Game 2 a Cinch

It looks as though that the Red Wings are just that good. The Penguins were shut down and shutout yet again in Game 2, 3-0. This should be one of the better playoff series we're ever going to see, but like many of the fans in the crowd, this one could be a snoozer by the end of it. I don't want to be too quick to say that the Penguins are playing poorly, because there is a certain level of coaching going on that makes the Detroit Red Wings that much better of a team.

You could argue, however, that the youth of the Penguins is getting a harsh lesson in fatigue and four rounds of playoff hockey. That also seems to be a legitimate question. It also doesn't help that their veteran leader, Gary Roberts, inserted into the line-up for Game 2 for energy, was banging and crashing all game, but found the penalty box on a few occasions as well.

In this go around, I won't say that it's going to be a different story in Pittsburgh and that we'll see a different Penguins team at home. What we may see is Detroit taking their foot off the pedal, if anything, as the Penguins sure did skate a bit better in Game 2, rather than Game 1. Maybe at home, the Penguins will have a few more bounces land on friendly sticks in front of the net as well.

It was another poor night in the pool, thanks to another night dominated by deep pool players and non-pool players. The top six teams were barely touched, yet again, thanks to no goals by the Penguins and the three by Red Wings were not helpful. Brad Stuart (non-pool) scored early in the first period, which ended up being the winner, and added an assist in the game to take three points away. Also taking a point away was the returning, Johan Franzen (non-pool), added an assist in the Red Wings effort.

The top Red Wings player for the pool was Valtteri Filppula (Box 6), who had a goal and an assist and had no effect on the top six teams in the pool. Having points that had an effect were only Tomas Holmstrom (Box 3), who had a goal, and Henrik Zetterberg (Box 1), who had an assist on Holmstrom's goal. Only one of the top six teams collected two points from that game... Mike E.. He's the only team in the top six to have both forwards, gaining one more point on the lead.

Goaltending didn't really have to become an issue for the Red Wings, as Chris Osgood (non-pool) didn't have to face a lot of shots in this game, 10, to be exact. Probably one of the easier shutouts ever to happen in playoff history. So, Osgood steals another four points from the pool and would likely sit in the driver's seat for pool MVP, if it weren't for the Sherpa, who didn't include him in it. In Game 2, Osgood will be known more for his diving efforts than his saves, as there were nearly more dives than saves for the Red Wings keeper. You could say, if the Penguins were getting more shots on net, Osgood wouldn't have a lot of spare time to work on his form.

Also, as mentioned previously, the Red Wings had Johan Franzen (non-pool) return to the line-up and he added an assist. He had missed the previous six games with his concussion-like symptoms. Franzen played pretty well for the Red Wings and will likely be one of the more focus players to look at when the series goes to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.