Captain
Assistant Captains
billy,
Number of Forum Threads
0
Number of Forum Replies
0
Visit ForumsRecent Forum Discussions
Posted by
billy on 06/03/2008 - 04:24 AM
The Pittsburgh Penguins have spoiled the Detroit Red Wings' parade plans.
Peter Sykora scored 9:57 into the third overtime period to give the Penguins a 4-3 victory and force a Game 6 Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.
With Jiri Hudler in the box serving a double high-sticking minor, Sykora snapped home his 6th goal of the post-season past Chris Osgood, ending the fifth longest game in Stanley Cup final's history.
"I had a tough (stretch) the last few games," said Sykora. "No bounces, no shots on net. It's nice to get a winner like that to keep us alive."
In a remarkable twist of fate, Sykora had promised his teammates during the intermission of the second overtime periods that he would score.
"Something stupid I said," Sykora said. "'Guys, I'm going to get one.'"
The much maligned Evgeni Malkin picked up an assist on the goal for his first point of the final. The Hart Trophy candidate did not register a shot on net in regulation.
Marc-Andre Fleury was the story in this one as he held his ground all night long, consistently frustrating the Wings' potent attack. Detroit peppered Fleury with two games worth of shots firing 58 at the Pens net while Pittsburgh managed 32 on Chris Osgood at the other end.
''You win as a team and lose as a team and I just tried to do my job,'' Fleury said.
Penguins head coach Michel Therrien had nothing but praise for his young netminder.
"This was huge for him," Therrien said at the podium following the game. "No doubt this was the most important win of his career."
Despite the tough loss, Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock expects his team to be ready for Game 6 on Wednesday.
"I think a lot of our players are pretty young, as well, and pretty fit," said Babcock. "I think the hardest thing in a game like this is the mental part. The mind drives the body. Your body can keep going.
"I think it's natural to feel bad for yourself for a bit, but this is the Stanley Cup playoffs. It's supposed to be a battle, and we're in one."
The incredible victory almost never was, as the Penguins needed a goal with just over 30 seconds remaining in regulation by Max Talbot to force the overtime.
"Max got a huge goal," Crosby told reporters. "We were 30 seconds away from not playing for the rest of the season."
The Penguins did themselves no favours in the early going as defenceman Brooks Orpik took a hooking penalty just two minutes into the game. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, Fleury made a pair of excellent saves to help the Pens kill off the early penalty.
Seconds after Orpik returned to the ice, the Penguins took a bench minor for too many men on the ice, much to the chagrin of Therrien.
The Wings however let the Penguins off the hook as Pavel Datsyuk took a tripping penalty to negate the man advantage.
Marian Hossa opened the scoring for the second straight game as he took a feed from Sidney Crosby in the slot and buried it stick side on Chris Osgood. The goal was Hossa's 11th of the playoffs.
Moments later, Fleury ensured that the Pens kept the lead making an outstanding save on a Valtteri Filppula backhand. He continued to frustrate the Wings as he robbed Zetterberg on a two-on-one break.
Pittsburgh added to their lead just five minutes later as Wings' defenceman Niklas Kronwall inadvertently deflected a centering pass top shelf on a surprised Osgood. Adam Hall was given credit for the goal, his third of the playoffs.
Smelling blood the Penguins continued to swarm around the Wings net as Crosby nearly added to the lead on a partial break in the dying moments of the period.
Although the Pens had all the momentum heading in to the second frame it disappeared when Darren Helm's shot from the off-wing deflected off Pittsburgh defenceman Rob Scuderi and past Fleury for Helm's second goal of the playoffs to pull the Wings within a goal at 2-1.
Detroit continued to pressure the Pens as they peppered Fleury for 12 shots in the middle stanza including one that produced Fleury's best save of the series, as he extended fully to deny Samuelsson on a 2-on-1 opportunity late in the period.
Following the play, Penguins defenceman Sergei Gonchar was slow to get up after slamming into the end boards attempting to break up the rush. He immediately left the ice and headed to the Pittsburgh dressing room.
The Penguins received some more bad news moments later as Hal Gill's point blast hit forward Ryan Malone directly in the face, breaking his nose which was gushing blood as he left the ice to join Gonchar in the dressing room.
Therrien was very relieved to see both players back on the bench to start the third period.
Therrien's relief was short lived however as Pavel Datsyuk had tied things at two by deflecting home a slap pass by Zetterberg on the power play. The goal was the Russian's 10th of the post-season.
The goal seemed poetic justice for Datsyuk as he believed that he had evened the score three minutes into the third frame. However replays showed that his shot beat Fleury, but not the crossbar.
The Wings then felt that the Cup was within their grasp three-minutes later when Johan Franzen's pass found a pinching Brian Rafalski who beat Fleury halfway through the third frame.
Gonchar, who was on the ice for the goal against, once again left the ice suffering from back spasms. He did not return to the Penguins' bench until the third overtime period and did not play a shift until the power play in triple OT that decided the game. The veteran Russian defenceman picked up the second assist on the goal.
The Wings appeared to be headed to their fourth Stanley Cup title in the past 11 seasons until Max Talbot scored on a wraparound with under one-minute remaining in the third period with Fleury pulled for the extra-attacker. The goal was Talbot's third of the post-season from Marian Hossa and Sidney Crosby. The assist gave Crosby the post-season scoring lead with one more point than Zetterberg.
As the overtime got underway, both teams continued to exchange chances as Kirk Maltby was denied by the quick legs of Fleury to ensure that his team would play on into the night.
The Penguins' former number one draft choice had his best game of the playoffs, if not his career; perhaps making his best save of the night for double-OT as he absolutely robbed Dan Cleary point blank.
Cleary must be sick of the Sorel, Quebec native as he appeared to have the game on his stick five minutes into the second overtime period but couldn't beat Fleury with the backhand. His momentum caused him to bowl over Fleury and he received a goaltender interference call for his troubles; the second such call against the Red Wings in overtime.
Both sides had their chances to win it in the second overtime but the Wings' Henrik Zetterberg and the Pens' Jarkko Ruutu were denied by the crossbar and post respectively.
Detroit nearly claimed the Cup with less than three minutes remaining in the fifth period when Niklas Kronwall's blast caromed off Marc-Andre Fleury and straight up in the air. Fleury, who then could not locate the rebound, can count his lucky stars as the puck then bounced off the crossbar and out of harm's way.
The Red Wings looked extremely strong to start the third OT as Johan Franzen had a great chance on the re-direct but Fleury kept the Pens chances alive.
The penalty bug bit the Wings yet again when Hudler's high stick caught Scuderi in the face, drawing blood. Paul Devorski had no choice but to call a double minor that sealed the Wings fate.
Before the game, Detroit's lineup was bolstered by the addition of Holmstrom who missed Game 4 with a hamstring injury. To make room for Holmstrom, Darren McCarty was a healthy scratch.
The Penguins are without rookie defenceman Kris Letang who was excused by the team so that he could travel to New Brunswick to attend the funeral of former team mate and friend Luc Bourdon who died in a motorcycle crash last Thursday.
Posted by billy on 06/03/2008 - 04:24 AMThe Pittsburgh Penguins have spoiled the Detroit Red Wings' parade plans.