OPINION

By Craig Custance

updated 1:18 p.m. ET June 9, 2009

DETROIT - It would have been much easier for Marian Hossa if it wasn't Pittsburgh standing in the way.

Last summer, Hossa played for the Penguins in a Stanley Cup finals loss to Detroit, then chose to sign with the Red Wings over Pittsburgh when he became a free agent. He said he wanted to win a Stanley Cup — and the Red Wings were the more likely team to grant him that wish.

Now he's one game away from that goal, but it hasn't been easy. There's been constant booing in Pittsburgh. His performance has been magnified because he was thrust into the spotlight as the biggest storyline in the series.

If the Red Wings were playing the Hurricanes, he'd be playing the role he much prefers: A good two-way forward on a team filled with them.

Hossa is a private person who is always polite with the media, but never craves attention. Since this series opened, attention is exactly what he has received.

"You know, in some ways it's probably as difficult a situation as it could have been," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "There could have been a lot of other teams we'd be playing and it would have been easier and we wouldn't be talking about this stuff."

Not only that, the Penguins have done a good job of keeping Hossa off the scoreboard. The fact that he's still looking for his first goal of the finals only makes the spotlight hotter.

This is a Penguins team that not only uses Hossa's decision to leave as motivation, it uses familiarity with his game to its advantage.

"Yeah, when you're playing with someone or against him more often, you get to be more familiar with him," Pittsburgh defenseman Hal Gill said.

Gill broke down exactly how the Penguins have kept Hossa off the scoreboard.

"We're trying to be on him as much as we can, clog up the neutral zone and keep his speed down," Gill said. "We're aware of what he can do on the halfwall, you want to get a good stick on it. ... He's a guy who can beat you one-on-one, so you want to try and be aggressive without giving him that opportunity."

Yeah, Gill knows him well.

Always honest with the critique of his own game, Hossa admitted frustration and that he could be pressing. It's only natural when you're not scoring, and perhaps even more of an issue when all eyes are on you.

The solution?

"Maybe try to keep it more simple and try to keep it more fun," Hossa said.

The fun resumes tonight. The boos every time he touches the puck, could get even louder if the Red Wings win and Hossa skates around Mellon Arena with the Stanley Cup raised over his head.

But that's what he's there for and that's what his teammates want. Last year, it was Dallas Drake and his pending retirement that provided Detroit's extra motivation for the Cup.

This year, rewarding Hossa for what has been a challenging journey provides that extra motivation.

"All those guys in the dressing room realize the sacrifices Marian made," Drake said.

Dan Cleary confirmed as much heading into the possible clincher.

"The addition of Hossa, it's really been a driving force for us," Cleary said. "His determination and his will has rubbed off on us."

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