Stanley Cup Finals: Game Five Re-Cap

Damn. Another crazy post-season, multiple-overtime hockey game. That's one of the beauties about this league that is simply irreplaceable. Almost three complete overtime periods to determine a winner for game five, and the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals continue. I don't have a lot of points to make about this game, but there are a few. And they're huge. Details on this city-moving epic after the jump. But before we get to those, let me just say that Phil Pritchard has the best job in the world. For real.

Regarding game five, it should be noted that the criticized Evgeni Malkin gets credit for the game-winning assist, and that's all I'll say about that. None of his criticism has anything to do with his country of origin; it involves the potentially marquis player that he has been in 2008, the franchise figure he will be for years to come, and his lack of production in this series. Only in Canadia would they attribut such shortcomings to a totally nil factor.

This game was the sort of contest the Finals needed. It was hard-fought, back-and-forth, full of scoring chances, and downright entertaining. It had, in my estimation, a crucial moment, one that defined the nature of the series. Early in the second period, Pittsburgh made a textbook weak effort to clear the puck from their own zone along the right wall. Veteran Kirk Maltby, however, was having none of it, and he kept the puck in, dished it off to Darren Helm, and Helm buried it. This tally put the Wings on the board, who'd been facing a 2-0 deficit. From there, the Wings notched two more scores, and all but eliminated the Penguins, but Pittsburgh, in an extra-attacker moment of desperation, kept things alive with a puck-on-the-doorstep tally by Max Talbot with mere change left on the regulation clock. Ultimately, I couldn't believe the Penguins let Detroit back into this game, but was even more stunned that they had the grit to take the win nearly a second full game into overtime.

Helm's goal, though, is an example of what's been the difference in this series: zone domination. Like many clubs, Pittsburgh has not been able to gain the zone against Mike Babcock's club. At all. Most of the time, they're dumping the puck from the neutral zone, and relying on their speed to beat the Red Wings to the puck. But it ain't working. On the few occasions that Detroit doesn't take over possession prior to a Penguins dump, they're getting to it first deep in their own zone. At the other end of the ice, they're entering the attack zone with ease, and keeping it in there, which puts the Penguins on their heels, and only opens up buckets full of scoring chances for the President's Trophy winners. This game is about controlling the zone, and that's one of many areas in which experience transcends youth. It's not about shots, it's about scoring chances. The prime example of this would be most any period (and there haven't been many) in this series when Pittsburgh has outshot Detroit; it hasn't mattered. Pittsburgh can use their speed to, on occasion, earn enough real estate to get a puck on Chris Osgood's body. The problem is two-fold: they're all low-chance shots, and Osgood is playing out of his mind. Detroit on the other hand, gains control of the zone, and then sets up shop. Once they've accomplished this, the scoring chances come to them like hookers in Thailand. Marc-Andre Fleury can only turn away so many until one (or more) get between his legs.

In notes of the random, I can't recall an overtime playoff hockey game with more penalites (four) than this one. That said, when there've been three in the overtimes, the last thing a club should be called for is too many men. The second-to-last thing is -- although I know guys are tired -- high sticking. And you certainly can't get flagged for a four-minute double minor of that variety. That call, on Detroit's Jiri Hidler at 9:21 of the third overtime, sealed the deal. If a team can't convert on a four-minute man advantage three overtimes in, then they deserve nothing shy of nothing. But, as any club should, Pittsburgh converted, and will play another contest at the Igloo.

Speaking of other contests, I'll let Bill Clement take us out...