Our_D_is_S-L-O-W: With Detroit's strong forecheck, the Pens need more speed on the blueline. Why not replace Eaton, Gill, or Scuderi with Goligoski? I know people will say Goligoski is not experienced enough to be thrown into a game 6 Stanley Cup final, but I doubt he will make some of the same mistakes our "defensive defensemen" have made. For example, the poor clearing pass that lead to the goal by Helm in game 4 or the poor positioning by Scuderi, in game 5, on the Kronwall goal.

Seth Rorabaugh: In all fairness to Scuderi, Helm made a wonderful play on that steal and goal. he took away the boards and goaded Scuderi to going towards the slot. Don't discount Helm's effort on that goal. As far as rookie defenseman in the Stanley Cup final. If he wasn't deemed worthy of playing in the regular season for any reason other than injuries, I really fail to see why he could just be inserted into the lineup against a team like Detroit in the most important game of the year.

Weneedbadger: If the Pens force a game 7, is there anyone on the Baby Pens who could make an impact? The Red Wings are getting such great production from Helm and a few others.

Seth Rorabaugh: Detroit's a little different. Guys like Helm and Leino would be second liners on a lot of NHL teams. Detroit has so much depth, they can't keep guys like Helm up on the NHL roster. The Penguins simply don't have that depth. Most NHL teams don't.

Jeff_Jimerson: Shouldn't Talbot get a suspension? That wasn't exactly "superstar treatment" he displayed there.

Seth Rorabaugh: I thought so based on the edict by Colin Campbell before the playoffs that there would be a crack down on "message sending" at the end of games. That's basically what he and Matt Cooke were doing at the end of Game 5. But NHL discipline is such a joke it's nearly impossible to have a grasp on what's a penalty and what's not.

PirateApologist: Is it okay with NBC if I sit outside of the arena tonight and watch my portable DVD player collection of 30 Rock season 2?

Seth Rorabaugh: Frankly, I'm shocked they're allowing the Penguins to have people enter the building at all tonight. That's 17,132 sets of eyes which won't be watching the game...

PirateApologist: Sykora? Yes or no?

Seth Rorabaugh: If you're asking my opinion, I say why not. Satan has really tailed off since scoring that goal in the Carolina series. He's not even contributing the little things like getting the puck out of the zone or some decent forechecks. But I'm not convinced Sykora is totally healthy. At least not when he was benched. Maybe a month off has gotten whatever was wrong with him fixed.

craigmarilynmonroe: Will Gary Bettman make it from Phoenix to Pittsburgh in time to sit and look uncomfortable?

Seth Rorabaugh: Sorry for the delay folks. A nasty storm just rolled in and broke up my wireless connection. I assume Mr. Bettman has boarded the company jet and will be in the house to awkwardly award the Cup should Detroit win tonight.

beerman0303: Do you think going with seven D is a good idea? It seems like it would keep the defensemen fresher and allow Sid and Malkin to get more ice time and more favorable match-ups.

Seth Rorabaugh: I've never been a fan of it, but it seemed to work for the 5-6 game stretch they employed it. I liked the idea of sticking Crosby and Malkin on there more with the fourth line.

Jeff_Jimerson: Is Fleury's confidence shot or do you expect him to rebound tonight?

Seth Rorabaugh: I'm not sure his confidence is lost. He just had a bad game at an awful time to do so. And he didn't have a ton of help from his teammates either. I fully expect him to rebound and put his team in a position to win.

Jeff_Jimerson: Who is taller? Pierre Maguire or Doc Emerick?

Seth Rorabaugh: Theo Fleury.

ddh54: What happens to the Pens when they go to Detroit?

Seth Rorabaugh: Well for one, Mike Babcock gets to put whoever he wants out there on faceoffs. There are matchup issues for the Penguins when t hey go to Detroit. And I really think that's huge with this team. We've seen what Zetterberg can do to Crosby. And I think we saw a little bit of it with Datsyuk and Malkin.

John_F.: You think with all the ill-will that NBC has generated for itself during these Finals that the NHL will think twice before extending the deal for 2yrs. NBC is like the Bizarro Bill Wirtz.

Seth Rorabaugh: The league and NBC are supposedly close to extending the deal for two years. The NHL is so desperate for mainstream coverage, it will get into bed with NBC under any conditions set forth. They could tell Gary Bettman to walk on all fours and present the Cup tonight or Friday and probably get it.

ddh54: Why don't the pens get in front of the net, plus shoot more?

Seth Rorabaugh: Supposedly Kunitz and to a lesser extent Guerin were brought here to do that. Guerin has done that a some on the power play, but they don't really have a true power forward in the mold of a Ryan Malone or Tomas Holmstrom for that. They have some prospect in the minors like Caputi and Tangradi but it's might be a little early for them. Jordan Staal is another guy who I think they'd like to see take a role up front.

dgthing: Did the Pens give Datsyuk too much space in Game 5? Aside from the cheap shots I don't think they played him very physically.

Seth Rorabaugh: Oh definitely. But its tought not to give any team too much space when you put them on that many power plays. Datsyuk's passing was simply amazing in that game and with a team like Detroit, you need to cut down on passing lanes.

beerman0303: These playoffs showed us that Kunitz is not the long term answer as Sid's scoring winger. So I guess the Pens will be looking again in the off season?

Seth Rorabaugh: Frankly, I'm not sure they'll ever find a long-term solution in the salary cap era. He won't have his Mike Bossy, Jari Kurri, etc. With the cap, I really think they'll have to find plug ins like Guerin, Hossa, Sykora, etc. for him and Malkin thoughtout their careers here.

King_Moonracer: Do you think Edzo will talk ad nauseum some more about the "6-men on the ice" that the refs missed in game 3 -- like that was the only penalty that hasnt been called.

Seth Rorabaugh: Either that or how he was the Penguins' coach and never had a chance with Marc-Andre Fleury.

craigmarilynmonroe: Will the addition of Datsyuk to Zetterberg's line, change Bylsma's strategy of who he puts on the ice?

Seth Rorabaugh: I think the fact that he's the home coach and has final say on changes will dictate that more.

Jeff_Jimerson: Does Malkin have a shot at playoff MVP?

Seth Rorabaugh: Definitely. He leads the playoffs in scoring. And the award is a playoff MVP not a Finals MVP. But he'll probably need to win the bigger trophy to get the Conn Smythe.

beerman0303: Was Satuday night "just one loss" or will there be some negative lingering effects for Fluery and the Pens?

Seth Rorabaugh: I think they did a few stupid things, got behind early, did more stupid things out of frustration and got run over as a result. Detroit was awesome that game, but mostly because of the opportunities the Penguins handed to them. You can't do stupid thing against a team like Detroit. They'll eat you up. They're way too disciplined.

ddh54: Is there a difference in the rink at JL Arena, ie pucks off the boards?

Seth Rorabaugh: Oh definitely. There are funny hops off the boards in the corners and in the ends. And Detroit's players now how to play them.

game6tonite: The wings got frustrated, cheap and chippy towards the latter stages of game 4. But not to the same extent as our game 5 meltdown. I, for one, was stunned. Any thoughts on what brought that on?

Seth Rorabaugh: Just the fact that they were down by a 5 goals and didn't generate a sniff of anything on offense. Just about every team in the NHL has games like that. Just most of them aren't in critical games in the Stanley Cup final.

Slap_me_silly: Is there any doubt Jimerson will dominate tonight?

Seth Rorabaugh: For that 2-3 minutes Jimerson is doing his thing tonight, no other sound in the world exists. That's domination. Alright folks, have to run and sweep the hail off my back porch. Catch you tonight.