Group Description
Welcome to NHL.com’s live blog for the Stanley Cup Final Game 5. Your host, Dave Lozo of NHL.com, will keep you updated with everything off-the-cuff that you’ll need to know from the drop of the puck to the final buzzer.
About Live Blog Game 5
Live Blog Game 5's members
Related Groups (4)
Live Blog Game 5's boards (0)
Live Blog Game 5 has not written any boards.
Live Blog Game 5's photos (0)
Live Blog Game 5 has no photos.
Live Blog Game 5's videos (0)
Live Blog Game 5 has no videos.
NHL.com is the official Web site of the National Hockey League. NHL and the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup are registered trademarks and the NHL Shield and NHL Conference logos are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © 2008 NHL. All Rights Reserved.
dlozo
Jun 03, 2008
2008 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 Live Blog: Triple-Overtime
Three overtimes. I have nothing funny to say. I just hope someone wins it soon.
Hey, weren’t Orpiks the bad guys in the Lord of the Rings movies? I never got into LOTR. You know. Because I didn’t get beat up in high school.
Triple overtime. Right after these messages from our sponsors.
And seriously, how are McGuire and Milbury so vehemently against the Zetterberg call? He was clearly running into Fleury with a purpose. It’s pretty textbook. Cleary I can see being borderline and questionable. But Zetterberg? If that’s not intent to hit the goalie, I don’t know what is.
12:31
-OT is under way!12:32 - A glorious chance for Samuelsson off a Hossa giveaway is shot wide.
12:33
-Holmstrom is denied by Fleury after a great setup by Datsyuk. This game will never end. Reverse jinx.12:35 -A Zetterberg setup for Franzen is denied. He tries to bank it off Fleury from behind the net, but to no avail.
12:37
-Remember when Hossa was a softie? A playoff liability? This guy has been something else this year in the playoffs. Snarl, scoring. I’d take him on my team. My team is a deck hockey team, so yeah, he’d be pretty awesome for us.12:39 -What’s even more amazing about the Pens hanging on is they’re doing it without Gonchar. He must be pretty banged up to be sitting this one out.
12:40
-A great chance for Franzen from the faceoff dot. But you guessed it. Save Fleury. No rebound.12:42 -A long shot by Drake is caught and dropped by Fleury, but nothing happens with the rebound. We’ve got 12:24 to go.
12:45
-Almost all the action is the Pens’ end. But Hudler just took a high-sticking penalty. And it’s a four-minute penalty. To quote NBC’s @% Enberg, oh my. Hudler just made a lazy penalty. Caught Scuderi right in the mouth. If the Pens are going to win it, now is the time. And Gonchar is back on the ice!12:46 - Sykora wins it! The pucks come to him on the right side, and he roofs it over Osgood’s glove. Utterly picks the corner perfectly off a feed from…Evgeni Malkin. We are going back to Pittsburgh.
Hey, look at that. I got bleeped. I was referring to TV sports broadcaster Richard Enberg just now. And man, all those missed chances for the Wings. An amazing win for the Pens. A classic game indeed. Sykora guarantees the goal and gets it. He must’ve learned that from former teammate Jason Arnott, who scored the OT winner in Dallas.
I will be back here Wednesday for more live-blogging goodness. In the meantime, me and my stuffed animals need to get some sleep. Good night, all.
dlozo
Jun 02, 2008
2008 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 Live Blog: Double-Overtime
That dude who hosts the between-periods shows asks, “Is there any position tougher in sports than goalie when your season is on the line like this?” Mike Milbury responds, “Yes.” But then he goes into a dissertation about how it is the hardest position in sports. He should’ve said no. It was funny.
But yeah, it’s all Fleury. It’s also all action and no commercials. And no commercials means no bathroom breaks for your friendly blogger. So I’ll see you in a few minutes, and I’ll be much lighter.
11:36
-I won’t lie. I’m usually asleep by now. So if I start hallucinating during OT2, I apologize. So ignore any updates that refer to a pink elephant blowing past an orange tiger on his magic carpet and scoring the game-winning goal.11:44 - As we start the second OT, the Wings are outshooting the Pens 47-20. Me and my Coke Zero are here for the duration. Let’s do this!
11:47
-The Red Wings are just out-manning in their own end. Maltby is denied by Fleury on a wrister off the right-wing. I need an erectile dysfunction ad. For the rest. I swear.11:50 - Cleary goes to the net hard and is denied. And guess what? He’s going to the box for running over Fleury. It wasn’t like what happened with Holmstrom, but he gets the interference call. I don’t know about that one. Power play Pens.
11:51
-Franzen nearly ends with a shorthanded wrister. On the other end, Osgood makes two good saves, one off a scramble. Great action again.11:53 - Zetterberg gets a shorthanded chance as the PP ends. Might’ve caught the post. Then Helm is stopped by Fleury off the left wing by a pad save. Fleury is so sharp right now.
11:53
-Fleury falls behind the net. Nothing comes of it. Still, scary.11:54 - Ruutu hits the post. Then Talbot shoots one wide. Mass hysteria!
11:55
-Dupuis holds up Zetterberg, causing an offside. No comment.11:56 - We have 11 minutes to go in OT2. A miscommunication between linesmen leads to an improper icing. Faceoff at center ice.
11:57
-I think it’s getting to the point where the goal won’t be pretty. A bad bounce is likely going to be the key, be it on the goal itself or to set up the goal.11:59 -Holy freaking expletive. Fleury makes a save, then flashes the glove to stop the rebound shot by a Wing whose name no one wants to mention. Draper?
12:00
-It’s midnight, and I’m still in my smoking jacket and not in my PJs.12:01 -I didn’t realize this, but Gonchar isn’t playing. He’s still a hockey player, just not a hockey player. Sykora slithers a shot just wide of Osgood.
12:02
-Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines.12:04 -It’s so hot, that Osgood is changing his jersey while they work on the ice, which is apparently the same consistency as a Slushie. I can go for one of those right now.
12:05
-Seven minutes left, by the way. Orpik is denied from the point. Nice shot.12:07 -We’ve got 5:23 to go in the OT. Sykora just took a slapshot somewhere uncomfortable. Not the back of a Volkswagen.
12:08
-Stuart just leveled Talbot as he crossed the blue line. Gary Roberts gets a stuff chance from behind the net, but Osgood is there.12:10 -Sykora just told McGuire through the glass that he’s going to score the winner. God I hope he doesn’t, only so I don’t have to hear McGuire talk about it forever.
12:11
-Two good chances for Lidstrom from the point, but nothing gets on net. Three minutes left.12:12 - Kronwall’s shot from the point deflects up in the air, and bounces off the top of the net. And check this out. Sykora’s first shift after that guarantee? He takes a hooking penalty with 2:16 left. I can almost guarantee the Wings score here. Heck. I do guarantee it.
12:15 —So much for my guarantee. I can guarantee that we’re going to triple overtime. Lidstrom let a few blasts from the point go, but nothing even remotely scary. To quote Tommy Boy, “Need sleepy.”
dlozo
Jun 02, 2008
2008 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 Live Blog: Overtime
I can’t believe this game is tied. I really can’t. I had my jammies on. The Care Bear ones, in case you’re curious. But that was some crazy stuff.
No one has scored an OT Cup-winner since Jason Arnott for the Devils against the Stars in Game 6 of the 2000 Final. And that was in double OT. I can honestly say I have no idea how this is going to end.
What do you think? Let’s get a game-winning goal pool going. Who do you like to score the winner? I’m going with Datsyuk. I know. Out on a limb, eh?
10:54
-What’s the funnier ad during the Final so far? The erectile dysfunction ad or the enlarged prostate ad? I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get really old. It seems like great times.10:56 - Overtime has begun.
10:57
-I just hope this thing doesn’t go too long. I know the Belmont Stakes are this Saturday, and I’d hate to see NBC have to move this game somewhere else for the 256th OT.10:58 -Just like you at your prom, the first minute has been a tentative feeling-out process.
11:01
-We’re three minutes into the OT, and the first real chance goes to the Wings. Lidstrom’s shot from the point goes just wide.11:02 - Helm just caught a knee to knee hit from Dupuis. He was really slow to get up, but play continued. It was incidental.
11:04
-Jiri Hudler with some nice stick-handling, but nothing comes of it as a pass to the point hits off Stuart’s stick and goes to the neutral zone. The ice is not so good right now.11:05 -Datsyuk does a heck of a job getting the puck, maintaining possession, and getting shot while his team was changing. Holmstrom came from the bench and nearly won it. Then Samuelsson missed the net from the high slot.
11:06
-Hudler’s shot goes off Fleury and is nearly batted out of the air by Hudler and in. Still no goal. Then Datsyuk is denied from between the circles by Fleury’s right pad. The rebound from Filppula is denied with no rebound. So close to the Cup.11:07 -Fleury denies Holmstrom! On the backhand in front! I miss the TV timeouts!
11:08
-It is all Wings right now. All Wings.11:09 - Samuelsson is stopped by Fleury and the puck goes into the netting. Phew. 6-0 in shots so far. Right before that last shot, Emrick said, “shuffleboarded.” God, he’s great.
11:11
-And Malkin is denied by Osgood! He gets it with his glove, it pops in the air, and he snags it for the whistle. Brick in the Wall plays on the PA.11:12 - There is just over 10 minutes to go in the OT. Faceoff in the Detroit end.
11:12
-A streaking Maltby is stopped by Fleury. I really can’t overemphasize the quality of shots Fleury is stopping right now.11:14 - We’ve got eight minutes to go. The Pens are getting comfortable. The Wings aren’t attacking as hard, and the Pens are starting to get some pressure.
11:15
-Osgood bails out his teammates, who were on what seemed to be a never-ending shift. Malkin is spent and can’t get up. The best Pens pressure so far ws right there. Malkin is finally up.11:17 -Stuart’s life flashes before his eyes as he falls down on his own behind the net. Nothing comes up of it, but I bet he’ll need to change his shorts if this games goes two OTs.
11:19
-A two-on-one for the Pens nets nothing as Lidstrom gets back in the play and breaks it up. Five minutes left in the OT.11:22 - What a shift by Helm. A great keep-in leads to some sustained pressure, but nothing comes of it. Zetterberg then gets a shot from a tough angle.
11:24
-Holy cow. A turnover nearly leads to a winner for the Pens. Zetterberg gets it on net. The rebound is sent wide by Samuelsson, and the puck is stopped. And as I was about to say that goal would’ve been controversial because Zetterberg ran over Fleury, Hank is called for goalie interference. It’s a good call. Power play Pens.11:26 - A couple of tired specialty units out there. 34 seconds to go on the penalty. Barely more than a minute in the OT.
11:29 — The penalty is killed. In the final seconds, Datsyuk misses the net from just inside the blue line. And folks, someone smack me in the face, because we are going to a second OT.
dlozo
Jun 02, 2008
2008 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 Live Blog: Period 3
OK. I need to show everyone that I’m a Red Wings fan. How can I go about doing that?
I know. A jersey. I’ll wear a jersey. No. That’s good, but it’s not enough. Do I have a pair of Red Wings sweatpants? I do! Yes! OK. I’m good to go.
Actually, no. I need more. This is the playoffs! I’m going to bring a goalie mask! Hell, while I’m at it, I’m going to wear some hockey gloves, too! Yeah!
Well, I’ve gone this far, I might as well wear some hockey pants while I’m at it. Those seats at The Joe are uncomfortable. Besides, I can hide an octopus in my pants.
OK. Let me look at myself. Man, I look great. But I’m going to add one final touch. Let tape the letters “u” and “p” next to the “C” on my jersey, and spell “Cup!” Get it? Cup? Stanley Cup? Man, I am clever.
OK. Let me just grab my homemade Stanley Cup, and I’m ready to go. Gotta support the team.
Period 3, just minutes away…
10:04
-Period 3. Ryan Malone and Sergei Gonchar are back for the Pens. Why? Because they’re hockey players.10:06 - Franzen is denied by Fleury on a nice chance off a rush. Fleury might’ve stopped the rebound, too.
10:07
-Samuelsson’s long-distance wrister is stopped, and the bad rebound is nearly stashed home. So close.10:08 - Datsyuk rings it off the crossbar. The red light goes on, the game is stopped, and everyone thought it was in, but it wasn’t. He beat Fleury to the stick side, but just hit the post. Review confirms it. Unreal.
10:09
-The first three minutes are all Wings. Chance after chance. Just like that, Hossa’s drive hits the post! To quote George Costanza, it’s all pipes!10:12 -Of the first five minutes, the Wings have controled 4:40 of it. Still 2-1 Pens.
10:12
-Tic tac toe passing results in a great chance for Samuelsson from the faceoff dot, but Fleury robs him with the glove. Fleury has been great.10:14 - Thank god, a commercial. Tyler Kennedy nearly gets a goal, curling around Osgood, then whipping it in front, but it’s Holmstrom who is there for the Wings. Later in the shift, Kennedy takes a penalty, and the Wings are going on the power play.
10:16
-Tie game! Zetterberg blasts hit from the half-boards, and it gets past Fleury! Zetterberg was aiming for Datsyuk’s stick in the slot. He hits it perfectly, and the puck redirects through Fleury’s legs. What a goal. 2-2 game with 13 minutes left!10:19 -Holmstrom just set up Filppula all alone in the slot, but he either one-timed wide or Fleury made the stop. The Wings are flying.
10:20
-The Pens are so skittish. They turn it over to Hudler all alone in front, and Fleury comes up with the big save. Therrien is taking a timeout. A much-needed timeout. Hudler’s chance was actually a 2-on-0 with Cleary setting a screen. Swarming to the task, kids. Swarming to the task.10:22 - The “sacrifice” shirt that Malone is wearing? I have the same one myself. I’m wearing it now. He has a broken nose. My fingers are a little sore. So is my back. I give it all in the Final.
10:24
-Score! Wings lead! And it’s Rafalski! He one-times a pass from the right wing back to the stick side. It’s 3-2 Wings with just 10 minutes left.10:24 - The crowd chants, “We want the Cup!” If I know Rangers fans, one is sitting somewhere claiming they invented that cheer in 1994. Did you know the Rangers invented hockey in 1994? True story.
10:26
-I can’t even begin to describe how much the Wings are dominating right now. Hall just got the Pens’ first shot of the period with 8:30 left in the third.10:26 - The crowd can smell the Cup now. I feel as though there are men with white gloves handling it in the bowels of The Joe right now. I just typed “men,” “handling,” and “bowels” in the same sentence.
10:28
-Crosby is stopped on the backhand by Osgood while coming down the right side. We are six minutes from the Wings winning the Cup, but more importantly, we are six minutes away from me winning the office’s Stanley Cup Playoffs expert fantasy league. Seeing as how I’m going to finish in about 1,000th place, take that “expert” thing with a grain of salt.10:30 - I was about to type how if the score holds, hometown (sorta) guy Rafalski is going to be the Mayor of Detroit. But then I realized that’s probably not a title he wants.
10:31
-Just 5:35 to go, and McGuire has once again said Malkin is gripping his stick too tight.10:35 -Ha ha! The entire crowd lets out a “Born in raised in South Detroit!” just as the the Journey song stopped at that point with the puck back in play. I love The Joe. Four minutes left, by the way.
10:36
-A Sydor shot from the point goes high and wide. Three minutes left.10:37 - The Wings are in full-on lockdown mode. The Pens just can’t get control in Detroit’s end. 2:30 left.
10:38
-We’re down to the final 100 seconds, and it’s more of the same. The Pens need the extra attacker.10:39 - Net’s empty. Great chance stopped in front.
10:39
-Pens tie it with 34 seconds left! Talbot stuffs it home on the short side, a la Valeri Zelepukin in the 1994 Eastern Finals against the Rangers in Game 7. There’s a reference for you! Holy expletive! We’re 30 seconds from OT!10:41 - And that’s it for regulation! The Wings nearly win it in the final seconds, but they can’t cash in. Unbelievable. What a freaking game.
dlozo
Jun 02, 2008
2008 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 Live Blog: Period 2
I need to extend an apology to Doc Emrick. I’m off the pitchfork thing, because NHL.com’s Dan Rosen was talking to Emrick about the pitchfork situation. Emrick said he was positive he used the term in Game 1. So, Doc, my bad. I’m sorry. I should’ve never doubted your pitchforkability. It’s my fault for not listening.
And to that commenter in Period 1, I appreciate the kind words. And if anyone wants to flatter me, feel free to e-mail me at dlozo@nhl.com. Actually, if you have nice things to say, cc my bosses, Phil Coffey (pcoffey@nhl.com) and Rich Libero (rlibero@nhl.com) and tell them. They control my salary.
And if you have some criticisms or negative things to say, keep that crap to yourself because no one wants to hear it.
Period 2, where we will see if Pierre McGuire will mention Sidney Crosby’s minutes, is just around the corner.
9:13
-Right away, turnovers by the Wings result in chances for Talbot, Staal and Crosby, none of which find the back of the net. Who are these guys in red?9:15 -Red Wings score! And without seeing the replay, this looks like a bad one. Maltby holds the puck in, slides it to Helm who shoots it toward the net. The puck ricochets off Rob Scuderi, and gets past Fleury short side. Helm was just looking to pass it across the crease, and got a huge break. 2-1 game, just like that.
9:19
-Hossa gets it to Dupuis on the rush, who gets it to a streaking Malkin, but he misses the net on the backhand.9:20 - And Doc just said pitchfork. So I’m happy. Maltby, however, takes an interference penalty. He set a pick on Orpik and he will go to the box.
9:23
-A nice kill by the Wings, especially by Filppula. The guy is having a nice little game. I’ll say it now - if the Wings get the next goal, they’re winning the Cup tonight. Twelve minutes to go in the second period.9:25
-I won’t lie. I’m rooting for the Red Wings. Not because I’m anti-Pens or pro-Wings, but because I’m tired of typing in html code.9:28 -Pierre McGuire mentions Sidney Crosby’s ice time again. And he says with Crosby at nine minutes at the halfway point of the game, he’s on pace for 25 minutes and McGuire loves that. He quickly realizes he is bad at math and corrects himself, realizing he’s on pace for only 18 minutes. Michel Therrien must not own any Ferraris. Meanwhile, Osgood just made a cluster of saves. Next goal is huge. Almost as huge as the number of minutes Sidney Crosby plays.
9:30
-Oh, Wings power play. Where did that come from? Crosby for high sticking.9:31 - Fleury stops a high shot from Zetterberg. 30 seconds left to kill.
9:32
-And that’s that. Another nice kill from the Pens. The Wings just can’t get their power play going.9:33 - A bad drop pass by Crosby results in a Wings 2-on-1, but Dallas Drake is stopped on a slapper.
9:34
-The Wings are definitely swarming to the task. Maltby got a little too cute and passed up a good chance, but the puck eventually got back to Kronwall, who just missed on a shot from the point. About six minutes to go in the period, 2-1 Pens.9:37 - Drake just took a pretty nasty spill into the boards, but he was able to get up and off the ice without a stoppage.
9:40
-I was just about to say how Datsyuk hasn’t done much tonight. Then he goes ahead, strips a Penguin near the blue line and gets a glorious chance that goes wide. Three minutes to go.9:42 - Hot pot of coffee! Fleury flat out robs Samuelsson on a 2-on-1. Samuelsson slides it over to Filppula, who passes it back. Samuelsson taps it toward the net, and Fleury flashes the pad to make the save. It all started by another bad pass by Crosby in his own zone. Meanwhile, Gonchar went face-first into the boards back checking to catch Samuelsson and has gone to the locker room.
9:44
-Excuse the bold. I can’t figure it out. But Ryan Malone just took a slap shot in the face. Blood everywhere. He gets up under his own power and skates off. The Penguins were swarming.9:46 - A Lidstrom shot from the point goes wide, and that’s the period. 2-1 Pens. Bold! Why bold?!?!?!
9:55 — Thanks to the immortal Darryl Haberman, a former first-round pick for the Islanders when Mike Milbury was GM, solved my bold problem. The guy can do it all.