Deep in the Hole - No Goals for Pens

1) As we wrote this morning its Men-vs-boys here. Detroit is just plain better right now. W can see Pitt right back here in the near future, but too many of their big guns(Crosby/Malkin/Staal, etc) are not mature enough yet.
2) This is one instance where the goalies are NOT the difference. Despite the SO’s, Osgood has not been the difference maker. Would be amazing to see a team get SO 4 times and not have the goalie win the MVP, but if games 3,4 are like 1,2 it would be possible. In our opinion Lidstrom is the MVP. His problem is that he is so good at every aspect of the game that he gets unnoticed(see this year’s Hart snub)

Dominance is all it was! The Wings have shut down the top scorers, showing that Pitt has nothing to back it all up with. The shot mentioned by Staal, was only an opportunity because of a mistake by Lebda. Had he not tripped and fell, that highlighted opportunity would have never happened.
While some may say that when Pitt gets home, it will be a different story, I don’t. Detroit is not going to be intimidated in any way being there. I also think that Mondays game was worse than Saturdays game for Pitt. Panicing, Therrien swapped up lines, to make a difference. It worked, but in Detroits favor. Roberts was inneffective in his addition to the game, and even started showing frustration with cheap shots. Amazing how refs can see a borderline stick on a goalie, but can’t see an open ice punch to franzens head! How long before the other guys do the same on a regular basis, putting themselves in the box, and putting Detroit on a very effective powerplay? Will Laraque emerge again, as an enforcer, perhaps on Kronwall, or even Datsyuk, who has shown some uncharacteristic physicality?

I still think that somehow, Pitt will pull one off, Nashville did it. But in the end, time and maturity are the factors here. Pitt is in a nervous twist. I agree with Bubba that it has not been a battle of the goalies, until you get to Fleury. If not for him, who knows how bad these shut outs would be. But hey, Ozzy made the difference when it counted, and should get some much deserved respect for his role. He is a starting goalie, and should have always been. he has been great!
Pitts time will come, but not in this Cup. This is Detroits to catch, and Pitt will have to try again next year. Their D is lacking, they have NO offense that can get through, and they are already starting to play with desperation. Homer or not, I say Detroit will have the Cup by Monday at the Joe!

Go WINGS!!!

Sean

Sean