It's a series that hasn't disappointed at all. And it's still not finished.
Friday night will display Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
A year ago, the Red Wings paraded with the Stanley Cup in Mellon Arena after winning 3-2 in Game 6. This time, with the Cup in the building again, the Penguins made certain the silver trophy wasn’t handed out on the silver anniversary of franchise icon Mario Lemieux being drafted in 1984. The Penguins won two of three periods, and thanks to Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy's goals, the Pens evened the series at 3. Kris Draper scored the lone marker for the defending champions.
The Red Wings insist they can’t wait for this one on Friday night, back in the arena where they rarely lose and the Pens appear hesitant and a bit intimidated.
The Red Wings can win their fifth championship in the last dozen seasons, a wave of success that no other team in the four major American pro sports leagues has duplicated during that time span.
Detroit owns a 11-2 scoring edge against Pittsburgh at home and the 11 Stanley Cup championship banners that already hang from the Joe Louis Arena rafters are proof that this team has what it takes to finish the last 60 minutes. They are also 11-1 at home in the playoffs, and 3-0 versus the Penguins at the Joe in the series.
Also, the home team has won each of the last six finals Game 7s dating to 1987, and no road team has raised the Cup following a Game 7 since Montreal in Chicago in 1971. That’s the last time that a team lost the first two games on the road, as the Penguins did, and recovered to win the Stanley Cup.
Still, there’s this for the Red Wings to think about: Two rounds ago, Pittsburgh also lost the first two games on the road, then went into Washington for Game 7 and won 6-2.
Marc-Andre Fleury has yet to post an acceptable statline at the Joe this season, something that is sure to haunt the Pens on Friday night.
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