Brandon Tanev became voice of calm for the Penguins late in Game 3
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Penguins forward Brandon Tanev has become something of a local cult hero early in the playoffs due to his frantic (or maniacal) approach to his vocation.
Yet, when Game 3 of the Penguins’ first-round series against the New York Islanders at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum devolved into a chaotic situation during the third period with multiple penalties resulting from several scrums and confrontations, it was Tanev who instructed his teammates to remain composed en route to a 5-4 win.
“He was the first guy to start being vocal,” linemate Zach Aston-Reese said via video conference. “He was just telling the boys just relax, calm down. Play a simple game. We’ve just got to get pucks north and get in on the forecheck.
“It’s just a crazy atmosphere. Just got to play the right way to drown out the crowd and limit the Islanders.”
Tavares injury ‘terrifying’ to Penguins
While Game 3 of the Penguins-Islanders series was ongoing, Game 1 of a first-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens was being orchestrated north of the border.
The Canadiens won the game, 2-1, but the contest was marred by a gruesome injury to Maple Leafs forward and captain John Tavares.
Midway through the first period, Tavares was checked to the ice by Canadiens forward Ben Chiarot. As Tavares fell to the ice, Canadiens forward Corey Perry tried to leap past Tavares but inadvertently struck Tavares’s head with his left knee.
Tavares laid on the ice for several moments as an athletic trainer attended to him. Tavares tried to stand up on his own but slumped backward as team staffers attended to him. Ultimately, he was carried off the rink on a stretch and admitted to a hospital.
After Tavares was released from the hospital, the team announced he had suffered a concussion as well as a knee injury.
The Penguins saw replays of Tavares’s injury after their game.
“It’s terrifying,” Aston-Reese said. “We were looking at that, a few of the guys in the changing area after the game. It was scary for sure. I know everyone feels that way. It’s got to be even tougher for the guys on Toronto to see that. Just mentally to finish the game when that happens, it’s got to be really tough. It was good to see him give the thumbs up. I hope he’s doing okay and it’s nothing too serious.”
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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