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Paul Bruno

Eastern Conference Playoff Report - Week 8

June 9, 2009 12:30pm CDT

The Stanley Cup Final sits at 3-2 in favor of the Detroit Red Wings, in a series that has yet to see a road team emerge victorious. When we last reported, the Pens trailed two games to none and were headed home to reverse the early course of this series.

Game 3 would open against a backdrop that saw the Penguins enter the contest after having scored only a total of two goals in the first two games. However, it took less than five minutes for Pittsburgh to feel good about the home surrounding. Maxime Talbot, who has emerged as a strong secondary source of production for the Pens, opened the scoring at the 4:48 mark of the first period, with a snap shot from an Evgeni Malkin setup.

However, the Red Wings did not win those first two games by accident. They turned up the heat immediately and replied with two first period goals to take over the early lead on a Henrik Zetterberg wrist shot and a Johan Franzen power play goal. A Daniel Cleary holding penalty would set the stage for the Pens' first power play of the evening. They quickly evened the score when Kris Letang sent a slapshot in from his point position.

It was still a nervous time in Pittsburgh, though. Everyone in the rink knew the stakes were high now. The Wings had withstood the early rush from the home side and was in position to take a commanding 3-0 series lead, should they get the next goal. Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury took center stage during a second period that saw the visitors press the territorial advantage to the tune of a 14-4 shot edge in the middle frame.

Through two periods Detroit had outshot Pittsburgh by 26-11 margin yet the scored was still tied.

The third period was a different story.

The Pens started with a rush of their own that clearly sent the Wings into a defensive mode. Pittsburgh pressure tactics were rewarded at the 10:29 mark, when Sergei Gonchar's point blast allowed the home side to convert on the lone power play of the third period. The Wings never really threatened in that frame, mustering only 4 shots of their own. An empty-net goal by Maxime Talbot sealed the 4-2 win in the last minute of play.

We had a series at that point.

Game 4, back in Pittsburgh, was a chance to tie the series. Lose and big trouble would be on the horizon.

It was Ground Hog Day, early in the first period, as the Wings again took an early interference penalty (Niklas Kronwall). At 2:39 of the first period, Evgeni Malkin scored with a hard wrist shot on the ensuing power play. But then, just as in Game 3, Detroit picked up the early pace, outshooting the home side by a 19-11 margin and finally were rewarded for this edge in play with the tying marker off the stick of one of their own surprise playoff heroes, Darren Helm.

Early in the second period, the script changed, as Brad Stuart, a low-scoring veteran of the Wings' defense corps scored at the 0:45 second mark to gain the lead for the Wings.

This time, Pittsburgh didn't wait long to up the ante. They responded in the unlikeliest circumstance in fact. While killing off a second consecutive penalty that could have likely determined the outcome with another Red Wing goal, Jordan Staal took matters into his own hands, by rushing down the ice and easily navigating around a very passive Brian Rafalski and potting the tying goal.

Shorthanded goals are usually killers, at the best of times, and that proved to be the case on this night as well. Buoyed by this stunning play, Pittsburgh's offense flexed their collective muscles and before the Wings could settle themselves, goals by Sidney Crosby and Tyler Kennedy gave the Pens a 4-2 lead that they would nurse to end of scoreless third period.

After Game 4, all the talk was of a tiring and undermanned Detroit team that was beginning to wilt against the younger Penguins.

Boy, was that a snow job.

First of all, the Wings would finally dress team MVP (and, quite possibly, league MVP) Pavel Datsyuk for the pivotal Game 5 back in Detroit.

Evgeni Malkin will attempt to send the Stanley Cup Finals back to Detroit for a Game 7.
Then as the game unfolded, things were fairly even territorially, until the Wings opened the scoring with a rather weak shot by Daniel Cleary shot fooling Fleury at the 15:40 mark. No one really expected what came next, despite this tip-off. In the second period Detroit attacked the Pittsburgh goal area with an unprecedented vengeance and fury. The result of this onslaught was four goals in a 14 minute span, including three on the power play, to knock Fleury out of the game (replaced by Ty Conklin) and seal the outcome of this one early.

So much for a tired Wings team, huh?

The Penguins are now with their backs against the wall.

Did they underestimate Detroit's resolve in Game 5?

Can they rebound at home in Game 6, tonight, to force a final, decisive Game 7?

We'll have to tune in to find out...

In other news around the Eastern Conference...

It appears to be a done deal, in terms of the Philadelphia Flyers signing of free agent goalie Ray Emery, who spent last season in the Russian Super League. So we add his name to a long list of goalie signings that have not turned out well for the Flyers over the years. Don't expect this one to be different. Does this mean they are kicking UFAs Marty Biron and Antero Nittymaki to the curb? That will be the case, at least for one of them, anyway.

A second group, stating intentions to bring a second franchise to the Greater Toronto area has come forward. They are targeting a 2012 debut but apparently have not even approached the league about their intentions before holding a splashy press conference. Weird, don't you think? The Balsillie Group won a major victory in bringing the league to court over their attempt to buy and eventually move the Phoenix franchise. The NHL's constitution documents were revealed, for the first time ever, for public consumption and Wayne Gretzky even took a hit for the fact that he was paid $8 million by an ownership group which claims to have lost money last year. This case may well reach a conclusion in the next day or two.

On the ice, the UFA free agency frenzy is three weeks away, yet Marty Reasoner has resigned with the Atlanta Thrashers in the last week.

This is the time of year where plenty of player's names are linked to their possible movement. Will Vinny Lecavalier be dealt out of cash-strapped Tampa Bay?

Will Mats Sundin entertain an offer to rejoin the Leafs?

With rumors swirling about Devils' coach Sutter resigning that post, will he actually step down in the face of a vacancy in Calgary where his brother is the GM of the Flames?

There is a fair bit of intrigue around free agency this summer, in that we don't know where the future of the salary cap limits will direct team spending and signing this summer. Once that figure is known we may see some very interesting moves by the teams that really grasp the impact of those limits.

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