Game 3 NHL Eastern Conference Finals

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes: Pittsburgh wins 6-2 (Pittsburgh leads series 3-0)

Evgeni Malkin once again single-handedly destroyed the Carolina Hurricanes, who are now in a 3-0 hole. Malkin made two beautiful moves in the first period, first to tie the game on the power play, and the second 30 seconds after Sidney Crosby scored and the Penguins took the lead into the second period 3-1, and that really was the end of the game. Cam Ward made spectacular save after spectacular save in all 3 periods to try and keep the game a contest as long as possible, but the Hurricanes just could not pounce on the giant rebounds given up by Fleury. Sergei Samsanov scored a quick goal in the third and Carolina finally found some offensive rhythm, but a beautiful pass by Malkin to Fedetenko sealed the win, giving the Penguins a 4-2 lead. Craig Adams added an empty netter and then Bill Guerin scored on a late power play to add insult to injury.

There is nothing that suggests that the Penguins won't sweep this series. The Carolina forwards are playing like they are tired from the two previous 7 game series, and the defense has absolutely no answer for Evgeni Malkin in any part of the ice, or Sidney Crosby in transition. And if the Penguins do sweep, you would think the extra rest heading to the Stanley Cup finals will get them over the hump that they failed to climb last year if they do end up facing the Detroit Red Wings again.