Sportsfrog.com

Long before the overtime came, game five was a gem; the best of the series.

And I had all kinds of things written about the Red Wings to commemorate their Cup clinching victory. I think just about everyone did.

Everyone will have to wait.

Game five was just too good.

It started four and a half hours before it ended.

Most of regulation was played wide open, both entertaining and skillful. Pittsburgh was skating with nothing to lose, while Detroit was clearly nervous at first, and then maybe a little too loose later. The Wings then composed themselves and put together a masterful third period, roaring back from a 1-2 deficit to take a 3-2 lead late.

But still holding strong to the determination they played with all night, Pittsburgh put together a late rally – led mostly by Marian Hossa – to tie the game three to three with only 35 seconds remaining.

Two and a half overtimes later, and after Marc Andre Fleury had made a total of 55 saves on 58 shots, Petr Sykora channeled the spirit of Petr Klima and sent the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals back to Pittsburgh for game six, Wednesday night.

And while life has been extended on Pittsburgh’s 2008 season, the Pens are beat up, and their two best players were barely a factor during the overtimes. Evgeni Malkin, in particular, continued his struggles with another turnover filled game. It could easily be said that the referees had a better feel for the puck on this night than Malkin did – and anyone who saw the game knows that is a comment on both Malkin and two referees who seemed to always be in the way – even almost becoming part of a first overtime game winner for Detroit.

As the game stretched on, the number of Red Wings who looked still like they were ready to end this game were plenty, while the number of Penguins who were still putting together productive shifts were becoming fewer and fewer as time went on. But Fleury was able to keep his team alive long enough for Sykora to come through on his pledge to win it.

Few Penguin forwards played well, in fact, and Sykora was one who clearly struggled. Yet they live on to fight. Until Wednesday. I can’t remember the last time a Cup was awarded on visitor’s ice. It could happen Wednesday. But if the Pens come out and play again with the same desperation they played with on Monday night, it is possible the Cup could be awarded on visiting ice Saturday, instead of Wednesday.

If nothing else, the series is officially good now. And we’ll get at least one more night to enjoy it.