Only once in the history of the NHL has a team lost the Stanley Cup Finals one year and come back to win it all the next. Since then, the losers of the finals have not even made it back the next year, including missing the playoffs the following year many times. Well, Wayne Gretzky, you and your 1983 & 1984 Edmonton Oilers can move over. History has repeated itself, and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who 4 months ago seemed as thought they were falling victim to the loser jinx, are the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions!
Only once before has a team lost the first 2 games of the Stanley Cup Finals on the road and come back to win the championship, doing it in 7 games. 1971 Montreal Canadiens, time to move over because you've got company as well.
Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals was scoreless through the first 20 minutes. Shortly after play started in period #2, that changed. Brad Stuart tried a pass that failed miserably and ended up being a gift on a silver platter for Max Talbot, who beat Chris Osgood to score the first goal of the game. Later in the period, Sidney Crosby and Johan Franzen were in a foot race for the puck. Franzen laid a hard, yet legal hit on Crosby against the boards that sidelined Crosby for the rest of the game. During this play, Crosby jumped over the back of Franzen and held him, yet no penalty was called and play went on. Halfway through the 2nd period, the Pens started a 2-on-1 in which Osgood was royally screwed either way. Talbot scored again to make it 2-0 Pittsburgh with roughly 30 minutes to play. I personally wasn't even sure the puck went in, thought it rang off the bottom of the crossbar the way it bounced out so quick. I didn't think it was a goal until I heard Doc Emrick start screaming and saw the score change. The score stayed the same, but the Red Wings had a tremendous surge at the end of the 2nd period.
In period #3, it was ALL Detroit. They controlled the pace, kept the puck in Pittsburgh's end of the ice for nearly the whole 3rd period, and finally scored a goal with just over 6 minutes to play. It looked as though Detroit could tie it, they kept the pressure on. Chris Osgood came out of the net, the extra attacker came on, and Detroit threw everything but the kitchen sink at the net, but Marc-Andre Fleury stood on his head to prevent Detroit from getting that 2nd goal to tie the game.
The game ended with a final score of 2-1. Sidney Crosby becomes the youngest captain to ever win the Stanley Cup. Evgeni Malkin was the Conn Smythe winner, which was absolutely no surprise when time ran out for Detroit, because he was certainly the best in this year's playoffs, a far cry from last year when he went AWOL in the finals. Pittsburgh also becomes the first city to win the Super Bowl and the Stanley Cup in the same year. It's the 3rd Stanley Cup Championship for the Pens, and they've won it on the road all 3 times. They also keep their perfect streak alive in game 7 of a playoff series in their franchise history, now 5-0 all-time.
Another important piece to mention is the story of Marian Hossa. As we all know, he turned down a multi-year contract offered by the Pens last year to play for Detroit for one year, saying "I think I have a better chance to win the championship with Detroit." Well, Mr. Hossa, you officially did in this series what Evgeni Malkin did last year with Pittsburgh. You had a grand total of ZERO goals, somehow managed an assist or two, but for the most part you were nowhere to be seen in this year's finals. You failed to help your own cause, and as a result, your decision came back to slap you in the face just like Plaxico Burress after the Steelers lost the 2004 AFC Championship. So to Marian Hossa, I couldn't be happier that the Pens are the champs and can now shove that in your face for the rest of your natural life!
The steel city gets to celebrate today. It's time for me to get that desperately needed haircut, and shave off the playoff beard. Since I was flying over the Atlantic Ocean on my way to France and didn't get to do this after the Steelers won their record 6th Super Bowl title back on February 1st, it's been my pleasure to showcase some extreme homerism today. I give Detroit a hell of a lot of credit, but in the end, Max Talbot was the unlikely hero of game 7, and thanks to Marc-Andre Fleury for bending over backwards in this game.
Maybe now there's hope for the Pirates, because the last time the Pens won the championship was the last time the Pirates had a winning season...oh who the hell am I kidding?
Until next time, The Blitzburgh Pit Stop is back from hiatus and it couldn't have come at a better time. Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions!
BK over and out
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