Getting Run Over

If there was ever a time that a team needed to dig deep, it's now. The Detroit Red Wings took a stranglehold on the Stanley Cup Final last night with a 2-1 victory over the Penguins. The split in Pittsburgh gave the Big Red Machine a 3-1 series lead, and that looks ominous if you're a Penguins fan. The Red Wings have been lights out at home this season, and the Penguins, if they want to win the Stanley Cup, will have to win two on Joe Louis Arena ice. Can it be done? Yes. Is it realistic? Probably not.

Game Five goes tomorrow night in Detroit at 8pm EST. Do or die for the Penguins. If they do, they will return home to the Mellon Arena for Game Six. If they don't, they'll watch the Red Wings hoist the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in the last 11 years.

For the Red Wings, I expect them to come out focussed. An Osgood shutout is not out of the question. Tomas Holmstrom will be back in the lineup, making the Red Wings even more formidable. Dominik Hasek will be watching from the bench once again.

AHL Update: The NHL Penguins aren't the only Penguins team struggling. Much like the NHL squad, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins lost both games away from home ice. Game One went to the Chicago Wolves by a 5-4 score, while Game Two was won by the home team Wolves by a 4-2 score.

Chicago Wolves' captain Darren Haydar set a couple of new AHL records in the victory earlier this afternoon. Haydar scored a goal on a breakaway at the 7:35 mark of the first period, giving him 52 career AHL playoff goals. That goal broke the record held by AHL Hall-of-Famer Jody Gage.

Haydar also set the record for career AHL Calder Cup PLayoff points. He scored a powerplay goal at the 13:31 mark of the first period, his 53rd career playoff goal, that put him at 120 career playoff points. That broke the record held by AHL Hall-of-Famer Willie Marshall of 119 points that was set in 1971.

Congratulations to Darren Haydar!

ECHL Update: The Cincinnati Cyclones and Las Vegas Wranglers are currently tied at 2-2 in the Kelly Cup Final. The teams split in Cincinnati with the Cyclones winning Game One, and Las Vegas winning Game Two.

Cincinnati increased the lead in the series to 2-1 with a 4-2 victory in Las Vegas. Cincy's outstanding rookie, David Desharnais, had a goal and two assists in the victory on Thursday. Just like in Cincinnati, Las Vegas responded with a shutout win, defeating the Cyclones 2-0 on Saturday night. Wranglers' goaltender Kevin Lalande stopped 27 shots for his second shutout of the series.

The best-of-seven series is now a best-of-three. Game Five goes Monday night at 7:05pm local time in Las Vegas at the Orleans Arena.

There's your hockey roundup for Sunday. More to come this week with these series wrapping up. I'll also be discussing a new project I am starting this summer that will be featured on this blog. I'm quite excited to do something like this, and I'll have all the details this towards the end of the week.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!