If history is any guide, the Detroit Red Wings are more than familiar with what it takes to win the Stanley Cup. They’ve brought home the silverware 10 times, including three since 1996. The Pittsburgh Penguins have two Stanley Cups in franchise history and none since 1992.

Both teams have a lot of work to do before they catch up to the Montreal Canadiens. They have 24 Stanley Cups to their name, dating back to 1916 when the National Hockey Association was still trying to establish itself. The Habs would split from the NHA one year later with three other teams to form the National Hockey League.

The Red Wings might never catch Montreal. The Habs filled their trophy case during the Original Six era, taking advantage of their exclusive regional rights to Quebecois players like Maurice Richard and Jean Beliveau. But the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs and their 13 Cups (the last in 1967) are well within reach of the Red Wings.

Just when you thought the Pittsburgh Penguins had the game, a determined Detroit Red Wings came back in the second and third period in what looked like a Cup winning performance. Then with 12 seconds left in the third period, the Penguins came back again to tie the game and force overtime.

Game five of the Stanley Cup Finals was headed into sudden-death.

But wait — it would take not one, not two, but nearly three full overtime periods (and a double-minor penalty) for the game winner to be decided. With Jiri Hudler of Detroit serving a double-minor for high-sticking Rob Scuderi, Peter Sykora took a pass from Evgeni Malkin to finally win the game.

“I missed a one-timer right before, by 20 feet,” Sykora said. “It was a lucky play, because it hit the ref Dan O’Halloran and went back behind the net to Gino. I was frustrated the last few games. Nothing was going for me - no bounces, no shots on net. You know, now we get to live another day.”

Game 6 goes back to Pittsburgh.

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Chris Chelios has been a healthy scratch in the Stanley Cup finals. Is he done?

Michael Wilbon really tore a strip off the Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday afternoon. “Score a goal!” Wilbon demanded in his best angry hockey parent voice on Pardon The Interruption, after the Pens failed to light the red lamp against the Red Wings in Detroit.

The Penguins did play the role of a young and nervous team in losing the first two games of the Stanley Cup final. But chalking it up to inexperience is a bit of a red herring. There are more disadvantages with being a 20-year-old hockey player than lack of wisdom. Lack of physical maturity is a more tangible concern, and yet there comes a point in every player’s life when age becomes more of a burden than a benefit. Yes, even for Chris Chelios.

From a value-based handicapping perspective, experience is an important but overrated factor in winning a hockey game. Home-ice advantage should prove more critical in the end to Detroit’s chances of returning the Cup to Hockeytown.

Beware of the mighty “Mule”, Penguins fans; Detroit Red Wings top goal scorer Johan Franzen has been cleared by the team’s doctors to practice with the guys on Friday. Although he probably won’t lace up for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he’ll likely get the green light for Game 2 if all goes well.

“Based upon the news we got today, we are hopeful to see him sometime during the series, but he’s doubtful for Game 1,” general manager Ken Holland told reporters.

Franzen missed the last five games of the Red Wings’ series against the Dallas Stars due to “concussion-like symptoms” but has maintained his top spot on the NHL’s playoff goals list (12). So you can see why everyone in Detroit is anxious to get him suited up and back in the lineup.

“He’s ready,” Coach Mike Babcock said. “He’s tipping pucks to the back of the net, he’s flying around at a hundred miles an hour. He’s ready to go, we’ve just got to get the OK.”

Sportsbooks have the Detroit Red Wings favored (slightly) to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins and win the Stanley Cup.

Can Marian Hossa help the Penguins to win the Stanley Cup?

You couldn’t have scripted a better Stanley Cup final. The most talented teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences have survived the playoff grind - so far. The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings are very closely matched; odds were still pending at press time, but the Wings figure to be slight favorites for the series and moderate faves for Saturday’s series opener at Joe Louis Arena.

Having home-ice advantage might be the only thing separating Detroit from the Penguins. The experience factor is certainly on the side of the Red Wings, but statheads have never really bought into the idea that you need to learn how to win a championship. If anything, age could be an anchor for Detroit at the end of a long season, facing a Penguins team loaded with marquee players in their early 20s.

The way I see it, deadline additions Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis make the Penguins the team to beat.

I could have sworn I read something not that long ago about Pittsburgh wanting to sell off its hockey team. Was I dreaming? Wasn’t Mario Lemieux having second thoughts? Good thing they didn’t, right? At least they made it to the Stanley Cup Final…

Even on paper this one is tough to call. The Penguins have a 12-2 post-season record; whereas the Wings have a 12-4 post-season record. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are the undisputed dynamic duo who have led the offense for Pittsburgh (as well as Jordan Staal); and for Detroit, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom have been effective. (They’re wishing Johan Franzen was back in the lineup, but ours is an imperfect world.) Both teams have depth on the defense and the offense.

So, is this thing going to come down to the team that has the better goaltender? If that’s the case then I like Red Wings’ net minder Chris Osgood. He’s been big throughout these playoffs and he’s got the experience. Marc-Andre Fleury has posted some solid numbers and while his confidence may be growing as these playoffs continue — I don’t think he can stand up to the wisdom that Detroit brings to this final matchup.

Who do you think will win the Stanley Cup? Bet on it.

Stars’ goaltender Marty Turco was on fire Saturday in Detroit

These guys are not going to go down without putting up a fight. As visitors in Hockeytown, the Dallas Stars beat the home team Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in game five of the Stanley Cup playoffs Western Conference Finals. First star of the game Marty Turco stood on his head at Joe Louis Arena as he made 38 saves in the win. Turco was credited with an assist on the Stars’ second goal as he came way out of his net to play the puck to Joel Lundqvist, who picked up the goal.

“Any time I have an opportunity I’m getting out there to help our guys,” Turco said. “I was able to hit some guys long, assist on the game-winner. That doesn’t happen very often.”

For Turco, that sort of game-winning performance has never happened in Detroit before. This afternoon’s victory was his first NHL win in Detroit.

“What a gutty performance by my team to help me get over the slide,” Turco told reporters. “It was a great upper.”

Game six in this Western Conference series goes down on Monday in Dallas.

Better late than never for the City of Brotherly Love?

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Martin Biron made 36 saves on the night as the home team beat the visiting team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-2 to send game 5 back to Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Joffrey Lupul scored twice while Danny Briere and Jeff Carter each scored for the Flyers. For the Penguins, it was Jordan Staal who put the puck between the pipes twice while Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was good for 30 saves.

The Penguins are 7-0 in the playoffs at home and have won 15 straight. They defeated the Flyers 4-2 there in the first two games of the series. Only two NHL teams have recovered from an 0-3 deficit to win, the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders. But for the Penguins, they’ve got their sights set on bigger things: the Stanley Cup Finals. The last time they advanced to the finals was back in 1992.

Who knew the city of Pittsburgh looked this good?

We appear to be on a Stanley Cup collision course between the mighty Detroit Red Wings and the emerging Pittsburgh Penguins. But it’s been a strange road to get here.

The Philadelphia Flyers have provided more than their share of surprises, upsetting the Capitals twice in Washington and doing the same to the top seeds in the East, the Montreal Canadiens. Those four road wins added up to 5.99 units of profit; Philly led all playoff teams at 7.29 units in the black heading into Game 3 of their series against Pittsburgh.

The Dallas Stars tipped over the apple cart in the West by winning the first two games of their series against both the defending Cup champions from Anaheim and the imposing San Jose Sharks – all four games on the road for a total of 6.08 units. But after coming up empty in their first three games against Detroit, the Stars are 2.37 units in the hole. Surprise!

So what do you think? A Stanley Cup playoffs final matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings? It’s looking that way. So bet on it!

For me there is noting more suspenseful in a hockey game then overtime. Especially during the playoffs.

Here is a list of the longest Stanley Cup overtime playoff games and who ended it with the game winning goal (GWG)