NHL | Red Wings wrap up Stanley Cup

PITTSBURGH — Hockeytown is home to the Stanley Cup — again.

For the fourth time in 11 seasons, the Detroit Red Wings are the Stanley Cup champions. They used experience and grit to knock out the up-and-coming Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night with a 3-2 victory in Game 6 of the Final.

Following in the footsteps of Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman, new captain Nicklas Lidstrom led the Red Wings to the title. Detroit's 11th NHL championship team is the first in league history to be captained by a European.

"I've been over here for a long time and I watched Steve Yzerman hoist it three times in the past," the Swedish defenseman said. "I'm very proud of being the first European. I'm very proud of being a captain of the Red Wings."

The Red Wings won their fourth straight series on the road in these playoffs. Detroit is third in NHL titles, trailing fellow Original Six clubs Montreal and Toronto.

It was the best night for Swedish hockey since the national squad won the gold medal at the 2006 Turin Olympics. Along with Lidstrom's achievement, Henrik Zetterberg, who had a goal and assist in the Cup clincher, earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Just like in Game 5, things got a little dicey for the Red Wings, who allowed Marian Hossa's power-play goal with 1:27 remaining that got the Penguins to 3-2. Pittsburgh had already pulled Game 5 hero Marc-Andre Fleury to create a 6-on-4 skating edge.

With the final seconds ticking down, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby put a backhander on goal that Hossa just missed with a tip at the right post.

"I knew it was a good backhander," said Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood, a former Seattle Thunderbird. "I tried to get as far out as I could, and it ended up hitting my arm. I think time had ran out before it started rolling over the side of the net."

Zetterberg's goal 7:36 into the third period, which was pushed in by the backside of Fleury, extended the Red Wings' lead to 3-1. Zetterberg tied teammate and countryman Johan Franzen for the playoff lead with 13 goals, and matched Crosby for the postseason scoring crown with 27 points.

Brian Rafalski gave Detroit a 1-0 lead in the first period with a power-play goal, and Valtteri Filppula doubled it in the second for the Red Wings, who had 30 shots. Osgood made 20 saves and improved to 14-4 in the playoffs after taking over for Dominik Hasek in the first round. Osgood allowed only 30 goals in 19 games and posted back-to-back shutouts in the first two games of the Final.

Note

• Television ratings for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final more than doubled from last year, earning a 3.8 national rating and a 7 share on NBC.