I guess homecourt DOES mean something in sports eh?

While home teams in the NBA playoffs, more often than not, win everything, the same can now be said of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals after Pittsburgh finally won one, beating Detroit 3-2, to cut the Red Wings’ series lead to 2-1.

After two empty games in Detroit Red Wings territory, the Pittsburgh Penguins returned to their home turf Tuesday facing a 0-2 hole, trying to find answers for the stifling defense of Detroit.

‘’We need to find a way to hate that team,'’ Pittsburgh Penguins star Gary Roberts said after losing Game 2. ‘’We haven’t played any hockey against them the last few years. They play a game that they’re not really in your face. They just play a puck-control game. They don’t really make you that mad at them.'’

The Red Wings outscored the Penguins 7-0 in taking the first two games of the series on home ice. The Red Wings knew things will be a lot different in Pittsburgh since the Penguins are 8-0 at the Igloo in the playoffs and have won 16 straight on that very ice since February 24.

‘’This is a big one,'’ Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said before Game 3. ‘’We’re at home, and we definitely want to make sure we don’t give them the opportunity to go up 3-0 here, and be one game away. We’re pretty confident here. We just want to make sure that the desperation is there.'’

After beating Detroit 3-2, in Game 3, the Penguins’ confidence at home sure was on display.

Pittsburgh scored the first goal of the game in the first quarter and since then, the Red Wings were playing catch-up all game long. Heck, the Penguins were already up 2-0 before Detroit scored their first goal of the game.

And when Pittsburgh scored again in the third to go up 3-1, the Red Wings knew it was over.

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