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Penguins Limp Towards Free Agency

With just a few days to go before the July 1st opening of the free agency market, the Penguins have so far failed to complete any of their post-season priorities.  It was no secret that the Penguins wanted to lock up a long-term deal with Marian Hossa, re-sign Brooks Orpik, and tender a trade prior to the draft to acquire a first round pick.  To help with the challenges, the Penguins filed for salary arbitration with Marc-Andre Fleury to buy some time on his contract talks to focus on getting the other deals done.  So far, the Penguins have nothing to show for their efforts aside from some public rejections from the players involved. 

Ray Shero and his team spent much of their pre-draft time and effort drawing up a long term deal for Marian Hossa.  The offer tendered by the Penguins was rumored to be in the 7-year and $50M range.  With Hossa’s post-playoff comments that he would be willing to accept less money to play for a great team, it was widely believed that this was a signal of his intent to stay in Pittsburgh.  Last week, rumor had it that Hossa would sign a deal before last Saturday’s draft.  However, on draft day Hossa rejected the offer and informed Shero that he was going to test the free agency market, noting that the Penguins were still at the top of the list.  It seems an obvious negotiating tactic on behalf of Marian Hossa and his agent to let the free market pressure ensure that they get the best offer on the table before making a decision.  Ray Shero noted however that the offer may no longer be on the table after July 1st.  It seems a low risk proposition for a player that is sure to command matching or better offers outside of Pittsburgh.

During the Hossa negotiations, the Penguins were also shopping potential pre-draft trade deals to trade away the rights of pending free agents in return for a first or second round draft pick.  The most notable was a rumored deal with Columbus to move Ryan Malone for a 2nd round pick.  At the last minute, however, Ryan Malone stated his intent to test free agency and that he would not be talking to any teams prior to July 1st.  This slammed the door shut on the Penguins hopes to get something in return for the blossoming power forward.  It seemed a fitting gesture from the budding power forward and local hero after the Penguins’ management opted to not make Malone’s re-signing a priority for the team.   As a result, the Penguins were not able to better their position for the draft. 

The Penguins then put the focus on defenseman Brooks Orpik, with the intention of signing him before next week’s free agency deadline.  The Penguins tendered an undisclosed multi-year offer rumored to be in the $3M per year range,  Yestderday, Brooks Orpik and his agent turned down that offer.  Orpik didn’t indicate that he intended to test out free agency, leaving open the possibility that a new offer and deal could be struck before Tuesday. 

In other disheartening news, wiley veteran Gary Roberts has indicated through his agent that he is parting ways with the Penguins.  “He very much enjoyed his time there,” his agent said. “But he understands that Ray has a number of items on his agenda that would take priority.”  Roberts reportedly wants to continue his NHL career at least one more season.

In the only bit of good news from the last 2 weeeks, the NHL’s salary cap for next season was announced yesterday and it has grown by $6.4M over last season to $56.7M.  League commissioner Gary Bettman had previously expected a $3 million increase.  The higher cap gives team’s more bargaining ceiling should the team’s ownership be willing to foot the bill.  The Trib reports that the Penguins ownership is believed to be willing to spend up to the cap, even though it would likely mean operating at a loss for the next 2 seasons until the Penguins move into their new arena.  It will be interesting to see if this affects the on-going negotiations with Brooks Orpik and whether it creates an opportunity for revisiting the Hossa offer.  It could also affect the post-July 1st negotiations expected between the Penguins and Evgeni Malkin. 

On Tuesday, the free agency market will commence and the Penguins could find themselves having to re-wicker their priorities and objectives if they can’t land Marian Hossa and/or Brooks Orpik.  I am sure this is not the scenario that Ray Shero wanted to be in at this point, but realistically it is probably the scenario that he expected to be in.  You can’t blame a player for trying to maximize his earning potential.  All we can do as fans of the game is hope for the best and hope that the majority of this special group of players remain intact for another run at the cup in the coming season. 

Let’s Go Pens!

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Off-Season Contract Activities Heating Up

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a lot of work to do in the off-season to attempt to keep their core team together with the constraints of the salary cap as 12-players head to unrestricted free agency in a little over two weeks on July 1st.  This week, Ray Shero started to set the table by prioritizing the difficult task ahead of him. 

Shero made the first move on Friday by filing for salary arbitration for Marc-Andre Fleury with the National Hockey League.  The league-managed arbitration hearings take place July 20 to August 4.  This allows the Penguins to retain his rights past July 1st, when he would have become a restricted free agent, and grants them time continue to negotiate his contract.  Shero noted that filing for salary arbitration gives the Penguins the extra time to continue to negotiate a contract with Fleury.  “As a result of the filing, Penguins’ fans are assured that Marc-Andre will be under contract to our club for next season,” stated Shero.  “We remain committed to negotiating a contract with him in the near future.”

According to Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, various players, agents and team officials have indicated off the record that a long-term contract for Marian Hossa is the #1 priority being pursued by Penguins’ management.  Hossa’s value on the open market is expected to be above $8M per year, but he indicated at the end of the season that he was open to taking less salary for the opportunity to play on a good team.  The Penguins are reportedly looking at a long term deal worth less than the $8M+ that Hossa might be offered outside of Pittsburgh.  Rossi reports that the offer from Pittsburgh is likely to be worth nearly $50 million over seven years, which would be slightly more than his current $7M per year salary and less than he would likely command on the open market.  The Penguins will need a quick decision on Hossa, as the outcome will likely affect their ability to close on other unrestricted free agents, to include Ryan Malone and Brooks Orpik.  If the Penguins can ink a deal with Hossa, it is likely that they will only be able to retain one of the two.  Both Orpik and Malone have increased their market value over the last season, and it would appear that there won’t be enough room payroll for all three players (Hossa, Orpik and Malone) without serious concessions by the players. 

Evgeni Malkin made several encouraging comments for Penguins fans on Thursday night as he stated that he expects to sign a 5 or 6 year deal soon.  The Penguins cannot sign a deal with Malkin until after July 1st due to league collective bargaining rules.  Malkin stated that he would accept an annual salary less than the $8.7 million that Crosby will get over the next 5 seasons.  Malkin, a league MVP finalist, was named to the NHL All-Star First Team after a pehenomenal season in Pittsburgh this year.  “I’m an easy guy to deal with. I’d love to stay in Pittsburgh.”  It is encouraging to note that the players want to stay in Pittsburgh, and it is a testament to the potential of the team, the management, and the chemistry that exists amongst this unique group of talented hockey players.

 

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Pittsburgh Penguins Off-Season Roster Challenges

What a fabulous season for the Pittsburgh Penguins, despite the disappointment of falling two-games short of hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup.  In a season marred by lengthy injuries to key players, the Penguins found ways to overcome and finish the season just 2-points behind the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference race.  Key players stepped up at key times to cover roster injuries to Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Marc Eaton, Max Talbot, and Gary Roberts to name a few.  Ray Shero made key trades at the deadline to bolster the lineup with Marian Hossa, Pascal Dupuis and Hal Gill.  The resilient Penguins ultimately went on to win the Eastern Conference Title and force Game 6 in the Stanley Cup Finals against the formidable Detroit Red Wings after going down 2-0.  Through it all, a very young, talented team gained invaluable experience and maturity that will serve them well into the future, both individually and as a team.  It was truly a great year for Penguins’ hockey.  So as the off-season sets in, what roster challenges lie ahead?

Penguins’ General Manager Ray Shero has his work cut out for him as he tries to retain as much of his talent as possible within the league-imposed Salary Cap, which is projected to be $56M for next season.  Even if Shero can negotiate with the players and find a way to bring all the talent back within the Salary Cap, it is uncertain whether the he will be afforded the resources necessary to spend up to the full cap amount.  This season, the Penguins spent $40.6M, well under the $50.3M cap.  If they were to use the full salary cap, the Penguins would have to absorb a 38% payroll increase at a time that they are also financing a new arena.  For a team that has had to dealt with the spectre of bankruptcy, this could well be mission impossible.  On the other hand, the team sold out every game this season and played 11 sold-out games at home in the post-season, and is undoubtedly one of the best prospects in the NHL for the next few seasons. 

First and foremost, Ray Shero will likely look to lock up Marc-Andre Fleury.  Fleury will become a restricted free agent on July 1st, and the Penguins will want to tie him up before any other offers come in.  Then they will turn their efforts towards a long list of unrestricted free agents.  The Penguins have 12-players heading to unrestricted free agency on July 1st.  The Penguins management will have to prioritize their key needs and focus on them first, as I expect some of these players will be heading out of Pittsburgh over the summer.  Lastly, the Penguins will likely try and lock up Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal who are entering the final year of their entry level contracts.  Here is the breakdown of where things stand heading into free agency on July 1st:

Restricted Free Agents on July 1st:

• Marc-Andre Fleury:  Despite a lengthy in-season injury, Fleury came back and proved he is an elite goaltender, and was phenomenal in the post-season.  He should be the #1 priority for the Penguins who will look to get him on contract before his July 1st restricted free agency.  He made $1.6M this season, and is a must keep. 

Unrestricted Free Agents on July 1st:

• Marian Hossa:  Picked up in a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline to play on Crosby’s wing, it is possible that we just started to see the magic between the two as the post-season ended.  He improved his stock by showing he can deliver in the post-season.  The Penguins want to keep Marian Hossa, but will likely be outbid in free agency.  Whether he stays or goes will likely be up to Marian Hossa and his desire to stay with this exciting young team.  He made $7M this season.
• Gary Roberts:  After a tough season marred by serious injury, 42-year old Gary Roberts may opt to retire.  He has been the veteran leader that the Penguins have asked him to be.  He made $2.5M this season. 
• Mark Eaton:  Injury has kept Mark Eaton off the Penguins’ roster and will likely affect his open market value.  If he can stay healthy, he will be a solid defensive contributor alongside Sergei Gonchar.  He made $1.6M this season. 
• Ryan Malone:  Proved his worth as a power forward in this league and in so doing may have priced himself out of the Penguins’ market for next season.  The native local hero will likely be loath to leave this team and the city of Pittsburgh, but he may opt to do so depending upon what the open market has to offer.  He made $1.45M this season. 
• Georges Laraque:  A big presence on the 4th line who showed that he can contribute along the boards, as well as in the boxing ring.  He made $1.3M this season.  
• Jarkko Ruutu:  A gritty contender and crowd favorite for Pittsburgh who made some key contributions throughout the season.  He will likely draw interest from other teams in free agency.  He made $1.15M this season. 
• Brooks Orpik:  Had a tremendous season on defense for the Penguins, vastly increasing his stock on the open market.  He will be difficult to retain.  He made $1.075M this season. 
• Pascal Dupuis:  Came to Pittsburgh in the deal with Marian Hossa, and was a nice surprise in terms of speed and energy.  He made $880K this season.
• Kris Beech:  Largely anonymous in just 5-games this season, troubled with injury.  He made $585K this season.
• Adam Hall:  Proved a solid contributor throughout the season and played very well in the post-season.  He made $525K this season.
• Jeff Taffe:  Solid role player who added the depth that the Penguins needed during the injury-riddled season.  He made $500K this season.
• Ty Conklin:  Who wouldn’t like to keep Ty Conklin in the lineup after his phenomenal stand-in job this season while Fleury was injured.  With his stock back up, he may be picked up in free agency for more than the Penguins can afford.  He made $500K this season.

On-Contract Through Next Season (~$29.97M):

• Sidney Crosby:  Signed through 2013 at an arguably bargain price of $8.7 million per season.
• Sergei Gonchar:  Signed through 2010 at $5M per season.
• Ryan Whitney:  Signed through 2013 at $4M per season.
• Petr Sykora:  Signed through 2009 at $2.5M. 
• Darryl Sydor:  Signed through 2009 at $2.5M.
• Hal Gill:  Signed through 2009 at $2.1M.
• Evgeni Malkin:  Aside from his late playoff slump, Evgeni Malkin significantly increased his stock this season by blooming while Sidney Crosby was sidelined.  Malkin has one more year on his entry-level contract at $985K, and could eclipse Crosby’s $8.7M annual salary in an extension deal, that could get inked this summer. 
• Jordan Staal:  At just 19 and with another year on his entry level contract at $850K, the Penguins will want to lock him into a longer term deal ASAP.  For Staal, it may make more sense to wait until next summer to see if he can increase his stock over the next season.
• Kris Letang:  Signed through 2010 at $835K per season.
• Rob Scuderi:  Signed through 2009 at $725K. 
• Maxime Talbot:  Signed through next season at $700K.
• Tyler Kennedy:  Signed through next season at $550K.
• Dany Sabourin:  Signed through 2009 at $525K.

In summary, the Penguins have ~$30M locked up in existing signed contracts for next season, leaving at most ~$26M in salary cap room.  From that, the Penguins could conceiveably spend ~$4.5M on Marc-Andre Fleury and ~$9M on Marian Hossa, leaving just ~$12.5M to spread across the remainder of the lineup.  This would be just enough to cover the remaining free agents at their current year’s salary.  This would give no ability to re-sign Ryan Malone at open market value (likely ~$3M+) or Brooks Orpik at open market value (likely ~$3M+).  If Gary Roberts retires, that would free up some room, but you would have to determine how to backfill him on the roster.  My guess is that the Penguins will retain one, but not both, of Malone and Orpik.  As July 1st draws near, contract deals will start to emerge and we will get a better picture of what the team may give up over the summer, and what some players may be willing to do to stay on a team that will continue to be a cup contender in the coming years. 

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Penguins Stellar Season Comes to an End

Congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings who beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in Game 6 on Wednesday night to clinch the Stanley Cup.  The Red Wings had a phenomenal season and earned the right to lift the holy grail of hockey.  Congratulations are also in order for Henrik Zetterberg for winning the Conn-Smythe Trophy for the most valuable player of the playoffs.  He proved that he can dominate both offensively and defensively, and was a tremendous force behind the Red Wings success. 

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Despite the disappointment of coming so close and falling short of a Cup win, the Pittsburgh Penguins have every reason to be proud of the season that they put together, the adversity that they overcame, and the accomplishments that they achieved.  This group of talented young players matured a great deal throughout the course of the season and the post-season.  It is quite evident that this team has a bright future ahead of them in the coming years, and the experience gained throughout this post-season will be likely pay significant dividends for seasons to come.  Throughout the course of the finals, the Penguins exhibited a tremendous amount of character in battling back, and didn’t fold after going down 2-0, or when they were 35-seconds away from losing Game 5.  They are to be commended for their heart, spirit and belief in themselves.  After several years of missed expectations, the Pittsburgh Penguins appear to be poised to excel over the coming years. 

I have enjoyed blogging about the Penguins throughout this highly entertaining season, and I will continue to keep things up to date throughout the off-season, so check back weekly!  I want to thank the thousands of readers who have come to NHLPens.com since I started the site at the end of August 2007.  Since that time, NHLPens.com has had over 19,000 unique visitors and over 60,000 page hits.  If you liked the content I have provided, or would like to see something different, please let me know at Paul@NHLPens.com, or leave a message in the forum by clicking the link at the top of this posting.  

Let’s Go Pens!!!

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Penguins Beat Detroit in Triple-Overtime Thriller!

With less than a minute to go in regulation, it looked like the Stanley Cup would be skated around the rink inside of Joe Louis Arena.  The Detroit Red Wings had posted a come from behind rally and scored 2-goals in the 3rd period to put them 1-goal ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins (3-2).  But with their goaltender pulled, the Penguins’ last gasp attempt at survival paid off as Max Talbot scored the game-tying goal with just 35-seconds left on the clock to force overtime.  Then Marc-Andre Fleury took over, stopping 24-shots through almost 50-minutes of overtime play to give his team the opportunity to win.  And win they did, after Petr Sykora clinched the game-winner, a powerplay goal at 9:57 of the third overtime!  In a game that had almost everything, including injuries to Sergei Gonchar (upper body) and Ryan Malone (slapshot to the face), the Penguins found a way to win.

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The Penguins came out in the first period and surprised a nervous Red Wings team as they put up an early 2-goal lead.  The first goal game at 8:37 as Marian Hossa slung the puck inside of the far post and beat Chris Osgood.  Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis had the assists on Hossa’s goal, his 11th of the post-season.  Then at 14:41, Adam Hall was credited with an unassisted goal after a botched Red Wings clearing attempt by Niklas Kronwall put the puck into their own net. Since Hall was the last Penguin to touch the puck, he was given the goal.  Shots were 8-7 Detroit and the Penguins were 0-2 on the powerplay and 3-3 on the penalty kill.

In the 2nd period, the Red Wings drew within 1-goal as Darren Helm took a feed from Kirk Maltby and snapped off a shot that beat Marc-Andre Fleury.  With 2:50 left in the period, the Penguins suffered a huge blow when Sergei Gonchar went awkwardly into the end boards at high speed.  Gonchar left game for the rest of the period, but returned briefly in the 3rd before leaving again.  He ultimately returned to the ice in the 3rd OT period, and skated his first shift on the game-winning goal.  The Penguins had another setback with just 1:22 left in the period, as Ryan Malone took a puck to the face off from heavy slapshot by Hal Gill.  The shot hit Malone on his broken nose, and he immediately left the ice bleeding profusely.  He ultimately returned in the 3rd period looking fully playoff tested with a gashed and swollen face, and gauze packed in his nose.  Shots were 12-7 Detroit in the 2nd and both teams were 0-1 on the powerplay.

Onto the 3rd period where Detroit made a full court press to win the Stanley Cup, as they outshot the Penguins 14-4.  At 6:43, the Wings got the tying goal on the powerplay as Tyler Kennedy sat for hooking.  Pavel Datsyuk picked up his 10th goal on a tip-in that beat Marc-Andre Fleury five-hole.  Assists were credited to Henrik Zetterberg and Brian Rafalski.  Then at 9:23 with momentum clearly on their side, the Wings scored the go-ahead goal on a wrister by Brian Rafalski, from Johan Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg.  From that point on, it looked as if the Red Wings would finish it off and win the Stanley Cup.  NBC had rolled video of the Cup being removed from its case and getting polished.  With just 40-seconds left, the desparate Penguins pulled Marc-Andre Fleury from the net and threw all they could at Osgood.  Just 5-seconds later while champagne bottles were being prepped in the Red Wings locker room, Max Talbot stopped the anticipated celebration by banging home a puck behind Osgood to tie it up.

During the first Overtime period, Marc-Andre Fleury put on a clinic by stopping all 13-shots by the Red Wings.  The Penguins offense was largely ineffective notching just 2-shots on goal, despite having a 2-minute powerplay on a questioned goaltender interference call on Henrik Zetterberg.  In the 2nd Overtime, the youth of the Penguins started to pay dividends as they matched the Red Wings skating game and took an 8-7 edge in shots.  Each team was assessed a minor penalty in the 2nd Overtime, but neither team could capitalize.  Then in the 3rd Overtime,  Jiri Hudler took a double-minor high sticking call after cutting the face of Rob Scuderi with the blade of his stick.  The Penguins responded by putting the injured Sergei Gonchar back on the ice, along with Malkin, Whitney, Sykora and Malone.  After being largely absent throughout the entire series, Evgeni Malkin made a beautiful pass to Petr Sykora in the high circle area and he put it in the net to end the game at 9:57.  Sergei Gonchar was also credited with an assist.

Image details: Pittsburgh Penguins v Detroit Red Wings - Game Five served by picapp.com

• VIDEO:  Game HIghlights
• VIDEO:  Coach Therrien Press Conference - 3 Jun
• VIDEO:  Post Game Press Conference
• VIDEO: Post Game Locker Room Report
• PHOTOS:  In-Game Photos
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Rosters
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Game Summary
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Boxscore
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Play-by-Play

The win could prove to be a momentum swing in this series that should have ended tonight for the Red Wings.  The Penguins found a way to get the tying goal in the waning moments of the game, and then battle through the adveristy of injuries and being outplayed in the 3rd period and first overtime to eventually win it after a prolonged battle on the Red Wings’ ice.  Marc-Andre Fleury proved phenomenal in goal by stopping 55-of-58 shots for a 0.948 save percentage.  Marian Hossa had another spectacular game, picking up 2-points (1G, 1A).  Sidney Crosby padded his league leading post-season points by netting 2-more points (2A).  The Penguins take the series back to Pittsburgh trailing 3-2 with a chance to tie it up on Wednesday night.

The Penguins return home to Pittsburgh for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday night, where they will look to win 1-more on home ice to send the series back to Detroit for a deciding Game 7. 

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Game 4 Loss Spells Trouble For Penguins

In our series preview, we noted that this year’s Stanley Cup Finals would be a battle of experience versus youth.  Right now, experience has the strong upper hand as the Pittsburgh Penguins lost Game 4 to the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 2-1, and now trail 3-1 in the series.  The Red Wings are well positioned to win the Stanley Cup, and will try to do so on Monday night at Joe Louis Arena.  For the Penguins to take home the Cup, they would need to be perfect and win the remaining 3-games of the series, including 2 in Detroit.  While still a possibility, the odds are stacked heavily against the Penguins at this point. 

Things looked good in the early going for the Penguins.  In the first period, they were afforded 3-power play opportunities and capitalized on one to grab an early 1-0 lead.  The goal came on the first penalty at 2:11 against Dallas Drake for roughing.  With the Penguins’ loaded powerplay on the ice, Sidney Crosby broke into the zone and circled around before passing the puck along the blue line to Sergei Gonchar.  Gonchar let a blast go that was stopped by Chris Osgood, but the rebound found the stick of Marian Hossa.  Hossa took the puck and looked as if he was going to circle around behind the net, but instead quickly tucked the puck in behind Osgood for the goal.  The Red Wings fought back, however, scoring a goal just 2-seconds after a penalty to Pascal Dupuis (cross-checking) had expired.  Veteran defenseman Niklas Lidstrom found room just inside the blueline and let a rocket go that beat a screened Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the game 1-1.  The Penguins were 1-for-3 on the powerplay and 1-for-1 on the kill, but were outshot 14-9 in the first period. 

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The second period was a tightly played battle between both teams as the Penguins managed to outshoot the Red Wings 8-7.  Both teams were afforded just 1 powerplay, but neither were able to convert.  The Penguins had 3-really good chances during the period, but were stoned at every chance by Chris Osgood.  The first opportunity came at 3:24 as Crosby deflected the puck right in front of the net, but Osgood held on.  Then at 9:36, Pascal Dupuis had two excellent chances that were stopped by Osgood.  And again at 13:28, Sidney Crosby had an great chance on the backhand that was shut off by Osgood.  Despite it all, neither team scored in teh second and the 1-1 tie carried into the third period. Early in the third period, the Penguins got into trouble as they were unable to clear their zone.  The Red Wings took advantage of the opportunity, as Jiri Hudler flipped a dirty backhander that tipped off from Fleury’s shoulder and into the net to break the tie.  The Penguins had an outsanding opportunity to even the game back up in the middle of the period as they were afforded 1:26 of a 5-on-3 powerplay.  In a defining moment of the game, Henrik Zetterberg made an oustanding stick-on-stick defensive play on Sidney Crosby that prevented Crosby from tapping in the tying goal on the powerplay.  The Penguins ultimately failed to convert on the 5-on-3 opportunity, swinging the momentum decidedly to the Red Wings.  With time running out in the period, the Penguins made a frantic attempt to get the tying goal, but Osgood was equal to the challenge as he shut the door tight. 

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• VIDEO:  Game Highlights
• VIDEO:  Post-Game Press Conference w/Coach Therrien
• VIDEO:  Game 4 Wrap and Interviews
• PHOTOS:  In-Game Photos
• AUDIO:  Post-Game Rink Rat Report
• AUDIO:  Post-Game Hotline
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Game Rosters
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Summary
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Boxscore
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Play-by-Play

The loss, the Penguins first on home-ice in the playoffs,  was a disappointment for the Penguins who played a strong game, but failed to score at a critical point in the game to tie it up.  Unfortunately, the loss makes a huge difference in the series as the Penguins head back to Detroit down 3-1, rather than tied 2-2.  Evgeni Malkin continued to be frustrated with his play and inability to be the difference like he had been up until this series.  For Malkin, this is the longest season of hockey that he has ever seen, and it appears that he has possibly run out of gas.  Where Malkin has fizzled, Marian Hossa has stepped up and continues to shine in the playoffs.  Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 28-of-30 for a 0.933 save percentage, and had a good night in net. 

Game 5 will be played Monday night in Detroit, where the Red Wings will look to finish things off on their own ice and the Penguins will be battling to stay alive.  It will be a tall order for the Penguins to bounce back emotionally from the loss, and they will need to execute to perfection on the Red WIngs’ ice if they want to bring the series back to Pittsburgh. 

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