This scenario rarely happens: the home team in game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals has a record of winning 12-2. Pittsburgh just surprisingly made those odds 12-3. On top of those chances, which were clearly against the visiting Cup-thirsty Penguins, were the intimidating results of Detroit’s home game wins in the playoffs prior to game seven, which was 11-1. The Penguins’ results for away games were not putting them in any better shape, sitting at 6-6. Anyone who has ever played any kind of sport or been involved in any activity knows that the crowd can make a world of difference in player mentality, adrenaline, and confidence…in other words, anything that is vital to winning a game by stimulating the players. Wings fans, even with their rather off-the-wall traditions, are second only to us crazy Leafs fans. Although, the atmosphere of the arena definitely does not seem to help the beloved Toronto Maple Leafs during the season…but let’s not go there right now. It hurts too much. I’ll admit, I really hoped that Pittsburgh would win (Detroit just needs to share some things…and with the same playoff matchup, it’s only fair) but when asked who I thought would win, I am guilty of claiming that Detroit would likely take it...again.
The Pittsburgh Penguins proved the stats, Hockeytown, sports gurus, many logical fans, and myself all wrong. Props to the underdog. I apologize for my lack of confidence in you. Perhaps I have been a Leafs fan for too long. I can only imagine the number of dead octopuses that were hidden away in Detroit fans’ bags just waiting for the opportunity to be thrown out onto the ice as the Red Wings held that beloved Stanley Cup on their rink. The useless, disgusting corpses will now probably end up as sushi in a sketchy restaurant, or in the freezer waiting for next year. Only in America would those slimy suckers be idolized. Personally, they give me the heebie-jeebies!!
When the puck was dropped at 8:11p.m., the Penguins came on strong, but the Wings had also put pressure on early. If Marc-Andre Fleury was at all nervous, he had a matter of seconds to get into the biggest game of his career. In the three games played in Hockeytown during the 2009 playoff series, Fleury let in 11 goals. Throughout the game, I wasn’t sure how many horseshoes he must have had hidden in that bulk of equipment, but the number had to have steadily increased as the periods went by. After some amazing saves, the puck slipped right by him without his noticing that it wasn’t stopped under his pads. Later, in the third period at an intensely crucial point in the game, a shot was fired off of the crossbar, which perhaps saved the Pens from having to go into overtime. Fleury rewarded his goal post by petting it, along with a widening grin that would give Jim Carrey a run for his money. I guess there is logic as to why some goalies say that they are going to marry their goal posts. Fleury really showed his true colours during the last minute of the game, where he somehow managed to create an impenetrable wall against those annoying Wings who made a fierce attempt to blow past the Penguin defence and stay in the game. With the Penguins only up by one goal and only mere seconds left, the slightest mistake could have pushed the game into sudden death overtime. Luckily, it never came to that.
Sidney Crosby, on the other hand, can not be given as much credit in the end result of the series. Sure, he’s the captain of the team (which, personally, I feel he should not be – not because he isn’t a good player, but because he is way too young (21) and lacks experience! Seriously! Too much, too quick…but anyways, I’m not the coach…moving on). The superstar did not score a single goal against Detroit in the series; seems like Zetterberg did his job about keeping him off the scoreboard (and, thanks to Johan Franzen’s awkward hit, off the ice for the last half of the game). Glad that there were others on the roster that were able to step up, do some fancy puck-handling and fire away at great opportunities that beat Osgood. The real hero, though, next to Fleury, was Max Talbot who was the only Penguin to get a goal on the scoreboard….twice.
For the third time in franchise history, the Penguins bring the greatest prize in sports home to Pittsburgh after beating Detroit 2-1. Enjoy it, next year it will be visiting the ACC…wait…let’s finish in the top eight first, then we’ll talk Quarterfinals, Conference Finals, and Stanley C---ah, forget it!
Sayonara, Hockey Night in Canada. May my summer nights refrain from being fulfilled by reruns of Survivor, America’s Next Top Model, and whatever else fills your glorious time slot during the season.
Until October!
Yours in Waiting,
- Heidi
Well, Heidi:
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed your message to all those hockey fans. Where there is a will, there is a way, and the Penguins proved it. Good Job Penguins.
And interesting article Heidi. You had me interested enough to actually read the whole thing. Wish newspapers could do that good a job.