Penguins' focus is on Game 3, not series

The Pittsburgh Penguins players are saying all the right things, it’s just nobody is listening. The Penguins have had bad luck with unusual bounces, ringing the Detroit goalie cage like it’s a doorbell and outplaying the defending Stanley Cup champions for extended periods of time. One problem, Pittsburgh still trails like they did last year 2-0 after two games in the Finals.

Sidney Crosby has had point blank chances all around the Red Wings net, the problem has been, Detroit bodies have been stacked like logs for a log cabin house, with goalie Chris Osgood acting as insulation.

“I think we outplayed them,” Penguins defenseman Hall Gill said. “Last year, we got outplayed pretty badly.”

Those are the kinds of things you say when you have out-shot the opposition 64 -56 and been outscored 6-2 in the first two contests.

Evgeni Malkin is not the pushover he was last year at this time, however he could hardly be called a force and rightfully should be suspended for Game 3, except for another quick NHL office change. Malkin took out his frustration on Detroit‘s Henrik Zetterberg in the closing seconds of last conflict and should have gotten instigator penalty, which carries an automatic one-game suspension when such an occurrence happen in the last five minutes.

However, this is the NHL, who changed around Finals schedule to increase viewership at the last minute and they offered this as reason. “Suspensions are applied under this rule when a team attempts to send a message in the last five minutes by having a player instigate a fight [or] when a player seeks retribution for a prior incident. Neither was the case here," league disciplinarian Colin Campbell.

Campbell must have watching the Travel Channel if he didn’t believe Malkin wasn’t trying to send a message. You can bet the Phoenix Suns wished Campbell was handing out discipline when Robert Horry deliberately threw Steve Nash into scorers table a couple seasons ago and Suns players came to his rescue, drawing similar automatic suspensions, which was enforced.

Pittsburgh returns home, after what amounts to a four game road trip, where they are 6-2 in the postseason and winners of 10 of last 12. The Penguins acted angry and frustrated and are 9-2 off a loss by two or more goals on the road. They can be as hyped up as they want, but unless netminder Marc-Andre Fleury starts playing like he’s in the Finals, instead of like a member of the New York Islanders, it’s a moot point.

Fleury played very skitterish in opener and was better Sunday, until rookie Justin Abdelkader tossed a half-hearted knuckling shot at Fleury, who swung and missed, giving Detroit a huge two goal lead. While the NBC commentators said the Pittsburgh defensemen should have done a better job (and they should have), this is for the Cup and you NEVER allow such a soft goal, IF you have ambitions of being champions.

The Red Wings are ludicrous 18-3 in last 21 Finals encounters and they have been smarter, more productive and had superior goaltending to this juncture.

The way Detroit plays keep away with the puck, it reminds one of watching taller children playing “keep away” with a ball, with younger and smaller kids chasing them around, hollering at them to give up the ball. This strategy has really paid off at the end of games, when tuckered out Pens defensemen have no legs and makes miscues.

Crosby and company might be 12-1 in home games revenging two straight losses where opponent scored three or more goals, nevertheless Pittsburgh is up against a harrowing situation, as only one of 32 teams have lost first two games on the road and come back to be crowned the champions of hockey and that was 38 years ago when Montreal accomplished the feat.

Pittsburgh is left with little choice other than to place all energy into Game 3, where they are -150 money line favorites with total of 5.5 at DiamondSportsbook.com. Possibly returning to playoff favorites will help Penguins who are 19-5 in that role. It would appear Pitt has to play Over to win and they are 9-2 OVER after three or more consecutive Unders this season.

Despite playing so effectively, Detroit has lost last four games as underdog and will try to maintain playing so controlled and are 10-2 UNDER in road games after allowing two goals or less in four straight tilts.

Amazingly, the Versus Network will have the next two games, starting at 8:05 Eastern in western Pennsylvania, where the Wings have triumphed six of eight times.