Last night, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. Anybody who has read me before knows this is not the result I wanted. But I will start by congratulating the Red Wings and their fans. The Red Wings are a great team and they played like it. They more then deserved to win. For supporting my Steelers on their Super Bowl XL run I can never really hate Detroit. In fact, I hold very little bitterness this morning. Enjoy the Cup Detroit, you did indeed earn it.
The sun did actually rise this morning over my homeland of Western Pennsylvania. However it came with a vicious thunderstorm that woke me up. If life was a movie, some people would call that imagery. If you are a fan of any team, you are going to get your heart broken. That is the nature of the beast. You remember the great times, but somehow, the heartbreaks stay with you just as long.
I wonder why Marc-Andre Fleury, who's legendary performance in Game 5 will still be reveard around this area, leans back on a puck and goes in. I wonder why Marian Hossa, who may very well have played his last game in a Pens uniform, chips a puck over Osgood and it rattles along the crease and doesn't go in. That's life. I wish things could have been different. But they aren't. Hossa sitting on the ice and blankly staring off into space after the shot didn't go in summed up how Pens fans felt on the whole last night.
But not this morning. Yes, it was disappointing to lose last night. But, when you remember what a ride this 2007-08 season was, you feel pride. Pride of a team that was counted out several times this season. I can remember the day after Sidney Crosby went out, most experts proclaimed the Pens wouldn't make the playoffs. Not only did they, but they finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference. The gutsy performance of this team throughout the year was inspiring. Key player after key player went down, and just kept playing their game.
Names that will be doomed to obscurity like Eric Minard, Connor James, Jonathan Filewich, and Ryan Stone helped get the Pens to last night. Moments like Jarkko Ruutu scoring the game winner in the shot out over Ottawa Thanksgiving Night that turned around the season. Like Sidney Crosby scoring the game winner amongst the snow and 70,000 people. Like Kris Letang helping the Pens sweep their Western Canadian trip. Like Evgeni Malkin refusing to let the team fall off after Sid went down. The same goes for Ty Conklin.
The playoffs were thrilling to say the least. Absolutley demolishing Ottawa, the team that did the same to them the year before, and doing the same to rivals New York and Philadelphia. I was lucky enough to attend Game 1 against the Flyers, and it was the best live sporting event I have ever attended.
They say nobody remembers the team that loses a championship game or series. The fans of the losers obviosly beg to differ. But these Pens won't fail to be remembered. This was a young team that is on the verge of fulling relizing its potential. The Pens will go through changes this off-season as do all teams, and the team that takes the ice for the 2008-09 season could be radically different. But with the players that are in place, another run like this with a happier ending won't be just wishful thinking.
So, I offer a great big thanks and round of applause to the 2007-2008 Pittsburgh Penguins. It wasn't that long ago that the Pens were the worst team in the league, and in danger of moving. Those type of lows make losing yesterday not so bad by comparison. A big salute to all the free agents, if that was their last game in Pens uniforms, thanks. To Sid, Geno, Jordan, Marc-Andre, Gonch, Ryan: the future is still brigh, and we will have our day. Can't we just skip the whole off-season thing have it be October now?
It was truly great year. Therien did a wonderful job and should be rewarded so. Think Jordan Staal is on the verge of being a wonderful player. Hope that they can fit Hossa back into the fold. Need to win more face-offs in their own zone.
Like you, I have no problem with the Red Wings. Even though the series was contentious at times, Detroit is a great team in a great, GREAT hockey city. They were a better team, but the Pens fought their guts out.
Therrian did do a great job, too unhereled. If Staal gets back to scoring like he should his rookie year, he can a very special player. Can't wait to start the whole ride all over again. Thank God it isn't the football layoff.
Great season, tis true......I just hope no one blames Fleury for "allowing" 3 goals...after all, the wings seemed to play on the Pens' side of the ice most of the night....in his face.
And, just like Saturday the Pens couldn't score even with a 5 on 3 power play. One of the differences, I believe: Malkin did not play at his best level this time around, Wings had em almost all the way.
Congrats to the Penguins on a great season. The Red Wings may have outplayed them in the Finals, but the Penguins fought them to the end. Good luck in 2008-09.
Fuzz-The two 5-3s that the Wings killed are probably going to be overlooked in the grand scheme, but they were huge in terms of the Wings success. Yes Malkin didn't play his best, and the overeaction that some people are having about him is a joke. The Pens are no where near the playoff without Geno. Yes he could and should have played better, but to say trade him is just utter nonsense.
ian- That is why I can take heart in defeat, because they did indeed fight them the whole way. Thanks for the good luck wishes, and I hope all goes well.
I am 21 year old college junior who attends Waynesburg University(ye s we are moving up in the world). I am from Rochester, PA and still live there. I am a die hard Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins fan and . In terms of college teams I like Penn St. and Pitt, a mortal sin to some but I like both, deal with it.
