Just like last year’s Stanley Cup Finals, the Penguins found themselves down two games to one heading into Game 4. Unlike last year’s series, Pittsburgh ended up on top to avoid a must-win situation.
Behind three second-period goals from Jordan Staal, Sidney Crosby, and Tyler Kennedy, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Red Wings by a score of 4 to 2 and found themselves deadlocked at two games apiece with the defending Stanley Cup champions; the goals were scored in a six-minute span.
Evgeni Malkin also scored a goal for the Penguins; it was his 14th goal and 35th point of the playoffs. The 35 points are the most in a single postseason since Doug Gilmour, who also scored 35 in 1993.
Darren Helm and Brad Stuart scored goals for Detroit, who had a 2-1 lead early in the second period before the Penguins’ trio of goals.
Pittsburgh netminder Marc-Andre Fleury was stellar between the pipes, stopping 37 of 39 Detroit shots to earn his second win of the Stanley Cup Finals. Detroit’s Chris Osgood faced 31 shots, but made only 27 saves.
Game 5 will be played on Saturday night in Detroit, Michigan.
