PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Pittsburgh's Marian Hossa celebrates his powerplay goal in the first period during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings Saturday, May 31, at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh.
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review
The start couldn't have been better.
It was finishing that proved to be the Penguins' undoing in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final.
Less than three minutes in, Marian Hossa was celebrating another goal surrendered by Chris Osgood from behind the goal line, a power-play goal that suggested the Penguins meant business Saturday night at Mellon Arena.
Less than five minutes in, Hossa beat Osgood again but struck only the iron of the crossbar.
The Penguins were that close to leading 2-0.
The Penguins were that close, perhaps, to evening the series at two games apiece.
Instead, they've been pushed to the brink of elimination via a 2-1 loss that moved the Red Wings to within 60 minutes of the Cup.
A Nicklas Lidstrom shot through a screen evened things at 1-1 at 7:06, but the Penguins kept coming.
The best chance to do some more damage came late in the first period, when Evgeni Malkin seemingly sent Pascal Dupuis in alone on Osgood.
Dupuis couldn't handle the pass well enough to get off a shot, and the opportunity went awry.
Seconds later, Hossa tried to find Sidney Crosby on Osgood's doorstep, but the pass wasn't handled.
In the second period, Crosby arrived at the crease in time to deflect a Dupuis attempt, but Osgood swallowed it.
Another huge save was registered on a Dupuis shot from the high slot after a brilliant feed from Hossa.
A wraparound attempt slid off Ryan Malone's stick in the wrong direction.
A Crosby drive to the goal was denied.
And so it went.
Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood stops a shot by the Penguins' Sidney Crosby on a break-away during the second period of Stanley Cup final Game 4 Saturday, May 31, at Mellon Arena.
Christopher Horner/Tribune-Review
The frustration became palatable late in the second, when Jordan Staal, perhaps looking for the perfect opportunity, opted not to shoot on a good one between the face-off circles.
Staal at least drew a penalty, but the Penguins managed to get outshot, 1-0, on the subsequent power play.
Maybe it was the residue from the eight-legged creature that hit the ice prior to the opening face-off -- a substance that had been referred to as octopus "gunk" by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman in Detroit -- that had the Penguins a hair off their offensive game.
Maybe it was the defensive pressure applied by the Red Wings.
Through two periods, the Penguins were being outshot, 21-17, yet had the better of the quality scoring chances.
Those missed chances would come back to haunt them.
Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury can't stop a goal by Detroit's Nicklas Lindstrom during the first period of Stanley Cup final Game 4 Saturday, May 31, at Mellon Arena.
Christopher Horner/Tribune-Review
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was beaten on a short-side backhand by Jiri Hudler at 2:26 of the third, a goal as soft as it is potentially devastating for the Pens.
They were mostly suffocated thereafter, even during a two-man advantage that lasted for 1:27.
Still, they had their chances.
They're down to their last chance Monday night.
Mike Prisuta is a columnist for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at mprisuta@tribweb.com or 412-320-7923.
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