What Game Three Means for the Penguins

There is a popular story in Pittsburgh sports lore that after Game 4 of the 1979 World Series, which the Pirates lost 9-6 to fall behind the Orioles three games to one in the series, Willie Stargell, Dave Parker, and Chuck Tanner sat around the clubhouse talking about the loss and Pops stood up and said, "Coach, I don't know if we can win this series, but just for one game I want to show everyone what the Pittsburgh Pirates can play like." The Pirates responded with three straight wins, lead by Stargell's sixth inning homer in Game 7, to take home what is to date their last world title.

I don't know if the same thing happened in the Penguins dressing room after Game 2 of these Stanley Cup Finals, but I do know that most Penguin fans felt the way Willie Stargell did on that October night. The team that played the first two games of the Finals was not the team that breezed through the Eastern Conference. The Red Wings were great in those games, but the Penguins were equally bad. Was it too much to ask for ONE performance to show everyone that the Penguins belonged in the Finals?

Apparently, it was not. With the season lying in the balance, Sidney Crosby picked the team up and scored two early goals, nearly blowing the top off of the Mellon Arena. What followed those goals were frantic, fast paced hockey filled with great scoring chances, pucks ringing off of posts, and a tense final 40 seconds that saw the Penguins hold on and take down a win to draw to within one game of the Wings. It was exactly the kind of hockey most people expected from this series and it was exactly what the Penguins needed after their early series debacle.

This win means a lot of things on a number of levels for the Penguins. First of all, it means they belong on the ice with the Red Wings. That wasn't exactly clear after two games and it almost seemed like the Penguins weren't sure if they had a chance themselves. Tonight it was obvious that the Penguins could play with the Wings. The win, of course, avoids an insurmountable 3-0 deficit. It saw Sidney Crosby elevate himself to another level and the supporting case (namely Marian Hosssa, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Brooks Orpik, Adam Hall, Sergei Gonchar, and yes, Darryl Sydor) getting enough done to bring home the win.

Still, it's very important to remember that the Penguins still have to win Game 4 to stay in this series. Falling behind 3-1 with a road Game 5 looming is almost certainly a death sentence for this team. Their win tonight was impressive and inspiring, but it doesn't mean a whole lot if Detroit goes into Game 5 with a chance to clinch on their own ice. The door to the series is now open and the lingering questions about the Penguins worthiness are gone, but the Penguins have to do it again to make things truly interesting in this series. After last night's game, it doesn't seem out of the question.