image: Zuma Press

I was absolutely stunned by how controlled the Penguins played and how well they managed to keep the Detroit Red Wings from getting too many shots away.  In total, Marc-Andre Fleury faced 26 shots on net and he turned away 25 of them (he was without his stick for the one that he missed).  The difference in Fleury’s goaltending between Game 5 and Game 6 is extraordinary because he actually looked like he realized he was playing in the postseason tonight.  It can be hard on a goalie to remain focused when they aren’t facing too many shots but, for the most part, he stayed sharp.

He did get lucky a few times, however.  He managed to make a save on a shot by Henrik Zetterberg that bounced off the pipes and looked eerily reminiscent of one he let in during Game 6 last year.  He also had some MAJOR help from teammate, Rob Scuderi, who blocked four shots (I was beginning to wonder if Scuderi had missed his calling as a goaltender).  Brooks Orpik was also extraordinary on the ice tonight and got a career high of six blocked shots.

Even though Detroit lost, I’ve got to give Chris Osgood credit for solid netminding.  He managed to turn away 29 of the 31 shots he faced.  Someone who did not play up to his abilities if former Penguin, Marian Hossa.  I think that a lot of people were expecting more from him since he defected to Detroit because he said that he would have a better chance of winning the Cup that way.  Someone should have let him know that he’d actually have to try and not just rely on his teammates.  I almost want Detroit to lose just to teach him a lesson.

The last thing I want to say about tonight’s game is that it was remarkably low on penalties.  Of course, there were infractions that slipped by the officiators but, overall, the guys played a relatively clean game with each team incurring just two penalties each for the entire game.

Game 7 takes place in Detroit on Friday, June 12, 2009.

Post from: Hockey Beat

image: newscom

First of all, I know a lot of people are not pleased by the back-to-back games in Detroit at the start of this series and I’ve got to say that I really didn’t like it much either.  I’m not crying about it or blaming the scheduling for the loss but I do think it’s less than desirable at this all-important stage of the playoffs.

Of course, there was some real ugliness on the ice in the very emotional rematch between these two games and it

image: TSN

really seemed to reach the boiling point when Pittsburgh’s Maxime Talbot speared Detroit netminder, Chris Osgood, in the chest after he made a save.  I know Talbot was frustrated but that was really unacceptable.  Naturally, Henrik Zetterberg came to his goalie’s defence which sparked a fight with Evgeni Malkin (who got an instigator penalty but did not get the automatic suspension and will appear in Game 3).  “I think in the playoffs and finals like this, there is a lot of emotions, a lot of feelings,” said Zetterberg. “When you get scrums that’s the way it is. It should be a lot of feelings, and nothing more than that.”

What do you think of the fact that Malkin won’t have to miss the next game?  Judging from what I’ve seen on Twitter and blogs, many people (including a few Penguins fans) think the NHL is showing favoritism but I think TSN’s Bob McKenzie explained it best: “The intent of the rule is pretty obvious – was the action premeditated, was it sending a message.  Evgeni Malkin was on the ice trying to score a goal at the end of the game. This one was born more out of frustration, then it was the Penguins trying to orchestrate some late game shenanigans, that is what the rule was put in place for and that is why the NHL reserves the right to rescind the rule if they feel the spirit of the rule is not being violated.”

I guess that’s decent reasoning but I really wonder what is going to happen with the rest of this series.  I heard the commentators say that out of 32 series where a team has won the first two games, 31 have gone on to take home Lord Stanley.

I’d really like to see Pittsburgh beat the odds and turn this thing around.

Post from: Hockey Beat

image: Zuma Press

The puck seemed to be bouncing in favor of the Detroit Red Wings as two of their goals actually bounced off the boards and off of Pittsburgh goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury, and into the net.  I’m not saying that Detroit needed the help but I’m sure they didn’t mind those lucky bounces.

We also saw a lot of action between Sidney Crosby and Henrik Zetterberg, who seemed to be battling each other all night.  As TSN’s Bob McKenzie explained: “early on Sidney Crosby really tried to take it physically to Zetterberg, but as the game went along, Zetterberg started to assert himself.  I thought Crosby played a very good hockey game in a lot of ways, but at the end of the night it was Zetterberg who came away the winner.”

Fresh off some time out of the lineup, Red Wings’ captain Nicklas Lidstrom tallied the most minutes (24) of all skaters in the game.  That really leads me to believe that he wasn’t injured but maybe he was sick?

The loss was the first in a while for the Penguins, who swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals.  It’s only been one game but, of course, people are already speculating that this series is starting in the same way as the one last year where the Red Wings won those first two games and then ended up taking the series in Game 6.  We’ll just have to wait and see if history will repeat itself.

Game 2 is in Detroit tomorrow night at 8pm ET.

Post from: Hockey Beat

Wow!  Aren’t we in a recession?  Anyway, the team made the announcement today.  The deal will keep Zetterberg with the Red Wings until he’s 40 years old.  You can’t blame them, though.  The man has 43 points in 45 games so far this season.

image: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat