The Stanley Cup Finals are all squared up at 2-2 after the Pittsburgh Penguins won Game 4, 4-2 at home over the Red Wings. The action heads to Detroit, Saturday June 6, For Game 5 where NHL oddsmakers have the Red Wings as -160 moneyline favs over the Penguins (+135) with the over/under posted at 5.5 goals. Be sure to get your 2009 Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Detroit Red Wings Prediction in now at SBGglobal.com
The Penguins Sidney Crosby scored his first playoff goal in these Finals, while Evgeni Malkin, Mark Eaton, Bill Guerin and Brooks Orpik added to the massacre. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury stopped a flurry of shots stopping 37 of 39. He’s currently 14-7 with a 2.60 GAA. The Pens scored a highlight tic-tac-toe goal from Chris Kunitz to Crosby to Tyler Kennedy. It was the kind of goal you're not supposed to be able to score in the postseason. It made the likes of Henrik Zetterberg and Nicklas Lidstrom normal. The Pens will have to do better on the road where they are 6-5. Their top producers in the playoffs are Evgeni Malkin with 35pts (14 goals 21 assists) and Sidney Crosby has 31pts (15 goals 16 assists). Their Cup run last year went the exact same way as it’s happening now, Detroit won first two at home then the Pens won thier two at home. The Pens chances depend on winning a game in Detroit. Good Luck!
The Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood allowed four goals on 31 shots and that is not acceptable by his standards and by playoff standards. The Wings came unglued after they gave up a shorthanded goal and a 2-on-1 on which Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby overwhelmed Jonathan Ericsson and Chris Osgood. "Once we made it 3-2 and especially 4-2, they started talking a lot more, tried to initiate stuff after the whistle, and that's not their game," Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "(It) played right into our hands, really. "We could see them kind of getting on each other, which you never see out of those guys. And some of the verbal jabbing with us, it's something that you don't expect from them or see too often." MVP finalist Pavel Datsyuk had skated on Wednesday skated on Thursday morning and skated in the pregame warm-up. But when Game 4 began Datsyuk was nowhere to be found. He must play in Game 5. Kris Draper failed to fix the Wings inferior penalty kill problems and Marion Hossa failed to score in a Game 4 for the first time in the playoffs. The Wings will be happy to get back home where they are 10-1.
Recent Trends to Consider:
- Home team is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
- Favorite is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.
- Under is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Detroit.
- Penguins are 2-6 in the last 8 meetings in Detroit.
2009 Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Detroit Red Wings
When: Sat, June 6, 2009 8:00 PM ET
Line: SBGglobal.com
Pick: Red Wings -160
Point-Spreads.com 2009 Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Detroit Red Wings
The Bottom Line: The Wings are solid at home and remember last year’s final the Pens won their two home games before losing the series 4-2. Be sure to get your 2009 Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Detroit Red Wings Prediction in now at SBGglobal.com and receive a 60% sign-up bonus on your initial deposit.
