Pittsburgh Penguins swept out of playoffs by Boston Bruins
By Drew Shetler
With their season on the line and – one would have to assume – jobs on the line, the Pittsburgh Penguins took on the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final in hopes of staving off elimination and returning the series to Pittsburgh.
Jun 5, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid (54) is surrounded by teammates after scoring a goal during the third period in game three of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at against the Pittsburgh Penguins TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
They would fail, losing the game 1-0 and the series 4-0, marking the first time in 34 years that the Penguins were swept in a playoff series. The last team to do it was the same team that accomplished it this year, the Bruins.
The Penguins finished the series with only two goals in almost 300 minutes of hockey time, a stunning turnaround from the first two series when they scored over four goals per game.
The Pens started the game strong, getting four of the first five shots on goal. However, as the period went on the Bruins started controlling the puck more and at the end of the first period they outshot the Penguins 11-9.
In the second period there was much up-and-down action, as each team traded chances but were unable to put one behind either goaltender.
Boston grabbed a 1-0 lead five minutes into the third period when defenseman Adam McQuaid unleashed a laser, beating Tomas Vokoun high on the glove side from the high slot.
That was all they would need to end the Penguins season. Pittsburgh poured on the chances late in the game with Vokoun pulled for an extra attacker, but multiple wild scrambles didn’t yield the elusive tying goal.
Tuukka Rask (26 saves) finished the series with an incredible .985 save percentage, but Tomas Vokoun (23 saves) was just as good for much of the series. The Penguins’ 36-year-old goalie allowed three or fewer goals in every game he played this postseason.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who were in the NHL’s top three for playoff scoring when the East final started, didn’t record a single point between them. Brandon Sutter and Chris Kunitz scored the Penguins’ only goals of the series. Paul Martin was the team’s leading scorer with two assists.