Two Talbot Tallies Take Third

Ice Insurance Injected and Implemented at Igloo

The calendar flipped to June but hockey is still being played in Pittsburgh and Detroit. The pivotal third game of the Stanley Cup finals went to the Penguins in a conscientious 4-2 home ice decision over the reputable Red Wings Tuesday. The Pens’ Maxime Talbot opened the game with an assertive goal and closed the contest with his second one, an empty-netter. In a make-or-break, pivotal game, Pittsburgh weaseled out a win to slice Detroit’s series lead to 2-1. The adrenaline was finally shown in Game 3, and the Penguins lit a fuse for the purposeful punch. The malaise and melancholy was moderated with the Penguins pardon.
Pittsburgh scored twice in three power-play chances. Sergei Gonchar supplied the season saving go-ahead third period score on a Penguins power-play. The decisive goal was created by an interference call on Jonathan Ericsson. Gonchar had a chance to snap the 2-2 tie with a slap from center off Evgeni Malkin’s pass. The puck was peppered, sailing past Red Wings goalie, Chris Osgood. Marc-Andre Fleury was instrumental in net for the Pens down the stretch as his team toughed out the final period. Fleury made 27 saves after shaking off two unsteady games in Detroit. The Penguins kept Detroit in check to revive what had been a one-sided affair thus far in this Stanley Cup Finals.
Talbot scored the first goal when the Penguins pressure on defense finally paid off. Dan Cleary was stripped of the puck in the first period and Talbot converted with an attack on Osgood.
Chris Kunitz and Talbot were vital role players during the early part of the game and Malkin assisted on the first three Penguin goals. Malkin finished with 33 points in 20 games of this post-season. Kris Letang put the Pens in position to tie the game at two with a successful shot in the prologue period. Letang played so poorly in Game 2 his head coach considered benching him last night. He collected the biscuit from a diving Johan Franzen with four minutes left in the period. The puck was driven through a Niklas Kronwall screen to tie the score. The Penguins battled for control on face-offs. Sidney Crosby won 12 of 19 face-offs, including a crucial three on a first-period power play. Detroit was beaten inside the blue lines and the pick never left the zone during the 71-second span. The 21 year old captain Crosby didn’t have a breakout performance in Game 3. He had scarce scoring scenarios, but the Penguins did not need him to be perfect because secondary scorers stepped up. The refined Crosby should be a major influence in the remainder of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Henrik Zetterberg and Franzen accounted for all the Detroit scoring. Both produced Red Wing goals in the first period to give Detroit a 2-1 lead. It looked like the Red Wings were efficient and well on their way to a third win after Franzen’s elegant cross-pass from Zetterberg was wristed into net. A charging and unchecked Zetterberg played another strong game, and expertly limited Crosby’s chances. Last night, he was triple teamed by Detroit. Crosby was humbled in Game 1 against Zetterberg. He went 5 of 16 in faceoffs against the sly moving Red Wing in Detroit but adapted with calculating ability last night. Crosby, Bill Guerin and Malkin were also effective in slowing the game down and giving great screens. Osgood had trouble seeing the Pittsburgh attempts because of the Pens’ terrific and timely takes. The Red Wings’ lack of offense hurt them in Game 3. Detroit breezed along in Games 1 and 2 at home. They did not win the first two games by brute force, but silently imposed themselves on the Penguins in come-away victories. Pittsburgh shifted the momentum their way. They also avoided clashing with the elite Red Wings Thursday trying to crawl out of an 0-3 hole.
After a frantic first period, Detroit failed to find the net. There were no goals during the entire second period despite plenty of chances for both teams. The second period was the first without a goal in the series. The Red Wings covered five scoring chances to the Pens’ none. Pittsburgh started the third period with a flurry after being outshot 26-11 in the first two. Gonchar’s tie-breaker came on the Penguin’s ninth consecutive shot on goal. The fourth-line center, Talbot, added flipped the final blow on an empty-net fling from Ruslan Fedotenko. Fleury kept the Penguins swimming by fending off Detroit dribblings around the crease. The Red Wings were given quality chances and put heavy pressure on the goalie. The persistent players had control of the neutral zone during the first period and the Penguins sometimes mismanaged the puck. Detroit forced the Pens to use their secondary shooters and Zetterberg (last year’s playoff MVP), was their pacesetter early on. But Fleury was too quick as he scrambled to save shots and deflections, even by his own teammates after intermission. Justin Abdelkader, the rookie breakout player for Detroit, was limited. Fleury stopped and held another surprising presence, Ville Leino. Leino was called up to skate in the pressure-cooker finals by Detroit too. Brian Rafalski, who came into the game with 13 post-season points against Pittsburgh, skimmed a shot off the top of the crossbar. Fleury did not allow Rafalski‘s fire to flare. The Penguins ganged up to bail out their goalie though. The offense got the support to crack Detroit’s defense and apply pressure on Osgood. Detroit is averaging a stubborn two goals per game this post-season but Osgood saw four pass his way last night.
Gonchar suffered a knee-on-knee wound in the Washington series. It was great to have the team’s emotional leader back on the ice as Pittsburgh averted a deep hole. His screened power-play goal midway through the third period proved why Gonchar’s veteran stick is a necessary Penguin symbol. The 35 year old believed the team took a step in the right direction after Game 2’s 3-1 loss on the road. He took advantage of a tentative team and put the Red Wings on their heels in the third period. The team came out more relaxed in the final period, knowing a poor performance would all but end their season. The sense of urgency paid off against hockey’s cherished dynasty. Pittsburgh’s defense blocked shots by sacrificing their bodies. The smothering Pens did everything right, and Talbot’s late goal made Detroit unable to recover in front of a brownout energized home crowd. The Red Wings penalty killers were futile and did not challenge Talbot or Gonchar. The team killed just 45 of 63 power plays in the playoffs, good for a detrimental and disastrous 71.4%. The Penguins were especially able to cycle the puck with the one-man advantage on Tuesday. Even though they were denied chances due to the Red Wings’ commitment to their own zone, Pittsburgh beat Osgood and played well with the lead. They took possession of the puck to negate any Detroit opportunities. The Pens have a chance to even the series Thursday in Game 4 at Mellon Arena’s Igloo. If they win another game, they will return to hostile Joe Louis Arena as a squad surely back in this dynamic series. Fatigue may be a factor. Tuesday night was the third game in four nights. It will be a test of stamina and will in the remaining contests. I thought the Penguins would win the series because Detroit would take them too lightly. After the first two games, I was convinced the Red Wings would take the series. With Tuesday night’s Game 3 win, there was evidence of Detroit taking the Penguins for an easy competitor. I think the Penguins are capable of winning the next game in Pittsburgh, but I no longer feel they can overcome to beat Detroit at home for the Cup chase.


Parting points: Derek Jeter scored his 1,500th career run in last night’s crushing of the Texas Rangers.

Daily dose of music- “Funny the way it is” by Dave Matthews Band