Detroit – A year wiser and still the goalie in net, 24 year old Marc- Andre Fluery faces the Red Wings for a second time in his young career, along with 21 year old Captain Sidney Crosby. Same players, different coach. Last year, the Penguins had Michel Terrain, this year they have a much younger Dan Bylsma. The Red Wings have the same old pesky players. Behind the bench, a crafty veteran Mike Babcock, who has put into the play Justin Abdelkader (he might as well be call Justin Agitator). For these Penguins, it’s the same old song and dance. Sidney Crosby needs to start being a captain if the Penguins are going to win. It’s not the Red Wings Hockey League.
The last time I checked it was the NHL. For these Detroit wrecking machines, Babcock yet again has put together a crafty game plan that finds Crosby and Brooks Orpik down 2 games to none. No-one talks about the other teams in the league, because the Red Wings are simply that good. Marian Hossa stands 2 wins away from tasting Lord Stanley’s champagne for the first time. It’s all about the Pittsburgh Penguins will and heart. Tomorrow night’s game 3 will tell the story. If these Penguins don’t have any fight left in them, the Red Wings will add another title to their belt. The Penguins will have to answer a lot of questions, if they finish second, like “Can Sidney really handle the pressure of the playoffs?” or “Is winning an Eastern Conference Championship all these Penguins are good for this season?” This series was supposed to be about Crosby vs. Niklas Lidstrom. So far, it’s been the Lidstrom show. Where are the Penguins that dominated a once hot Carolina team?
