BETFINAL’S LOOKBACK AT THE WEEKEND –

We all know that penguins love the cold but the Pittsburgh Penguins were on fire in last night’s ice hockey victory over The Philadelphia Flyers. We thought that penguins couldn’t fly, but the Pitsburgh Penguins are flying into the next round of the Stanley Cup.

Philadelphia Flyers vs Pittsburgh Penguins, Sunday 22nd April, Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Flyers were left dismayed following yesterday’s crushing defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs. The win was so brazen that Flyers fans expressed their disappointment by throwing garbage onto the rink in protest of their loss. What a bunch of babies!

The first two periods of the game were uncomfortably close with the score coming in at 2-2 and 4-4, respectively. By the end of the second period, it could have been anyone’s game. The game wasn’t up in the air for much longer though, with the Penguins scoring the team’s fifth goal within 30 seconds of the third period’s onset.

The star of last night’s game was, without a doubt, Jake Guentzel. The 23-year-old netted four goals for his team in a stellar performance in Sunday’s Game 6. The Pittsburgh forward stunned the crowd with his incomparable performance, scoring four consecutive goals in a span of fourteen minutes. He took his team from unremarkable 4-2 down to a dramatic 7-4 advantage. Thanks to his efforts, the Penguins are heading to round two of the playoffs, sending the Flyers out of the league with their tail between their legs.

Like a true hero, the big shot himself was modest about his amazing performance when asked about his goals. In a post-game interview, he stated that he was “just trying to be around the net”. His teammates, however, gave him the credit he deserved. Matt Murray, the Penguins’ goaltender, said of the fellow Penguin, “That was something special. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Guentzel has only recently started becoming a household name and last night’s match is a fitting addition to his already-impressive repertoire. The Pittsburgh Penguins coach, Mike Sullivan, is also a devoted fan of the unexpected limelight-stealer. When asked about Guentzel, he said that “I just think Jake is a terrific player.” And he really is.

Yesterday’s game is the Pittsburgh Penguins’ ninth straight playoff series win. The flightless birds are defying nature as they soar past their rivals towards that much desired Stanley Cup. It’s no wonder the IIHF calls the tournament ‘the most important championships available to the sport’. With its high stake, unparalleled skill, and the oldest existing trophy in professional sports franchise history, the NHL certainly has its thrills.

This is only the third time in team history that a player has had a four-goal playoff game, joining Mario Lemieux in 1989 and Kevin Stevens in 1991. It’s been four years longer than Guentzel’s been alive since this last happened!

Guentzel has established himself in the ice hockey clan as a staggering scorer and consistent player. He grew up with a passion for the Pittsburgh Penguins and a mindset for the gruelling sport. He began his professional career in 2013 and has excelled in leaps and bounds ever since.

His prowess dominated the rink yesterday while the Flyers fans grew increasingly irate about the overthrow at the hands of the Pittsburgh boys. One fan even threw a towel in front of Flyers defenseman, Ivan Provorov, which inadvertently led to another Penguins goal. It was pure mayhem!

Trash talk aside, last night’s game proved for certain that the Pittsburgh Penguins are set on defending their NHL title for a third time. And Jake Guentzel has paved the road for it to go from being a dream to becoming a reality.