Well, it didn’t take the Red Wings long to commit to playing Pavel Datsyuk when the Stanley Cup Finals return to Detroit for Game 5 Saturday night. When asked about Datsyuk’s status for Game 5, Coach Mike Babcock responded simply, “He’ll play.”

Datsyuk brings a whole other dimension to the Red Wings that the Penguins will have to match up against. Certainly, with Pavel in the lineup it will relieve some of the duress Zetterberg has been under trying to skate with Sidney Crosby.

Time for the Penguins to evolve and deal with it. Because if Datsyuk is full strength, the Penguins will have to worry.

Yesterday Chicago not only looked defeated, but played like a defeated hockey club racking up senseless penalties and allowing Detroit to pretty much have their way with them up and down the ice. All in all the Hawks took 16 penalties including three game misconducts as they self-destructed in front of the home crowd.

Now with the Redwings up 3-1 in the series and Pittsburgh up 3-0 over Carolina, both teams look to be on the verge of a rematch. When was the last time that happened? I think it was 76-77 and 77-78 when the Canadiens beat the Bruins in consecutive years.

However comebacks do happen. Although from what I saw out of Chicago, it would be more than a miracle for them to rise up and win the series which would spoil a rematch. More likely, yet still improbable, is for Carolina to find itself and beat the Penguins. But the odds favor another show down between Detriot and Pittsburgh.

Chicago saw Detroit erase a 3-0 deficit at the end of the second period with three goals in the final six minutes of the period. But it was Patrick Sharp (7) that won the game for the Blackhawks just 1:52 into overtime after both teams managed only six shots each in the third period and failed to score.

The win makes the series 2-1 Detroit instead of 3-0 which would have been a tall order for Chicago to overcome and it was an outcome that looked in doubt after that second period explosion by Detroit. Chicago pretty much looked like the better team for most of the game except for that late second period lapse but what it proved once again is that you cannot let up when you have Detroit down. However, after Detroit tore down the (Khabi)Bulin Wall again, it was Cristobal Huet that came in and rescued the Hawks.

Both teams go at it again at 3:00 PM on Sunday.

Sharp’s post game interview:

Left winger Ryan Malone had a career year last year playing along side Evgeni Malkin.  So he did what any free agent might be tempted to do afterwards – he took the money and ran.

Ryan Malone amassed 27 goals & 24 assists (51 points) playing with elite talent and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who the previous year rushed to sign also former Malkin line mate Michelle Ouellet, rushed to sign him.

Ouellet proved to be a bust.  After scoring 48 points (19 G, 29 A) playing with Malkin he flopped in Tampa Bay managing only 17 goals and 19 assists (36 points) with the Lightning.  Although he was an amazing +11 on 07-08, he is no longer with the Lightning.  He is now in Vancouver, although doesn’t appear to have played yet.

So the Lightning jumped on Malone who, so far, has proven to be yet another flop for the Lightning who are last in the South East Division at 1 – 2 – 3 thus far in 2008-09.  Malone has scored just 1 point in six games; a goal against the even more pathetic New York Islanders (2-4-0).

He is on pace for just 14 goals this season.  Hope the money was worth it Ryan.  Because by the looks of things your season is going to be ending a lot earlier this year than last year.

The Flyers made minor news this year outside of Philadelphia with their motto “Vengeance Now.” So, in honor of the Flyers, who failed to exact complete “vengeance” on a league that beat the tar out of them last season (although they did a fairly good job by making it to the Conference finals), I have come up with some options for their 2008-09 team motto.

1) Kill All Humans!
2) Golf Now – Vengeance Later!
3) Screw You Jobu! We Do It Ourselves!
4) Ooooohhhhhhmmm … ooooohhhhhhhhmmmm
5) F^@K YOU! YOU G#D D@%M MOTHERF*&KERS!
6) We Got Hosed By That Flopper Crosby!
7) Vengeance Now Part Duex!
8 ) They May End Our Season! But They Will Never Take Our Cheese Steaks!
9) It’s Ok … We’re Medicated Now!
10) Remember, remember the eighteenth of … uh … May-ember?
11) Thundercats Hooooooooooooo!
12) Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu! (“Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!” – LotR)
13) LEEROY JENKINS! (Google it – watch the video)
14) Spoooooooon!
15) Come on you apes, you wanna live forever?
16) COBRAAAAAAAAAA!
17) The pucks … they’re … they’re everywhere! (Heard being said by Martin Biron while muttering in his sleep)
18) Win If You Can. Lose If You Must. But Always Cheat!
19) Woooooooooooooo!
20) Does This Jersey Make My Ass Look Big?

Etiquette for fans during the Stanley Cup Finals.

1) Do not speak about winning the Stanley Cup until your team has won it.
2) If you are growing a playoff beard in solidarity with your team, do not shave it off. You may trim it but you must keep the beard growing.
3) Do not display or touch effigies of the Stanley Cup including, but not limited to, replicas made from cardboard and aluminum foil, inflatable versions, artistic renditions, etc.
4) Do not express overconfidence in your team or show disrespect for the opposition that has not been warranted. Honest discussions about the matchup are allowed as long as they are, of course, honest.
5) Do not make predictions about the outcome of the series. Do not predict your team will win the series or you risk jinxing them.
6) All games already played are in the past and should not be discussed or used as evidence to support your belief that your team is superior.
7) Rituals from prior series should be maintained. For example, if you drank a beer during each period or wore a lucky jersey you must do the same in the finals. Never look ahead. Never assume that any lead in any game is safe. Never make plans for victory parties even if your team is up in the series 3-0.
9) Team history is team history. This year’s finals stand alone. No amount of discussing history, trends and stats spanning decades will bring anything good. Do not discuss what once was. All that matter is what is now.
10) Do NOT sport merchandise proclaiming your team as “Conference Champs”. Much like the players do not touch the conference trophies for fear of jinxing their team, fans should not bask in their team’s previous accomplishment. Conference Championships mean nothing. All that matters is the Stanley Cup.