Chris Osgood shuts out Penguins 5-0, Detroit moves within one win of Stanley Cup
by FrankD on Jun 6, 2009 10:57 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
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PrintHeading into Game 5 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, neither team had registered a win on the road in this series. By the end of this one, that stat would continue to hold true.
What started as a game where Pitt fans hoped for a quick goal to take an early lead eventually segued into Pitt fans hoping the Pens would score a single goal in any way possible to avoid a shutout. It didn't happen.
The Penguins escaped the first period down only 1-0 but the second period would ultimately be their demise. Pitt failed to repeat the second period efforts of Game 4 and instead fell apart at the seams, giving the Red Wings complete control of the game. Early in the second Detroit opened up their lead to two thanks to a goal from Valtteri Filppula. As painful as that was to Pittsburgh, they quickly became their own worst enemy. Much has been said about Detroit's power play unit throughout the 2009 playoffs, most of it negative. Whatever critics and so-called experts may have said was completely put to rest for at least one game when the Wings scored three goals with the man advantage on five chances.
Marc-Andre Fleury had an off night. There no other way of putting it. The first Detroit goal was just about as painful a goal as you'll see. The NBC announcers petitioned that Brooks Orpik screened MAF, but I personally think that was just them being gentle. Fleury had a clear look at the shot and merely flubbed on the save. With five minutes remaining in the second, Dan Byslma's decision to replace Fleury in favor of Mathieu Garon surprised no one.
The Penguins skated into this needing a win if they hoped to parade the Cup around the ice at Mellon Arena. They had the momentum coming off two wins on home ice and failed to capitalize at the Joe, an arena that is obviously not this team's best friend. Now Game 6 takes on a different tone. The Penguins will try to prevent the Red Wings from celebrating their second straight victory in Pittsburgh and force a Game 7 back at Detroit.
One win is all that's keeping the Wings from winning the Cup. It's time for Pitt to focus and use home ice to their advantage in G6.
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I mean, I’ll root for them to do well…but the biggest game of the year and they quit after giving up one goal. And then they take unbelievably bad penalty after penalty…MAF gets the hook, Crosby gets a nice warm seat on the bench after his lazy play in the Wings end…
Seriously, the only comfort I really got out of this game is that Hossa has done absolutely nothing in this series(aside from hit Garon, good job, Hoss). He’ll win his precious Cup and I hope he drops it on his foot.
Hold on man.
This is the way I saw the game, the Penguins chose to save their energy for the next twoo games, just playing overly loose today. I honestly believe the Pens want to win at home and then skate off with the Cup in Detroit for game seven. So I’m not worried at all. Pens in 7!!! Let’s go Pens.
Phillip Bunting
"Stairway To Seven"
by SteelersChatPack on Jun 7, 2009 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm sorry
but I think that’s just stupid. I think the Pens are capable of beating Detroit (I’m a Canes fan by the way). But no team would ever give a game to Detroit. You can’t afford to just lay back with them hoping you will win the next one….especially when the cup goes to Detroit with their next win.
Did you really write that on purpose?
i'm glad you're not the one playing
dude, it’s one thing to give credit to another team when they beat you. it’s another thing to flat out give up.
But if you stop believing now & start buying into this crap about the Red Wings being “unstoppable once they start going” then just give up on sports. I’m sure there’s some PBS fundraising episode you can watch. Yes we canni. We host the Wings in 2 days and I expect home-ice to pay off.
its what i said after game 2 and its applicable to game 6 as well. where do you live? i can help look up the channel PBS is on for you.
I like the Pens at home. I really do. I think that for some reason they decided to take tonight off. They weren’t checking, they weren’t shooting nothing. This looked like the Pens from earlier this year. I doubt Datsuyk coming back did that much for them. I really think it was the entire team just taking the game off. If they play Tuesday like they played today I would be highly disappointed and would just hate to have to wait till next season to see what the overall plan would be.
I’m not sure what happened to them mentally. It looked like as soon as the Wings began to put up a little resistance, they just quit in all phases. They phoned this one in bigtime. Young team, I guess.
young team- yes, but Crosby and Malkin are seasoned players at their young age. This was just a bad game, it happens- they will win in Pittsburgh, and I will get to see that game 7 stanley cup final game that I have been jonesing for the entire playoffs :)
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 6, 2009 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I guess the thing that’s most distressing about the game is that it didn’t feel like they got blown out because the Wings were just that good. They did most of the damage themselves. Did they really think the Wings were just going to lay down for this one after losing two?
Definitely. The wings came out with passion. But, on that note, so will the Pens when it comes back to the Burgh. My biggest question is – does Fleury have what it takes to come back from a tough loss like this, and show up? If he continues to struggle in big games, what should the organization do with him?
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 6, 2009 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions
They just had an “off-game”, nothing else needs to be said about it- BUT I WANT MY GAME 7!!!!!! AND IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!!
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 6, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Don't be down on Fleury.
The Cleary goal was the only one that could be called “soft”… but it did hit Orpik and dip. It was just a quick shot right off a pass that Orpik couldn’t get over in time to get set. I was actually surprised at how quick Cleary shot that. Usually only Hossa does that. The other goals you just can’t fault Fleury on. Filppula’s was essentially one on the goalie. Kronwall’s… I don’t know how the puck eluded the check of three Pens sticks. Rafalski’s no chance at all unless it hits him. He saw nothing. The Zetterberg’s no chance either. Or maybe he just lost it because he wasn’t able to blow off steam in the right corner after the first two goals because that is where the Wings were celebrating. You know goalies and their rituals;)
He has a history of playing monster games after being pulled like that. He doesn’t like people thinking he’s bad, I think.
Both teams will benefit from the two-day layoff. Are the Pens allowed to stay in Detroit and practice at the Joe on Monday?
-David
sixminutecynic.blogspot.com
www.piratesmix.com.
by pascaldupweevil on Jun 7, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions
The Pens will win the cup.
To all the pens fans-
1) Pens were not going to win 4 straight games against the wings- and that is ok.
2) Pens are unstoppable at home
3) Game 7- everything is up in the air- Crosby and Malkin want it- they will fight like you have never seen them fight before in game 7
So- lick your wounds, and get back to the grind stone- ur pens are not out in any way shape or form, they are about to go back home, and when they force a game 7 anything is possible- and very few series have ended with the home team winning each game.
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 6, 2009 11:23 PM EDT reply actions
I am about 85 drinks in right now.
stop by Waving the Wheat (http://wavingthewheat.wordpress.com/) and The College Hockey Blog (http://thecollegehockeyblog.wordpress.com/)
A game 7 – Pittsburgh Caniac I like your optimism. This was hard to watch definitely but I watched the entire thing. I felt like Lloyd Bridges in Airplane! FrankD what do you think really happened? They looked like they had a team flu or something
CGNC- I think it is easier for me to be optimistic about the pens because I am a Canes fan. I know how amazing the pens are, and I am always apprehensive about the Canes playing the Pens, and usually expect a loss for my team- especially at the mellon (or 4 straight in the playoffs). I have to imagine that Detroit feels the same way.
Tough games are tough games- but the pens will be back, and albeit after game 2 I didnt think that they had a chance (I already swallowed my tongue….hence why I type), after game 4 I thought that they would lose one more game, and I called that loss “game 5,” only for the pens to never lose again- and take it successfully through game 7- I am sticking to my guns on that.
I truly believe that your pens are going to win the cup. I think that if you didnt consider the score of this game, you would be happy to take a 3-2 series back to the Burgh, with a chance to even it up on home ice and go cook some octupus in the Joe.
Like I posted earlier- y’all need to lick your wounds and move on- this series is FAR FROM OVER!!! And again I WANT MY DARN GAME 7 IN THE STANLEY CUP FINALS- YA JUST DONT GET ANY BETTER HOCKEY THAN THAT!!!!!!!! GO GAME 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 7, 2009 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions
LOL, ok Coach Bylsma PittsburghCaniac demands a Game 7 so let’s right this ship – LOL! ( I am a diehard fan for the other ’Canes (U of M) and could never call the Carolina Hurricanes the Canes)
Yeah- I always call them the ’Canes- less typing. sorry if I am inter-mixing with your team though. And ya bet ur butt I am calling for a game 7- I WANT MORE HOCKEY BEFORE THIS SEASON IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):)
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 7, 2009 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions
I know- but as a small market team (the Carolina Hurricanes) I understand when other HUGE MARKETS (NHL aside) like Miami, and others etc. wonder why we call them that. Ya’all got precedent on the Canes name- and a crap-load of history. But to me, they are my ’Canes!
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 9, 2009 1:50 AM EDT up reply actions
I think Pittsburgh just looked tired for this one. They wanted to win but didn’t show the energy to get it done, then they just started getting mad. They traded late hits for forechecking, hooking/slashing for backchecking, gave their goaltender zero help after a soft goal…just a very forgettable evening in all.
It was nice to see Garon get some time and not give up any goals. At the very least he can say he played this spring.
Forgettable- Yes. But Detroit is just one hell of an awesome hockey team- there is really no way around it. There should be no shame in this loss, the wings havent won as many cups as they have over the past decade on luck- they are TOUGH! And just think, if the pens werent in this series, and my Canes or some other Eastern Conference team (maybe the exception being Boston) were, you would be watching the NBA Finals right now- cause the series would have been over and the wings names would have already been etched on the cup. This is a fantastic series- and as a hockey fan, I think that game 7 will go down as one of the best (yes, I continue to omit game 6- cause the pens are going to toss some salt on the octupus and watch it melt.)
But the Pens need to get a better handle on their emotions. Pens need to calm down, and play their hockey game the way that they have and been so succesful in doing so during the playoffs. They cannot take cheap penalties in game 6.
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 7, 2009 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
This is going to sound weird
But I thought the Pens were actually playing pretty good. I thought they came out better than the wings did, and controlled the puck better for a lot of the game. But like Malsby just said, they lost it. Late in the first, it looked to me like they were starting to let up on the checking and they just didn’t get any bounces despite some real good scoring chances. Some nights, that’s the way it goes. I don’t think the Pens lacked a game plan here and I wouldn’t change much going back home. I’ll stop there. Malsby pretty much nailed it.
You are totally right. The only reason the game was a blowout was because of the penalties. Otherwise this is a close game again. The Wings always start bad. They usually play the same even keel from start to finish, while teams like the Pens who feed off adrenaline come out flying. As a Wings fan, my friends and I always say the goal for the Wings is just ride out and survive the first ten minutes because the other team always comes out flying. If the Pens score early it’s a totally different game. That is a big key to playing Detroit… score early.
a sane Wings fan?
color me shocked.
I agree though they came out flying and were just totally demoralized by the first goal, and especially the 2nd one. It was almost as if they expected Detroit to just roll over, which is stupid.
stop by Waving the Wheat (http://wavingthewheat.wordpress.com/) and The College Hockey Blog (http://thecollegehockeyblog.wordpress.com/)
Yep
This Wings fan DOES NOT by any means underestimate this Pens team. Last year I was confident enough that I would have bet a large sum of money that the Wings would win the Cup. This year, the Pens are way to good to do something like that. Their defense is much better, especially at home. The same thing will happen next game. The Pens will come out flying and Detroit better watch out and weather the storm again… because it will only be harder in the Igloo. Obviously I’m happy with the outcome, but it’s a 1-0 game without the power plays. (Filppula’s goal was before Kunitz could get back in the play). I don’t like it that they didn’t score more at even strength. I still think this is going to a Game 7, and like someone on here said… anything can happen in Game 7’s.
Fleury
Fleury probably should have stopped that Cleary goal, but it did hit Orpik and dip on him. Other than that…nothing in this game should be blamed on Fleury. The Pens lost their composure after the 3rd goal. That’s unacceptable. Chicago did the same thing in Game 4 against Detroit. If the Pens just kept playing and got 1 goal, then they would have been back in the game. Remember Game 4. All it took for them to get going was the goal by Jordan Staal. Teams like Pittsburgh feed off energy and momentum gained by scoring. Once they get one, they smell blood and worker even harder. They scored 3 straight against the Wings in Game 4, so why not Game 5. Unacceptable 2nd period for the Pens, just like an unacceptable 2nd period for the Wings in Game 4. Sure looks like this is headed for a Game 7, because these teams play very well at home. GO WINGS!
Considering what they’d been through, like the Game 6 in Philly where they were down 3-0 in the 2nd, it was just surprising to see them come so unraveled there.
It’s been a long spring, maybe they just weren’t emotionally or physically dialed-in for this one. I actually thought the lowest point of the game was somewhere near the end of the 2nd down 5-0 when the Pens had an easy icing touch-up and the D-man(was it Letang?) just basically lazed on back toward it and the Wings guy just ran past him and took it. They just looked so disinterested in battling tonight.
wheels didnt fall off- they just need a little oil and they will be back squeaky clean for game 6.
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 7, 2009 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Wow. It has been refreshing to read your commentary. I’m continually happy with the discourse that happens on SBNation sites, whether it be for football or hockey.
I apologize for any detroit jokes you may be reading on any other sites. What’s funny is that against any other team it would be “At least we don’t live in pittsburgh”. Oh well, can’t do anything about the haters.
LETS GO PENS
Don't worry about the haters. Haters only hate.
Bingo
That game four for the Hawks still haunts me. Though we lost game two, I though the momentum was definitely there for us. Going up 3-0 before a mini meltdown in game three was also huge. But, just when they had the chance to push and really contend in game four, they just fell apart and there was really no chance after that. The comparisons for the Pens last night to the Hawks seem accurate to me with the exception that this year I think the Pens played a better defensive game and have just a bit more depth. The Pens showed exactly what is needed to beat the Wings, and for whatever reason, did not seem to have the same intensity last night.
puck did not hit Orpik
went right through his legs from what i saw but otherwise good post
1 more win for back to back on the Pens and a repeat Go Wings!!!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Jun 7, 2009 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Simplify, put this in perspective- the pens only need to win 2 games in a row to win the cup- I can think of 28 other teams (14 playoff teams) that would LOVE to be in your situation right now- taking a 3-2 series back home with a chance to correct it. Someone call up the Bruins, Caps, Devils, Flyers, Hurricanes, Rangers, Candiens, SHARKS (especially), Canucks, Blackhawks, Flames, Blues, Blue Jackets, and the Ducks- they would take your opportunity in a hear beat- and be thrilled.
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 7, 2009 12:48 AM EDT reply actions
still wishing that my Canes were there! (PENS KILLED EM AND SENT THEM TO THE GOLF COURSE FASTER THEN I EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE!!!) Have a good two.
by PittsburghCaniac on Jun 7, 2009 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Man…I was really hoping last night was a bad dream. I laid in bed for about 20 minutes this morning under the covers just groaning.
just an off game by the entire team
Given the start they had to this game, I thought the Penguins had a great chance to steal this one. They were flying and creating pressure at the outset, and for most of the first the Wings looked scared to make a mistake. To me the difference was the 2nd goal; the two teams just went in opposite directions, adrenaline-wise, after that. It woke the Wings up, and the life went out of the Pens’ legs. And, of course, having to kill off so many penalties (sometimes on soft calls by the refs) didn’t help.
While it’s depressing to see them play such a spiritless, lifeless game in such a big moment, perhaps a letdown game was inevitable at some point. Let’s not forget that the Pens played 2 prolonged, emotional series against rival teams in the first two rounds, and had played 4 emotional games in the Final. And let’s also not forget that this was a must-win game for the Red Wings. My guess is that Pittsburgh comes back strong and wins game 6. After that, it’s single-elimination time for both teams, and anything can happen.
People where I live are fond of discussing a baseball team that went down 0-3 in a playoff series after losing game 3 19-8. That team ended up winning that series, and then a championship. Which is all to say, embarrassing losses suck, but this ain’t over yet. Go Pens!
P is for Latrobe.
I am so GD tired...
…of Pierre Mcguire.
“You ok Billy?”
“My team is down 4-0 and you’re taking a break from spewing nonsense to stick your stupid ugly bald-headed face around your little glass protector and ask me if I’m ok? I’m writing an email to NBC, suggesting that they fire your annoying and useless ass.”
-What Bill Guerin should have said.
I wish I could mute the commentary and still hear the sound of the ice and the crowd. That game against the Stars that the Pens won 4-0 i think, I streamed it, and the commentary was in Slovakian. that was nice.
-David
sixminutecynic.blogspot.com
www.piratesmix.com.
That's hilarious.
Yeah I thought that was about the most innapropriate form of sudo-journalism I’ve scene in a long time. Nothing worse than being extremely frustrated and getting asked ridiculous questions by annoying little “twits” (can think of a few better words, but I’m trying to keep it clean), stuck “in the glass” between the two benches. What a Wank!
yea pierre is such a douche
i am waiting for somebody to get thrown into him n KO him
1 more win for back to back on the Pens and a repeat Go Wings!!!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Jun 7, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions
A little late to the party. Some of you know my views regarding possession (and statistics reflecting it).
I think the Pens deserved a better fate in game 5. To me, Detroit didn’t play all that well at even strength this game, especially at the beginning when Pittsburgh was getting quite a few quality chances.
Pittsburgh took a ton of undisciplined penalties (things like the Malkin elbow are why I don’t like Malkin very much) but some of the chintzier penaltiers (Crosby’s slash, the third period “high-stick” that was actually a cross-check) either didn’t need to be called or could have been coincidentals. Special teams won the game for Detroit, but should it have? I’m not sure… maybe Detroit only gets 5 PPs instead of 8, scores 2 instead of 4 PP goals (the 2nd goal was technically at ES but it was, in effect, a PP goal), the Pens get a couple calls in their favor, and the game is more interesting than it was.
There were soft calls and some dives that I saw, but not as much as I saw the Pens just playing lackluster Hockey and taking really bad penalties. They jumped out really hard in the first and I felt good about their chances if they’d have kept up that level of play. Then Cleary scores and the Pens started to look pouty. They looked like sad victims and with each goal they looked lazier and lazier. Quite a Parallel to Chicago’s Game 4(right?) against Detroit, childish and unprofessional, and the Wings, to their credit, made them pay for it.
-David
sixminutecynic.blogspot.com
www.piratesmix.com.
by pascaldupweevil on Jun 7, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions
I definitely thought Detroit was diving quite a bit out there. The slash call on Datsuk was very similar to 90% of the penalties that Caps took against the Pens. Also Crosby’s slash on Zetterberg was a bit of a dive on Zetterberg’s behalf. Legitimate call that might not have been made if Zetterberg hadn’t dropped. All of this is hard for me to say being a Caps fan, but I calls it how I sees it.
That said, Kunitz’s roughing should have been a misconduct at the least. It was childish, bully-ish and just plain cheap and stupid.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
I turned in a bit late, it looked like a tap on the stick followed by a drop. I stand corrected if I’m wrong.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
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