Posted by Scott Burnside
PITTSBURGH -- Here are things we will be looking out for in tonight's Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins:
1. The Fleury factor
Can Marc-Andre Fleury shrug off his Game 5 performance in which he was yanked after giving up five goals on 21 shots? He will have to be every bit as good as he was in Games 3 and 4 or the Pens are cooked. Most important, he cannot allow a soft goal as he did when he failed to corral Dan Cleary's long wrist shot in Game 5. But Penguins coach Dan Bylsma and Fleury's teammates believe the young netminder has the right personality to do just that. We'll see.
2. Looking for backup
Anyone other than Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby care to add a little scoring help? Bill Guerin, Ruslan Fedotenko, Maxime Talbot and Chris Kunitz, the four wingers who normally play with the two big centers, have combined for just three goals (two by Talbot) and seven points in five games in the Cup finals. True, Malkin and Crosby, who has struggled himself in this series with just three points, could conceivably extend this series through their own production, but it would be a lot easier for the Penguins if the supporting wingers picked up some of the slack with a couple of goals, especially early on.
3. How will Datsyuk perform?
Much was made of Pavel Datsyuk's sparkling return in Game 5 and reports out of Detroit suggested he was flying in the Wings' workout before the team flew to Pittsburgh on Monday afternoon. But will there be any drop-off in Datsyuk's play in his second straight contest after a foot injury kept him out for seven games dating back to the Western Conference finals? If he's at the same level, the chances of the Wings celebrating the Stanley Cup increase exponentially.
4. Special teams
When the Penguins have been successful in this series, they have controlled the special-teams battle. In Game 5, of course, the Wings dominated, taking advantage of a Pens team that couldn't stay out of the penalty box. Detroit scored three power-play goals in the second period and added a fourth goal five seconds after the end of another power play. The Penguins should be much more disciplined at home, but controlling their emotions and not giving the Wings power-play opportunities will be crucial.
5. Setting the tone
The first 10 minutes of Game 6 promise to set a tone for the rest of the game. The Pens would like to press early and get a goal or two under their belts to put the stink of Game 5 out of their minds. The Wings, always patient, will look to withstand the early barrage and then strike when opportunity presents itself. The Pens collapsed when that happened in Game 5 and the Wings would like to repeat that dynamic in Game 6. It may sound trite, but we suggest the first goal will be a harbinger of the outcome. If the Wings score early, it will force the Pens to chase the game, something they desperately want to avoid.
ESPN.com Stanley Cup playoffs blog
