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Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger •
First of all, I must offer congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings. They are and were an amazing team in this final and the Penguins just couldn't keep up with them, especially early in the series. Once the Wings swept the first two games at home, the Penguins just couldn't rebound.
The evening was very bittersweet, as watching the Penguins lose the Stanley Cup on home ice was very tough. However, seeing the Cup presentation in person is something I will never forget. I am sure that the Penguins will never forget it either and the memory will be used as motivation in future cup runs. The ghosts of hearing Gary Bettman say, "Nick Lidstrom, come get the Stanley Cup and bring it back to Hockeytown" will be burned into each players subconscious until they get their opportunity to raise Lord Stanley's Cup.
The magic of game five seemed to carry over for a while during the first period, as the Penguins were flying and generating opportunities. Unfortunately, all of that changed when Darryl Sydor was whistled for interference at the 4:17 mark. The Red Wings got a goal from Brian Rafalski during that power play and never looked back, though the Penguins came close to tying things up during the final minute of regulation for the second game in a row.
The Penguins didn't receive a particularly great game from Marc Andre Fleury. I am not saying that he lost this one for the boys, but he certainly wasn't gong to steal it for them. Fleury was a top performer for the bulk of the playoffs, but he seemed to allow some goals of the softer variety, especially through the five hole.
Gonchar and Malone were not the only players who took the ice with significant injuries.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were each hobbled a bit. Crosby was skating on a bad groin and the crushing hit from Brad Stuart during the first period aggravated a rib injury he had nursing. You could see Crosby alter his game from that point on, mainly because he didn't seem to have full range of motion. His shifts were shorted and his wasn't able to shoot much. Word was that Evgeni Malkin was battling the flu during the early stages of the series and was feeling the lingering effects of it throughout. He did step up his game this evening, notching 2 pts (1G1A), but it was too little too late.
Sidney Crosby had a great series, injured or not. Actually, his performance is even more impressive when you consider that he was playing while injured. The Kid is a big time winner, who is all heart and soul. He will get his chance to return to the Stanley Cup Final. I still say that it isn't a matter of if, but when he will win a Stanley Cup.
Though the Penguins were playing from behind most of the game, the team we dubbed the cardiac kids earlier in the season, lived up to that billing again tonight. As time started to run short, the Flightless Birds started to fly. They cut the Detroit lead to 3-2 on a late power play goal by Marian Hossa, which left them with roughly 1:23 to fight for the tying goal. The opportunity did present itself with Fleury off in favor of an extra attacker. Crosby took a feed from Malkin and launched his patented backhand laser at the net. Chris Osgood got a piece of the puck and it deflected to his left and Marian Hossa whacked the rebound over Osgood and along the goal line as time expired.
The entire post game presentation was surreal. As I said above, it was very amazing to see everything in person, but it was hard to watch the Penguins come up on the wrong side. All of the Penguins gathered in a group after the ceremonial handshake and saluted the Mellon Arena crowd with sticks raised. The fans were just as gracious, as they showered the Penguins with "Let's Go Pens" and "Fleury" chants the moment the final buzzer sounded.
The final game of the season tends to be a tough one as it is, but this one was worse because there are a pretty big number of guys who could have skated off of Mellon Arena ice for the last time as Penguins.
You got the impression that Ryan Malone feels like he will be gone next season, the same can be said for Brooks Orpik. Each seemed very pained after the game...especially Malone. The Pittsburgh Kid put it all on the line during this series and his career year ensures that it will not be easy to keep him.
I heard through a colleague that Pascal Dupuis said he will do what it takes to stay in town. The forward who was acquired at the trade deadline said that he "loves it here."
Several of the boys shaved their playoffs beards down to mustaches, others were clean shaven. Of those who went the mustache route, many were of the cool cowboy/1970's variety.
Do not hang your heads Penguin Nation...this season can be considered nothing but an amazing success. Though the Penguins came up two wins short of the ultimate goal, no one expected them to make it this far in light of all the injuries that the ran into this year. They steamrolled through the Eastern Conference showing that they are one of the top echelon teams in the league and the experience gained in losing the final is invaluable. To a man, none of these guys want to feel this pain again. They now got a taste and it will be like a drug in bringing them back for more...the difference is that they will know what it takes to climb those final two steps...
More tomorrow...
The evening was very bittersweet, as watching the Penguins lose the Stanley Cup on home ice was very tough. However, seeing the Cup presentation in person is something I will never forget. I am sure that the Penguins will never forget it either and the memory will be used as motivation in future cup runs. The ghosts of hearing Gary Bettman say, "Nick Lidstrom, come get the Stanley Cup and bring it back to Hockeytown" will be burned into each players subconscious until they get their opportunity to raise Lord Stanley's Cup.
The magic of game five seemed to carry over for a while during the first period, as the Penguins were flying and generating opportunities. Unfortunately, all of that changed when Darryl Sydor was whistled for interference at the 4:17 mark. The Red Wings got a goal from Brian Rafalski during that power play and never looked back, though the Penguins came close to tying things up during the final minute of regulation for the second game in a row.
The Penguins didn't receive a particularly great game from Marc Andre Fleury. I am not saying that he lost this one for the boys, but he certainly wasn't gong to steal it for them. Fleury was a top performer for the bulk of the playoffs, but he seemed to allow some goals of the softer variety, especially through the five hole.
Gonchar and Malone were not the only players who took the ice with significant injuries.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were each hobbled a bit. Crosby was skating on a bad groin and the crushing hit from Brad Stuart during the first period aggravated a rib injury he had nursing. You could see Crosby alter his game from that point on, mainly because he didn't seem to have full range of motion. His shifts were shorted and his wasn't able to shoot much. Word was that Evgeni Malkin was battling the flu during the early stages of the series and was feeling the lingering effects of it throughout. He did step up his game this evening, notching 2 pts (1G1A), but it was too little too late.
Sidney Crosby had a great series, injured or not. Actually, his performance is even more impressive when you consider that he was playing while injured. The Kid is a big time winner, who is all heart and soul. He will get his chance to return to the Stanley Cup Final. I still say that it isn't a matter of if, but when he will win a Stanley Cup.
Though the Penguins were playing from behind most of the game, the team we dubbed the cardiac kids earlier in the season, lived up to that billing again tonight. As time started to run short, the Flightless Birds started to fly. They cut the Detroit lead to 3-2 on a late power play goal by Marian Hossa, which left them with roughly 1:23 to fight for the tying goal. The opportunity did present itself with Fleury off in favor of an extra attacker. Crosby took a feed from Malkin and launched his patented backhand laser at the net. Chris Osgood got a piece of the puck and it deflected to his left and Marian Hossa whacked the rebound over Osgood and along the goal line as time expired.
The entire post game presentation was surreal. As I said above, it was very amazing to see everything in person, but it was hard to watch the Penguins come up on the wrong side. All of the Penguins gathered in a group after the ceremonial handshake and saluted the Mellon Arena crowd with sticks raised. The fans were just as gracious, as they showered the Penguins with "Let's Go Pens" and "Fleury" chants the moment the final buzzer sounded.
The final game of the season tends to be a tough one as it is, but this one was worse because there are a pretty big number of guys who could have skated off of Mellon Arena ice for the last time as Penguins.
You got the impression that Ryan Malone feels like he will be gone next season, the same can be said for Brooks Orpik. Each seemed very pained after the game...especially Malone. The Pittsburgh Kid put it all on the line during this series and his career year ensures that it will not be easy to keep him.
I heard through a colleague that Pascal Dupuis said he will do what it takes to stay in town. The forward who was acquired at the trade deadline said that he "loves it here."
Several of the boys shaved their playoffs beards down to mustaches, others were clean shaven. Of those who went the mustache route, many were of the cool cowboy/1970's variety.
Do not hang your heads Penguin Nation...this season can be considered nothing but an amazing success. Though the Penguins came up two wins short of the ultimate goal, no one expected them to make it this far in light of all the injuries that the ran into this year. They steamrolled through the Eastern Conference showing that they are one of the top echelon teams in the league and the experience gained in losing the final is invaluable. To a man, none of these guys want to feel this pain again. They now got a taste and it will be like a drug in bringing them back for more...the difference is that they will know what it takes to climb those final two steps...
More tomorrow...
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