By ALAN ROBINSON, AP
May 31, 2008
PITTSBURGH - The Penguins knew the Red Wings would block their path to winning the Stanley Cup finals. Maybe just not this much.
Penguin coach Michel Therrien all but begged the on-ice officials again yesterday to enforce the obstruction rules, arguing that one of his team's greatest strengths is being taken away by the Red Wings' defensive tactics.
"It's something that we base our team with, speed," Therrien said. "And if we can ... use our speed, we're going to get effect."
Detroit takes a 2-1 series lead into a pivotal Game 4 in Pittsburgh tonight. A Red Wing victory forces the Penguins to win three straight games to claim the Cup - two in Detroit, where Pittsburgh was outscored 7-0 in the first two games.
Therrien likes how his youthful Penguins are holding up in the finals.
"We're getting better every game," he said.
What he doesn't like is how, in his mind, the Red Wings are holding up his team.
Therrien complained about the lack of obstruction enforcement before the Penguins' 3-2 victory in Game 3 on Wednesday, though it wasn't apparent if his campaign was successful. The Penguins had only three power-play opportunities, though Sidney Crosby scored one of his two goals following Niklas Kronvall's hooking penalty early in the second period.
Therrien pleaded again yesterday for more open ice, especially with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa finding it difficult to get through the neutral zone compared to previous playoff rounds.
"If there's obstruction, there's obstruction," Therrien said. "When I see about 13, 14 [video] clips ... that I could tell there should be a penalty regarding the [rule] book, I know how it is. I'm not expecting that they're going to call 14.
"[But] I'm expecting next game, the obstruction calls, they're going to call it. I still believe there's some space to improve again. When you break down the game, you'll see that there's a few times they should have been called. And calls are important. You need those calls."
Therrien also might be campaigning to even up the penalties. Detroit has had 19 power plays to Pittsburgh's 11, though neither team is doing much with the man advantage. Detroit has two power-play goals to Pittsburgh's one.
Red Wing coach Mike Babcock refused to get dragged into one of those "he said, he said" debates that often occur between opposing coaches during Stanley Cup off days. He said he doesn't pay attention to Therrien's pleas.
"I don't listen to him," Babcock said.
