Game 7: Pregame and 1st Period

by Pat Hunley

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I'll be doing a running diary throughout the game on hockey, the announcers, random goings-on in my house, and anything else I find necessary to include. It will likely include some Penguins bias.

8:02 - Hockey is a lot like baseball in one way: there's no pregame show, even for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. I guess it isn't necessary because very little changes from Game 1 to Game 7.

8:05 - "There are 28 other teams in the National Hockey League that would want to be in this position." Thanks for that diamond in the rough of analysis.

8:09 - Why has nobody mentioned that the Penguins have only scored 2 goals in 3 games so far at Joe Louis Arena? Are they afraid people are going to change the channel?

8:14 - Aflac seems to be running out of good ideas for the Aflac duck commercials.

8:15 - And here we... go!

8:15 - First time in the series the Penguins haven't put Jordan Staal's line out there first.

8:16 - It's less than two minutes in and I already saw someone waving a Terrible Towel. :)

8:17 - Red Wings are coming out MUCH more physical than usual.

8:19 - Wow, Penguins look like crap right now. If not for a careless turnover there the Wings would've been able to tire out the Pens and get the Pens into a dangerous situation.

8:22 - Yeah, no shock there seeing that Malkin has the most penalty minutes of anyone this series. He's got one of the worst tempers in the league.

8:23 - Once again Jordan Staal's line is outplaying Crosby and Malkin's lines early on.

8:25 - Triple hops brewed Miller Lite. How stupid do beer companies think we are? In not one of those commercials have they explained why adding the hops three times instead of once makes the beer taste better.

8:26 - Wow, it's rare to see the entire arena, including the teams, give someone a standing ovation. I guess Muhammed Ali deserves it. Sadly, I just had to look up how to spell his first name.

8:28 - Holy crap how did Pittsburgh not score there?

8:30 - How long can you pass the puck around in the corner? Get it to a place where if you shoot it there's a chance it'll go on goal.

8:32 - Second time these playoffs that Fleury has had to make a save on a shot from the red line; happened in the Washington series as well.

8:34 - Yes, power play! Finally, Malkin draws a penalty instead of committing one. Pretty much the definition of slashing.

8:35 - OH MY GOD HE HAD IT! Malkin wiffed on a great pass from Crosby!

8:36 - Crap, they had it in there for well over a minute without a clear but to no avail.

8:37 - Mmmmmm... pizza just got here.

8:39 - The Penguins definitely don't look like the team that scored two goals in the first three games here.

8:42 - Staal's line at it again. I love it! But I'd love it more if Crosby and Malkin would do something.

8:44 - How the heck did the Penguins let a guy dribble right at Fleury on a 3-on-3? That was waaaaaaay too close.

8:44 - Great, the Penguins are going back to their Game 1 ways with face-offs. 10-2 Detroit so far.

8:45 - Make that 11-2 with the Wings getting a shot right off it. This game is going to give me a heart attack.

8:47 - Curse you Kronwall! Nice block, that definitely saved a goal.

8:48 - End of Period 1

Analysis: The Red Wings came out very physical and looked like they might dominate early. Pittsburgh bounced back and made it a pretty equal period. Both goalies played well, although Osgood definitely didn't get tested as much as Fleury, as has been the case most of the series. But Pittsburgh made sure Detroit knew they weren't going to play like Game 5. The Penguins have to figure out their face-offs; 11-3 isn't going to cut it against anyone, especially Detroit. Malkin's line finally showed some life and produced quality chances, which is a great sign.

Overall, it's anyone's game. I'm gonna eat some pizza and get ready for Period 2.