Win Game Five, Win the Series

After four games in the finals, the Penguins and Red Wings are back where they started. The seven-game marathon is now a best-of-three between two of the best. Detroit has a major advantage going into these final three, with two of the games played at Joe Louis Arena, including the pivotal game five that will be played this evening.

In the first two games of the series, both of which were in Detroit, the Penguins played well but were undone by bad luck, unnaturally bouncy boards, and a few missed calls. Pittsburgh knows it can hang with the Red Wings at home, and the two-game homestand in Mellon Arena only made the team stronger, as they go back on the road with a ton of momentum. If the Penguins can put the past two roadshows behind them and win game five, they can finish the series off in game six in front of the fans that have cheered them on all season. But first, they have a few things to deal with. Here are the three positives and three negatives heading into the pivotal game five:

Positives
- Marc-Andre Fleury has been spectacular as of late. He was thwarted by bad bounces in game one and let in some soft goals in game two. He has proven to have a short memory though, and quickly followed those two lackluster performances with excellent showings as home, a place where he always seems to play well. He needs to channel the energy he has at home into his play on the road. If he does, he can keep Detroit's goals to a minimum, allowing his superstar teammates to take over.

- Youth is playing a big role in the series, even though it took effect later than expected. The Red Wings are one of the most veteran-heavy teams in the league. That age and experience comes with a price, though. The young legs of Pittsburgh seem to be wearing on the older stars of the Red Wings. The most notable example is Henrik Zetterberg, who had the unenviable task of chasing Sidney Crosby around for four games. With Zetterberg showing signs of slowing down in the fourth game, Crosby was finally able to capitalize. After tonight's game, the games will be separated by two days instead of one, so youth may not be as significant a factor after tonight. As such, the Pens need to take advantage of it now.

- The special teams have truly been special. The Penguins are 4-for-9 on the powerplay in the series. Out of the team's ten goals, 50% have been scored in special teams situations. That includes Jordan Staal's shorthander in the middle of a four-minute-long penalty kill. If Pittsburgh wins it all, that will be the defining goal of the series. When they aren't scoring on the PK, the Penguins have been limiting Detroit to just one goal in nine powerplay attempts.



Negatives
- Datsyuk is back. He's an MVP finalist this year, and I'm still not sure he's given enough credit for his all-around play. He may not be back full-strength tonight, but his presence will give an emotional boost to a Red Wings team that is on its heels. The one question surrounding Datsyuk is how he will be used. Will he play normally, or will he spend his time shadowing Malkin the way Zetterberg has shadowed Crosby?

- Experience will always be a factor. The Red Wings have been to the finals before, and it is not likely that they'll panic after two big losses on the road. Team captain Nicklas Lidstrom will keep the team focused and hungry for the rest of the series. This is not a team the Penguins can just put away quietly. They will fight until they have nothing left.

- Joe Louis Arena is still Joe Louis Arena, goofy boards and all. In most arenas, the ice will play pretty similar. The springy boards in Detroit, however, give an advantage to the Red Wings, as they are used to playing with them. Fleury will have to have eyes in the back of his head this game, or he may end up allowing another fluky goal from the boards behind the net. Also, don't underestimate the emotional aspect of home ice advantage. Nothing lifts a struggling team like the cheers of thousands of supportive fans.

Play for the positives. Eliminate the negatives. If the Penguins can play like they have the past two games, they can steal a game on the road. If they steal game five tonight, they can take the lead into Tuesday in the place where they're most dangerous, Mellon Arena.






Kenneth Torgent
torgent@yahoo.com