Osgood comes back strong in Game 5 win
Sunday, 06.07.2009 / 12:30 AM
/ News
By Lindsey Ungar
- DetroitRedWings.com Special Writer
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DETROIT -- After allowing seven goals in the last two games of the series, Chris Osgood pitched a shutout in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Penguins.
He even threw in an assist for a good measure.
Noticing that the Penguins were in the midst of a wholesale line change, Osgood banked a long pass off the boards to Marian Hossa, who found Valtteri Filppula and put the Wings up 2-0 early in the second period.
It was Osgood’s second point of the playoffs and fifth of his postseason career. It was the first time a goalie registered an assist in the finals since New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur and Anaheim’s Jean-Sebastian Giguere each recorded one in 2003.
At the other end of the ice, back-up goalie Mathieu Garon replaced Marc-Andre Fleury after allowing five goals on 21 shots.
“A goalie’s going to be upset in that situation,” Pittsburgh forward Maxime Talbot said. “It was obvious that we didn’t give him a lot of help and he’s got nothing to be mad about. We need him to bounce back next game. We need everybody back, including him.”
Osgood was also named the third star of the game. It was just the second time the Penguins were shut out in this postseason. They dropped a 3-0 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
LUCKY TIE?: Red Wings coach Mike Babcock wore his McGill University tie with 36 people from the Montreal-based college in attendance, including six former hockey teammates. He was a defenseman there from 1983-87.
“I don’t know if it was lucky before tonight, but we won tonight,” he said. “And I’m just thankful for the opportunity. It’s good to have friends here supporting us.”
Babcock had not donned the tie since Game 5 of last year’s Stanley Cup finals, when the Wings lost to the Pens, 4-3 in triple overtime.
His record is now 5-1 when wearing the tie.
GETTING MUCH-NEEDED REST: While the first five games of the series have been bunched into eight days, the Wings and Penguins will get two days off before Game 6 in Pittsburgh on Tuesday and another two days off before a possible Game 7 on Friday.
While both played in Game 5, Brian Rafalski and Dan Cleary both missed the morning skate. PavelDatsyuk (foot) returned after missing seven games, but was not well enough to center a line.
“The biggest part is the extra days off,” Babcock said. “That’s the best thing that we’ve got to this point is to get the extra days off and we’ll be a better team.”
The Wings will take a day off on Sunday and return for practice on Monday.
“We just seem to be a worn down team,” Babcock said.
GAME NOTES: In the previous Stanley Cup finals series tied 2-2, the club winning Game 5 has won the Stanley Cup 14 times (57.6 percent) … With their eighth consecutive home victory in the 2009 playoffs, the Wings improved their overall record at Joe Louis Arena to 11-1, one shy of the single-season playoff record for home victories … Home teams are 5-0 in the Stanley Cup finals for just the third time since 1978, when the Montreal Canadiens captured Games 1, 2, and 5 in Montreal and Boston Bruins posted wins in Games 3 and 4 in Boston.
He even threw in an assist for a good measure.
Noticing that the Penguins were in the midst of a wholesale line change, Osgood banked a long pass off the boards to Marian Hossa, who found Valtteri Filppula and put the Wings up 2-0 early in the second period.
It was Osgood’s second point of the playoffs and fifth of his postseason career. It was the first time a goalie registered an assist in the finals since New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur and Anaheim’s Jean-Sebastian Giguere each recorded one in 2003.
At the other end of the ice, back-up goalie Mathieu Garon replaced Marc-Andre Fleury after allowing five goals on 21 shots.
“A goalie’s going to be upset in that situation,” Pittsburgh forward Maxime Talbot said. “It was obvious that we didn’t give him a lot of help and he’s got nothing to be mad about. We need him to bounce back next game. We need everybody back, including him.”
Osgood was also named the third star of the game. It was just the second time the Penguins were shut out in this postseason. They dropped a 3-0 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
LUCKY TIE?: Red Wings coach Mike Babcock wore his McGill University tie with 36 people from the Montreal-based college in attendance, including six former hockey teammates. He was a defenseman there from 1983-87.
“I don’t know if it was lucky before tonight, but we won tonight,” he said. “And I’m just thankful for the opportunity. It’s good to have friends here supporting us.”
Babcock had not donned the tie since Game 5 of last year’s Stanley Cup finals, when the Wings lost to the Pens, 4-3 in triple overtime.
His record is now 5-1 when wearing the tie.
GETTING MUCH-NEEDED REST: While the first five games of the series have been bunched into eight days, the Wings and Penguins will get two days off before Game 6 in Pittsburgh on Tuesday and another two days off before a possible Game 7 on Friday.
While both played in Game 5, Brian Rafalski and Dan Cleary both missed the morning skate. PavelDatsyuk (foot) returned after missing seven games, but was not well enough to center a line.
“The biggest part is the extra days off,” Babcock said. “That’s the best thing that we’ve got to this point is to get the extra days off and we’ll be a better team.”
The Wings will take a day off on Sunday and return for practice on Monday.
“We just seem to be a worn down team,” Babcock said.
GAME NOTES: In the previous Stanley Cup finals series tied 2-2, the club winning Game 5 has won the Stanley Cup 14 times (57.6 percent) … With their eighth consecutive home victory in the 2009 playoffs, the Wings improved their overall record at Joe Louis Arena to 11-1, one shy of the single-season playoff record for home victories … Home teams are 5-0 in the Stanley Cup finals for just the third time since 1978, when the Montreal Canadiens captured Games 1, 2, and 5 in Montreal and Boston Bruins posted wins in Games 3 and 4 in Boston.
