From: lli+@cs.cmu.edu (Lori Iannamico)
Subject: Pens-4 Caps-1
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 92 15:28:20 GMT
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Keywords: Pens clinch 3rd place

With their 4-1 victory over the Caps last night (combined with the Devils' 7-0
loss to the Isles), the Pens clinched 3rd place in the Patrick Division.  This
means that the Pens will be meeting these same Capitals in the first round
of the playoffs.

Last night was team awards night, so I'll list those first:

Team scoring winner-Mario Lemieux
MVP (As voted by the Pens' Booster club)-Mario Lemieux
Masterson Trophy nominee-Joey Mullen
Unsung Hero Award(chosen by the media)-Joey Mullen
Players' Player Award(chosen by teammates, obviously)-Joey Mullen
Rookie of the Year-Jim Paek
WPHA (Western PA Hockey Ass'n) Community Service Award-Larry Murphy
Edward J. DeBartolo Award-Troy Loney and Phil Bourque
(This is an award for the best grinder-type player.  It's a new award, named
for the former Pens owner.  Mr. Ed's very name was booed quite soundly.)

Last night's attendence was 14,603.  The Arena holds 16,164.  To me, the 
crowd looked practically normal, because there are usually no-shows when the
game is broadcast on TV.  People were allowed to return tickets for refunds,
and that's why the game wasn't a sell out. Under normal conditions, tickets
aren't refunded.

The Pens had more to earn from a win than the Caps.  So the Pens were a bit
more aggressive than the Captials in the first.  The Pens had the advantage in
shots but were not able to beat goalie Don Beaupre until 10:10 of the first.
Rick Tocchet(U.Samuelsson, Murphy)knocked a rebound out of the air and past
Beaupre to make the score 1-0.

At 13:15 Dale Hunter(Khristich) took a shot from a little above the slot that
went under a jumping Capital (I think it was Khristich) and past Barrasso to
tie the game.

Towards the end of the period, things got a bit wild out there.  Tocchet and
Dino Ciccarelli got into a little shoving match.  But Dino took it a step
further, and punched Tocchet in the jaw.  This pissed off Tocchet, but it
pissed off Kevin Stevens even more.  Stevens flew out of nowhere and threw
a body block on Ciccarelli and drove him into the boards.  He then proceeded to
pummel Dino.  The officials finally pried Stevens off of Ciccarelli.  Stevens
was given a minor for charging and a game misconduct.  Tocchet and Dino each 
received a minor for roughing.  As Dino made his way to the penalty box, he
was taunted with chants of "Rapist" and "Pervert".

In the second, the Caps were more aggressive at the beginning of the period.
But Barrasso, playing his best game in a long time, came up big.  At the other
end of the ice, Beaupre was just as solid.  But he also got a very lucky 
break.  The Pens were on a power play early in the second.  Someone took a
weak shot on goal, and Beaupre really didn't see it.  He was standing almost
upright with his legs slightly apart.  The puck slowly went between his legs,
and was just barely about to go across the line (it was right on the line)
when a Cap player saw it and scooped it out of the net.  The game stayed tied
after 2 periods.

The Caps had the chance to score when late in the second Kjell Samuelsson was
slapped with a double minor(cross-checking, unsportsmanlike conduct.) The 
penalties were issues at 17:16.  But the Pens killed the penalty for the 
remainder of the second, and that momentum carried to the start of the third
where they killed the rest of it of.  From then on, the game was all Pens.

At 4:36 of the 3rd, the Pens got the go-ahead goal.  Troy "Big Red" Loney
(Mullen, Jennings) put a wrap around past Beaupre.  Mullen had taken the 
original shot. which was blocked.  Loney, Mullen and a couple of Caps went
behind the net to get the puck.  Beaupre, thinking Mullen had the puck, moved
to his left.  Loney just walked from around the back and stuffed the puck in on
Beaupre's right.

At 5:12, Jaromir Jagr, perhaps finally waking up from the fog he's been in for
the later half of the season, beat Beaupre on a nice goal. (Trottier, Loney).
He skated in on Beaupre, deked him and shot the puck past him on the stick
side.

At 10:49, the Caps were given a bench penalty for too many men on the ice.
This really upset Caps coach Terry Murray.  He started to scream at Dan
Marouelli (who was calling a bad game).  Marouelli took exception to something
Murrary said, and slapped him with a game misconduct.  The Caps were without
Murray for the remainder of the game.

At 17:35, Jagr(Hrdina, Stanton) scored the final goal of the night, almost
a carbon copy of the first.  But he deked even better the second time.

The Pens play in NY against the Rangers tonight.  I expect both teams to give
key players the night off.

Shots: Pgh:10-7-13: 30, Wash: 6-8-4: 18

Scratches: Wendell Young, Jeff Chychrun, Jim Paek, Peter Taglianetti

Lori
Contact for the Penguins
lli+@cs.cmu.edu