Another day

Game 5 of the SCF will be a game that is talked about for years, regardless of what happens the rest of the series. The Red Wings and their fans were already picturing how great the Stanley Cup was going to look in Detroit for the next season.

Then, it happened.

It wasn't a goal by Sidney Crosby, or Evgeni Malkin or Marian Hossa. It was a goal from the heart of the team, the sparkplug center who has been nothing but clutch for the entire playoff run.

Max Talbot, out on the ice as an extra attacker with less than a minute remaining in the Penguins season, was on the doorstep next to Chris Osgood and took two shots, the second one went behind Osgood, and Detroit was quiet and would have to wait for overtime to celebrate.
(That was a long ass sentence)

The Pens scored the first 2 goals of the game, and their first 2 goals in Detroit. The Wings would score 3 to take a 3-2 lead late into the 3rd, where Max Talbot would be the hero.

Marc-Andre Fleury had his coming out party in this game. While he allowed 3 goals and looked frustrated after Rafalski made the score 3-2, he was unbeatable early on and after that goal. If the Pens go on to stun Detroit and win the series, you will look back on his game 5 performance as the greatest performance by a Penguins goaltender ever. Even still, this game has to rank top 5 all-time.

Adam Hall has quietly been one of the most soild players for the Pens in these Finals. I hope the Pens reward him with a job on the team next season. Solid PKer's and good face-off men are hard to come by in this league.

Petr Sykora will win the lottery tomorrow because he has already called what the numbers will be.

Hats off to the entire Penguins defense. They lost Gonchar midway through the 3rd and remaining 5 had to toughen up and rotate through basically another entire game. Rob Scuderi, Hal Gill, Ryan Whitney, Brooks Orpik and Darryl Sydor all deserve praise and the Willis Reed that Sergei Gonchar pulled on the winning goal is what legends are made of.

Game 6 is Wednesday night at the Igloo. Your life will change if this series goes back to Detroit.