Saturday, June 13, 2009

Red Wings Playoff Update: Final Edition

The Stanley Cup Finals - Detroit vs. Pittsburgh
The Wings lost to the Penguins Friday night by a score of 2-1.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are
the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

The Penguins proved themselves to be the better team in this series - by winning Game 7 on the road (the first team in nearly 40 years to win a seventh game on the road - after the first six games had gone to the home teams). Congratulations to the Penguin team, their fans and the City of Pittsburgh.

The Wings had another fantastic season - but could not close the deal against a tough Penguins team that won the final two games of the series by the same 2-1 score. I only hope that the focus here in Detroit will be on what a great year the Wings had - not all on the fact that they failed to win the Stanley Cup for a second year in a row. It's hard to be disappointed in a sports team that only let you down once in two years.

One more thing: I think they need to seriously consider replacing all the crossbars on the nets at Joe Louis Arena. 'Cause if you can't get a fortuitous bounce off the crossbars at home, where can you get one?


Take care.

7 comments:

Nancy said...

Always the gentleman, James. Nice post.

unmitigated me said...

Thanks for the perspective, honey. I like you.

Jess said...

I am excited if you guys are excited! Gonna have to take a gander at one of these games...I am sure we have to get them on one of our 300 channels we have here...

Captain Dumbass said...

I'm just happy you took out Chicago.

historymike said...

Ugh. Tough loss after a great start for the Wings, but Pittsburgh simply outhustled the Wings in Games 6 and 7. However, all those near-misses and clanging crossbars broke my heart the last two games - it is clear that the hockey gods (or a devious Gary Bettman with magical powers) wanted Sidney Crosby and associates to win.

Anyways, Pittsburgh deserves the victory for no other reason that they won with a wounded Crosby on the bench after that legal-but-brutal check by Holmstrom.

historymike said...

Err...Franzen, that is. Wrong crease-hugging forward.

Jim Styro said...

Nancy: Thanks. No use making excuses - they beat us fair and square.

MAW: You're welcome. I've grown fond of you, as well.

Jess: Not until October. We've got plenty of time to plan for deflowering your hockey virginity.

Cap'n: Glad to be of service. I would've been happy to take out Pittsburgh too - but it was not to be.

Mikey: You hit it on the nose - "outhustled".
I suspect we'll find out in the coming weeks just how many injuries the Wings were concealing throughout the playoffs (hard to believe given the number that WEREN'T concealed - but I think its true).
Or maybe we won't find out; neither Babcock or Holland are likely to whine about what might have been. But I did hear a Babcock comment today about the Wings being "taped together" during the playoffs. Wonder how much more info will emerge.