin mints, and gave the Pens a 1-0 lead.  What a celly.

A shift or two later, Kunitz-Malkin-Neal started cycling the puck.  Kunitz with the underrated play on this shift, beat an Islanders player to the puck despite being three strides behind him.  Malkin fed Sniper Douglas Murray who fired a puck on Nabokov.  The puck hit Nabokov in the shoulder, floated directly up in the air and trickled in, somehow.  It kind of reminded you of the time that in the Mighty Ducks when Fulton Reed shot the puck off the goalie's mask, knocked him out, and trickled in. 2-0 Pens.

Things settled down for a little bit, and then John Tavares had one of the best displays of stickhandling through Paul Martin, but Tomas Vokoun was up for the challenge and made a huge save.  That save may have been the turning point in this series.

Then a few minutes later, Best in the world decided that he was taking over the game.  Iggy got the puck to Sid at the red line and then Sid went to work.  I'm not even going to describe the goal, I'll just let you re-watch it.

Unreal.

That goal is now known as the #MarioStatueGoal.

The third started out kinda meh. A few chances each way.  Paul Martin decided he was going to destroy Matt Martin into the penalty box.  Matt Martin took exception and those two went at it.  Paul eventually took a cheap shot from Matt, and skated away, Matt went to the box.  What a chode.  On the ensuing powerplay, Sid gave Letang the best backhand saucer pass anyone will ever see.  Letang buries the one-timer and chases Nabokov to the bench.

Those last two goals are prime reasons why Sidney Crosby is hands down the best player in the world.

At this point, the Islanders decided they would try to send a message.  Douglas Murray played Center on a late powerplay for the Pens.  Travis Hamonic sucks.

1. Tomas Vokoun

2. Sidney Crosby

3. Tyler Kennedy

Stuff:

- Tyler Kennedy and Joe Vitale were probably best players on the ice in the 1st period.  They dictated the play when they were on the ice.

- Of course Tyler Kennedy would score a big playoff goal.

- 9-87-12 and 14-71-18 were the lines after the 1st period, both lines seemed to work.

- Letang looks more comfortable with Simon Despres as his partner.

- Vokoun kept the team calm throughout game, made 31 saves.

- Fleury was the biggest fan on the bench, good to see him in good spirits despite the events, probably a good sign heading forward.

- Game 6 Saturday at 7 on the Isle.

#VokounaMatata

Go Pens.