Game Three Pre Game

The Detroit Red Wings head into tonight’s game two wins away from back-to-back Stanley Cups.

Teams that have won the first two games of the Stanley Cup finals have gone on to win 41 of 44 series. Only three teams have come back from 0-2 to win the Stanley Cup. Fortunately for Penguins’ fans two of those come backs were against the Red Wings. In 1942 the Maple Leafs came back and in ’66 the Canadiens pulled off the same feat. In ’71 the Canadiens again came back from being two down this time against the Blackhawks. So, it can be done. Don’t count on it though.

Also working against the Penguins is the fact that Chris Osgood happens to have the best winning percentage among goalies in Stanley Cup finals history. He has a 10-2 record, 1.47 GAA, and .937 sv% in his 13 Cup final appearances.

There are some positives that the Penguins can take away from the first two games this year.  They have scored more goals this year, they have out shot the Wings in both games and blocked more shots. They also improved on their faceoffs percentage from game one to game two.

They keys for tonight’s game are match-ups. The Penguins get last change because they are at home and they will be looking to get Crosby away from Zetterberg. You can expect that Staal will be lining up against the powerful Swede when possible.

The Wings need to keep clogging up the neutral zone if they let the Pens get the puck deep they will run into trouble.

Marc-Andre Fleury has to be better although Sergei Gonchar feels that the team needs to help him a bit more too.

“You know, Marc played great for us through the year, and he proved himself last year through the playoffs. We all believe in him so we don’t have to say too much.”

The only thing that has separated these two teams in the first two games was the bounces. Pens head coach Dan Bylsma feels that’s where the Wings have had the advantage.

“I think the one thing that they’ve been better at than us in this series is in and around that net on second chances and loose pucks,” he explained in his morning press conference. They’ve gotten those goals.  Whether it be off the end board or on rebounds, they’ve created them.”

The Red Wings can all but celebrate their championship if they are able to overcome the onslaught that the Penguins are sure to put on tonight at Mellon arena. Puck drop is just after 8:00p.m.