Pen them in?

It's been 30 years since a team captured a major North American pro sports title in a game 7 on the road. That team: the Pittsburgh Pirates who capped off a World Series championship with nothing to spare against the Orioles in Baltimore. 30 years later the Penguins, also of Pittsburgh and also away from home for the finale, also appear to have the odds stacked against them.

It's just history

A Penguins victory Friday night may not be as long a 'shot' as history would lead us to believe. No, they haven't been able to win in Detroit, yet, but with one more crack at it left and the champs in unfamiliar territory themselves, the Motor City could become Upset City (if it isn't already).

Of the Wings' four Stanley Cup series wins in the past 12 years, none have gone 7 games. In fact, the Wings game 6 triumph in Pittsburgh last Spring was as deep as they've had to go to claim the jug since becoming the juggernaut most of us non-Wings supporters envy.

Too easy

Scotty Bowman's teams of the mid-to-late 90's easily did away with their Stanley Cup foes. The '97 winners swept the Flyers, the '98 champs did the same to Dale Hunter and the Capitals. In 2002, Paul Maurice's crew snatched one back from the eventual champs, but hardly enough make'em sweat. And sweat, it seems, is what the Penguins have the Red Wings finally doing. Sure, the champs offer poise, performance, pedigree and prize, and none of it produced in the pressure filled environment of a game 7.

Still the favourite

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe for a minute the Wings can't again deliver on home ice. I just don't believe it's absolutely certain that they will. If the Pens have done what they should have and built on these championship experiences with the Wings, then Friday's game 7 may just as well be their special moment, even in Detroit.

The stage is set

Is this not a perfect opportunity for Sidney Crosby to cross the threshold into that exclusive world of star champions? And is it really impossible for the usually "money" Wings to finally not come through? Hey, we know anything can happen in a game 7, the unexpected, the unwanted, the unbelievable and all of it without discrimination. As challengers, and visitors, the Pens aren't favoured Friday night, but with momentum from Tuesday's win at Mellon Arena and perhaps a bounce or two waiting to go their way, this is an underdog positioned to bite when it counts; in game 7 of the Stanley Cup final, a place neither team has been or seen in a long time.

btw: Happy Birthday, Melissa! A month and 6 days...