You know the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t right when their superstar captain, Sidney Crosby, has more penalty minutes (nine) than points (five) in the postseason.
No. 87 is not one to usually instigate, but Crosby was stirring the pot quite a bit throughout the course of the Penguins-Flyers Game 3 matchup in Philadelphia.
He was spotted pushing away Jakub Voracek’s glove when the Flyers winger went to pick it up; he tried to fight Kimmo Timonen in the first period, then did get into a scuffle when Claude Giroux jumped into the skirmish; and he nearly fought again in the third, this time with Brayden Schenn.
Sid the Kid showed difficulty in showing restraint during Sunday’s physical, hight-scoring affair, and he had no reservations about voicing his frustrations to the media following the game.
“I do not like any guy on their team,” Crosby said after the Flyers crushed the Penguins 8-4 to take a 3-0 series lead.
But Crosby wasn’t the only who lacked discipline.
Both Arron Asham and James Neal will face hearings Tuesday with NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan. Asham was given a match penalty for cross-checking Philadelphia Flyers forward Brayden Schenn near his throat and then punched him in the back of his head. Neal left his feet when he checked Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier in the third period and then charged Claude Giroux on the same shift.
Forward Craig Adams has already received an automatic one-game suspension for instigating a fight in the final five minutes of the game. That will also cost Penguins coach Dan Bylsma a $10,000 fine.
In short, the wheels are coming off for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the early Stanley Cup favorites are in serious jeopardy of being swept in the first round.
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