Game 3 Recap: Penguins Win, 3-2 -- Detroit's Series Lead Reduced to 2-1

When in doubt, look to your Captain.

With the Penguins down in the Stanley Cup Final 2 games to none to Detroit last night and facing a near-must win in game 3 at home, their still baby-faced, 20-year old, first-year Captain showed a national audience that he wasn't going to let his team go meekly into the series' night, scoring the first two goals and leading the Penguins to a 3-2 win.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a series.

If there is any praise Crosby doesn't deserve with his performance last night, I can't think of it. He was electric on the ice. Although he played well in the first two games of the series, he took his game up to another level in game 3 when his team needed it most -- something that all great leader's in this game's history, including his landlord and team owner, Mario Lemieux, have done. He was sharper and crisper out there on the ice. He deked and skated with authority and even more purpose than usual, and I noticed it every time he broke into the Red Wings' zone.

Sure, both goals Crosby scored were not things of beauty, but it was the fact that he scored them -- especially the first one to get his team off the 100+ minute shutout streak they had been on -- that meant everything. Once they got the first one, the floodgates to their offense opened a little.


When Crosby first scored, I thought of 2 scenes from Rocky. The first, from Rocky III was when Stallone knocked down Mr. T for the first time in their rematch and both Appollo Creed and Talia Shire stand up triumphantly (and simultaneously, but in different screen shots) because that was the first time Mr. T was knocked down .

The second, from Rocky IV was when Tony Burton made famous the following line when Ivan Drago was cut:

"You see .... you see ... he's not a machine ... he's a man!!!!"

That's what I felt like last night. I imagine that some of the Penguins felt that way too, because once that first one went in, they dominated a lot of the rest of the game, the Red Wings 16-5 shot advantage in the 3rd period notwithstanding.

I have to credit Penguins coach Michel Therrein for putting Malkin on Crosby's wing for a good part of the game. Maybe he read my post yesterday, suggesting he should do that if they wanted to win?? Ha.

Seriously, although he didn't score, Malkin looked energized and played his best game in weeks. I'm sure playing at home helped, but he was everywhere out there. Hossa also played well. The Penguins just had more room to skate overall. They also were more physical than Detroit, and that contributed to the Red Wings turning the puck over.

Other guys that really stood out on the ice were Brooks Orpik and Gary Roberts. Orpik knocked down not one, not two, not three, but FOUR Red Wing players in the Penguins' zone in about 15 seconds on 1 shift in the 3rd period. He was menacing. Gary Roberts also was extremely physical, and it was his hit on Red Wings Defenseman Lilja that caused a turnover which led to the game winning goal off the backside of Detroit goalie Chris Osgood by 4th liner Adam Hall.

Fleury played better in this game, too, although the goal by Detroit winger Mikael Samuelsson from the far boards in the 3rd period was one he should have had. That goal made it interesting, for sure. But Fleury deserves credit for keeping the Penguins in the game at the outset when they started slow despite the raucous home crowd, and for making big saves at several points during the game.

I think the Penguins just wanted this game more. They played with heart. They played with desire. They played with intensity. They played with desperation. Frankly, Detroit could have gotten beat by 3 or 4 in this game. Remember, Hossa and Crosby hit posts, Osgood just stopped a shot by Penguins winger Pascal Dupuis before it crossed the goal line, and Hossa missed a golden open net with 1 second left in the 1st period -- and all that without any meaningful power play time. Therrein did a good job of mixing up his lines and creating some mismatches out there. The Red Wings 3rd defense pairing of Lebda and Lilja looked out of synch more often than not.

For as good as the Penguins played, they are going to have to maintain their intensity level and even improve their play for game 4. Red Wings guns Henrik Zetterburg and Pavel Datsyuk were quiet in game 3 and, for the most part, have been all series. One could argue they are due, although I'm beginning to wonder if Datsyuk is beginning to wear down. Other than a few good hits, he hasn't had a big impact in the Finals so far. Some credit has to go to Crosby and company -- who have been matched up against them most of the time -- for negating that.

In general, the Penguins have to expect the Red Wings to come with a better effort Saturday night. If they are able to win game 4, the Penguins will go back to Detroit with a tied series and some pressure on the Red Wings to continue holding serve at home. If Detroit comes back and wins game 4, the Penguins game 3 win will be mostly meaningless. More and more is at stake with each passing game.

I don't know if I can handle it. But I'll manage as long as the Penguins do ....