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Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:38 pm EDT

PizzaGate: Did Domino's or Little Caesars power Penguins' Sykora?

By Greg Wyshynski

Petr Sykora's triple-overtime game-winning goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals was already destined for mythic status before we learned the tantalizing details surrounding it. Namely, that Sykora had "called his shot" to NBC announcer Pierre McGuire in the second overtime, leading some to already mention this moment in Pittsburgh sports history in the same breath with the "Immaculate Reception" and Bill Mazeroski's home run in the 1960 World Series.

Also now-legendary: While teammates like Brooks Orpik opted for IV treatments during the marathon game, Sykora fueled up with free pizza between periods.

Not just any pizza. When asked in the postgame press conference "Who delivered?", Sykora responded "Domino's." That sent laughter rolling through the assembled media, thanks to the obvious irony that Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch also owns rival pizza chain Little Caesars.

As delicious as this detail was last night, turns out Sykora was mistaken (or, if he was joking, it was lost on some of the media that covered the game). No Domino's fell in the Pittsburgh locker room; he and his teammates were actually consuming Little Caesars the entire time. From Y! Sports columnist Dan Wetzel's coverage of Game 5:

Jarkko Ruutu went old school. "I had one slice of pizza," he said. "I think it was pepperoni."

Pizza in the middle of the game? He wasn't alone. The team had emptied a pile of boxes, now stacked up in one corner. It was supposed to be the postgame meal; it became the midgame fuel. "Little Caesars," Ruutu smiled, knowing that's Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch's chain.

We've been told by an eyewitness that there was indeed a stack of empty Little Caesars boxes in the Pens' locker room. But beyond the forensic evidence, let's use some common sense here: Detroit Red Wings, owned by Mike Ilitch; Joe Louis Arena, operated by Olympia Entertainment, owned by Ilitch Holdings;Little Caesars, owned by Mike Ilitch, served inside Joe Louis Arena.

How, exactly, is Petr Sykora getting a slice of Domino's again? Unless the Penguins ordered a few pies, and the delivery guy had a locker room pass as well as the foresight that there would be a third overtime ...

Related: Stanley Cup Playoffs

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27 Comments

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  1. Leahy
    1. Posted by Leahy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:27 pm EDT

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    i would imagine Gary Roberts having something to do with getting Domino's in Little Caesar's country
  2. Mitch
    2. Posted by Mitch Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    It's called being funny.
  3. Wyshynski
    3. Posted by Wyshynski Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:21 pm EDT

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    @ Mitch
    Here's the problem with that:
    http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2008/06/penguins_dig_deep_enough_for_v.html
    http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2008/06/sykora_lets_the_dominos_fall.html
    http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280602005
    http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=419294
    The humor was lost on a few of the media there. And now it's part of the urban legend.
  4. Wyshynski
    4. Posted by Wyshynski Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:21 pm EDT

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    Oh, not to mention:
    http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=rotowire-etrykorandsengthyame&prov=rotowire&type=fantasy
    So yeah, there might be a misunderstanding.
  5. 58PENSALLTHEWAY58
    5. Posted by 58PENSALLTHEWAY58 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    Im sure gary roberts helped hatch this plot lol and i agree he was probably trying to make a joke
  6. Doox
    6. Posted by Doox Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

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    Why is this news?
  7. Sixburgh
    7. Posted by Sixburgh Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:37 pm EDT

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    Let's Go Pens!!!
  8. Todd S.
    8. Posted by Todd S. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:53 pm EDT

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    #6
    Agreed........who cares!!!! and a quick call to the Pens PR said "It's not delivery, it's DiGiorno."
  9. HockeyNut
    9. Posted by HockeyNut Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    What ever pizza they had wouldn't matter because the Pens decided to share that pizza with the refs and Detroit opt to pass on sharing. Detroit got all the shot's on goal and Pens got the refs to make some lame calls. That's what made the difference in the game. I am not a Red Wing fan nor a Pens fans but watching the game last night just made me think of everybody who is on Crosby's jock strap.
  10. Detroilet
    10. Posted by Detroilet Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:51 pm EDT

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    I will continue to post this...
    Throughout this series so far (from the box scores):
    Pittsburgh - 32 Penalties
    Detroit - 22 Penalties
    Enough with the ref bullsh!t. There's your proof. Detroit had a late over time power play that they didn't capitalize on. I assume that was a legit call but all the Pens calls were fixed right. Use some rationale, you sound like children.
    Go Pens!!
  11. HockeyNut
    11. Posted by HockeyNut Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    Yes Detriot would have gotten at least 20 penalties if it wasn't for those two calls. Yes Lemieux and Theirren paid Hossa's salary for those calls, that is why they can't keep him next year. And let me quote something from an a Coach in distraught "We can't do anything will all the obstruction that they do."
  12. kpromes
    12. Posted by kpromes Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

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    Pens will win game 6--go to vegas and bet on it. it is a sure bet
  13. gbrobagelman
    13. Posted by gbrobagelman Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:06 pm EDT

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    Get the door! It's Gary Bettman!!! ha ha......
  14. andedufresne
    14. Posted by andedufresne Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:53 pm EDT

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    Dominos, Little Caesars ? Who gives a %$#@ Man, do you guys know how pick $%*& with the chickens.
  15. Mitch
    15. Posted by Mitch Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    My only point is I watched the interview live after the game on FSN and he answered the question and had a wry smile on his face either meaning he had Little Caesars but wanted to make a jab at Ilitch (likely) or somehow did get Dominoes and thought it was funny that his team went out of the way to not get Little Caesars (at a place I'm sure it's readily available).
  16. DanDaMan
    16. Posted by DanDaMan Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:35 pm EDT

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    I guess I will be having pepperoni pizza tonight. GO PENS!!!!
  17. altidforme
    17. Posted by altidforme Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:51 pm EDT

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    Exactly Mitch. It was funny either way. Some peeps need to lighten up.
  18. Chad
    18. Posted by Chad Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:33 pm EDT

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    The Red Wings have way more talent than the Penguins across the board.... Offense to defense---- way superior to the Pens..... wings in six as they celebrate in front of the Pens crowd...... that's bitter sweet!!
  19. Mitch
    19. Posted by Mitch Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    Oh, and for the record, Monday after work I personally ate Little Caesars . . . I don't know how I forgot to mention that. .
  20. Sal N
    20. Posted by Sal N Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:02 pm EDT

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    every championship team in it's sports history always had better team talent than pittsbugh's teams ..... and yet. how do they win... true grit to the max!! it's only years after their teams win that their true talent is recognized. hard work, preparation,coaching,outstanding fan support and a "it ain't over til it's over" attitude is what has prevailed. we pittsburgh fans want and push our undergdogs to do it again. we have seen it many times before and have the feeling and excitement that it can happen again no matter what the odds are , the detriot media or voters think. if ,somehow it doesn't happen, we know our teams left it all and then some on the battlefield of play.
  21. Joebo
    21. Posted by Joebo Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    Dominos is way better than Little Caeser's. But it's hard to beat Caesar's 5-buck large pepperoni on demand!
  22. Slacker
    22. Posted by Slacker Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm EDT

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    Enough with the "called his own shot" nonsense. If he can't do it in the same period he called it in, then it's rendered moot.
    You don't go out and play a game of HORSE, call a three-pointer, and then miss 3 layups, a foul-line shot, a behind the backboard shot, get all the way to HORS, and THEN hit the three-pointer you called an hour and a half before.
  23. David P
    23. Posted by David P Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    Slacker - Not exactly the same. He only took one shot the whole game. The winning goal. I think its still calling his shot. Its not like he took 17 shots on goal. You can't even say it was a garbage rebound like the Talbot goal. Bullet to the net.
  24. Jon H
    24. Posted by Jon H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    Actually slacker, that was his first shot since he had called it.
  25. Pitthockey
    25. Posted by Pitthockey Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:13 pm EDT

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    Gary Roberts had digiornio. and it was delivered.

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