Nice win, but...

Pens Still Have a Ways to go


It was nice to see the Penguins get back to the friendly confines of the Igloo tonight. The fans were rowdy from the moment that the NBC coverage started and I’m sure even before that. It took about 10 minutes into the first period for the Pens were able to get that comfortable and confident. Both teams used that 10-minute span to feel out the new line match-ups spent the, but once they did it was all Penguins. The Pens were outshot 9-1 to start the game, but came on strong and got on the board first late in the 1st period. It all started when the Penguins started playing the way most Pittsburghers thought they would have played the first two games of the series in Detroit. They came out and started hitting the Red Wings in the mouth. They forced the tempo and they were the ones dishing out hits and putting pressure on the defensemen in their own zone. That led to the first goal, a simple and short break out pass that was not connected on by a Red Wing defensemen and just like that the Pens were on the board for the first time in the series and finally were able to play with a lead. After that it was more of the same, relentless forechecking and a lot of puck possession by the Penguins and suddenly the Red Wings were back on their heels. The Penguins had a chance to put the game away at the end of the first period but Hossa and Malkin both missed chances on the power play as time expired.

The biggest thing that I noticed tonight was the way the players went balls to the wall, 100% all out. Guys like Gary Roberts and Brooks Orpik hitting everything in sight, finally making their presences felt. The Penguins just like the Red Wings play great defense once they have a lead and did so again tonight. However they did it with a little attitude as well. They sent a message that even though the Red Wings had thoroughly dominated them in every aspect of the game in Detroit that the Penguins were a long way from throwing in the white towel (or t-shirt).

The Penguins certainly impressed me with their performance tonight, but it will mean absolutely nothing if they do not come out with the same intensity and effort Saturday night. The Penguins proved they want to be in this for the long haul, but they still need the “W” on Saturday to make this a series. There is a sports playoff series saying that goes, “You can’t judge a series until the home team loses a game.” If the Penguins were to be that home team that loses a game the verdict would be in, RED WINGS WIN THE CUP. The Penguins have to make sure this doesn’t happen. Sixty more minutes like tonight, on Saturday, will go a long way to making sure nobody can judge this series until we are back in Detroit.