Penguins 4, Red Wings 3, 3OT

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DETROIT — The Red Wings were at home, 35-seconds away from their 11th
Stanley Cup.

Now, they must go back to Pittsburgh.

Maxime Talbot tied the game late off a rebound, and Petr Sykora scored the game-winning power-play goal at 9:57 of the third overtime.

“We're playing for the Stanley Cup and it's not going to be easy going in here and playing for it,” Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. “They're not going to give up. We saw that tonight. We just have to respond again coming in a couple nights."

Pittsburgh is trying to join the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs in becoming only the second team in NHL history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit. Detroit leads the series 3-2 heading back to Mellon Arena on Wednesday night.

For the past two days, the Red Wings have been touting the playoff cliché — the fourth one is the hardest to win.

No one knows better than Jiri Hudler.

Hudler clipped Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi in the chin at 9:21 of the third overtime.

"I was just praying for blood," Scuderi said.

His prayers were answered when Sykora scored, Hudler watching from the penalty box as he served his double major.

Pittsburgh netminder Marc-Andre Fleury allowed three goals — but he stopped 55 shots, many of the brilliant variety. That’s the most saves in a final game since 1998, when Washington Capitals’ netminder Olaf Kolzig turned aside 55 in a 5-4 loss to the Wings.

Fleury stopped Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen seven times apiece.

"It's pretty tiring, what can I say?” Fleury quipped.

Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood made 28 saves.

Wings coach Mike Babcock didn’t like the way his team came out to start — and how could he? The Red Wings were in a 2-0 hole by the second period courtesy of goals by Marian Hossa and former Michgan State standout Adam Hall.

“I thought we were really nervous,” Babcock said. “We never made a play in the first period, for whatever reason. And whether that's focusing on outcome rather than just process and doing what you always do. You know, we really battled our way back, we had every opportunity.”

Darren Helm cut the lead in half just under three minutes into the second. Pavel Datsyuk tied the game on the power play at 6:43.

And then Brian Rafalski scored the seemingly Cup-winner. When his point shot beat Fleury, Rafalski jumped up and started running across the ice, pumping his fists in the air.

The chants of “we want the Cup” chants got louder. But silent shock hung over the Joe Louis Arena crowd when Talbot tied the game, 3-3.

The past six Stanley Cup winners have clinched on home ice — but three (New Jersey, Calgary, Carolina) failed to wrap it up in Game 5.

GAME NOTES: Monday’s game coincided with the 25th season of ownership for Mike and Marian Illitch, who bought the franchise on June 2, 1982 for a reported $8 million from the Norris family. … It was the
fifth-longest game in Stanley Cup finals history, and the second-longest Red Wings game in the final. The longest was Game 3 against Carolina in 2002, when Igor Larionove scored at the 54:47 mark of overtime. … The Red Wings have not clinched a series at home since they beat Carolina
for the Cup in 2002. … Five octopi were thrown on the ice tonight, including four during the national anthem.