Penguins alive. Game 3: Pittsburgh 3 Detroit 2.

That's why we watch hockey. That's what those folks who don't love the game miss when they choose to watch the Pistons and Celtics play the American version of European Team Handball. (How many steps is Kevin Garnett allowed going to the basket? Eight?)

But who really cares about basketball? Nothing on earth is better than great hockey. Up and down. Big hits. Tape-to-tape passes. Outstanding chances. Terrific goaltending (at least, at one end).

Oh yeah, and how about the superstar factor? Sidney Crosby scores the first two goals of the game. Nice. 

When the final score in a game in the Stanley Cup final is 3-2, it's hard to find fault. Although if Detroit fans want to blame somebody, they could probably get away with blaming Chris Osgood.

The winning goal was a deflection from behind the net off Osgood's back by Adam Hall, a guy who wouldn't be considered a big goal scorer. At the other end, Marc-Andre Fleury showed us why he's now 9-0 in the playoffs at Mellon Arena.

The only criticism I had of the entire evening was the chicken-livered penalty calls early in the game. It's silly, you know. In the first two periods, players can hardly breathe on each other. There were seven penalty calls in the first two periods and one in the third. The early penalties were all cheap. In the third period, everything — including hitting from behind — became legal. No wonder Americans don't understand the rules and no wonder it's difficult to grow new fans. If you actually try to understand the rules of this game you'll never get it. Canadians who have lived with it all their lives know the entire sport is completely different in the third period of a playoff game.

Thank the lord for that.

The final period last night was spectacular and while Don Cherry really wanted to make Gary Roberts the hero, ol' Don wasn't even close. The hero was Fleury.

Detroit outshot Pittsburgh 34-24 and, by my count, outchanced the Pens 26-6. The Wings also outhit Pittsburgh 34-31 — only two Wings didn't register a hit. 

Let's not lie, here. The Red Wings dominated this game in every aspect but one. That's right. Fleury was much better than Osgood. 

But hey, the goalie is part of the team and in hockey, a goalie can win you a championship. Detroit's skaters might have been better, but Marc-Andre Fleury was spectacular and while it's unlikely Pittsburgh will win three of the next four games, it's not impossible.

A great goalie can pull it off and this Saturday night, Marc-Andre Fleury gets another chance. 

One can only hope Saturday's Game4 will be as good as Wednesday's Game 3.