Penguins - Canadiens preview - 04-30-10

(4) Penguins vs. (8) Canadiens

Penguins Leading Postseason Scorer: Sidney Crosby (right), 14 points (five goals, nine assists).

Canadiens Leading Postseason Scorer: Mike Cammalleri, 10 points (five goals, five assists).

Penguins Postseason Statistics

Canadiens Postseason Statistics

Penguins with Stanley Cup bling: Craig Adams (2), Matt Cooke, Sidney Crosby, Pascal Dupuis, Mark Eaton, Ruslan Fedotenko (2), Marc Andre Fleury, Eric Godard, Alex Goligoski, Sergei Gonchar, Bill Guerin (2), Tyler Kennedy, Chris Kunitz (2), Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, Brooks Orpik, Mike Rupp, Jordan Staal, Maxime Talbot.

Canadiens with Stanley Cup bling: Hal Gill, Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez (2), Travis Moen.

Something worthwhile about the Penguins: Sidney Crosby's 14 points in the first round against the Senators were the second-most in franchise history for a playoff series.

Something worthwhile about the Canadiens: The Canadiens became the first No. 8 seed to overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the quarterfinal round against the Capitals.

Something useless about the Penguins that is vaguely connected to the Canadiens: The longest trade "drought" for the Penguins is with the Canadiens. They have not made a transaction with the Habs since Dec. 23, 1987 when they acquired forward Perry Ganchar in exchange for future considerations.

Something useless about the Canadiens that is vaguely connected to the Penguins: The longest home losing playoff streak by a goaltender is co-owned by two former Penguins. Denis Herron (1980) and Jocelyn Thibault (1996) each lost three consecutive games.

Former Canadiens on the Penguins: None.

Former Penguins on the Canadiens: Hal Gill, D; Dominic Moore, C; Gordie Roberts, pro scout.

Who needs to be the difference for the Penguins: Jordan Staal, Matt Cooke, Bill Guerin, etc. One of the reasons the Canadiens beat the Capitals was a lack of secondary scoring by Washington. The Capitals' first line of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Knuble produced points, but there was very little from anyone else on the roster. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are bound to get their points, even against goaltender Jaroslav Halak, but the Penguins will need to maintain the solid secondary scoring they got in first round against Ottawa.

Who needs to be the difference for the Canadiens: Hal Gill, Josh Gorges (right), etc. The Canadiens' defense made life easy for for Halak by blocking shot after shot and providing Halak clean lanes to view shooters with. They kept Halak's crease mostly clear. The Penguins get just as many dirty goals as pretty goals. The Habs will have to try and limit them to the pretty goals.

Best Penguins Video We Could Find: Crosby sending former Canadiens goaltender Jose Theodore's water bottle into orbit during his rookie season:

     

Best Canadiens YouTube Video We Could Find: Former Canadiens forward Russ Courtnall beating former Whalers and Penguins goaltender Frank Pietrangelo in the second overtime in Game 7 in a 1992 Adams Division semifinal:

 

EN Prediction: Another big reason the Canadiens beat the Capitals is that Washington's coaching staff refused to adjust its game at all throughout their series. They tried playing the same game they would play against the Thrashers in Atlanta. The Habs just sat back, collapsed around their zone and rejected most of the Capitals' perimeter shots. The Penguins' coaches aren't as bullheaded. They know how to make necessary adjustments throughout the course of a series. And unlike the Capitals, the Penguins are physical throughout their lineup. Their size advantage should get them past the mostly diminutive Habs. Penguins 4-1.

(Photos: Crosby-Justin K. Aller/Getty Images; Gorges-Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)