Blog Playoff edition #5: If you can't beat them... beat them up.

It looks like the Washington Capitals finally figured out how to beat the Penguins, that being taking out the one player that has been their Achilles heal, Sidney Crosby. Let's face it, when you take out the best player in the game, in exchange for losing a "fringe" defensman for the game, the Caps come out as the clearcut winner.Now was this a planned injury? Of course not, however Niskanen saw an opportunity to take out Croby, and he did. Couple that with the blatant chop that Ovechkin gave Crosby, which caused him to loose balance, and you have a Capitals team that is back in the series.

So now, once again the best player in the NHL is out with a concussion. The fact that Niskanen was not suspended was a complete joke, a bad joke. Like a Rodney Dangerfield type of joke. How can Niskanen not get 4-5 games for this? The NHL is basically opening up a can of worms here. It shows just how imbalanced the league is.

I am not the biggest Don Cherry fan, but his below comments say it best:

“You don’t like to say it was planned—it wasn’t planned at all. But the opportunity was there,” Cherry said. “Absolutely ridiculous this guy doesn’t get four or five games. And that’s the way I feel about that.”

“He just shouldn’t have cross-checked him in the head," Cherry went on to explain. "And the key was, he didn’t look down at him. He’s looking straight ahead. He knew he got him good. In my opinion, cheap shot.”

This all goes back to the instigator rule. The current worst rule in hockey.Anyone who starts a fight, get's a penalty. So people like Niskanen can do crap like this and get away with it. Am I upset? Yes, I am, because I love the game of hockey!!! But it is being destroyed by incidents like this. It is frustrating, especially since there doesn't seem anyway to change the culture. Unless, and I don't wish this upon anyone, someone is killed on ice.

Now what do the Penguins do? Do they dress someone like Tom Sestito and take out one of the Capitals star players? Many people might think that would be a good move. However, all the Penguins need to do is go out and win. Beat the Capitals on the scoreboard, and not beat them up. Just go out there and dominate like they have before.It is time for Malkin and Kessel to step up their game. The Penguins have faced adveristy before, so there is no reason why they can't rise to the occasion again. They are also still up 2-1 in the series, so no need to panic.

It will be interesting to see how tonight's game goes. I just hope it will not turn into a hack n slash game, where their is a parade of players getting sent to the penalty box. However, that could happen, and if that does, the blame has to go on the NHL, and the NHL Player Association. Yeah, I am referring to you Stephane Quintal.

Now you can call me a homer. That is fine, but I am just giving my opinion on the situation. Just take a took at this replay, and you can decide what you think. As far as I am concerned, this is a cheap shot, and a cheap shot that could pay dividends for a Capitals team that has been trying to find a way to beat the Pens.