So perhaps the fat lady has not sung yet, as far as the Pittsburgh Penguins are concerned. But at this point in the series, she has cleared her throat, prepared her sheet music and has approached the microphone.
Yes, it is still 3 games to 1 in favour of Detroit going into tonight's game 5 in Motown and yes, anything can still happen. Now that I have appeased the hopelessly optimistic Pens fans, let's look at the facts.
Putting aside the obvious stat that the last team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the final round was the '42 Leafs. The Penguins, should they go on to lose this series, should hold their heads high and know that they were beaten by a team that was more ready, more poised, better prepared and more experienced than they were.
Chris Osgood has 104 career playoff games, Marc-André Fleury has 23. Michel Therrien has made it to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in his career whereas Mike Babcock has been there and done that with the Anaheim Ducks. Datsyuk, Zetterberg Franzen, Lidstrom and Rafalski have seemed to always have the upper hand, as a unit over Crosby, Hossa, Malkin, Gonchar and Malone, although Crosby is the leading scorer of the playoffs to date.
The Penguins went into this series knowing that even though they would let in a few goals, their d-line was not necessarily that of stellar proportions, their offence would more than hold its own and potentially win them games. So far in four games, they have been outscored 11-4.
This is not to say that the Penguins are a bad team all of a sudden. They were lacking in the one department that the Red Wings were not.
Experience is one of the by-products of Detroit's veteran-laden line-up. Players like Chris Chelios, Niklas Lidstrom, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby and Darren Mccarty have all won up to three cups each during their time in Detroit. Brian Rafalski won two with New Jersey whereas the Penguins boast four cups among the whole team.
Now, perhaps I took a slight risk posting this article before the series is officially over, but in the case that the Penguins do not go on to pull of the comeback of the decade and win, they should bear in mind that they do not necessarily go away empty-handed.
They take back with them newfound, impossible to get playoff experience—Stanley Cup Final experience, to be more precise. The next time they reach this level, and there will be a next time, they will then be able to say "been there, done that."
Not to fret, Penguins fans, there's always next year....If the Habs don't take it!
comments (3) write a comment »
write a new comment
4 months ago
good read,
for sure, they are going on the right path. I mean, last year, they have been eliminated by the sens, this year, they are at the Stanley cup finals. this is obvious improvement, it cannot get any better.
"if the Habs don't take it" ---- it made me laugh, I am definitely not used to give them more consideration than for a team who needs to "make it to playoffs" (thanks anyway)
from 4 months ago
Thanks for the comment Miah. Yeah, you have to admire and respect what the Pens were able to do in the span of one year. It's like I wrote, this is all because of gained experience. I'm not sure Therrien is the coach to take them to the promised land, but he too will have gained alot of experience. As for the comment about the Habs possibly taking it next year, you never know my friend ! It is their 100th anniversary next year and they also finished 1st in the East this year after missing the playoffs last year, and again, more gained experience.. Go Habs Go !
from 4 months ago
well, for sure they will represent a certain thread next year, and the year after, and so on. I guess they all got used to Therrien by then, he is THE coach who brought them as close as possible ... he might stick around for a while. but we have seen what happened during the season with some teams in the NHL, u never know what happens for a coach in the NHL. but I hope he will succeed, he is a good guy.
about the Habs, I really admire ur enthusiasm about the team. for sure, they too have got more experience. but I dont know if they will be as constant as the Pens ... it is a little question mark I would put on the CH. but no matter what, we wouldn't be fans if we wouldn't believe, right?!
by the way, stick around. it will be time for the contracts signing analysis soon, we'll have little debates about our future and current players in BR. Go Habs Go!
write a new comment