By Darren Eliot, SI.com
So, this is the speed and skill series we all anticipated? The Red Wings have held up their end of the bargain by playing a complete game on both sides of the proverbial puck equation. In so doing, they have stifled the suddenly punchless Penguins. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (photo)compounded matters with two shaky efforts that led to an easy 2-0 Wings lead. But let's not focus on what the Pens didn't do. Instead, let's first acknowledge the Red Wings excellence and then look at what needs to happen at home for Pittsburgh.
At Joe Louis Arena, the Red Wings dominated in every aspect of the game. They made posting two shutouts look easy while limiting the Penguins to a paltry 41 shots on goal. They had the puck a lot more and when they didn't, they won it back more efficiently. Not surprisingly, the Penguins were frustrated to distraction, putting the Wings on the power play eight times in Game Two. And while the Wings didn't tally with the man advantage, the Pens were not able to establish anything resembling offensive flow.
With the series shifting to Pittsburgh, the Pens can take solace in the fact that they have been a much better team at home -- where they have yet to lose a single game during this playoff run -- than on the road. The main reason for that has to do with Fleury's fine play in Pittsburgh. He has performed much better throughout his career at Mellon Arena than elsewhere, so hopefully the change of scenery will eliminate the mistakes that plagued him in Detroit. As important is the home-road disparity when it comes to Evgeni Malkin's production. He seems to play with much more passion and fan-fueled energy at Mellon Arena.
To me, the Penguins must have Malkin engage in the next two games if they are to have any chance of turning this series around. So much of their success has been the specter of having to "pick your poison" as an opponent as to whether the focus should be on Malkin's line or Sidney Crosby's. With Malkin bringing nothing in the first two games, the Penguins suffered mightily in terms of establishing any kind of offensive momentum.
Beyond personnel, consider these game aspects and weigh in with your opinion as to what you think needs to change for the Penguins:
1. Face-offs: With the home-ice face-off advantage, can the Penguins start with the puck more than they did while in Detroit?
2. Neutral Zone: Are the Penguins now aware of Nik Kronwall's propensity to step up on the right-winger and how to avoid his breakout-altering presence?
3. Forecheck: Will the friendly vibe in the building provide enough of an extra step for the Penguin forwards, allowing them to finally get to the Wings' D and force at least a few turnovers?
4. Breakout: Conversely, can the Pens' D find a way to move the puck more crisply when exiting their zone - an area exposed in the first two games by the savvy skating of the Red Wings' forwards?
Whatever your point of view, the burden remains with the Penguins to adjust and execute. So far, it has been unequivocally all Detroit.
Darren Eliot is TV analyst and Hockey Development Liaison for the Atlanta Thrashers. He also appears on Versus playoff broadcasts and Westwood One radio.
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Head Kick KO
Milwaukee , WI
Total Comments (645)
All Pen fans must be embarrassed by their whining coach. Obstruction? That is what is keeping the Pens at bay? Give me a break! This series is complete domination so far, in every aspect.
And at least show a little class. Cheap shot a concussion victim? Way to show leadership , Roberts!
I hope the league doesn't suspend him. He certainly added nothing to the Pens attack.
Go Wings!
treehugger
Rochester , MI
Total Comments (18)
treehugger...that is what coachs do in the play-offs. Where have you been? It has been going on the entire play-offs or did you just start reading the posts now? Check back at all of the old T&Rs. Whether you like it or not it is called "gamesmanship". It has you focused on it...........
T Rocks
Mysterious, PA
Total Comments (2574)
Franzen should've been knocked out within 20 seconds of the game. If I'm a coach, I would've ended his career. Just to show that he shouldn't have been back. As for obstruction. Yeah, it's there the Red Wings are the new kings of Clutch and Grabbing. I can get the girl scouts to beat the red wings Micheal Therrian is just a bad coach with alot of talent on his team, Dumping and chasing is **** hockey and it never works.
rottyowner73
Total Comments (56)
rottyownder73......low class, buddy. You DON'T scheme to end a player's career! Especially a headshot! Totally uncalled-for comments! Total LOW class!
T Rocks
Mysterious, PA
Total Comments (2574)
rotty...you obviously have not followed the Pens at all or you would have known the coach led his team to a better than .500 record when the Pens lost many of their top players due to injury in mid-season.
Hint: don't grab bits and try to expound on them. If you haven't followed hockey (other than your own team) then don't bring up comments that prove you don't follow it.
So, you think the Wings can be beaten by girl scouts? Man, that was revealing......
T Rocks
Mysterious, PA
Total Comments (2574)
And what are the Pens focused on?
No shots on goal 5-0n-5 in the first period.
Complete inability to pass it out of their own zone.
Resorting to late hits and cheap shots no doubt learned from the Philly series.
Pitt better man-up before Datsuk ( The Enforcer) has to straighten them out again.
A former Lady Byng winner punching out a classless Pen.
Hilarious!
treehugger
Rochester , MI
Total Comments (18)
I've been watching the Pens here and there and have to admit they are a very good team. Underated D, good goaltending and a couple of superstars. It is actually a shock that the Wings are beating them so completely. I've been watching this series with a Pens fan ( in jersey in hostile turf) so I know the fans have integrity.
These first 2 wins mean nothing if Pitt wins the next 2. But Good Lord, this reminds me of 1998 Wings-Caps.
Where's my broom?
treehugger
Rochester , MI
Total Comments (18)
What I meant by the "it has you focused on it" wasn't a snipe shot at you, tree.
It has a lot of fans focused on the coach's comments rather than some of the players not showing up. Rather than call out his players ANY coach will simply try to refocus attention elsewhere...no matter how ridiculous or mundane.
T Rocks
Mysterious, PA
Total Comments (2574)
tree....I hope you don't need to use the broom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
T Rocks
Mysterious, PA
Total Comments (2574)
Actually, Therrian lover I have been following the Pens all season. And yes they performed well, with the injuries to some of there players. Many of their top players? 2. Cross-iceby, and Fleury. Don't even count there defensive players, cause Eaton's a bust and so is Whitney. Look for Whitney to be traded and Alex Goligoski to replace him in the so near future.
rottyowner73
Total Comments (56)
Eaton had knee surgery due to a borderline slew foot. It's different than being a bust.....
As for a "Therrien lover" I took the name when he was getting bombed by the media and to get comments from people like you who wish for other people to be seriously hurt. It makes my day......
T Rocks
Mysterious, PA
Total Comments (2574)
Sorry, I got your name wrong. I know what happened to him, I don't feel that he'll be good enoough for this team. If Franzen's a threat, pay just a little more attention to him. Do you like that better?
rottyowner73
Total Comments (56)
Does any Pens fan think Roberts deserves a suspension?
If Franzen had suffered a serious injury, would it change the equation?
Was this different then Bertuzzi?
treehugger
Rochester , MI
Total Comments (18)
I guess it was o.k,. for Kronwall to break Malone's nose?
rottyowner73
Total Comments (56)
Yes it was different from Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi hit him from behind knocked him out cold and slammed his head to the ice. Roberts was a love tap to the jaw that Frazen won best actor for.
rottyowner73
Total Comments (56)
Here's the simplest reason why the series is very quickly tilting towards Detroit (aside from the 2-0 lead). After one game, the Pens changed around all four lines. The only change the Wings made was ADDING the leading goal-scorer in the playoffs. After two games where they were outperformed in almost every aspect, the Pens will continue to adjust their strategy and find some sort of chemistry. The Wings, well they just have to keep doing what they're doing.
exyooper
Saint Paul , MN
Total Comments (3)
Advice to Pens:
Stand up at the blue line. Wings hate to dump and chase.
Cherry pick behind the defense, they always want to pinch up.
When Ozzie comes out of the net, have one forward rush him hard and one forward close off the opposite board. He's not as bad as Hasek but will still leave an open net at least once a game, he did it the first period Game 2.
Your welcome, let's make this a series!
treehugger
Rochester , MI
Total Comments (18)
the wings have had a tendency to let teams back into series -- happened against nashville and again dallas, despite being up 2-0 and 3-0, respectively. theirrien and crosby should be taking heart from that, not whining to the refs and media during and after the game. crosby has played hard and is earning my respect, after what seemed like a somewhat divey run through the east. con playoffs. i've had to watch the first two games in a bar with no sound and he's the only player on the pens who's stood out. aside from in a negative way.
texaswings
Total Comments (51)
rottyowner your comments have to be the most ignorant I've seen from any Pens fan. Your team got to the finals by playing good hockey, and you lose 2 games then hope someone gets hurt and put an end to his career? Most of the Pens fans on here have posted with respect even when down in the series. You on the other hand are a total low class piece of work. To compare what Roberts did to Kronwalls open ice hit is laughable. There's a big difference between hard hockey and cheap crap. Roberts was cheap crap.
On the other hand Therrian is NOT a bad coach. He's doing everything he can to keep his team in the series. The statements to the press get published. Why do you think he brings up Ozzy diving? ( and yes I think that he made those interference calls look a lot worse than they were) If he can get a ref to think twice then he's done what he needs to. Crosby hasn't done any diving that everyone accuses him of ...he's one of the only guys that's come to play both nights. It's hard to win if only 3 or 4 of your players are the only ones giving it all they got. I'd bench Malkin for a whole period, maybe then he'd get the idea he needs to play. Gill is hurting you on defense. He's slow and the Wings forwards dodge his size with ease because they're faster.
A few of the guys that post here have some actual knowledge of the game or have played it seriously at some point. I've had my nose broken 5 times, 4 of them while playing hockey ( 1 in a fight and 3 by good clean checks ) and never once did I disrespect a player enough to cheap shot sucker punch him from behind. You need to either grow up or shut up.
Sorry Therrien Rocks....you have my respect and I wish your team well, but this moron just got under my skin.
mhwings
Total Comments (555)
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