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	<channel>		<title>RUWT? News</title>
		<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com</link>
		<description>RUWT? News for Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings 5/31/2009</description>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<copyright>Copyright 2006-2007 areyouwatchingthis.com</copyright>
		<lastBuildDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:47:24 GMT</lastBuildDate>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:47:24 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Red Wings top Pens 3-1 for 2-0 series lead _ again]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer

DETROIT(AP) -- A Detroit Red Wings fan, with a toy octopi strapped
on his back, led a one-man chant after the defending champions
took their second straight 2-0 lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins
in the Stanley Cup finals.

"Just like last year!" the man shouted in an emptying arena.
"Just like last year!"

Different scores. Same situation.

Detroit beat the Penguins 3-1 Sunday night, just as they did the
previous night, after shutting them out by a combined score of
7-0 in the first two games of last year's finals.

Pittsburgh, though, is undeterred.

"I think we outplayed them," Penguins defenseman Hall Gill said.
"Last year, we got outplayed pretty badly."

Game 3 is Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, where the Eastern
Conference champions will battle a modern-day dynasty and
history.

Thirty-two teams have lost the first two Stanley Cup finals
games on the road and only the 1971 Montreal Canadiens rallied
to win it all.

Even though the odds favor the Red Wings being the first to
repeat since they did it in 1998, goaltender Chris Osgood isn't
getting cocky about their chances against the Penguins.

"They were good last year, but they're making smarter plays than
last year," Osgood said. "They've given us everything we can
handle in two games.

"We're up 2-0, but I think we can play better."

It's difficult to imagine Osgood being more successful on this
stage.

Osgood, who was Detroit's No. 1 goaltender on its 1998
championship team, improved to 10-2 and dropped his
goals-against average to 1.47 in the Stanley Cup finals.

"I think they're goalie was their best player," Pittsburgh
forward Pascal Dupuis said.

The Red Wings still delivered without one of their stars, MVP
finalist Pavel Datsyuk.

Valtteri Filppula scored the go-ahead goal midway through the
second period, sandwiching his tally between goals from
youngsters Jonathan Ericsson and Justin Abdelkader, who became
the first rookie to score in consecutive games in the finals
since Minnesota's Dino Ciccarelli in 1981.

"The depth of this team is obviously incredible," said Ericsson,
who played just four days after having his appendix removed.

The Red Wings improved to 11-0 this postseason when leading
after two periods, moving halfway toward putting another
championship banner in the crowded rafters at Joe Louis Arena.

"They're a good team," Pittsburgh forward Chris Kunitz said.
"They've shown that for the last 10, 12 years."

Detroit is shooting for its fifth title in 12 seasons and the
12th Cup in franchise history.

If the Red Wings continue to shut down superstar Sidney Crosby,
their chances will greatly improve. Crosby was held without a
point in two straight games for the first time this postseason.

Unlike the Red Wings, he hasn't gotten much puck luck.

Crosby was denied by the post in the third period and video
replay confirmed he didn't score, leading to him spitting in
disgust from the bench as the announcement was made.

Pittsburgh can only hope Crosby responds as he did last year,
scoring twice in Game 3 after failing to score or make an assist
in the first two games of the 2008 Cup finals.

Teammate Evgeni Malkin is off to a much better start against
Detroit compared to last year at this time when he didn't have a
point until Game 5.

Malkin scored the Penguins only goal Sunday night, putting them
ahead late in the first period, after assisting on their lone
score in Game 1.

The MVP finalist leads the NHL with 30 points this postseason,
making him the first player to be that productive since
Colorado's Joe Sakic had 34 points in 1996.

His emotions boiled over with 18.2 seconds left, setting up a
fight with Henrik Zetterberg after Pittsburgh's Max Talbot stuck
his stick in Osgood's midsection after he made his 31st save.

Malkin was subject to a one-game suspension for being assessed
in the final 5 minutes, but that punishment was quickly
rescinded by league disciplinarian Colin Campbell.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nhl]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nhl/news/100326-Red-Wings-top-Pens-3-1-for-2-0-series-lead-_-again</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nhl/news/100326-Red-Wings-top-Pens-3-1-for-2-0-series-lead-_-again</guid>
				<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:55:48 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Penguins-Red Wings Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ANDY LEFKOWITZ
STATS Editor

Pittsburgh At Detroit, Game Two, 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Detroit Red Wings opened the Stanley Cup finals with an easy
win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Neither team will have much
time to rest, reflect or make adjustments.

For the first time in more than 50 years, finals games will be
played on back-to-back nights as the Penguins and Red Wings meet
in Game 2 on Sunday at Joe Louis Arena.

Detroit got the go-ahead goal from Johan Franzen - his team-high
11th of the postseason - in the final minute of the second
period and Chris Osgood finished with 31 saves in Saturday's 3-1
victory.

More important for Mike Babcock's club, though, was slowing down
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who were tied for the
postseason scoring lead with 28 points coming into the finals.

"We knew coming into this series that these guys, when you've
been here before, you know what to expect so you're ready to
start on time," the Detroit coach said.

After being blanked by Osgood in the first two games of last
year's finals, the Penguins said they had a different mind-set.
Still, only Ruslan Fedotenko scored off an assist from Malkin.

"We can do a better job," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "I
think there are some areas that we can keep at. But that's the
challenges. And getting back at it (Sunday) is a good thing for
us."

Crosby entered Detroit on a six-game point streak and with an
NHL-high 14 postseason goals, but managed only two shots. A
third-period drive by him rang off the post, ended up on
Osgood's back and was smothered.

"I've never seen that happen before. I've never seen the puck
stay on a goalie's back like that and just sit there," the
Penguins captain said.

It's been 12 years since the last repeat Stanley Cup champion -
Detroit in 1997 and 1998 - and 25 years after the most recent
finals rematch as Edmonton and the New York Islanders squared
off.

But generations have passed since finals games were played on
consecutive nights.

On April 9, 1955, the Red Wings and Canadiens met in Montreal
with the Canadiens winning 5-3 to even the series at 2-all. The
next night in Detroit, the Red Wings posted a 5-1 victory, and
went on to win the Cup in seven.

A big reason for the short turnaround this time is NBC and the
league didn't want to stunt excitement about a matchup with the
potential to draw nontraditional viewers.

Preparing to play two high-pressure games in a 24-hour span also
will be a little different.

"You've got to make sure you get a lot of food in you tonight
and get a good night's sleep," said 39-year-old Red Wings
captain Nicklas Lidstrom, who returned after missing the final
two games of the Western Conference finals with an injury. "When
the game starts (Sunday), I think you have to keep the shifts a
little bit shorter.

"Keep your legs going again, but keep your shifts shorter and
try to get the four lines rolling as well so everybody gets into
it again."

Looking to move halfway toward their fifth Cup in 12 years and
12th overall, the Red Wings haven't lost in Game 2 of the finals
since falling to the Canadiens in 1954. Detroit has outscored
its opponents 22-8 in Game 2s against Montreal (1955),
Philadelphia (1997), Washington (1998), Carolina (2002) and a
3-0 win last year over Pittsburgh.

"It's a race to four," Bylsma said. "They got one."

Falling into an 0-2 hole, though, could doom the Pens' hopes of
hoisting their first Cup since the Mario Lemieux-Jaromir Jagr
heydays in 1992.

Since the best-of-7 format was introduced in 1939, teams that
have gone up 2-0 in the finals are 41-3. No team has blown a 2-0
lead since Chicago against Montreal in 1971.

"This is tight hockey," Crosby said. "We didn't expect to come
in here and have it be easy. But the good thing is we've got a
short period of time here to prepare and get ready for Game 2.
We're confident that we can get one here and go home."

Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nhl]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nhl/news/100183-Penguins-Red-Wings-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nhl/news/100183-Penguins-Red-Wings-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2009 05:21:46 GMT</pubDate>
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