But I'm no more optimistic. True, the Wings have two of the remaining three games at home, but that does nothing to alleviate my fears. Pittsburgh, right now, is the better team.
And I doubt Pavel Datsyuk would make much of a difference - at least not in Game 4. Perhaps Pavel's return in Game 5 will lighten the load for Zetterberg. But it wasn't like Pavel was lighting up the scoreboard before his injury.
Just like the regular season, the turnovers are killing this team. I'm not sure how they flipped-the-switch once the playoffs began, but they need to flip it on again. Pittsburgh's forecheck is top-notch, and they're ready to pounce on every defensive miscue. For a 6 minute span in Game 4, that's all the Pen's needed. Strangely, the Wings hardly threatened after they lost the lead. That's not the championship mettle we've come to expect. These are the Stanley Cup Finals - aren't they supposed to leave everything on the ice?
Unfortunately, they may have nothing left.
How do they turn things around? It starts with desire. If I were Lidstrom, I'd call a team meeting. Invite everyone but Ozzie. This could be Ozzie's last chance at a Cup, and, right now, he's in line to win the Conn-Smythe should the Wings pull off two more wins. He's been a great leader and a solid teammate for almost twenty years. Win it for Ozzie.
Next, they need to address the penalty kill. To this point, they've employed the passive zone that allows the Pens to pass the puck around the perimeter. The results? Pittsburgh power play success is close to 50%. Yikes. It's fair to say the passive strategy failed. Ramp up the aggression. I know it's not pretty hockey, but they need to start hitting, like they did against Anaheim. If they get another penalty, who cares? Pittsburgh is scoring on the 5-on-4, so what does it matter if it's a 5-on-3? Put some Penguins on their butts. Disrupt their flow.
Lastly, they need a day off. Rest. Play Sega '94. Spend time with the kids. Whatever it takes to get them refreshed.
That's all I got, except... Go Wings.
Right there with you, Steve. I hate the "facts" about 30 of the 31 teams winning the first two games winning the Cup, etc. They don't look good and the Pens' confidence is soaring. We need a serious beatdown (given by the Wings) in game 5 to swing the series back in Red Wing favor. Anything less, even if the Wings get a scrape-by win, will not get the job done. Wings look old and beaten, and I don't like that one bit.
ReplyDeleteYeah, those facts are just maddening. Sports are unpredictable, especially hockey. Perhaps the Pens will be that rare team to come back from 0-2. Perhaps not. The NHL is so desperate for ratings that they'll do anything to create drama.
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