Momentum

The Stanley Cup Finals couldn't be any closer heading into game 5 with the Wings and Pens tied at 2. Detroit won the first two at home they then went to Mellon and Pittsburgh held serve. Sounds like what should happen, right? That is why they play the entire regular season, to get home ice advantage. But, it was how the Pens won those two games that has Wings' fans concerned. The Pens have been better than the Wings for most of these playoffs and could easily have a 3-1 lead. Chris Osgood has saved the Wings to this point, but with the return of Pavel Datsyuk, maybe Marian Hossa can make it on the score sheet. All of this led me to wonder, can Pittsburgh carry momentum from game 4 into Detroit for game 5?

I believe you can have momentum in a game, but once that game is over, so is the momentum. Pittsburgh gave it all they had in game 4, and is showed. In a 5:37 span, the Pens went from trailing 2-1 to leading 4-1. Jordan Staal with a short-handed goal started off a period of time where the Wings looked like the more inexperienced team. That goal changed the momentum in the game, for sure. The Wings had taken the crowd out of the game and you could hear a pin drop in Mellon Arena. After the goal, the place was loud and the fans on their feet. It stayed that way for the rest of those five plus minutes. The Penguins had momentum. They carried that momentum for the rest of the game. The Wings looked tired...they couldn't keep up, make smart passes, and they continued to give the puck away. Detroit with four power play chances, but couldn't convert on any. The game ended 4-2 Pens, series tied at 2. But, today is a different day.

The Wings believe they have home ice advantage for a reason. It is now a best of 3 with Joe Louis Arena hosting 2 of the 3. Game 4 is long gone from the minds of Wings' players. It is a new game now. With it being a new game and a new venue, any momentum that the Pens had in game 4 is gone. That is not to say that in the first 5 minutes of game 5, they could regain that momentum. Or, that the Wings could steal it back at any time.