Penguins - 5, Canadiens - 4

It was Part I of the Battle for the East and while they came out of it bruised and scarred, the Penguins were victorious. What a game this was! The Pens faced a very tough opponent, high off the energy of an amazing comeback victory against the Rangers. It was in their building, in front of their intimidating crowd. Two great offenses. Two deadly powerplays. It was a great night for hockey. The Penguins also showed their character tonight. They lost a 2-goal lead against a team known for their comeback and stayed on course and took the win in regulation. Congrats to Sergei Gonchar on his 8th consecutive 50-point season and 600th career point. Evgeni Malkin now has a 4-point lead in the scoring race and is making his case for MVP. Jordan Staal with 6 shots on goal! Ryan Malone and Ryan Whitney continuing their stellar play. This is a team that has come together nicely! The upcoming returns of Crosby and Fleury will only make this team better. Part II of this battle is next and the conference is up for grabs against the Senators on Saturday.