He didn't score.

But Sidney Crosby had two goals and his efforts were downplayed in game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals by Canada's favorite hockey coach and Hockey Night In Canada star, Don Cherry. I spent most of my time at Mellon Arena during game 4 tracking Don Cherry with a group from Hershey, PA, his alma mater AHL hockey town, but he was nowhere to be found. Don't get me wrong, I like Don Cherry and his loud striped suits, but it appears that like many Penguin fans he has bought into the mythical character of Gary Roberts.

In actuality, the Gary Roberts hype was started by a Penguins fan himself who thought it would be hilarious to poke fun at the veteran. It would be something like Chuck Norris; an over aged iron man still in the league and surviving against any calamity. The myth appeals to the masses and the media quickly bought the script to be typed in the front pages of newspapers in the US and Canada. Don Cherry likes Gary Roberts as much as Penguin fans who wear their "WWGRD "<What Would Gary Roberts Do?> wrist bands in bright yellow and black.

Gary Roberts is an urban legend.

What about Sid, the Kid? Sidney Crosby is expected to win. He is expected to make the pretty plays. For Pens fans, Crosby is the equivalent of a young Mario Lemieux, and just another talented player. His efforts were definitely downplayed not by just Don Cherry but by Penguin fans themselves who are caught up on the Gary Roberts idolatry. Crosby is still a one class act despite the controversy and the supposed grudge that Don Cherry holds against him stemming from being called "a show off" after scoring a trick goal back when he played in Rimouski a few years ago in Juniors.

"I grew up watching Hockey Night In Canada just like every kid," he said. "I've heard negative things on there more than positive things, but it hasn't changed me...I still watch it whenever I get the chance. There's really nothing there. I've never met him (Cherry) and I have nothing against him whatsoever, so I don't think there's really much to say." (CP)

At first, I thought it was pregame jitters for Crosby and Malkin during their first Stanley Cup Finals, but then I realized that the NHL had not changed much since the lockout. The Red Wings level of play reminded me of old school "trapping" with a tight defensive end. Somehow in my mind the Red Wings looked like their old Stanley Cup self of ages ago. It made me wonder why it was still all the same.

Many fans believe that the reason that the Penguins are losing can be explained by the Penguins not having enough hatred against the Red Wings. The Penguins really don't hate the Red Wings. They certainly hate the Flyers with their board slamming orange and black suits and can't stand the Rangers with their instigating antics. Never mind Sean Avery since Jagr is the player who they really hate after leaving the Pens for the big contract with the Caps and then with the New York Rangers.  But, do the Penguins really hate the Red Wings. Is there enough rivalry to fuel this series to success?

Maxime Talbot thinks differently: "Yeah, I do (hate them)" he said after practice in Pittsburgh. "Because they're in the way of what we want and I have to hate them for that. I'm telling you, last game was chippy and dirty and hopefully the next game is going to be too...They're in the way of the prize we want. We have to hate them for that. They're easy to hate."

And then there is the question of enjoying the game. How many times have we heard it even from the Pee Wee coach who tells kids that they should enjoy themselves? The Penguins enjoyed beating the Senators, the Rangers and Flyers, but not the Red Wings. "It's not a lot of fun," forward Gary Roberts said. "You feel like you're chasing the puck all game. You use up so much energy trying to find the puck, and, by the time you get it, you're exhausted." Maybe too exhausted to get the first goal of the Stanley Cup Final series for the Penguins.

Penguin followers are asking themselves if Gary Roberts, the iron man inspiration of the team, will make a difference.  Right winger George Laraque will be sidelined for the game tonight as the 42 year old forward returns to the lineup. 

"I'm focused on what I need to do to help the team win," Roberts said. "Any time you lose a game it's tough, but this team has bounced back before. There is a lot of character in here and there's no reason we won't bounce back." (AP)

 

Gary Roberts was dismayed when he wasn't allowed to play the first game of the Stanley Cup Final.  Therrien benched him and a perplexed Roberts who recently fought a bout of pneumonia asked himself if he would be allowed to spark the team to create needed chemistry.  Roberts will play on the fourth line along with Jarkko Ruutu and Adam Hall.

Michel Therrien will also shuffle the Penguin's first three lines after the 4-0 Detroit Red Wing shut out.  Sidney Crosby will center Marian Hossa and Ryan Malone.  Pascual Dupuis will play alongside Staal and Tyler Kennedy while Malkin will center the third line with Maxime Talbot and Petr Sykora. 

 

But everyone at the Igloo back home keeps asking, "What Will Gary Roberts Do?"

 

 

 

Well, at least his translator.

It's true.  My friend decked Malkin's translator this weekend in Pittsburgh.  It was an innocent mistake.  She was minding her own business checking out the Ruutu jerseys in the team store when he approached the area and in two seconds she turned around and checked him on the side.    Her brother who saw the whole incident could not believe his own eyes.    He was a Pittsburgh fan just like her and knew that a Ruutu jersey is hard to come by in this town, but in no manner she should have slammed him around.   Nonetheless, it was an innocent mistake which could have ruined Malkin's chances to talk about his plays in the post-game conference at Mellon Arena.

And please do not get me started about Bob Errey.  I was looking for Bob when I ran into Bill Clement.  Yes, you remember Bill Clement and his Hockey Falls commercials.  Bill Clement with his stern look under bifocal glasses seemed quite surprised that I was searching for Bob.  But it wasn't Clement who gave me the answer, but Dan Potash who told me that Bob is up in Toronto.  Errey who is part of FoxSports is busy with his stint in the NHL Network.  Well, guess that was the reason I didn't trip over his microphone cord this time.

The most interesting part of the Pens-Flyers series surrounded the Ron Cook controversy in the Pittsburgh Gazette.  He claimed in black and gold that the Pens will win the series in less than 5 games.  The Flyers were appalled.  They took the article and posted it in the dressing room.  The Philadelphia media pointed out that Ron is a baseball writer and has no right to make such a claim.  Well, maybe he has a right now that Timmonen and Coulburn are out of the game.  John Stevens still continues to blame the refs for placing no blame on Malkin for an elbow to the head on Briere who appears shutdown by the Pens level of play.   It is the usual game bartering similar to that of Ken Hitchcock who would seek controversy on penalties.  

Reporters are generally inquisitive, but Anthony San Filippo's column on the Delco Times proves how a persistent reporter operates. He asked Coach John Stevens directly for clear details of the strategic plan against the Pittsburgh Penguins and he delivered.

According to the insider article, Coach John Stevens will stop Sidney Crosby by using Darien Hatcher in their key line. "With Crosby, if you try to stick check him all night you're not going to be very effective. You have to be physical with him and that plays right into Hatch's hands," referring to the defenseman's acumen.

But then there is the question of Malkin, the Hart trophy finalist and power play creator for the Pittsburgh Penguins. "We'd like to split Timonen in half so we can have two of him so we can match him up against both of them," said Stevens referring to Coach Therrien's deadliest offensive playmakers Malkin and Crosby.

Shutting down players using Timonen worked in the quarterfinal series against Alexander Ovechkin in Washington and then in the semifinals against Alex Kovalev in Montreal. It could be done.

Unfortunately, the most pressing question remains unanswered by John Stevens: What will Gary Roberts do?