Wings fall short in game 3

But the important thing is that they weren't slaughtered

Thank God that game 3 is out of the way. Yes, the Wings lost, but come on, were you really expecting a sweep? We all knew game 3 was going to be the hardest game for the Wings, so what happened Tuesday was what I would actually consider to be a good sign.

Are you scratching your head? If so, let me clear up the haze. My point is this: the Wings lost, but it wasn't by much, which is good. Remember that they have already taken the first two games. Heading into Pittsburgh, the Wings looked in control. The Pens' best chance of winning the series was to blow past the Wings in game 3, thus swinging momentum back in their direction.

But instead of that happening, the Wings kept it close. They hung in there for the majority of the game. If the Wings had lost, say, 5-0, the Pens would be in a good position. But the Wings played well and were able to send a message to the Penguins: Even on our bad days, we barely lose.

If the Wings can take game 4 (which I think they can), they will take a commanding 3-1 lead right before their return to Joe Louis Arena. If they lose game 4, well that's another story.

Are you starting to see what I'm getting at? Game 3 was not, by any means, a must-win for the Wings. The more important game is Thursday's. The only way that game 3 could have been devastating would have been if the Wings were blown out because that could have an effect on how they perform in game 4. A loss Thursday could change things quite a bit.

The important thing about game 3 is that it is over, and it ended without torture. The Wings can now shift their focus to game 4 which will, more than likely, have a much bigger effect on the direction of the series.