PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -- After scoring with just 34 seconds remaining to force overtime on Monday night, the Penguins looked for late goals to pull even again on Wednesday. This time, Detroit's defense held strong and prevented Pittsburgh from tying things up, giving the Red Wings their fourth Stanley Cup in the past eleven seasons.
Marian Hossa's power play goal with 1:27 left in the third pulled the Penguins to within a goal but Chris Osgood stopped Hossa as the clock ran out to finish off Detroit's championship run.
The Red Wings took the lead early with Brian Rafalski scoring at 5:03 of the first period on a power play. Rafalski snapped a shot from the left faceoff circle off the shin pad of Hal Gill and past Marc-Andre Fleury for his fourth goal of the playoffs.
Valtteri Filppula put Detroit up by two at 8:07 of the second, banging the rebound of a Mikael Samuelsson shot between Fleury's legs.
A power play goal by Evgeni Malkin with 4:34 left in the period put the Penguins on the board, scoring on a blast from the top of the left circle that went between Chris Osgood's pads.
Henrik Zetterberg, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the playoffs, scored the eventual Cup-winning goal at 7:36 of the third.
He snapped a shot on Fleury from the left wing and the puck trickled through before stopping in the crease. No one but the referee could see where it was and when Fleury fell to try to cover it, he knocked it back into the net.
Pittsburgh went two-for-four on the power play and Detroit went one-for-three.
Fleury finished the night with 27 saves on 20 Detroit shots, finishing the playoffs with a .933 save percentage and a 1.97 GAA. Osgood stopped 20 of 22 attempts to finish the postseason with a .930 save percentage and a GAA of 1.55.
The Red Wings will celebrate their championship with a parade through Detroit on Friday.
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Not much to say today, things have been pretty quiet since Game Five. No lineup changes are expected for either team.
I've got no keen insight into this game or anything like that. I'm just calmly confident in the Wings ability to finish this one off.
I am so ready to get this game started, want to get that bad taste out of my mouth from last game. Don't know if it hurts more because I was there, but I am ready to get this one under way. Hoping the wings can score first to quiet the crowd a little, I'm sure that Melon Arena will be loud for this one.
Wings injury status update: Radio announcer Ken Kal is out. Ken Daniels has been called up to take his place.
This should be a great game, for fans on either side of the fence. There should be emotion running wild, the igloo will be rocking and the fans will be on the edge of their seats all game adding the the great atmosphere. I am expecting the game play to be back and forth the way it was in game 3, and everyone watching to be glued to the TV. No matter who wins, this series has already been one for the ages and hopefully game 6 is just a continuation of everything we have seen so far.
Of course im pulling for my Pens, but the game of hockey should benefit no matter who wins.
The Pens' forecheck is looking scary early on.
Alright Raffy! 1-0!
Come on Rafalski!
Big first goal!
Bullsh*t five-on-three. Roberts has been doing that all series.
Another huge kill!
okay dodged a huge bullet there
Great penalty killing there. Phew.
Okay good first period!
Solid first period, keep it up. The Pens offence hasn't really had a chance to get going.
A lot better first period tonight than on Monday. Good to get on the board first and for the most part the defense looked good. Gotta get another one.
Ice looks like sh*t and the refs are being uneven again. Need the extra goal for breathing room.
Damnit, Helmer's out. I'll trade him for Crosby but I don't want to have to.
Dr. Fil!
he!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get in! Bad rebound.
I missed the first 8 min of period two what happened to Helm
That's an absolutely huge goal. Breathing room for now.
I missed the first 8 min of period two what happened to Helm
High hit, I thought an elbow. Looked like a leg injury so he must have fallen funny.
Why do they keep talking about the ice they are both playing on the same ice.
The ice is bad either way, it's just that Pittsburgh is still being stupid enough to try those stretch passes.
What a horrible call on Datsyuk, if the Wings touch them it's a penalty, I'm starting to believe all this conspiracy talk, they are trying to keep the game close they don't want a blowout......but I do let it happen!!!!!!!!!!
Phantom call that NBC couldn't even replay and the Pens score on the power play. Damnit.
Oh f*ck oh f*ck.
One out of three ain't bad
I'll be damned, they actually call Roberts for something.
I'll be damned, they actually call Roberts for something.
We need the next 3
Need to get out of this period and settle down a little.
Okay one period, hopefully the other night will help keep them focused with this lead. Need another one.
Need to get out of this period and settle down a little.
Well, that's down. Get the jump at the start of the third now...
Helmer's back out. Excellent.
these close games aren't healthy for me.
It's in? Holy sh*t!
There's that lucky break I'm always calling for. Woohoo!!!!
Yesssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fleury sits on it! YESSS!!!!
They have to keep the pressure on.
In the shifts after the goal, didn't seem like the Wings were holding back. Damn good to see, didn't see it Monday.
Keep it up
Under five minutes. Keep it up guys!
Under two minutes...
Scary scary....come on
Son of a bitch, Pittsburgh power play.
Kill this one and end this!
So close now....Come on!
You are f*cking kidding me.
And Lilja's stick is taken away with no penalty.
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