Red Wings

Final Pittsburgh flurry notwithstanding, for Canadiens fans the last game of the 2007-'08 hockey season was déja vu all over again.

From nhl.com

The best team in hockey won the Stanley Cup.

The gutsiest team in hockey made it close.

And Pittsburgh, battling back from a 3-1 deficit late in the third period, came within inches of sending Game 6 into OT.

So a series that started slowly turned into a classic. And the skill of both teams produced some beautiful hockey.

Henrik Zetterberg – the best two-way player in hockey – won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

The whole series was a triumph for smart, clean, thinking-person's hockey. 

More from nhl.com

At least for Game 6 tomorrow night, the Penguins have an edge.

Actually, two edges.

From nhl.com:

From nhl.com:

THE SKINNY

Jordan Staal wins a face-off against Dallas Drake in a pre-season game played at Joe Louis Arena on September 21, 2007. Wings win West | Pens win East

Both
these teams managed to finish at or near the top of the NHL standings
in 2007-08 despite injuries to key players. Detroit hit some bumps in
the road during the second half of the season without captain Nicklas Lidstrom and offensive defenseman Brian Rafalski, while Pittsburgh played a large chunk of its season without captain Sidney Crosby and No. 1 goalie Marc-Andre Fleury due to ankle injuries.

Several weeks into the playoff journey, two hockey-crazed cities will
duke it out through the two weeks to determine who will be the 2008
Stanley Cup champion. As a hockey fan, you truly couldn't ask for much
more than this.

Truth be told, this series pits Goliath vs. Goliath. Both teams possess superstar forwards, as Crosby is joined by Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa. On the opposite side of the ice, the Red Wings counter with phenomenal two-way forwards Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk,
who combined for 189 points during the regular season and are finalists
for the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward.

Both teams have also dominated their opponents in the postseason. The
Penguins stormed through the first three rounds, going undefeated at
Mellon Arena en route to a 12-2 record. They took a 3-0 series lead on
the Philadelphia Flyers
in the Eastern Conference Finals, lost Game 4 and then eliminated any
doubt with a 6-0 drubbing of their in-state rivals on home ice in Game
5 to advance to the final round.

Detroit also took a 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals before dropping Games 4 and 5 to the Dallas Stars
-- their first two losses after a franchise-record nine-game winning
streak. But just like Pittsburgh, the Wings enjoyed a convincing win in
the clincher, coasting past the Stars 4-1 in Game 6 at Dallas' American
Airlines Center.

CRYSTAL BALL

Detroit will win if -- The
Red Wings skate with the Penguins. Unlike previous rounds, the
Penguins' skill level won't be miles ahead of their opponent. Detroit
must enter the series believing it can go toe-to-toe with Pittsburgh
and get the proper matchups against Crosby and Malkin, who will do
everything they can to keep goalie Chris Osgood busy. Detroit could help itself by finding a way to win at Mellon Arena -- something Ottawa, the New York Rangers
and Philadelphia were unable to accomplish in the first three rounds of
the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While the Red Wings have home-ice advantage
in this series, they'd certainly do themselves a service by picking up
a win or two in the Steel City.

Detroit will also be counting on All-Star netminder Chris Osgood – who replaced Dominik Hasek
as the go-to guy in the middle of Round 1 – to continue his solid play.
The 35-year-old allowed just nine goals in four games against Colorado.

Pittsburgh will win if -- Jordan Staal
continues to play an offensive role, which would take some pressure off
the shoulders of Crosby and Malkin. While Staal only scored 12 goals
during the regular season, the 19-year-old center has picked up his
offensive game considerably in the playoffs with six goals in 14 games.

Also, Marc-Andre Fleury
-- who has a 1.70 goals-against average this postseason -- must be as
reliable as he's been through the first three rounds. Fleury made a
couple of huge saves against the Flyers early in Game 5 before the
Penguins pulled away. Pittsburgh has clearly fed off the momentum its
goaltender has provided. Fleury has three shutouts this postseason.

SERIES SCHEDULE

Game 1: - May 24 @ Detroit 8 p.m. ET, VERSUS, CBC, RDS Game 2: May 26 @ Detroit 8 p.m. ET, VERSUS, CBC, RDS Game 3: May 28 @ Pittsburgh 8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS Game 4: May 31 @ Pittsburgh 8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS *Game 5: June 2 @ Detroit 8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS *Game 6: June 4 @ Pittsburgh 8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS *Game 7: June 7 @ Detroit 8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS * if necessary

FAST FACTS

Lidstrom * Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, who has played at least 15 playoff games in seven different playoff seasons, surpassed Steve Yzerman's franchise playoff record of 196 postseason games this season. * Detroit goalie Chris Osgood, who was 9-0 before losing Game 4 to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals, allowed more than two goals just twice during that winning streak. * Detroit defenseman Brian Rafalski, who played in the Stanley Cup Final three times with the New Jersey Devils, has been a minus player in just two of eight playoff seasons. Crosby * Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, who leads the team with 11 power-play points, is just third in average ice time among Penguins' forwards with 19:44 per game. * Penguins left wing Ryan Malone, who averaged 1.79 hits per game during the regular season, is averaging 4.43 hits per game in the Playoffs and is tied for the team lead with 62 in 14 postseason games. * Pittsburgh, which before this season had not won a playoff round since 2001, has allowed an average of just 1.86 goals against in this year's Playoffs.

X FACTORS Franzen Johan Franzen – Whether "The Mule" will be able to play remains to be seen, as concussion-like symptoms have forced him to miss the past five games. Should the 6-foot-3, 220-pound forward be cleared, he must make his presence felt in front of Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Franzen had 12 goals in 11 games before being forced to sit. Staal Jordan Staal – With so many players to choose from -- goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Hal Gill -- Pittsburgh's best defensive forward still stands out. He leads the Pens' forwards in shorthanded minutes and centers the third line, which has proven to be a checking unit that can score. Staal alone has scored three goals in the past two games.

After 110 minutes of hockey, Petr Sykora sends the series back to Pittsburgh for Game 6.

Man of the Match: Marc-André Fleury, a Patrick Royesque 58 saves as Detroit had about a dozen chances to win the Cup.

 Some numbers from nhl.com for stats geeks to pore over while aiting for the puck to drop tonight:

Pertinent numbers from Detroit's 2-1 victory over Pittsburgh in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final Saturday night.

0 - Points by Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin
in the first four games of the series. Overall, he's had just two
points in his last eight games after getting 17 in his first 10. His
team-high five shots in Game 4 were one more than he managed in the
first three games combined.

1 - Games lost by Pittsburgh
in the playoffs when scoring first. The Penguins had been 11-0 when
scoring the first goal during the postseason.

1:26 -
Amount of time on Pittsburgh's two-man advantage in the third period.
It was the first 5-on-3 power play in the series. The Penguins couldn't
score.

2 - Seconds after Pascal Dupuis' penalty expired that Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom scored the Red Wings' first goal. Officially, the Wings were 0-for-3 on the power play and are 2-for-22 in the series.

3 - Penalties drawn by Pittsburgh's Adam Hall, who generated half of the Penguins' six power plays despite getting only 10:28 of ice time.

5
- One-goal victories for Detroit in the playoffs. The Wings are 5-3 in
one-goal games; Pittsburgh lost for the first time in four games that
were decided by a single goal.

6 - Goals scored in the
third period by the Red Wings in the first four games of the Stanley
Cup Final, compared to just one for the Penguins. Pittsburgh had
outscored its opponents 20-7 in the first three rounds of the playoffs.

7 - Hits credited to Detroit defenseman Brad Stuart, the most by any player on either side and 20 percent of the Wings' team total of 35, two more than Pittsburgh.

RED WINGS lead series 3-1 Sat May 24: Red Wings 4, Penguins 0 Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery Mon May 26: Red Wings 3, Penguins 0 Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery Wed May 28: Penguins 3, Red Wings 2 Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery Sat May 31: Red Wings 2, Penguins 1 Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery   Mon June 2: Penguins @ Red Wings 8:00pm ET - NBC, CBC, RDS *Wed June 4: Red Wings @ Penguins 8:00pm ET - NBC, CBC, RDS *Sat June 7: Penguins @ Red Wings 8:00pm ET - NBC, CBC, RDS * if necessary

d

8 - Consecutive Game 4s lost
at home by the Penguins. Pittsburgh's last Game 4 win at Mellon Arena
came when the Penguins beat Philadelphia in 1997 to stave off
elimination in a first-round series.

10 - Goals by Pittsburgh's Marian Hossa, who took the team lead when he scored a power-play goal in the first period.

11 - Power-play goals allowed by the Red Wings in this year's playoffs, including one each in Games 3 and 4 of the Final.

12
- Number of Pittsburgh players who blocked at least one shot. In all,
the Penguins blocked 21 shot attempts by the Red Wings, with Ryan Whitney, Brooks Orpik and Sergei Gonchar blocking three apiece.

15 - Faceoffs won by Sidney Crosby,
in 24 tries. His performance in the faceoff circle was a big reason the
Penguins won 32 faceoffs to just 22 for the Red Wings, the first time
they've topped 50 percent in this series.

17 -
Pittsburgh's winning streak at Mellon Arena before Saturday's loss to
the Red Wings. The Penguins hadn't lost at home since Feb. 24, when San
Jose won 2-1 in a shootout. They hadn't lost in regulation since
Boston's 2-1 win on Feb. 13.

18 - Times in 20 playoff
games that the Red Wings have out-shot their opponents, including all
four games of the Stanley Cup Final. They are 14-4 in those games.

19 - Marc-Andre Fleury's
winning streak at home, which ended with Saturday night's 2-1 loss to
Detroit. He hadn't lost since Nov. 21, when New Jersey won 2-1.

24 - Points in the playoffs by Crosby, the most of any player in this year's playoffs, after his assist on Marian Hossa's first-period goal. His 18 assists are also tops among all players.

28:23 - Ice time for Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, the most of any player on either team and well above his playoff-leading average of 25:50. Sergei Gonchar led the Penguins for the fourth consecutive game with 26:16.

30
- Shots on goal by the Red Wings, the fewest they've had in this
series. They reached the 30-shot mark for the 17th time in 20 playoff
games this year.

46.2 - Faceoff winning percentage of Detroit's Kris Draper, who was 6-for-13. He came into the game leading all players in the playoffs with a 64.3 percentage on draws.

65
- Shots at goal by the Red Wings, who had 30 on goal, 21 blocked and 14
that missed the net. Pittsburgh had 23 shots on goal, but only 42 at Chris Osgood - 10 were blocked and nine missed the target.

The game ends with Crosby jawing at Henrik Zetterberg.

For all the good it will do him.

Jiri Hudler scored the winner in a tense 2-1 game. The Red Wings have a 3-1 lead going home, and there's every chance this series will end Monday night at the Joe.

Turning point: Detroit killed off a 5-on-3 disadvantage in the third period. Pittsburgh managed but one shot.

The Penguins had 23 in the game to 30 for the Red Wings, who have had a shot edge in all four games. 

Number one star was the great Z, whose defensive play was superb ... and frustrating for Sid the Kid.

Who would have picked Adam Hall to score the winner?

It was that kind of game: unpredictable. Sidney Crosby scored twice and played his heart out as Pittsburgh clawed its way back into the Stanley Cup final. 

Detroit did not go quietly. Trailing all  night, the Red Wings got goals from Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson to keep it close. 

Marc-André Fleury stood on his head – especially in the third period, when Detroit outshot the Penguins 16-5.

So, maybe this will turn into a classic final after all. 

It's not a must-win for Pittsburgh.

Game 2 is, however, a must-not-play-like-crap for the Penguins, who were pathetic over the last 40 minutes of Game 1.

Nicklas Lidstrom was not a dominant force for Detroit in the opener. Henrik Zetterberg scored the Wings' fourth goal, but the top line didn't carry the offensive load.

And still they romped.

The key was puck possession. Through the second and third periods, the Wings constantly had the biscuit – which means the Penguins didn't.

When you're losing faceoffs and chasing the puck all night, fatigue becomes a factor. And regardless of young legs and star power, you don't want to be tired against a team like Detroit.

The first goal of the series was a classic example. Coming off a shift by the Valtteri Filppula line during thwich the puck didn't leave the Pittsburgh zone, Mikael Samuelsson was able to accelerate and cash a wraparound against Penguins who were totally gassed (an unfortunate metaphor, with connotations of the Nazis conquering Antarctica).

All by way of saying the Penguins will have to be a lot better tonight. A second stomping and they're toast.

Check back later for live blogging. 

Detroit started slowly, but when they hit their stride, in the second period, Game 1 turned into a laugher.

The Penguins had 12 shots in the first period, four in the second and three in the third.

Detroit had 36 shots on goal, another 15 blocked and 17 misses. That's 68 pucs buzzing in the enera direction of Marc-André Fleury, who couldn't be blamed for any of the four goals he surrendered.

So the series favourites draw first blood.

And Michel Therrien has some serious Xs ad Os to draw up for Game 2.

•  •  •

When Scott Oake asked Mikael Samuelsson what message the Detroit win had sent Pittsburgh, the game's first star said:

"The message? Whatever. We're a good team. That's the message."

And it came through loud and clear. 

Just to refresh your memory, hockey is a game played on ice, six to a side. The object is to propel a small disc of vulcanized rubber, called a puck, into ...

Is it all coming back to you now?

To ensure that a maximum number of Canadians – none of whom have any dogs in this fight – hear the dulcet tones of Bob Cole on the maximum possible number of Saturday nights, the National Hockey League had its two best teams, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins, cool their skate blades for almost a week.

I'm not expecting a great first period tonight.

But once the players find their legs, this has the potential to be the best Stanley Cup final in years.

I can't remember a series featuring this many bona-fide superstars: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marian Hossa, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom.

As befits their superbly skilled rosters, both teams play up-tempo, positive hockey. At no time during this series will we think we're watching New Jersey vs. Florida. 

Nor is it llikely to resemble Anaheim-Philadelphia. The absence of thuggery will be profoundly disappointing for Don Cherry, but the rest of us will enjoy hockey the way it should be played. 

And it's an 8 p.m. start, just like in the good old days when you didn't have to rush dinner to see the game.

Dine at leisure, pop a cold one and settle into a comfortable seat.

This is going to be fun. 

Three more sleeps until the Stanley Cup final begins.

Ridiculous, as Cam Cole writes. The most eagerly anticipated final in years, matching the two best teams in the NHL, is almost guaranteed to get off to a stumbling start on Saturday.

The Penguins and Wings will have to shake off the effects of long layoffs. I'm not expecting a great first period.

While waiting for the puck to drop, you can read Michael Farber's characteristically brilliant analysis of the March of the Penguins and Mathias Brunet's look at the positional matchups.

My knee-jerk reaction, after watching Detroit easily eliminate Dallas, was to pick the Wings in six.

Now I'm second-guessing myself. The availability of Johan Franzen is a concern for Detroit, and Marc-André Fleury is capable of outplaying Chris Osgood. Jordan Staal had a great series against Philadelphia. And if the seriess turns into a street fight, Pittsburgh has the tougher warriors.

I'm still inclined yo go with the more experienced team that's won the more competitive conference. But it could be a great final ... once they get around to starting it.

Victoria/Patriotes Day is overcast, chilly and damp in  Montreal.

Hockey weather.

Alas, no hockey .... except on TV tonight.

Hands up everyone who thought this series would go to a sixth game.

You have to hand it to Dave Tippett for rallying his troops. Playing without Stu Barnes and Jere Lehtinen, Dallas has been full value for the two games it's won since falling behind 3-0 in this series.

And props to Marty Turco. He ranked as the best goaltender in the Final Four, and Turco has played that way to key the Stars' resurgence.

He's even won a game in Detroit.

And Turco will get a chance to win anoher one at the Joe if the Stars hold serve at home tonight.

Should be a good one. 

Afternoon hockey sucks ... especially when your team isn't playing.

It's an absolutely glorious sunny Saturday morning in Montreal. Forecast calls for clouding over this afternoon, which I'm hoping for so I don't feel like as much of a loser sitting in my basement at 1:30 p.m. watching Detroit and Dallas.

And I hope the weather here is wretched for tomorrow afternoon's doubleheader: Canada-Russia, followed by Philly-Pittsburgh.

I like the Wings to close it out today. They don't want to go back to Dallas, and Marty Turco can't win at the Joe.

Unlike the Penguins, who rolled over in Philadelphia Thursday night, Detroit played hard in Game 4. And if the refs hadn't blown the call on the Datsyuk goal, who knows?

The second period produced some of the best hockey I've seen in the playoffs. Maybe there will be more today.

Will Dallas win one game, just for pride?

REALLY hard to think about hockey today in Montreal. It's hot, temperature in the mid-20s. All the beautiful people are out preening downtown. You don't see many Canadiens' car flags.

• • •

Just for laughs: In the country where someone will win the Stanley Cup, this guy is regarded as a serious political commentator.

•  •  •

Vancouver front office gets a good man:

Scott Mellaby – very smart guy. I hoped CBC would hire him as their primary analyst, but they're determined to turn P.J. Stock into the next Don Cherry. 

Even though I've never been there, I  don't like the city of Dallas.

This admittedly unreasonable antipathy is based on events that transpired in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. I was an impressionable 10th-grader, and it stuck with me.

The assassination of Robert Kennedy may have been the greater tragedy, but I harbour no enduring ill feelings about  Los Angeles. Maybe it was those Dallas cops in white Stetsons, escorting Oswald out to  a venue where Ruby could shoot him.

But enough about politics. 

I don't like the Dallas Cowboys.

I don't like the Dallas Mavericks.

I respect Brenden Morrow, Marty Turco and Sergei Zubov, but I don't like the Dallas Stars.

I want Detroit to win this series and take their dazzling skills to the Stanley Cup final.

I also wanted the Canadiens to beat Philadelphia. And as someone – either St. Thomas Aquinas or Mick Jagger – observed, you can't always get what you want.

But if you tune in TSN (yay!) at 8 tonight, you might get what you need: a decent Game 3 in the Western Conference final. 

What I'll do through the Canadiens-less – boo-hoo-hoo! – remaining playoff rounds is create a venting post for each game.

I think both series have the potential to produce some great hockey.

A Pittsburgh-Detroit final would be a terrific clash of skills, and that's the matchup I'm predicting.

On the other hand, marty Turco is the best goalie still standing and Brenden Morrow is Studus Maximus.

As for the Flyers .... well, the last two teams that eliminated the Habs went on to win the Cup. But I can't see Martin Biron baffling Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Staal et al.

Legends of the NHL's Original Six era – Detroit's Gordie Howe (left) and Canadiens' Jean Béliveau – take part in tonight's ceremonial opening faceoff.
Pierre Obendrauf, Gazette

Lineups | Preview | Game Story | Game Summary | Event Summary | Boxscore | Boone's Blog

The result wasn't entirely unpredictable: the Detroit Red Wings, the best team in the NHL this season, in Montreal to play the slumping, confidence-challenged Canadiens. The 4-1 final score for the visitors might have been a little flattering to the free-falling Habs.

Montreal, now 13-10-4, lost its fifth game in the past six, and third in a row. Detroit, 19-6-2, won its fourth consecutive.

That the Canadiens' vaunted power play went 0-for-5 was only part of the problem. The Red Wings got off to a first-period lead, had the Canadiens come back with a pretty backhand goal by Christopher Higgins in the second, then scored three straight, two in the second and another in the third to send the Bell Centre's growingly unfaithful into an unhappy night.

Mike Babcock could have worn a Concordia tie.

The Detroit coach didn't need his lucky McGill neckwear as the Red Wings ran a hockey clinic and stomped the Canadiens 4-1.

The game wasn't as close as the score would suggest.

Shots were 34-16, and the boos to cheers ratio at the Bell Centre was 21,273-0.

When it was over, the great ageless warrior Chris Chelios, chosen the game's third star, stood at centre ice and waved as the crowd cheered. It was probably Chelios's last game at the Bell Centre ... until the Stanely Cup final.

Right.

"We can hear it," Christopher Higgins said of the booing, which reached a crescendo in the third period. "Guys get down. It affects us, makes it tougher to play.

"But that's this city. They expect the best."

Coach Guy Carbonneau wondered why his team could not get pumped up "with 21,000 people screaming and behind us every game.

"We have 41 home games and the fans want uis to win all 41 of them," the coach added. "We made a lot of errors tonight. They had every reason to boo."  

Then the coach did a little booing of his own.

When asked if Andrei Markov were injured, Carbonneau suggested "maybe he sees himself at the All-Star game too quick.

"He should be our best defenceman, and right now he's not."

Carey Price?

"We need goaltending that's better than what we're getting,"  said Carbonneau. 

And they saw the best – albeit in visitors' jerseys.

Patrice Brisebois said there are highs and lows in a hockey season and the key is "making sure the lows are not too low."

Noting that the early-season Ottawa Senators were compared to the great 1976 Canadiens and "they've lost seven in a row", Brisebois said "we know we have a good team. It's important to have self-confidence but also confidence in each other."

"We haven't played our best," said Saku Koivu. "I'd like to turn the page. We can't get these games back, and we have a lot of games to play."

Verdun, Que., singer and songwriter Bob Davies presents Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe with a 78 rpm demo copy of Gordie Howe (Is The Greatest Of Them All) in Howe's Montreal hotel room in early 1963.
Courtesy Bob Davies

Whether Detroit Red Wings Hall of Famer Gordie Howe was the greatest of them all, regardless of the record book, might forever be debated by hockey fans. But in the spring of 1963, when Howe was celebrated in a hit song by Verdun, Que., native Bob Davies, there was no doubt.

On tonight, the man they call Mr. Hockey will be joined by a handful of other Red Wings legends at the Bell Centre when the Canadiens pay tribute to one of their Original Six rivals as part of the Habs' ongoing celebrations leading to their 2009 centennial.

In Stouffville, Ont., just outside of Toronto, 70-year-old Bob Davies will be thinking warmly of Gordie Howe – both the superstar, 79, and the song, 44.

Dave Stubbs spoke with Davies and Howe about the first song ever recorded about a hockey player – it helped define Davies's career and it embarrassed Gordie, though clearly he remains delighted by it to this day. You'll find the feature story here.

Davies would also write hockey tributes to the Canadiens' Jean (John) Béliveau and Chicago's Bobby Hull. And with his kind permission, those songs, and others, are available to Inside/Out readers below for listening or free download.

If you go by the alignments at an early-afternoon practice in Verdun today, it's Saku Koivu centring Christopher Higgins and Mark Streit, Tomas Plekanec and Alex Kovalev reunited with Andrei Kostitsyn, Kyle Chipchura, Guillaume Latendresse and either Tom Kostopoulos or Michael Ryder and Bryan Smolinski between Mathieu Dandenault and Steve Bégin.

Tuesday's Canadiens-Detroit Red Wings game will be preceded by a tribute to the 81-year rivalry between the two Original Six clubs.

The Red Wings are expected to be represented by legends Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio, Marcel Pronovost and Marcel Dionne. The Canadiens are expected to have icons Jean Béliveau and Dickie Moore taking part, with Jean-Guy Talbot, Stéphane Richer and Claude Lemieux.

For those attending the game: note that the on-ice ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m., an hour before the opening faceoff.