Crushing loss could take toll on Red Wings

By Mike Prisuta
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, June 4, 2008



DETROIT - JUNE 02: Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes a pad save against the Detroit Red Wings during game five of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 2, 2008 in Detroit, Michigan. The Penguins defeated the Red Wings 4-3 in triple overtime to set the series at 3-2 Red Wings. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)


DETROIT -- The Stanley Cup wasn't in the house for the start of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final, but it was there as the closing seconds of regulation ticked away, just as the Penguins suspected.

"I heard the Stanley Cup was in the hallway," Max Talbot said.

It got there just ahead of case upon case of champagne, all of which had been shuttled through the bowels of Joe Louis Arena down a corridor and toward the Red Wings' locker room on large metal carts that made enough of a ruckus to wake the dead, or at least NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Championship T-shirts were hurriedly being unloaded from boxes.

On-duty cops were checking to make sure they had the appropriate riot gear at their disposal, as per previous instructions.

The engraver was probably double-checking to make sure he had the correct spelling of "Valtteri Filppula," and that he knew Nicklas (Lidstrom), from Niklas (Kronwall).

That's how close the Red Wings were to ending this increasingly fascinating battle Monday night in Game 5.

Then, Talbot struck for a sixth-attacker, final-minute goal the likes of which the NHL hadn't seen in a Cup final in 72 years (since Toronto did it to Detroit in 1936).

It would be another 50:32 before anyone scored again (Gordie Howe was still conscious and paying attention, but I'm not sure about Kid Rock).

Once that happened, the Cup went back into its box.

And the Penguins assumed, if not equal footing in the series, a position of relative strength the likes of which they haven't enjoyed since before Marc-Andre Fleury fell flat on his face prior to Game 1.

The Red Wings still lead it, three games to two.

But it was the Red Wings who lost The Marathon.

And recent history is replete with examples of teams that end up losing such games being unable to recover.

And those teams, unlike the Red Wings, didn't belong to AARP as well as the NHLPA.

The Penguins know both ends of the equation.



DETROIT - JUNE 02: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates teammate Petr Sykora's overtime goal during game five of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 2, 2008 in Detroit, Michigan. The Penguins defeated the Red Wings 4-3 in triple overtime to set the series at 3-2 Red Wings. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

In 1996, they required 79:15 of overtime to beat the Washington Capitals, 3-2, in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, tying the series at two games apiece.

The Penguins didn't lose again in that series.

And, in 2000, the Penguins succumbed to the Philadelphia Flyers, 2-1, after 92:01 of OT, a stunner that tied an Eastern Conference semifinal series at two games apiece.

The Penguins didn't win again.

In 1990, Edmonton beat Boston at 55:13 of OT in Game 1. Edmonton won the Cup.

In 2002, Detroit topped Carolina at 54:57 of extra-sessions tension in Game 3. Detroit wound up dancing with Stanley.

It doesn't always work out in such a fashion, but it happens a lot.

That's the emotional and physical baggage the Red Wings have dragged with them into Game 6 tonight.

This wasn't just a loss after 49:57 of OT.

This was a shot right to the octopus.

The Pens took some hits, too, but those seemingly no longer registered once Petr Sykora found the net early Tuesday morning.

"You don't get tired when you win," Penguins goaltenders coach Gilles Meloche said. "You get tired when you're losing."

Especially when the Cup slips from your grasp in the process.


Mike Prisuta is a columnist for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at mprisuta@tribweb.com or 412-320-7923.