Stanley Cup Finals Game 4: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings

Pre-Game News:
Lemieux the legend drops his guard.
Final at same stage, but Penguins see difference.
Without Datsyuk, there’s no rest for weary Zetterberg.
Game 4 is Hossa time.
Guys on Versus just announced that Dastyuk WILL NOT be playing tonight.

Game Notes:

• Period 1: Both teams started with good energy.  Lots of opportunities.
• Malkin gets it started on the powerplay for Pittsburgh:
  
• And on a 4 on 4 (first of the Stanley Cup Finals), Darren Helm with a beauty wrist shot to tie it up:
  
• 1st Period Stats:
  Shots: Detroit 19, Pittsburgh 11
  Hits: Detroit 14, Pittsburgh 18
  Giveaways: Detroit 2, Pittsburgh 1
  Faceoffs: Detroit 14, Pittsburgh 11
• 1st Period Intermission:  Gary Bettman on Versus.  Pretty much does same interview as he did on CBC.  Including using the same lines such as “I don’t prejudge judges”.
  
• 2nd Period:  Period had barely started before Brad Stuart scores courtesy of a screen on Fleury, by Gonchar and Guerin. 
  
• And no sooner had this happened then the Penguins started to roll.  Perhaps the most dangerous penalty killer on either team, Jordan Staal got it started with a nice shorty.  And then no surprise Malkin to Crosby to give the Pens the lead.  And a beauty by Kennedy after a sweet pass from Crosby.  3 goals in a span of 5:33.
  
• 2nd Period Stats:
  Shots: Detroit 9=28, Pittsburgh 11=22
  Hits: Detroit 13=27, Pittsburgh 10=28
  Giveaways: Detroit 4=6, Pittsburgh 4=5
  Faceoffs: Detroit 11=25, Pittsburgh 8=19
• 3rd Period:  Guess the referee’s got the memo as they have put the whistles away.  (watch Orpik on Zetterberg in front of the net with McCreary watching).
  
• The Wings look tired and the Penguins look like they are just getting reved up.
• 3rd Period Stats:
  Shots: Detroit 11=39, Pittsburgh 9=31
  Hits: Detroit 6=33, Pittsburgh 4=32
  Giveaways: Detroit 0=6, Pittsburgh 3=8
  Faceoffs: Detroit 9=34, Pittsburgh 7=26

Post-Game Thoughts:

• I believe the team that has the most shots has lost every game of the series.  Memo to Wings and Pens, don’t shoot.
• Turning point in the game and possibly the series was Jordan Staal tying the game on the shorthanded opportunity.  Brian Rafalski just looked lost with Staal bearing down on him.
• Crosby and Malkin are the first two teammates since Messier and Leetch (94) to have over 30 points in the Stanley Cup Finals.
• In both Detroit’s victories they won 3-1 and in both Pittsburgh’s victories they won 4-2.  Odd.
• Lakers beat the Magic 100-75 in Game 1 of the NBA Championship and I think Phil Jackson is like 41-0 when he wins the 1st game of a series. 
• Congrats to the Big Unit, Randy Johnson on his 300th win tonight, a 5-1 victory over the Washington Nationals (technically the club he got his 1st major league win with when they were the Montreal Expos back on September 15th, 1988. [my birthday, no less]).  Doesn’t appear that baseball will ever have another 300 game winner.  Trivia:  Who did he defeat in his first outing?

Post-Game News Conference

Pittsburgh Coach Dan Bylsma:

Can you just talk about Jordan’s shorty, is that the kind of goal that can change the complexion of the series?
Well, it certainly changed the complexion of the game. They had the two power plays. There would have been a chance to go up 3?1. And Jordan with speed up the ice, makes a strong move to the net like he can with his big body and scores a great goal for us, energizes our team. But also the building that kind of got us rolling from there in the second.

Do you get the sense that Sidney Crosby might be wearing Henrik Zetterberg down a little bit? Is that your observation tonight?
Well, in order to put him out in the situations where Sidney’s going to play in an offensive situation and also play them on the power play, you know, that’s a lot of time for a guy to handle. We saw, I don’t know how many minutes it was tonight, but 25 in last game. You know, it’s a challenge chasing Sidney Crosby around the ice.

Detroit Coach Mike Babcock:

Mike, that shorthanded goal, do you have any concerns about that’s the type of goal that could change the complexion of the series or swing the momentum in their direction?
Well, I always have a concern any goal can swing the momentum. You never know what shift or what play or anything can turn the momentum one way or the other in your favor. Obviously, we had the game going pretty good. The crowd was pretty quiet. We were playing all right. Then our power plays, like I said, hurt us for sure, and sucked the life out of us.

Did you notice any lack of composure on your team when the tide turned and you got down a goal or two? And I’m talking, there is some suggestion in the Pen’s room that they heard some of your guys chirping at each other, and the composure wasn’t there that that they normally see?
I don’t know that anybody was chirping at each other. I don’t think anyone would argue that whatsoever. I thought they were on top of us. We were turning pucks over, and helping them.

How did the decision on Datsyuk get made? Was it made long before game time?
Well, I got a text from Pete. I texted Pete about 3:00 o’clock, he’s our athletic therapist, and to see what the scoop was. And he just told me at that time he didn’t think Pav would be going. He’s still went for warm?up though. Pavel was pushing it to try to go. But Pete gave me the head’s up.