If the Detroit Red Wings want to claim their 12th Stanley Cup, they better not have any more periods like the second period in tonight’s game. With a three goal surge in a six minute span, the Pittsburgh Penguins erased a 2-1 deficit and sent the series back to Detroit tied at two games apiece with a 4-2 win.
The Wings found themselves in an early hole, as Evgeni Malkin slipped a loose puck between Chris Osgood‘s legs to notch a power play tally only 2:39 into the first period. The Wings would continue to chase the Penguins throughout much of the first period, as Pittsburgh controlled the tempo and pace of play to their liking. However, Darren Helm would come to the rescue, intercepting a Rob Scuderi clearing attempt and wristing home a shot over the glove of Marc-Andre Fleury late in the first period to tie the game at the intermission.
The second period started much better for the Wings, as Brad Stuart‘s rising shot beat Fleury stick-side to put the Wings up 2-1. As the second ticked on, the Wings dictated the pace of play, and eventually forced Malkin into taking a hooking penalty. In the waning seconds of the power play, Brooks Orpik got called for tripping, and the Wings looked poised to take control of the game. But that’s when everything unraveled. Less than a minute into to the second power play, Jordan Staal took the puck up ice and fended off Brian Rafalski to slip a shorthanded goal past Osgood, tying the game at two. Less than two minutes later, Malkin intercepted a pass and broke out on a 2-1, slipping the puck past Jonathan Ericsson and onto the waiting stick of Sidney Crosby, who deposited the puck into the net and erased the tie game. But that wasn’t all. Less than four minutes later, Chris Kunitz scooped up a loose puck in the Red Wings end, slipped it to Crosby, who then found a wide open Tyler Kennedy to Osgood’s right, who put the Wings away for good with the Pens third goal in a six minute span.
Chris’ Red Wing of the Game
Darren Helm
Honestly, nobody really deserves this, as this was probably one of the worst all-around team performances the Wings have had in a long time. Helm was probably the brightest spot for the Wings tonight, scoring a goal and showcasing his trademark hustle.
After a forgettable trip to Pittsburgh, the Wings head back to Detroit for Game 5 on Saturday night. The puck drops at 8:00 PM, and the game can be seen on NBC and CBC.