2008 Playoffs
Red Wings Hold Off Pittsburgh Comeback to Claim Cup
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.
User Comments
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 12:48 PM
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.
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 1:27 PM
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.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 4:20 PM
Wings injury status update: Radio announcer Ken Kal is out. Ken Daniels has been called up to take his place.
http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2008/06/ke...for_game_6.html
Posted by mike7psu on 6/4/2008 at 5:01 PM
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.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 8:21 PM
The Pens' forecheck is looking scary early on.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 8:25 PM
Alright Raffy! 1-0!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 8:26 PM
Come on Rafalski!
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 8:27 PM
Big first goal!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 8:33 PM
Bullsh*t five-on-three. Roberts has been doing that all series.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 8:36 PM
Another huge kill!
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 8:36 PM
okay dodged a huge bullet there
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 8:38 PM
Great penalty killing there. Phew.
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 8:54 PM
Okay good first period!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 8:57 PM
Solid first period, keep it up. The Pens offence hasn't really had a chance to get going.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 8:57 PM
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.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 9:20 PM
Damnit, Helmer's out. I'll trade him for Crosby but I don't want to have to.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 9:26 PM
Dr. Fil!
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 9:27 PM
he!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 9:28 PM
Get in! Bad rebound.
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 9:28 PM
I missed the first 8 min of period two what happened to Helm
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 9:28 PM
That's an absolutely huge goal. Breathing room for now.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 9:29 PM
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.
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 9:29 PM
Why do they keep talking about the ice they are both playing on the same ice.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 9:36 PM
The ice is bad either way, it's just that Pittsburgh is still being stupid enough to try those stretch passes.
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 9:41 PM
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!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 9:42 PM
Phantom call that NBC couldn't even replay and the Pens score on the power play. Damnit.
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 9:42 PM
Notice NBC not showing the replay on that last penalty.........hmmmmmmmmm. F@CK
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 9:43 PM
Oh f*ck oh f*ck.
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 9:44 PM
One out of three ain't bad
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 9:44 PM
I'll be damned, they actually call Roberts for something.
Posted by drwmike33 on 6/4/2008 at 9:47 PM
I'll be damned, they actually call Roberts for something.
We need the next 3
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 9:49 PM
Need to get out of this period and settle down a little.
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 9:51 PM
Okay one period, hopefully the other night will help keep them focused with this lead. Need another one.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 9:52 PM
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...
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:16 PM
Helmer's back out. Excellent.
Posted by drwmike33 on 6/4/2008 at 10:16 PM
these close games aren't healthy for me.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:19 PM
It's in? Holy sh*t!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:20 PM
There's that lucky break I'm always calling for. Woohoo!!!!
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 10:20 PM
Yesssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 10:21 PM
Fleury sits on it! YESSS!!!!
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 10:26 PM
They have to keep the pressure on.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:28 PM
In the shifts after the goal, didn't seem like the Wings were holding back. Damn good to see, didn't see it Monday.
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 10:29 PM
Keep it up
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:33 PM
Under five minutes. Keep it up guys!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:36 PM
Under two minutes...
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 10:37 PM
Scary scary....come on
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:37 PM
Son of a bitch, Pittsburgh power play.
Kill this one and end this!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 10:37 PM
So close now....Come on!
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 10:38 PM
F@CK
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:38 PM
You are f*cking kidding me.
And Lilja's stick is taken away with no penalty.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 10:39 PM
Oh no. Don't let this happen!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:40 PM
Win the draw and get the clear.
Posted by klaitinen on 6/4/2008 at 10:43 PM
wow what a finish!!!!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:43 PM
And Ozzie comes up huge at the last second! WOOOOOOO!!!!!
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 10:46 PM
YYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! COME ON! COME ON! STANLEY! STANLEY! STANLEY! YEEEAAAHHHH!!!!!!!
Posted by drwmike33 on 6/4/2008 at 10:48 PM
Good Lord.
i'm speechless.. that was
wow.
Posted by drwmike33 on 6/4/2008 at 10:49 PM
The poor sports in Pittsburgh is staggering.
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:49 PM
Zata gets the Conn Smythe! Woohoooo!!!!
Posted by Mathieu_Datsyuk132351 on 6/4/2008 at 10:50 PM
I sit in a hotel in the middle of Illinois 
I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY <|3
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:52 PM
Dally gets the Cup from Nick! Clears next.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 10:53 PM
YEAH!!!! And Dallas Drake gets the Cup handed to him.
Posted by Britishwingsfan on 6/4/2008 at 10:55 PM
Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie!
Posted by fitch.1918 on 6/4/2008 at 10:55 PM
HE!! Yeah!!!!!!
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/4/2008 at 10:57 PM
When's the parade? Woooohoooo!
You coming, fitch?
Posted by YzerFan19 on 6/5/2008 at 12:00 AM
Parade is 11:00 AM on Friday. I'll be there.
Posted by RideTheRedWave on 6/5/2008 at 2:27 AM
YEHAW
Great Series!
WINGS AGAIN!!!
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