Game Two: Between the Hammer and the Anvil

"She said
"Some races can't be won"
And so we fade with the setting of the sun"
This Day And Age:"Slideshow"

Now the Pens are in a hole. With Detroit going 2-0 up in the series after winning game two 3-1 last night, with their backs broken thanks to another goal from Justin Abdelkader just as they looked like equalising Valteri Filppulla's go-ahead strike (indeed, Sidney Crosby had missed a gilt-edged chance seconds before. Twice.), and with Crosby pointless and Chris Osgood sneaking into Malkin's head by stopping him twice in two nights on breakaways, the Pens now have to win four in five, while the Wings can lose all their games away from the Joe and still win the Cup.


If one of your top scorers is being relied upon to tie for the lead in hits in the game (Malkin had three) then you have problems...although at least someone finally nailed the "float like a turd, sting like a butterfly" Zetterberg (Malkin again, with less than twenty seconds to go in the third and the game all but gone).

For Detroit's first, though, I'd love to know why Darren Helm was allowed to stand completely unmolested in front of Fleury for several seconds-enough time for Jonathan Ericsson's bullet of a shot to be aimed, fired and travel past him and leave the Pens nettie no chance of seeing it in time to react...surely, come playoff time, that guy gets moved, if not flattened (and curse the new NHL rules for making bruising battles in front of the net almost a thing of the past).

On the plus side...there are moments where the Wings look suspect. If they keep presenting Geno with presents of breakaways then one day, Osgood will not save them. The longer Crosby's held scoreless, the more motivated he'll be. Although obviously every Pens fan hopes that this streak will end (much) sooner rather than later.

More positives-Pepper Osgood and the puck will go by-particularly if players such as Guerin (although some sources say he's carrying an injury-oh, good) Talbot, Staal, Adams and the like are willing to get involved in the brutal trench-warfare in front of him (what I'd give for Tomas Holmstrom to be on the opposite side to the one he's on-he's the epitome of what the Pens need right now)-indeed, the only Pens goal in game two came after seemingly every player on the ice bar Geno thought "sod it, we're crashing the net..." and we saw a proper playoff hockey goal-uglier than the thought of this lady sitting on your face while performing her party piece, but oh so needed...

The Pens need a few more of those in games 3 and 4...it's going to the Mellon now...and if the Wings can win one of two there, followed by one at home (or, God forbid, earn a sweep with two) then they've well and truly have earned the Cup. Pens win both and suddenly, it's a whole different series...

First, though, they have to get some offence...



Sid and Malkin have to start firing sometime...please god, let it be Tuesday...