Monday, February 15, 2010
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Four goals and the shootout clincher were scored by players who will participate in the Olympics starting this week.
But after the Nashville Predators beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 Sunday afternoon, the only Olympian anyone wanted to talk about was the one who blocked a shot with his foot.
Canada can breathe a sigh of relief.
Team Canada and Penguins star Sidney Crosby tied Alex Ovechkin for the NHL lead in goals with his 42nd, but gave his native nation a scare when he was wincing in pain after taking a Kevin Klein slap shot off his foot early in the second period.
Crosby did not, however, miss a shift the remainder of the game and afterward downplayed the situation.
“I will be there,” Crosby said of Vancouver, where Team Canada was to practice today and open against Norway on Tuesday. “I’m on the flight tonight.”
Cal O’Reilly and Martin Erat scored during the shootout, Erat, Jordin Tootoo and Shea Weber scored in regulation and Dan Ellis made 30 saves and stopped Kris Letang and Crosby in the shootout for Nashville, which is on a 2-2-1 stretch.
Matt Cooke and Brooks Orpik also scored for the Penguins.
“I thought it was huge to get this win — especially against a powerhouse like Pittsburgh,” said Weber, also a defenseman for Team Canada who was sharing an evening flight with Crosby to Vancouver after the game.
“They’ve got one of the most complete teams we’ve seen, and they played a solid game. I thought we did a good job of hanging around and ended up earning two points.”
Crosby spent several minutes with his head down on the bench moments after he blocked the shot — initially appearing to be his lower shin but Crosby later indicated it was his foot.
He led an offensive rush up ice immediately after blocking the shot; it wasn’t until after he lost the puck did he show any signs he was hurt.
During the ensuing television timeout, Crosby appeared to be gingerly testing the leg with light skating. At one point, he almost slammed his stick into the dasher boards in apparent frustration.
But he did not miss a shift the remainder of the game — later adding an assist and an unsuccessful attempt in the shootout — and after the game played coy when questioned by reporters about the injury, shrugging it off and apparently attempting to diffuse any thoughts he was in danger of missing the Olympics.
“The shot off the foot?” he said. “That happens. That’s part of the game.”
Although he appeared tentative during his first shift after the incident, by the end of the game Crosby showed no visible signs the foot was hindering him.
The Penguins likewise downplayed the situation.