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Tuesday 19 sepTember 2017
Rest of NHL aims to prevent Penguins Stanley Cup three-peat

By STEPHEN WHYNO doing it again.
AP Hockey Writer “They’re a good team, and
Each time Seth Jones felt they’re going to continue
like the Columbus Blue to be a good team,” Phila-
Jackets were dominating, delphia Flyers defenseman
the Pittsburgh Penguins Shayne Gostisbehere said.
went down the ice and “They’re the heavyweight
scored. The series was over champs right now, and
fast. you’ve just got to knock
T.J. Oshie knows the feeling them off.”
because the Penguins did Easier said than done. Now
it to the Washington Capi- maybe Murray will struggle
tals often during playoff se- with a heavier workload
ries the past two years. or the depth that Fleury
“It kind of deflates what said paved the way to the
we’re doing and it’s hard championships will wear
to trust your game after thin.
that,” Oshie said. But if there’s a blueprint to
Opportunistic, well- attacking the Penguins, it
coached and talented, might be putting pressure
Pittsburgh has won eight on their blue line.
consecutive playoff series “You have to play a physi-
to become the NHL’s only cal style, but also you have
back-to-back Stanley Cup In this June 11, 2017, file photo, Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates with the Stan- to play a skill style, as well,”
champion of the salary- ley Cup after defeating the Nashville Predators in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Jones said.
cap era and the first since in Nashville, Tenn. “You got to get to them,
the Detroit Red Wings in Associated Press you got to get to the de-
1997 and 1998. Now every- fensemen, I think and that’s
one’s trying to figure out ed seven games. organization, it seems like always have a chance,” something that teams may
how to stop the march of Patrick Kane acknowl- they have something pret- said Fleury, who went to focus on.”The Penguins
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Mal- edged that while he and ty special going right now.” the Vegas Golden Knights won last spring with a no-
kin and the Penguins as the Chicago Blackhawks If there are cracks in Pitts- in the expansion draft. name defense while being
they go for the three-peat. used to be the standard burgh’s armor, they came “That’s how I felt every outshot 794-718, yet they
“It’s not one thing,” Jones after winning the Cup in this offseason with the time. When every season found ways to win.
said. “There’s not a Crosby 2010, 2013 and 2015, the losses of goaltender Marc- started I always felt like we Oshie said any potential
stopper. There’s not a Mal- Penguins have surpassed Andre Fleury, defenseman had a chance to do great. Pittsburgh-killer must be
kin stopper. You can’t put them. While the Los Ange- Trevor Daley and forwards I think they’ll be dangerous more resilient, and Preda-
a stop on them. les Kings rivaled the Black- Nick Bonino, Chris Kunitz again.” tors defenseman Roman
You just have to contain hawks during their heyday, and Matt Cullen. But Cros- Usually the grind of playing Josi knows there’s a mental
them.” the Penguins have shown by, Malkin, goalie Matt over 100 games in a sea- aspect to facing a team
No one has contained to be unbeatable when it Murray, winger Phil Kessel, son wears on a team. Ryan with so much success.
them so far. matters most. top defenseman Kris Le- Getzlaf, whose Anaheim “Once you win a lot of se-
The Penguins mowed “It seems like they’re on tang and coach Mike Sulli- Ducks won the Cup in 2007 ries, you start to believe
through the New York the brink sometimes, and van remain, which explains and lost in the first round more and more and the
Rangers, Capitals, Tampa they find their way out of why the Penguins are fa- the next year, said a team confidence grows,” Josi
Bay Lightning and San it,” Kane said. “Just watch- vored to win again and needs luck and a group said. “As an opponent
Jose Sharks to win the Cup ing games, it’s almost like make it three in a row for that’s able to sustain a high you’ve got to get in there
in 2016 and then the Blue you have that feeling that the first time since the early level of game through fa- and believe that you can
Jackets, Capitals, Ottawa they’re going to win, espe- 1980s New York Islanders tigue the entire next year. beat them. Obviously it’s
Senators and Nashville cially in playoffs. Whether dynasty. Now that the Penguins have tough. They’re a great
Predators in 2017, and only that’s the coaching staff “When you get Sid, Geno, sustained to win twice, no team. But you got to have
three of those series need- or the players or just that Letang on the team, you one’s betting against them that belief.”q

Kerber ousts local favorite

Osaka at Pan-Pacific Open

TOKYO (AP) — Seventh- “I was trying to come out Also, wild card Kurumi Nara
seeded Angelique Kerber here and really focus on ev- of Japan overcame a slow
of Germany got a measure ery single point and make start to oust Yulia Putintseva
of revenge for a U.S. Open it better than last time. ... of Kazakhstan 2-6, 6-4, 6-2,
loss by beating Naomi She’s a great player and a while China’s Wang Qiang
Osaka 6-3, 6-4 on Monday tough opponent. For sure beat Kristina Mladenovic of
to advance to the second she will have great success France 6-0, 6-0.Meanwhile,
round of the Pan-Pacific in the future.”Osaka lost to organizers announced that
Open.Last month, Kerber Caroline Wozniacki in the Agnieszka Radwanska,
was knocked out of the final of last year’s tourna- a two-time tournament
U.S. Open by the Japanese ment champion, has pulled out
Angelique Kerber of Germany returns a shot to Naomi Osaka teenager in straight sets. Kerber will play either Madi- due to a virus. The 11th-
of Japan during their first round match of the Pan Pacific Open “It’s always tough to play son Brengle or Daria Kasat- ranked Pole was seeded
tennis tournament in Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 18, 2017. against her,” Kerber said. kina in the next round. sixth.q