At least this OTHER team from Detroit has the chance to win a world title eh?

While I’m still reeling from the Pistons’ Game 6 loss to the Celtics last Friday, I can’t help but be happy for Detroit of having the opportunity to win the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals this Monday with their Red Wings against Pittsburgh.

And although I really don’t watch hockey that much, the chance of seeing the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup in Game 5 should be reason enough for Piston fans like myself to smile a little bit. Yep, and I’m not even entertaining the idea of seeing this Red Wings team, with a commanding 3-1 series lead, to lose three straight games and miss out on the NHL world title.

After the Red Wings smashed the Pittsburgh Penguins on their home ice the same day when the Pistons had their season ended by Boston, the Red Wings gave themselves a shot of winning the trophy back in Hockeytown.

Game 5 of this best-of-seven series goes back to the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, setting the stage for this Red Wings team to celebrate with that big-ass trophy in front of their fans at home.

If the Red Wings win Game 5 and wins the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup title, they will skate around the ice WITH the title for the 11th time in the history of their franchise.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be looking for more production from the second line, headlined by center Evgeni Malkin and veteran winger Petr Sykora. Sidney Crosby got the top line going Wednesday night by scoring two goals but this team will need more than that if they have plans of postponing the Red Wings’ victory parade.

”I thought Evgeni Malkin played a good game last game,” Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Michel Therrien said, referring to their Game 4 loss in Pittsburgh. ”You can’t always judge on just results. I thought he was generating more offense. We saw him play more the way he’s capable of playing compared to the first two games.”

Evgeni Malkin is without a point in three straight games for the first time since the last three games of the 2006-07 season when he was still a rookie. The 21-year-old has just one goal and two points in his last seven games overall after getting off to a fast start this postseason.

Who will win the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Detroit Red Wings 3.50

Pittsburgh Penguins 5.50

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more NHL hockey betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Detroit Red Wings Pittsburgh Penguins