6:45 PM
Made it to Melon Arena (aka The Igloo) with plenty of time to set up shop before the game.  Pittsburgh smells.  I don't like it.  But, for an old building, Melon Arena isn't too too bad...they had some cool gameday entertainment, showing old Penguins games on a huge jumbotron hung outside.

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7:58 PM
Teams have come and gone for warmups...the last 30 minutes has been spent trying to figure out how to get internet in this old barn...finally got it working obviously.  In the meantime, I went downstairs to the media area underneath the facility, where all the big shots were....ran into Barry Melrose and his major mullet, plus Steve Levy...they were doing their ESPN live shot.  Just a bunch of people pretending to work....like me.

Here's a shot of where I'll be blogging from...not exactly prime location, but it's still a pretty damn good view.  Plus, let's be honest, I get to be at the Stanley Cup Finals....that's worth it.

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8:11 PM
Lights out at Mellon Arena as they are introducing the Penguins starting lineup and getting ready to drop the puck....very cool scene as the entire place is wearing white.  White-out conditions tonight.  Gonna be a loud....and the Penguins need all the help they can get down 2-0.

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8:20 PM
Puck drops...we're underway

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8:21 PM
Detoit gets the first penalty as Franzen gets whisleted down.  At home, the Penguins could really use their first goal of the series.  0-0, 18:56 left 1st.

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8:24 PM
Pittsburgh negates what was left of their power play an Detroit will go on the man advantage...although Pittsburgh is looking MUCH faster tonight than in their previous 2 games.  Still 0-0.

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8:34 PM
First media timeout...Penguins look very strong for a change...much, much more composed than in games 1 and 2.  Even still, they NEED the first goal or this one could get ugly.  Still 0-0, 11:35 left 1st.

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8:42 PM
Penguins took another penalty, Sergei Gonchar gets a hooking call...Detroit back on the PP with 7:53 left in first...still 0-0.

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8:52 PM
The shutout streak is over....Sidney Crosby scores after Detroit turns the puck over in their own zone....It's Pittsburgh's first goal of the series....over 130 minutes of shutout hockey before their first goal.  1-0 Pittsburgh, 2:25 left 1st.

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8:57 PM
End of the first period...certainly well controlled by the Penguins.  Detroit also got a penalty towards the end of the frame that will give Pittsburgh a 1:19 PP when the 2nd period begins.  Detroit looks back on their heels for sure.  End 1st....1-0 Pittsburgh.

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9:18 PM
2nd period begins,...Penguins kill off what was left and now have a PP of their own as Niklas Kronwall gets a penalty.....and within 30 seconds of that call...Crosby gets his 2nd goal of the night smacking home a rebound.  BIG goal...2-0 Pittsburgh, 17:26 left 2nd.

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9:24 PM
First media timeout of the 2nd period...and wow....Pittsburgh is dominating through the first 6 minutes.  Detroit needs a goal...badly.

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9:36 PM
It's amazing what home ice advantage will do for you.  The Penguins look like a completely different team tonight than they did in their first two....Another media timeout, and the Wings have had very little success in the Pittsburgh zone.  Even with a power play.  Still 2-0 Pittsburgh, 8:33 left 2nd.

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9:45 PM
HUGE goal by Detroit and it all starts by crashing the net.  Johan Franzen takes the puck past 2 defenders and smashes is past Fleury to pull within 1.  2-1 Pittsburgh, 5:12 left 2nd.

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9:55 PM
Detroit turned it on late in the frame, but Pittsburgh still leads 2-1 at the end of the 2nd Period.

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10:13 PM
Period 3 is about to start....the Penguins need to be careful in the first 3 / 4 minutes of the period since the Wings were buzzing late in the 2nd.

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10:23 PM
Both teams really throwing their weight around to start the third period...but after a bad scramble in front of the Detroit net, the Penguins found a way to put the puck behind Osgood to regain a 2-goal lead....that will be a hard lead to overcome.  3-1 Penguins, 12:32 left 3rd.

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10:30 PM
Doesn't look good for Detroit...Pittsburgh isn't allowing any stuff from in front of the net, which is where the Wings are very dangerous.  They're doing a good job of playing keep-away hockey...which could mean a 2-1 series in about 6:39.

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10:33 PM
Just when I said it may be out of reach...Mikael Samuleson scores a goal over Fleury's shoulder.  3-2 PIttsburgh, 6:14 left 3rd.

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10:40 PM
Not a great time for a Penguins penalty.  Although they're still up 1, they will spend half the remaining time in regulation killing off a hooking call to Evgeni Malkin...against the NHL's best power play.  Should be fun.....3-2 Pittsburgh, 4:18 left 3rd.

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10:48 PM
Detroit pulled the goalie but were unable to score, this guarantees at least a fifth game in Mo-town on Monday.  PIttsburgh wins 3-2....Detroit leads the series 2-1.