For
expediency's sake, here's a round-up of today's stories from NHL.com as
they relate to the Detroit Red Wings-Pittsburgh Penguins series:
Brian Compton noted that the Red Wings promise to approach tonight's game with steely focus:
June 8, NHL.com:
"We've been here before and we've had lots of games like this, so we
know how to approach them," said Osgood, who blanked the Pens with a
22-save effort in Game 5 on Saturday. "He'll approach it like the same
as any other game. Mentally, I think we'll be better than the two games
we played there."
Detroit took a 2-0 series lead to
Pittsburgh before dropping back-to-back 4-2 decisions to the Pens to
even things up. But just like the 2008 Stanley Cup Final, the Wings
head to the Steel City with a chance to close it out thanks to
Saturday's 5-0 win in Game 5. Last year, they were able to finish the
job in Game 6.
It's that type of experience that they can lean on heading into
Tuesday night. But they all know it won't be easy, just like getting
back to this point wasn't.
"When you win last year and do what we're doing this year, I think
it's phenomenal," Babcock said. "This is the hardest year I've ever had
in coaching, and I think it's one of the hardest years for the players.
Ozzie battled like crazy. These are good, good people. Veteran people
understand that ideally, it's going to come around."
Shawn P. Roarke discussed the role of the Penguins' in forcing a seventh game, and while
Dan Bylsma and Bill Guerin suggested that their team would step up and expressed
confidence in Marc-Andre Fleury, Sidney Crosby spoke defiantly, as NHL.com's Larry Wigge noted...
: "I think we're going to bounce back. We have all year," Crosby said. "We weren't happy with that effort, but we've moved on."
Like midway through the regular season when the Penguins were 10th
and it was looking a little gloomy that they were even going to make it
back to the playoffs.
Going through adversity last spring in the Final against Detroit and
struggling from the start this season has just helped make this young
team stronger and more confident.
Added Crosby, "We're keeping things in perspective here, knowing where we've been and what we have to do now."
And those comments continued today, as Wigge noted:
June 9, NHL.com:
"I've got to be my best, just like everyone else has to," said Penguins
captain Sidney Crosby. "These are the games where we all need to find a
way to find that extra level. I'm not any different. You never know how
many opportunities you are going to get. So when you get them, you want
to make the most of them."
Said veteran winger Bill Guerin, "Sometimes, fear is a weapon. You have to use that to drive you."
In other words, the Penguins are looking for a defining moment, like
the Game 4 shorthanded goal by Jordan Staal that took the wind out of
the Red Wings and tied the series at two games apiece. This time, that
kind of performance has to come from a lot of people.
"Obviously, that's what helps win championships, guys coming out of
nowhere to help out. Everybody's got to contribute," added Chris
Kunitz. "I've got to be better. But right now, we're looking for just
anyone to score goals to help us win."
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma gave said it wasn't all about Crosby and
Evgeni Malkin or Marc-Andre Fleury playing their best. It was about a
group effort playing for pride, looking for a spark.
"I like it being a defining moment," Bylsma said. "Everyone in that
room should be ready to play their best game and make a difference, by
doing what we do as a team. Everyone needs to be ready to have the puck
on their stick and make THE play or make THE defensive play or block
THE shot or make THE save. That's what we need. We need a defining
game."
Both
Dan Rosen and
Paul Kukla
weighed in on the anticipation for Game 6, and Mike G. Morreale spoke
about the intangible that is "will" with Wings GM Ken Holland:
:
"You can have skill, but if you don't have will and determination it's
pretty tough to advance," Holland said. "At the end of the day, it was
will that got us through the Anaheim series with the amount of injuries
we had and knowing how mentally tough they were. We found a way to get
through that series and I think our will allowed us to get through the
Chicago series."
Strong will was needed by both Cup finalists to get to Game 6 here in Pittsburgh Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS).
The Wings went to the limit against the Anaheim Ducks in the Western
Conference semifinals, using a significant measure of will to overcome
the absences of defenseman Brian Rafalski (upper body injury) for five
games and faceoff specialist Kris Draper (upper body injury) for six.
They actually trailed in the series 1-2 before winning three of the
next four, including a 4-3 decision in Game 7. It marked the first
seven-game series the Wings had participated in since 2002 when it
defeated the Colorado Avalanche -- earning a 7-0 victory in Game 7.
"I mean, that Anaheim series was tough," said Draper late Monday. "I
was not part of that until the Game 7. But just watching how hard the
guys had to compete night in, night out against obviously a very
physical Anaheim team was impressive...you can use the word,
'resilient,' finding ways to win hockey games, whatever it it. We've
been able to do that."
...
"Will is what is driving Henrik Zetterberg against Sidney Crosby and
will is what gets our defense going against their top players," Holland
said. "The Zetterberg-Crosby battle has been a tremendous matchup and
Henrik continues to show why he's one of the best two-way players in
the League."
Brian Compton also profiled
Jonathan Ericsson, and Morreale noted both the comments of Sidney Crosby and Nicklas Lidstrom from this morning:
:
"The ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup and that's the goal we're
trying to achieve right now, so we take a different mindset entering
(Tuesday's) game," Lidstrom said. "During the playoffs in the first,
second or third round, you're looking to advance, you're looking to
move up and play in the next round or you're getting ready for the next
round. When you're in the Final, you know you can see the end -- you're
close to the end. You know you almost reached your goal."
In addition to Lidstrom, forwards Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Darren
McCarty and Tomas Holmstrom will be looking to earn a Stanley Cup ring
for the fifth time in their careers.
"Winning four Stanley Cups is something I'm very proud of and having
a chance to win another one, it's a good feeling," Lidstrom said. "I'm
very fortunate to have been with the same team for a lot of years and
been with an organization and ownership that really are dedicated to
winning."
Detroit coach Mike Babcock knows the Penguins will be a desperate team from the opening faceoff.
"When you lose a game and you don't play the way you want, you beat
yourself up for a couple of days," Babcock said. "You want to be better
and you want to be the best you can be and analyze what you did wrong.
We try to do the same thing by being even keel all the time so we're
preparing the same way. Whether it's a Game 7 attitude for them, it has
to be for us."
In the end, Babcock knows the best players will shine in the key
moments. That said, expect Lidstrom and Crosby to be at their best.
"In the biggest events, the best players just do what they do," he said. "They're just calm and they play."