Guerin provides the dagger

Just for emphasis, Bill Guerin wanted to express that the Pittsburgh Penguins were just as surprised as everybody else inside Verizon Center that a sensational series ended with a stunning blowout.

“No, no, no, no - swear to God,” Guerin said of whether the 6-2 win over the Washington Capitals in Game 7 was what he anticipated. “We were expecting the same type of game.”

That type of game - one-goal contests, stars on both teams scoring, high drama - was what everybody expected and wanted from the finale.

What we got was the letdown of the postseason.

What Guerin, 38, got was his first trip to the conference finals in 14 years.

Brought to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline from the woeful New York Islanders, Guerin immediately clicked with center Sidney Crosby (12 points in final 17 regular-season games). His fifth goal of this postseason was the dagger for the Caps… and showed the reason he was acquired - as a veteran, he knows how to finish.

The New York Rangers built a 3-1 series lead over the Caps thanks to the play of individuals added before or at the trade deadline.

The Penguins sent the Caps home thanks a goal apiece by Guerin and Craig Adams, both of whom were acquired to shake up a floundering offense.

After the first period, despite a 16-5 advantage in shots and 2-0 lead, the Penguins knew the next goal was vital. If the Caps scored, the crowd would be back in the game; if the Penguins scored, a three-goal margin would be nearly insurmountable.

One Guerin slap shot sapped the energy out of the arena.

Crosby glided into the Caps zone down the left side. Instead of barreling toward the goal or firing a shot from the circle, he slid a pass to Guerin’s whose one-timer from 49 feet beat Simeon Varlamov 28 seconds into the period.

Game and season over the Caps.

“[Crosby] made a great play - he put it on a platter for me,” Guerin said. “It wasn’t Varlamov’s best night, but the kid played tremendous in this series. The thing is, once you get down two and then you get down three, it’s tough and it’s deflating.”

Said Adams: “The quick goal to start the second period was the big one.”

A veteran of 1,186 regular-season games, Guerin is a classic example of a move that pays off even if it’s a short-term rental. It was the kind of move made by Boston, which acquired Mark Recchi.

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