It was 3-2 Penguins in Providence tonight, so it’s 3-2 Penguins in the series. Peter Mannino made 31 saves, and Anton Zlobin scored late. They can wrap things up Monday night in Wilkes-Barre Township and set up a return to St. John’s, where they played the conference semis in 2012 (the IceCaps won that in seven before falling to the Norfolk juggernaut). Providence, of course, could force a seventh game on Wednesday with a win Monday.
Stars-Griffins Game 6 is Sunday night in Texas.
That Belarus-Germany game at the World Championship that we said couldn’t end well for the United States if it ended in regulation? It did, Belarus 5-2. The hosts move past the U.S., who’s now fifth in the pool on goal differential for the moment. Destiny’s its own, though, because of Sunday morning’s game against Finland; win that and Tuesday’s against Germany and the U.S. can finish no worse than fourth. (Third, actually, as Belarus and Latvia play each other.) A loss to Finland is painful.
Switzerland beat Kazakhstan, which is eliminated. Russia remained perfect with a win over Latvia; it needs a point against either Germany or Belarus to clinch first in the pool.
Across the way, Saturday left a logjam of four teams, third to sixth, with seven points. Slovakia, which beat Italy, has played one more game, though. Denmark took down the Czechs in a shootout; France did the same to Norway.
Canada and Sweden play Sunday morning, possibly for the Pool A title.
And you should absolutely be following Tim Thompson for his CBC introductory montages; they’re brilliant. But today’s was just incredible. Just watched it for the third time and am still gasping at the same spot.