The Pittsburgh Penguins breathed some life into the Stanley Cup Finals with a desperate performance in Game 3, and they will need a similar effort when they host the Detroit Red Wings at Mellon Arena for Game 4 on Saturday night, trailing the Red Wings 2-1. BetOnline.com has the Pittsburgh Penguins –120 odds favorites against the Detroit Red Wings +100 with the total set at 5 goals.
The Red Wings failed to keep Sidney Crosby under control in Game 3's 3-2 loss, but they did manage to outshoot the Penguins 34-24. Johan Franzen scored his league-leading 13th goal of the postseason in his second game back from concussion-like symptoms, while Mikael Samuelsson added his fifth of the playoffs for the Red Wings, who had to expect this type of response from the Penguins on the road. Chris Osgood did not have one of his better nights, stopping 21 shots in a losing effort.
Crosby led his team by example in Game 3, notching the first two goals of the game, while Adam Hall gave the Penguins some much-needed insurance in the third period. The Penguins were all over the ice in this game, as they were spurred on by one of the loudest crowds of any team during this postseason. Pittsburgh is still a very young team, and it is only right that they will play their best hockey at home with the crowd behind them. Marc-Andre Fleury was spectacular in this contest, coming up with 32 saves.
The Penguins now have the momentum in this series, but the two-day layoff may hurt them in the long run. The Red Wings never gave up, and twice pulled to within a goal of the Penguins, which shows their championship experience. In Game 4, the Red Wings will be better prepared for the Penguins' crowd, which should lead to a victory and a 3-1 series lead for Detroit heading back home.
Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins – 8:00 PM ET
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