More Beautyee

EGJ, almost 14 weeks

For as much as the Habs have shown up in these playoffs, their opponents, many of them, haven't bothered. Ovechkin in Round One, an abysmal failure. And Malkin in the latter phase of Round Two, non-existent. Shame on Washington for sure. But double shame on Pittsburgh if it can't put up a better fight and take this series. Jaro Halak and the Canadiens may be riding something magical, even smoking it, but they're not invincible. What they are is a confident netminder backstopping a team that's bought into a system, and so totally beatable it's not funny. Really, the further this thing goes along the unfunnier it becomes. What it's going to take to conquer this Montreal roll is more than x's and o's, or even shear talent. It'll require passion, determination and urgency. Kind of like the stuff the Habs have been playing with the past month.

Fire with fire, man. How it's done. How it's won.

There's one more chance for the Penguins to find their heart and make it right. If not, it's going to be a long night in Pittsburgh. And to the dismay of many, an even longer night in Montreal.

Fools or the cool pool?

Hal and co. having a championship style blast at Super Mario's Super f***in' huge crib, all in the name of that big beautiful cup, which by the looks of it also makes for one cool ass water toy. That's the replica, right?


Fun


Funner


Funnest


The good ship "Stanley"


House of hardware


Drool


Still droolin'

It's how champs and some ex-Leafs roll. Oh, more of the same...more of the same.

And who'd the Leafs get for Hal Gill again?

BTW: Appreesh, appreesh my big T.O. bro!

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...