dat's sick

Not his most difficult game of the series, but he was solid and made some key stops early on. So glad to see him get the shutout. He deserves it after saving the team on many occasions in the playoffs with the team hanging him out there to dry.

Who needs enemies when you have leaders like Crosby and Malkin? Boy, do those kids need to learn some manners. Talk about sore losers.

MASTODONIC

Babs is on.

guys, nhl.com is working now! refresh the page. Wings players on soon!

nhl.com working now. only missed bylsma I think.

What a surreal game. Feels so good to kick the Penguins asses. Getting the shut-out is huge. That will give them flashbacks from Game 1 and 2 last year. Can the rookie Bylsma respond? Can the Penguins, as a team, recover from this embarrassment? I think so. Game 6 WILL be a war. But after Game 4, and after everyone was thinking the Pens were on top of things, this was a huge statement by the Wings. With 2 days off, Datsyuk will get even healthier. They will get their legs rested. They can do this. I'm so proud of this team. Whenever they get hit by adversity and seem to be down, they show their best side. And great ******* crowd in the JLA!

He really is. Just his ability to hang onto the puck and his passing. I don't think his skating looks 100%, but he's such a smart player and so good with the stick that you don't really notice it.

Defense is the key in this period. Help Ozzie. For all that is good and holy, help Ozzie. And it would be nice if Hossa, Datsyuk or Homer could get a goal.

stupid hossa. that's he kind of thing that can get the pens back in it.

Atleast if the Wings were down 5-0, you wouldn't see Datsyuk and Zetterberg going around laying elbows and slashings into people. I know they're young and frustrated, but geez.. that is not the way to take it out. Wings showed up tonight. I didn't expect this kind of game. Still a period to go, and I'm not completely calm. Not before they have a 5-goal lead with 1 minute left. Don't let up on the gas just yet!

worst defender on the team?

Most people don't understand that. If Hossa hadn't signed with the Wings, we might be watching a final with 2 completely different teams right now. What happened was probably the best thing for all parties involved. I hope Hossa realizes that as well if the Wings lose.

pavel looks great and I love seeing him with Hank. Hope Babs doesn't split them up to get Pav at Center. Decent first period by the Wings, after a good start by the Pens. They need to keep being solid on the PK though.

Pierre is a ******.

I got chills reading that. Strenght and Honor!

Pavel could be used to shut down Malkin, but maybe that's not the job he should get right from the start? Who knows how rusty and bothered by his foot he will be. Better to ease him in while playing with Z and Mule who are playing great. Also, I've been wanting to see the Franzen-Z-Datsyuk line for quite some time. Let the Pens worry about shutting them down for a change. I don't share the opinion that we're "f***ed" if we don't win tonight, but it's a big game for sure.

If the Wings win Game 5, I think the Pens could still win at home to force a game 7. And I definitely think the Wings could win Game 6 even if they lose this one. They'll get 2 days off before Game 6, which will give Datsyuk more time to heal his foot, and everyone more time to rest their legs. In the playoffs it's easy to feel like every game is "the most important one", the game that will decide the series. For sure, the winner of this game is in a good position. But the series won't be over. The whole "lucky bounces" argument is not working in the Pens favor right now. The Wings could easily have won Game 3 if not for unlucky bounces, and if they had called the too-many-men penalty. Both teams have gotten some "luck" and some "breaks". No team has completely outplayed the other. It's a close, even series.

I don't think they're too old, but I really think they're tired right now. If you look at the Pens series against the Caps, it was open, offensive hockey with not a lot of physicality. The OT games were decided pretty quickly. The Wings series against Anaheim was physical, every game was close and hard-fought. It had a triple-OT monster of a game. In the Conference finals, the Pens ran over the Canes. No games were really much of a battle for them. The Wings on the other hand had another tough series against the Hawks. Except for the 6-1 game, they were all tough ones. A 2-day breather between games 2 and 3 in the finals would have been HUGE. I think the Wings would have won Game 3 if they had that, and maybe Datsyuk would have been back in Game 4. In the end, this is what the Stanley Cup playoff is like. You need to get some luck in the matchups, injuries, and scheduling to win it. The Wings got lucky to face a decimated Avalanche team in the 2nd round last year. It kept them healthy and fit for the WCF and SCF. This year the 2nd round was completely different, and we're seeing the result of that imo. I still think they can pull themselves together and win it, but Game 5 will be a war.

I feel this series is due for an OT game. And those can always go either way. I'll be nervous as heck today. Sweden has a must-win against Denmark in the World Cup qualifiers, and almost right afterwards it's this game.. not quite a must-win (I think the Wings can bounce back since they get 2 days rest after this one), but very close. Throw in Soderling's final against Federer at Roland Garros tomorrow and this weekend is sure to take it's toll on my nerves. I'm going to say 3-3 in regulation.. and Hossa with the GWG?

But he even took the pre-game skate before Game 4. He HAS to be really, really close.

He has fresh legs, which is exactly what the Wings need right now. I hope his foot doesn't hold him back.

The mental part has never really been an issue for the Wings. After losing game 5 of last year's final I thought for sure they'd never be able to bounce back. Look what happened. The last game wasn't nearly as brutal of a loss mentally, but physically they look exhausted. If something is going to bring down this team it will be the gruelling schedule. I hope they can muster up all the strenght they have left and win Game 5, because if they do they get 2 days rest until the next game. Getting Datsyuk back will be a big boost to the entire team.

If the schedule for the finals hadn't been the biggest f***up in sports history, the Wings wouldn't be this tired. Close a series in 5 games and get 2 days rest? WTF. And I'd like to see where the Pens would be if Malkin was injured. There's a reason Datsyuk is nominated for MVP, and it isn't that he's not important to the team.

Just saw the game. Well, I watched until it was 4-2 and then skipped to the end because I couldn't stand it. It's not easy to win against the Pens if you let them score on all their PP's, but it's impossible to win when you let them score on the PK as well. The schedule and injuries are really, really starting to hurt us. I think Datsyuk deciding not to play right before the game could have had a negative effect on the team's energy and spirits. I bet they were all psyched that they were getting him back and BAM, sorry you have to play without him again. Did Draper seem kinda useless to anyone else? Bring back Abdelkader next game. Maltby or Leino should be sitting, not Abby. Sigh. Pavel better play Game 5. And the Wings better get their s*** in gear. If only there was a 2-day break at some ******* point.