Pittsburgh 4 - Detroit 3 (Det leads series 3-2)

That game was a masterpiece.  Pittsburgh opened desperate, and it seems the proper response to Detroit’s

slick passing is to up the tempo even more.  Playing at breakneck speed kept the Wings from hawking the puck and for the first time since Game 3 the Red Wings got back on their heels.  Both early goals were the product of wild rushes, physical play and chaos.  Trouble is the Wings rebounded and slowly took control.  Brian Rafalski’s goal, and really Pavel Datsyuk’s as well, seemed inevitable from the moment the puck dropped in the third period.  They’re just better, and at some point should close out the series and win the Cup. 

As exciting as it is to picture the Penguins charging back and forcing a Game 7 at home, I’m not sold.  Fleury played absolutely out of his mind for 6 periods of hockey, Malkin clearly had nothing left by game’s end and there will be questions about the availability of Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Malone.  Pittsburgh still isn’t doing enough with its power play, and nobody who watched the third period should doubt Detroit’s overall superiority. 

They’ve come farther than I thought they would, but I would be shocked to see this series come back to Detroit.