Darryl Sydor Capable of Giving the Penguins the Spark They Need?

Sid The Kid has been unable to do much to light a fire underneath his fellow Penguins. So, Michel Therrien is trying another "Syd," older and more playoff-savvy than his 20-year-old captain.

Darryl Sydor will be in the Penguins' lineup for Game 3 for the first time in the 2008 Playoffs. While Sydor will not likely provide an offensive spark, he does bring something else to the table that is lacking throughout the Penguins' young lineup: experience.

Sydor is playing in his 16th NHL season, and has played in 151 career playoff games, recording 56 points. Sydor also has two Stanley Cup rings (Dallas and Tampa Bay).

Rookie defenseman Kris Letang has been designated as the odd man out, and will be a healthy scratch for the first time in the playoffs.

Home ice advantage provides not only a Penguin-friendly atmosphere, but also the ability to make the last line changes. This could allow Michel Therrien the ability to get Sidney Crosby's line away from Detroit's top defensive pairings at some point during the game.

While it might not make much of a difference—considering Detroit's defensemen have been solid from number one to number six—it may provide Crosby with a little more open ice to work with. Maybe even one of his linemates will finish on one of the scoring chances Sid has been setting up for them.

The Penguins are hoping that the 17,132 fans sure to fill the seats at the Igloo tonight will provide a much-needed spark for the team. However, those 17,000 people can't put the puck in the net—that duty is relegated to the 18 players who will be suiting up in the black and gold.

They've tried shuffling their lines and they've tried altering their game plan, but the Pittsburgh Penguins have yet to even score a goal in the Finals, let alone win a game.

So, why not Darryl Sydor?