Detroit at Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Penguins have their backs up against the wall as they come home trailing in the series two games to none to the Detroit Red Wings. They will be glad to be back on home ice as they have won 10 of their last 12 games, and have averaged four goals a game in the process. The Red Wings have been almost unbeatable at home, where they have been 10-1 in the playoffs, but they are just 2-3 on the road in their last five playoff games. Even in their Stanley Cup winning '08 campaign, they dropped four playoffs games on the road. The Red Wings have now also dropped their last four as a road dog, and when facing a team with a home winning percentage of .600 or higher they have been just 3-7 in their last 10. The Penguins have played lights out hockey as a home favorite, entering this contest with a 50-16 mark as home chalk, and that has translated very well in the playoffs where they are 19-5 in their last 24 in that same situation. The Penguins will be hungry here as this is their biggest game of the season, and I expect them to respond with a big game and get back in this series. Pittsburgh gets the call.