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| Stuart, Osgood keep Red Wings rolling DETROIT 3, PITTSBURGH 0 |
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DETROIT (Ticker) -- The high-octane Detroit Red Wings are winning ... with defense. Defenseman Brad Stuart had a goal and an assist and Chris Osgood stopped all 22 shots he faced for his second consecutive shutout as Detroit skated to a 3-0 triumph over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Two of the Stanley Cup Finals on Monday. Valtteri Filppula had a goal and an assist and Tomas Holmstrom also tallied for the Presidents' Trophy-winning Red Wings, who claimed a two-games-to-none advantage in the best-of-seven series. Thirty-one teams have posted victories in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals at home. Thirty have gone on to capture Lord Stanley's Cup, while only the 1971 Chicago Blackhawks failed to close out the series after taking the first two games at home. As for the Red Wings, they're doing it with defense - and not just the blue-liners. "It's a team effort, it's not strictly defensemen," Stuart said. "It's forwards getting back, not getting caught deep, and making smart reads. When the forwards are doing that, it makes it easier." "We have the forwards coming back real hard, the D can stand up and that's the way we've been playing pretty much the whole season," five-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom said. "That's something we have to stick to, as well." Despite seeing his team blanked for the second straight game, captain Sidney Crosby said his team isn't too far removed from finding its scoring touch. "We just have to execute," Crosby said. "Did they really get that many scoring chances on us? I don't think they did. They got a few and put them in. We hit a post, and pucks go through us by the net that we don't put in. That's the difference." Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 31 saves for Pittsburgh, which hosts Game Three on Wednesday. The Penguins are 8-0 at Mellon Arena in the postseason and have a 16-game winning streak dating back to February 24. His counterpart, however, has been nothing short of perfect. Seeking his third Stanley Cup ring, Osgood stopped six shots in both the first and second periods while turning aside 10 in the third period to record his third shutout of this postseason and 13th career in the playoffs. The 35-year-old stopped all 19 shots he faced on Saturday as the Red Wings posted a 4-0 triumph in Game One. Osgood is the first goaltender to post shutouts in the first two games of the Finals since three-time Vezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils did so in 2003 against Anaheim. "I try not to think about that or other things," Osgood said in regard to records. "If I do happen to pass things, I usually don't know about it. I like it that way. I need to be told after. "I like to keep my mind on the game and what I have to do during the game and not let my mind wander into things that really matter the most when I'm done playing." The heroics of Osgood also have played a significant role in Detroit improving to 9-1 at home this postseason. Motivated by the enthusiastic crowd at Joe Louis Arena which featured musician and Michigan native Kid Rock, the Red Wings recorded the game's first eight shots - with Stuart quickly netting the game's first goal just 6:55 into the contest. Taking advantage of All-Star Evgeni Malkin's giveaway in the neutral zone, Filppula skated into the offensive zone before leaving a feed for Stuart. The blue-liner unleashed a blast from just outside the right faceoff circle which deflected off defenseman Rob Scuderi and over the extended right pad of Fleury for his first postseason goal since April 15, 2004. "(Filppula) saw me coming and just kind of laid a nice pass out," Stuart said of the goal. "I kind of tried to wait a second, let our guys get in front. I just shot it. "(Fleury) probably didn't see it the whole way. I think if he sees it all the way, he probably saves it. I think it was Mule (Johan Franzen) got in front, created a little bit of havoc for him and it found its way back." Holmstrom doubled Detroit's advantage just 4 1/2 minutes later. After gaining possession of the puck behind the net, Holmstrom deftly backhanded a feed to fellow Swede Henrik Zetterberg in the slot. Zetterberg settled the puck and wristed a shot which beat Fleury between his pads and trickled slowly toward the goal line. Alertly, Holmstrom tapped the puck into the back of the net for his fourth tally of the postseason. Pittsburgh finally mustered its first shot on goal with 7:59 remaining in the first session as All-Star defenseman Sergei Gonchar's wrist shot from the right faceoff circle was turned aside by Osgood. "I say it doesn't matter to me. I play the game as it comes," Osgood said of the lack of shots in the first period. "We have a very good team. I love playing behind these guys. I just play the games. "I don't need 40 shots to play the game or to feel good. I feel good regardless. I'm confident regardless. I play the game as it comes. Just win games. I'm not really into stats too much, just into winning." The Penguins had a pair of first-period power plays, resulting in several shots, but all were turned away by Osgood. Pittsburgh's best chance to dent the scoreboard came with four minutes remaining in the second period. After receiving a cross-ice pass in the defensive zone, blue-liner Andreas Lilja slipped. Veteran Gary Roberts corralled the puck and alertly fed Jordan Staal in the slot, but the 19-year-old's first shot attempt went wide of the net, and his second hit the post before defenseman Brett Lebda cleared the puck to end the threat. "It's frustrating," Pittsburgh defenseman Hal Gill said. "It's a long series and we haven't played in our building yet." The Red Wings increased their advantage to three goals 8:48 into the third period. Franzen, who returned to the lineup after missing the last seven playoff games due to concussion-like symptoms, fed a streaking Filppula as he entered the offensive zone. The talented Finn fended off a defenseman Kris Letang before backhanding the puck past Fleury for his fourth goal of the postseason. While Osgood's play has been winning over the Detroit faithful, one man who is not a card-carrying member of his fan club is Michel Therrien. The Penguins coach accused Osgood of embellishing a pair of goalie interference penalties - including one which negated a power-play opportunity. "He's a good actor," Therrien said. "I know our players are frustrated right now. It's tough to play the game, but Osgood did the same thing against Dallas. "Our team never goes to the goalie. We never did it, and we don't target the goalie. You want to talk about experience, he goes to players, and he knows what to do, I guess." |
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