More games = more money

PITTSBURGH -- Mario Lemieux accomplished something Monday most professional sports owners only dream of -- actually making a play to help his team advance to the next round of the playoffs.
Eat your heart out, George Steinbrenner,
Lemieux, the owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins who ended his retirement in December, scored the first goal in his team's 4-3 victory over Washington.
The win sent the Capitals to the golf courses and the Penguins to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Martin Straka's game-winning goal in overtime was huge for several reasons.
Three of them: First, it kept the Penguins alive in the chase for the Stanley Cup.
Second, Lemieux and his co-owners are likely to see a profit whenever the season ends. Most NHL teams create a budget based on playing in a first-round series.
And when the season extends into May, the red ink in the budget turns black. Because NHL teams don't receive major dollars from television networks, they depend on gate receipts more than football and basketball teams.
Third, the Penguins might make enough of a profit that they won't have to trade captain Jaromir Jagr and his $10 million salary.
A first-round elimination could have ended Jagr's days in Pittsburgh.
If the series against the Sabres goes to a sixth game, that's even more money for the Penguins' coffers.
How far can Pittsburgh go this spring? It depends on how well it can score against another top-flight goalie, Buffalo's Dominik Hasek.
Penguins coach Ivan Hlinka said, "We will have to beat Hasek, But I think we have the players who can beat Hasek."
The Washington series was a tight-checking, low-scoring affair where only one game was decided by more than a goal. Two games went to overtime.
In Game 6, the Penguins twice blew leads.
Concern: "We've certainly got to do a much better job of playing with the lead," said Lemieux, who added that Penguins rookie goalie Johan Hedberg is doing everything asked of him.
"That's what you need in the playoffs," Lemieux said. "When we won our Cups, we had Tommy Barrasso making the right stops at the right times. That's what Hedberg did tonight -- gave us the chance to win."
Hedberg, who came to the Penguins in a March 13 trade with the San Jose Sharks after playing for the Manitoba Moose of the International Hockey League, made 28 saves Monday.
His saves generate "Moose" calls in honor of his mask which is decorated with the mascot of his former team.
Hedberg's best save came late in the second period when the Penguins were nursing a 2-1 lead.
Hedberg fell to the ice trying to stop Jeff Halpern skating through the slot.
Hedberg's facemask came off as he hit the ice and somehow his extended forearm deflected the puck wide.
The Sabres won't be an easy opponent.
It also took them six games to eliminate the Philadelphia Flyers, but that series ended Saturday.
The extra rest Buffalo enjoyed Sunday and Monday could play a factor when the series opens.
Series preview: Pittsburgh's Alexei Kovalev, who scored a goal just before the second period ended Monday, said he expects a similar series to what the Penguins endured with Washington.
"They are really quick," Kovalev said of the Sabres' skaters. "They have fast forwards and we're definitely going to have to skate a lot to give some help to our defense. It's going to be tough."
XTom Williams cover the NHL for The Vindicator.