Malkin and Crosby's Historic Postseason And a Look at Game 5

During the Penguins' game 4 win on Thursday night, captain Sidney Crosby finally had his bust-out game of the Stanley Cup Final, recording a goal (the eventual game-winner) and an assist in Pittsburgh's 4-2 win to tie the series at two games apiece. The performance helped him eclipse the 30-point mark this postseason, joining his teammate, Evgeni Malkin, who is currently the leading scorer in the playoffs with 35 points, putting the duo in some elite, historic company.

On Friday, From The Rink's James Mirtle discussed Malkin's elite company this postseason as his current point production is already tied for the seventh best performance in league history ... and he still has, at least, two more games to play this season.

That said, it would be fair to say that Malkin has, if nothing else, an outside shot at reaching the 40-point plateau, something that has been done by just two players in the history of the league: Wayne Gretzky (three times) and Mario Lemieux (one time). Impressive company, no doubt. Even more impressive? How about the fact that since 1995 only three players have ever reached the 30-point mark: Joe Sakic (34 points in 1996) and Malkin and Crosby this year.

There have only been seven sets of teammates to each score 30 points in a single playoff run, and it hasn't happened since Mark Messier and Brian Leetch accomplished the feat during the 1994 postseason. Here's the list:

2009: Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby
1994: Mark Messier and Brian Leetch
1991: Mario Lemieux, Kevin Stevens, and Mark Recchi
1990: Mark Messier and Craig Simpson
1988: Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri
1985: Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri and Paul Coffey
1983: Rick Middleton and Barry Pederson

The third-leading scorer in this year's playoffs is a three-way tie between Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and Alex Ovechkin with 22 points.

Malkin has been cruising since Game 4 of the Washington series, an 11-game run that has seen the Art Ross Trophy winner tally 23 points (that's over two points per game), including seven in the first four games against Detroit. Just for laughs, let's take a look back at the first four games of last year's Stanley Cup Final for Malkin: four games, zero points. He finished the series with just three in six games.

As for the rest of the players and story lines involved in Game 5...

Pavel Datsyuk ... will he or won't he?

After appearing as if he were ready to return to the lineup in Game 4, Pavel Datsyuk missed his seventh consecutive playoff game on Thursday night. On Friday, Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock announced that Datsyuk, a finalist for the Hart Trophy as league MVP, will, in fact, be on the ice for Game 5 Saturday night. The question now becomes: what sort of impact will he have? He's clearly not at 100 percent, but even if he's, say, at 70 percent, that's still better than most players, right? Can he be what the Red Wings need to slow down Malkin?

The Matchups

As the series shifts back to Detroit for Game 5, Babcock and the Red Wings once again the opportunity to match lines. We've been over it before ... Crosby vs. Zetterberg, Zetterberg vs. Crosby. The only met in the face-off circle 10 times in the two games in Pittsburgh (compared to 27 in Detroit), while Crosby had his two best performances in the series in Games 3 and 4.

Special teams continue to play a major role

Heading into Game 4, this had been the least penalized Stanley Cup Final since the Toronto Maple Leafs and Red Wings faced off way back in 1945, a series that Toronto eventually won in seven games. Things didn't exactly change on Thursday as the two teams combined for just nine penalties, while two of them came as time expired in the third period (Daniel Cleary for tripping Brooks Orpik, Brooks Orpik for roughing Daniel Cleary).

As minimal as the power play opportunities have been thus far, Pittsburgh has managed to take advantage of its limited chances, converting on four of its nine power plays, while also successfully killing nine of its 10 shorthanded situations. As an added bonus, the Penguins also received a shorthanded goal from Jordan Staal on Thursday night. The Red Wings were in the middle of back-to-back power plays with an opportunity to take a 3-1 lead when Staal took an outlet pass from Max Talbot and beat Brian Rafalski one-on-one between the circles.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-06-2009 @ 1:48PM

M.DONOSO said...

GO PENS!!!!!

6-06-2009 @ 4:22PM

slfpgh said...

Nice article. great series. Its been alot of fun,whomever wins. Just about takes us into football season.

6-06-2009 @ 7:12PM

James said...

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of hearing about the Pen's. Detroit played the first two games in winning fashion and all you writters could muster was that Detroit won most of the face offs ... common, give me a break already. Now that Crosby FINALLY scored a goal suddenly your writting about the best dou in history? Please write about soemthing we would all enjoy reading and not the oh my I want to get down on my knees for Crosby garbage. Yes I said that!

6-06-2009 @ 7:21PM

shummey327 said...

Give me a break. people are tired of hearing about the red wings. Relax, sit down watch the game. I am getting preety tired of you Detriot fans. hte first two games you guys were saying sweep or we are no match for you guys. Now the last two games you guys did nothing but bitch, complain and whine about everything. Just shut up and watch hock.

6-07-2009 @ 4:13PM

tmo370 said...

you are nothing but an idiot

6-06-2009 @ 8:46PM

redbeacon51 said...

Man what a player crosby is right? I mean he can actually play on his home ice. I was amazed, but silly me I thought a great player,(such as crosby) was good not only on his home ice but on the road as well. Shows what I know right? UNBELIEVABLE

6-06-2009 @ 11:11PM

Joe said...

say what you want about Crosby but Hossa sure did play better last year during the the cup finals when Sid was feeding him the puck. He clearly can't play this series at home or away! You guys can keep him.

6-06-2009 @ 9:28PM

Too bad most goals came from power plays, just another reason for the pen fans to complain about the reffing and how classless the red wings are. w/e

6-06-2009 @ 10:03PM

#1 Steeler Fan! said...

Oh give me a break, how many times on these blogs have the Detroit fans complained about the refs and how they were giving the games to Pittsburgh. Now that you are getting all the calls it is suddenly okay, I have seen Detroit do some of the same things and haven't been called for it, so yes we do have something to complain about. They are both great hockey teams or they wouldn't be here. So yea, show some class and don't put down the Penguins fans. We care about our team just as much as you care about yours.

6-07-2009 @ 12:11AM

John said...

Yep, Malkin and Crosby sure were historic tonight! What a "leader" Crosby is, slashing Zetterberg like that. Nice composure there, way to lead the team. And how about Malkin, looking to try and injure any Wing (especially Franzen) he could, with another suspension worthy performance with the elbow to the head and cross-check to an area with no padding after the whistle. Classy Pens.

6-07-2009 @ 5:48AM

Just as many times as pen fans have complained about the reffing so yes its going both ways. Has the reffing been great, no, but the loses in pittsburg can't be soley blamed on the refs cause the wings played horribly there. I'm just saying, I'd like to see the wings win by the score they did, only not with what 3 goals coming from power plays so, because 5-0 against a full strength team is more impressive.

6-07-2009 @ 10:07AM

"I'm just saying, I'd like to see the wings win by the score they did, only not with what 3 goals coming from power plays"

So when the Pens act like goons we're not supposed to make them pay on the PP? I seem to remember the Pens getting their share of PP goals in this series...

6-07-2009 @ 3:36PM

gsmackfan2 said...

Great Series , Detroit has the experience and will win the cup. Syd The KID will get his cup eventually However he has to stop crying. The fact He didn't Talk to the media after game five really Has me questioning him as a captain. Also the cheap shots slapping dats foot and Crosby slashing shins . I understand it is frustration However it is still a gentleman's game. The only sport where players shake hands after a series .
Malkin to me is the better Player and Leader . The Red Wings Have four solid lines and They are all two way players. Pitt Has to learn from this and when Syd matures a little and gets a better surrounding cast He will hoist the cup...

6-07-2009 @ 3:39PM

Wings are just a better overall 2 way Team. I dont know what your watching I havent heard or read anything giving the Red Wing's credit. There isnt a number one draft pick on that team. Heck one of Detroits defenseman was the last pick in the Draft. They are just Playing a great system and remaining disciplined....

6-07-2009 @ 3:58PM

ramptraffic said...

Crosby is or can be a great player,but he needs to play a more 2-way type game before hes reconized.And if he expects to be a great captain and team leader, he needs to take those post game loss interviews and act like a man about it.

6-08-2009 @ 5:08AM

rwing said...

I agree with you Adam, Crosby and Malkin ARE great scorers, with impressive numbers. BUT we have what I also call "Malkin the Basher" and "Crosby the Slasher"...and until they grow-up and learn to accompany their "impressive numbers" with some class, they will never deserve all the accolades that are poored upon them. When I think of CLASS, I think of Stevie Yzerman. Many questioned whether he should have a "C" added to his uniform at such a tender age. How do I know this??...because I have never been a fair-weather fan of the Wings. I have followed them for many, many years and saw more losing seasons then I care to remember. But I also REMEMBER THIS--Stevie Yzerman NEVER gave anyone any cause to doubt that he DESERVED that "C". He ended his career with the same CLASS that he started it with, and played with THROUGHOUT his illustrious career. I never saw him slash anyone, or act in a "childish" manner...just as I have never seen Nicklas Lidstrom, the current Captain of the Wings do either. I respect Crosby for his skills as a player, but I also think perhaps another Pittsburgh player might be more deserving of the "C" until Crosby can prove he is worthy of it.

There is another thing about Stevie Yzerman I remember. After New Jersey swept the Wings in 4 games in the "Stanley Cup Finals" in 1995, Stevie watched their entire celebration on the bench. He took ALL OF IT IN, and probably stored it all in his memory bank....so that when HE FINALLY WON IT ALL, he could SAVOR it just that much more. The Wings learned to win by first losing, and learning from it. I know you are from Pittsburgh Adam, and I have no disrespect for you, or your city. And I don't know for certain who will win this series, but I know that Crosby will never get that true respect as the team's Captain UNTIL HE EARNS IT. But Stevie Yzerman from day one, knew what it meant to have that "C" on his uniform....and to his credit, NEVER DISRESPECTED IT. And Nicklas Lidstrom, to HIS credit, has followed Yzerman and has NEVER DISRESPECTED IT either. Maybe and hopefully Crosby can learn that too.