Fourthly, they need to fast and pray that Pavel Datsuyk (BYNG, Pearson, Hart, Selke nominee) continues on the injury list. They also better put a big guy on #8 Darth KADER!

Posted by Gunnar from ada mich on 06/01/09 at 08:54 AM ET

Gee thanks,

My 5 year old knows those things.

1. Get better goaltending
2. Best player must score
3. Support players must score.

Now here is how to color in a coloring book:

1. Get Crayons
2. Put Crayons onto paper and move back and forth
3. Stay in lines (optional if under 4 yrs old or named Damien Cox)

Posted by Jared OzVath from Oklahoma City, OK on 06/01/09 at 09:05 AM ET

“The Penguins need to score more goals in a game than the Red Wings”.

Posted by Primis on 06/01/09 at 09:34 AM ET

The Penguins need to actually try to pass to each other through the neutral zone.  Stop taking weak shots from the point (Letang) and maybe stop turning it over on Defense.

Posted by Ozman51 from Oklahoma City, Ok via Pittsburgh, Pa on 06/01/09 at 09:51 AM ET

The Penguins need to actually try to pass to each other through the neutral zone.  Stop taking weak shots from the point (Letang) and maybe stop turning it over on Defense.

Since someone find made a fairly reasonable point, we’ll go from there.

I don’t see that the Pens have been that horrible in the neutral zone.  Not fantastic, but not horrible.  I think they’re relying too much on that big pass up the middle and a rush though.  They seem to be trying to set that up every single possession, and the Wings seem to know it and just be cutting it off every single time.  Hanging on to the puck that extra second trying to set that play up ends up with Cleary or Abdelkader or Helm or Hossa forechecking and taking the puck away.

Also, aside from Guerin and obviously Malkin, nobody on the Pens really is going to the net.  Why is Guerin getting all of these good chances?  Because he’s going to the net and playing strong there.  Too many other Pens seem content along the boards and behind the net.  You don’t score goals from behind the net, you have to have someone going to the front.  Crosby seems oblivious to this, trying to make everything happen form the side of or behind the net.  Malkin is also willing to take the punishment in the slot to make a play.  I think I’ve only seen Crosby venture there once to make a play… where he was pounded, and after that he has shied away from there again and been content to hide behind the net.

Posted by Primis on 06/01/09 at 10:32 AM ET