The Puck Stops Here

After two games where the Detroit Red Wings dominated the Pittsburgh Penguins and did not allow the Penguins any goals (and few legitimate scoring opportunities), the Penguins have come back and won game three of the Stanley Cup finals 3-2. This win may put Pittsburgh back into the series (it is also possible that the Penguins roll over and die in games four and five).

It was a Pittsburgh win, but not a dominant Pittsburgh win. Pittsburgh was outshot 34-23 in their win. This was the kind of game that Chris Osgood would have won for the Red Wings if he truly was Conn Smythe calibre. However, Osgood does not seem capable of stealing a game for the Red Wings. Sure Osgood has played well (even with the loss he has a playoff leading 1.48 GAA and a .935 saves percentage, but given how few quality scoring chances Detroit allows I think there are at least twenty other goalies in the NHL who could be in the same position as Osgood if they were the Red Wing goaltender.

Sidney Crosby had a good game scoring twice and moving back into a tie for the playoff scoring lead (with Henrik Zetterberg). Nevertheless, the seed has been planted for some people to determine that Crosby is a big game choker. Largely, this is an unfair idea that is based on the NHL's promotion of the finals. Crosby was pushed above all other players in this series in the pre-finals hype and given that Detroit is a superior team to his Penguins, he was likely to lose. That doesn't matter to many fans. Crosby was hyped to be the star of the finals and so far, he hasn't been. Crosby can join such historic playoff chokers as Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman (all players who got off that list after they won their first Stanley Cup). If Crosby is a bug game choker, then Evgeni Malkin is definitely a big game choker. Malkin has not been a dominant player since early in the Philadelphia series and is likely playing hurt. Nevertheless, that will be forgotten. His final series stats of three games played, zero points and -3 will speak for themselves.

It is easy for the myth of a playoff choker to be started. Most fans do not pay close enough attention to the circumstances when a famous player does not win the cup and does not singlehandedly turn the fortunes of his team. It is especially true in future seasons. Few fans will remember the circumstances of the 2008 finals, but will see the statistics produced and in a year or two when Malkin or Crosby seem to be on a playoff run, the myth of their choke will be brought up and will be taken by many fans as fact.

Pittsburgh's win may put them back into the series. It may also be the last hurrah for the Penguins as Detroit marches onto their 2008 Stanley cup victory.