After three games of the Stanley Cup finals, Red Wings – Penguins II has the same results as last year. Game 4 is where the Penguins have to change the script. In 2008, the Pens failed to capitalize on a couple of five-on-three situations, and eventually came up on the short end of a 2-1 game. This will be the fourth game in six days. If the Penguins continue their strong physical play, they should emerge victorious.
There are still many story lines to be written in this series:
Whose goalie will make the key saves until they have four wins?
Will interference remain a penalty sometimes? (I love the fact that the refs went to both coaches and told them that interference would be called in Game 3. Just what exactly does that message convey?)
Will Pavel Datsyuk return? (If so, can he give the Wings an extra spark? He was not playing that well before he went out of the line-up.)
Will 87 score a goal? (Sid has played well in this series, but has been kept off the score sheet. Bylsma keeps trying to get him away from Zetterberg, and Babcock keeps finding ways to create that match-up. My advice to Crosby – Score a goal while Zetterberg is on the ice. There have been goals scored against him in his career. Crosby was the leading scorer coming into this series, and if he is when it is over, he will have a Conn Smythe trophy and his name will be engraved on the Stanley Cup.)
Let’s hope as these stories are being written, they will all have happy endings for the Penguins. That’s the view from E-11.
If both coaches handed the refs a rule book and said, “How about we play them ALL, this way.” The games would be much better. Call them from day 1 through the last game of the playoffs according to the book… then if you don’t like the rules, change them for next season.
LMAO on your advice to Crosby… and totally agree!
History is not going to repeat itself. STARTING TODAY!