So, I started to read the story, headlined by the news that Fenway Park in Boston would host the 2010 Winter Classic.  My immediate first thought was that the Bruins would be playing the Canadiens in that game.  I was mildly surprised when Philly was the opponent.  And then I read the comments...

I like the concept of the Winter Classic.  The first one, in Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium, was not only a sensational game, but seeing a football stadium packed with 72,000 people to watch a hockey game was pretty cool, too.  And the snow - that may have made the event.  For anyone who played hockey as a kid, playing hockey in the snow has got to provide the same kind of thrill that playing football in a driving rain did for me!  It was just more fun.  Not exactly prime weather, but fun.  I think. 

Anyway, the NHL has a good thing going.  There were some sour grapes about how NBC dictated that Philly was the opponent rather than Washington (at least according to the comments) which in reality makes absolutely no sense to me.  Why wouldn't NBC want the Washington Capitals, with Alexander Ovechkin & Co, on national television?  Philly is a better television draw than Washington?  Really?  Anyway, the Bruins and Flyers game will be a very good one because both teams are expecting to have great seasons.  It will be a highlight game, and one worth watching.

I agree with some commentators that sometimes the NHL does things that are beyond dumb.  No league goes quite so far to shoot itself in the foot than the NHL.  However, they occasionally pull out a brilliant decision, and the Winter Classic is turning into a brilliant decision.  I'd rather watch hockey than some second-tier bowl game between two teams I know nothing about and from conferences I ignore any time. 

I did wonder why the Habs weren't the opposition.  The blood fued between Boston and Montreal goes back an awfully long way, and the teams have knocked each other out of the playoffs in successive years now.  Nothing fuels hatred and rivalry as beating the other team when it matters most.  Now, what boils down to a one-game exhibition doesn't matter a whole lot in the grand scheme of a long season, but it would have been awfully special to pit the Habs and Bruins in this game.  Maybe NBC wanted a US v US game to keep their viewership happy, but the one thing about most NHL fans is that they understand the intensity that Canada feels regarding their six teams.  NHL fans would have "gotten it" with a game between Boston and Montreal.  So while I'm a little saddened that Montreal wasn't tabbed for this game, it's not like I'm going to complain that much.  I will enjoy Boston and Philly playing in Fenway.  I think it'll be fun!

For about 30 or so minutes, the Senators played the inspired, desperate hockey that they had to do.  They had the better of the play in the first period, but had the misfortune of being unable to show anything for it.  They got the game's first goal about 2 minutes into the second, but then about 2 minutes later allowed Pittsburgh to tie it on a nicely executed break-out.  But even by then, the Penguins had at least matched the Senators intensity, and were slowly taking control of the game.

The Senators were simply stunned to start the third.  They didn't have a chance to get a big hit, get their legs under them, or even catch their breath.  Sidney Crosby's dazzling goal off of a face off win totally sapped the Senators of will.  Jordan Staal's goal about a minute later sapped them of strength.  The Senators tried to get back into it, but you could tell that their intensity was gone.  The crowd's intensity was gone.  They were sliding.  After the fourth Penguin goal, the Senators simply looked like they gave up.  They tried - they skated - but there wasn't any heart, any passion, any intensity.  They were done.  They were living on adrenaline in the first period, and when that wore off, they realized that there legs were tired and heavy.  No one on that team has the sheer force of will to overcome a 3-game deficit.  The Senators are done.

For a 4-1 game, there's really not a lot to talk about.  The Penguins absorbed Ottawa's frenetic first period, but by the end of the period had settled into the game and was able to match the intensity.  The teams traded goals in the second, and Pittsburgh's game-tying goal was a thing of beauty.  All five players touched the puck, and all four passes were tape-to-tape beauties.  It was perfectly designed to slide Ottawa's defense.  From the far wall, a cross-rink to the other defenseman.  He passed it to a near-to-far wall sliding Pascal DePuis.  DePuis brought the Senators center-iceman with him, so he went back cross-ice to the near wall to a waiting Marian Hossa.  Hossa took the puck and carried it over the blue line, bringing the Ottawa defenseman up to him, allowing Talbot to charge in towards the net.  With a nifty pass and equally nifty backhand, Talbot's shot slid between Gerber's pads and into the net for the game equalizer.  No group of five on the Senators can do that exact break-out right now, but the Pens can and did.  That pressure that the Penguins bring forces Ottawa to be more careful, to play back a little.  They have to, because the Pens have shown that they leap on mistakes like a lion on a crippled gazelle.  It's quick and ferocious.  And in five-on-five play, the Pens do their thing - instead of matching what Ottawa's doing, the Pens simply play their game and force Ottawa to defend against it.  That's called momentum, and the Pens simply have it.  The Senators don't.

Crosby's goal was equally nifty, and all him.  He won the face off, pushing the puck into a dead zone on the ice, and playing it with the push forward both with the puck and his body, racing into that dead zone to corral the puck.  Then, a couple of hard stride forwards to put himself equal to the Ottawa defense, then a quick slide out to get a better angle.  I'm sure Gerber wasn't ready for a short-side, high shot, but that's exactly what Crosby did.  For Gerber, it was probably the one place that he was willing to give Crosby, figuring the odds wouldn't allow Crosby to put it in there.  That's the trouble with goaltenders facing all-world players like Crosby - they can do things that others simply can't.  You give Ryan Malone that exact play 100 times, and he scores once, maybe twice.  You give it to Hossa, and I'd bet a sniper like him scores between 20-25 times.  You do that with Malkin, Crosby or Ovechkin, and you get a 50-50 chance.  Anyway, an intensity play later by Staal simply sealed the win.

Pittsburgh cannot afford to look ahead.  But as a fan, I can!  I'm allowed.  Montreal, up 2 games to 1, figures to take care of Boston in 5 or 6.  The Rangers, up 2 games to 1, figures to take tonight's game in the Garden and then the series in six.  The Flyers/Capitals series is a 1-1 toss-up, but so far Philly's gotten the better of the play in both games, and now they get to return home where they're very, very good.  The Caps were in danger of falling apart in the playoffs because they had to run so long, so hard just to get in, and are meeting a physical, nasty team with solid top-to-bottom scoring.  The Flyers get good production from all lines; the Caps get their best production only from the top.  So it's hard to believe that the Caps will overcome, especially facing Philly at home.  If that all works out, you'll see a matchup that I'm frankly dreading - the Habs take on Philly, while my Pens take on the Rangers.  Frankly, the Rangers are a frightening team - I don't want to play them at all.  But I guess we'll just have to see - I will become a tremendous Caps fan assuming the Pens, Habs and Rangers all win their series.