Any number of Penguins could be considered key components of the heart and soul of the club at times, from team captain Sidney Crosby to rugged veteran Gary Roberts to steady goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

Quirky forward Max Talbot is as good a barometer as anyone, which is why his reaction to the Penguins' potentially devastating 2-1 loss to Detroit last night was telling.

Although his words conveyed determination and anything but defeat, his tone and body language spoke louder.

Standing with his arms folded, his eyes looking nowhere in particular, Talbot offered uncharacteristically short, basic answers to questions about the game.

"It's a tough one," he said. "They're a tough team to battle back against when they're up a goal. We tried to get that second goal, tried to tie the game."

Talbot has become a media darling throughout the playoffs and especially in the final, spreading love for his teammates and sitting and talking with reporters for extended sessions most days, in English and his native French.

This is someone comfortable enough to, say, throw a tape ball at Crosby during one of Crosby's regular-season media scrums in the locker room and elicit a stifled smile from the captain.

Or to deadpan into a camera, with anyone from himself to a teammate to a reporter as the butt of the joke.

And someone who had to rely on his resolve to keep his chin up when talking about the tough task in the series.

"It was the same type of game" as a 3-2 Penguins win in Game 3, Talbot said. "It could have gone both ways. It was a pretty even game. We had some really good, solid scoring chances. We couldn't finish, but I think it was a pretty even matchup."

That's the way it went with Talbot -- no turning of phrases or outlandish jabs at himself or anyone.

He offered more than one verbal boost for his teammates, talked about bouncing back and stood up for once-again struggling center Evgeni Malkin. He claimed he still felt upbeat.

"It's tough, but why would you want to be down?" he said. "We have to take it one game at a time. I still have to do my job. Guys still have to do their job. The last one's always the hardest to win. I know it's cliche, but that's what we need to think about."

But there was a strong tone of disappointment.

"There's still a little hockey to play," he offered. "We know it's do-or-die and we know what to expect, so, obviously, we're going to be a desperate team."

Talbot, as much as any Penguins forward, squeaked behind the iron Detroit defense at times, particularly early, but a partial fan on a shot in the first period was probably his best scoring chance.

"We had a couple good scoring chances and we missed a lot again, too," he said. "Sometimes it's just a matter of a bounce. We have to focus on finishing these goals."

Like anyone else on the team, he feels the pressure of not producing on offense.

The Penguins have been shut out twice in the series and are averaging one goal a game against the Red Wings.

"We did it all year -- the third and fourth line scored big goals -- and it's tough, but we're working hard," said Talbot, who with five goals and eight points in 15 games is seventh in team scoring, first among players who aren't top-six forwards or top power-play point man Sergei Gonchar despite missing three games and then playing on a broken foot.

Talbot had a goal and four assists in the four games preceding the final round but has just an assist, in a 3-2 Game 3 win, against Detroit.

In the first period last night, Talbot was penalized for diving after being cross-checked by defenseman Brett Lebda, who also received a penalty.

"The guy cross-checked me in the back. What do you want me to do?" Talbot said, his frustration showing again.

It was more forgivable seeing as how it didn't cost the Penguins, who were in a 1-1 tie. That was still the score going into the third period.

"The guys were ready," Talbot said of the mood in the dressing room during the second intermission.

"The third period always has been our best period, so guys had our confidence and our focus.

"We're disappointed."