No matter how this series ends, Game 5 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals will go down as an instant classic.  The game had it all.  Detroit was literally seconds away from clinching the Cup.  I mean 34.3 seconds away.  That was after the Pens had blown a 2-0 lead, and had missed on several chances to extend the lead.

The late second and pretty much all of the third period have been indicitive of the series.  The Red Wings totally dominated play.  The Pens were giving it all, but were down a man, and Ryan Malone was out there maybe on guts alone after taking a puck to the face. 

After Brain Rafalski scored to lead the Wings all the way back, it was over.  The glorious season and playoff run was over.  Sid's goal in the Winter Classic.  Malkin carrying the team on his back.  Ty Conklin's admirable backup job.  Wasting the Sens, Rangers, and Flyers in succession.  They were all about to become footnotes to a season that wasn't meant to be.  The Red Wings had the clamps on, and the Joe Lewis was ready to celebrate.  But then, Max Talbot. 

Max Talbot was the one tapped by head coach Michael Therrian to come on as the extra attacker when Fleury was pulled.  It looked just a formaltiy when Henrik Zetterburg skated at center ice with the puck, ready to end it for good, but he was turned away.  Evgeni Malkin, had nice keep that found its way onto Marian Hossa's stick.  Hossa threw toward's the net, and there was Talbot, hacking once, twice, and behind Chris Osgood  the puck went. 

As big o####oal as I ever seen a Penguin score.  That goes right up there with Kasper in Buffalo, Nedved in 4 OTS against the Caps, and Mario's winner against the Blackhawks.  The Pens were dead, and suddenly they were alive.  The season was over, and suddenly it was extended.

If the Red Wings were stunned, they didn't show it in the first OT.  They were using Marc-Andre Fleury as a they own personal shooting gallery.  Good chance after good chance.  Holmstrem on the doorstep.  But Fleury answered every single time.  Now Fleury has been a bit average so far in the Finals.  No more though, and he was absolutley legendary last night.  You can't say enough about it.  Fleury simply refused to let his team lose.

In the third OT, Yuri Huddler, the man responsible for the bitter lose in Game 4, clipped Rob Scuderi in the face and drew blood.  Automatic four minutes.  The Pens power play had looked lost all night, and you were wondering if this was going to make a difference at all.  But there was Gonch, gingerly coming onto the ice after taking a header into the boards in the 2nd period.  There was Petr Sykora, who hasn't been visible at all these Finals.  There was Malkin, who is having as poor of a Finals as you could have, putting it right on Sykora's tape.  Shot.  Game over.  Game 6 back in Pittsburgh.

About 12 hours later as I write this, I still can't believe the Pens are playing.  I will say they have no business still being alive.  The Red Wings dominated for long stretches, but just couldn't put it away.  Beyond the glamour, the Pens have just brought themselves one more game.  They are still being dominated just about any way you want to look at it. 

But they are still alive.  And that is certainly something.  Last night was a reflection of this season.  They never quit.  You saw the mental toughness and determination that this team built up over a season where star after star went down.  I'm sure it will get lost among the hoopla, but credit the Pens defenseman.  Skating a man down, they did just about anything possible to try to extend the series.  Credit Ryan Malone for sucking it up big time.  Credit Sykora for coming through on his called shot, even if he was joking.  And again, above credit Marc-Andre Fleury.  He is the reason why the Pens are still playing. 

Like I said in the opening, Game 5 is an instant classic.  It's true meaning will probably be determined by how Game 6 turns out.  But the fact there is even going to be a Game 6 is shocking.  There is nothing like the Stanley Cup Finals, and somehow, someway the Pens staived off elimanation, and have earned a second life.