The Wings have won more games then any team in each of the last 2 years. This year they had more key injuries(6) then any other team. Still they went the distance in the finals. They missed in game 6 scoring the tying goal on Zetterberg's post shot by less then a 1/4" and then 3 times in the final scrum the puck hit a defenseman's stick and then 2xs the skate inches from the goal line. In game 7 a slap shot from the point with 3 minutes left hits the crossbar and bounces almost straight down-a shot that missed by 1/10 of an inch. I played goal and I know how much a shot misses by. So if either of these shots goes in, we may have a different outcome. Baseball is a game of inches-hockey is a game of nanometers and nanoseconds. Give the pens credit they ended up being the better team in a 7 game series but this year they got the bounces and the breaks. These teams are so close that is 13 finals games it is det-7 pens-6. Detroit is still the best team-but the best team doesn't always win in the playoffs otherwise we wouldn't play the games. I was at game 5 in detroit and the wings looked like men among boys. The pens were horribly out of sync. The moral is-when you watch a hockey game at tv speed or even spectator speed-it can be a little misleading-playing the game on the ice at game speed-nothing better in the world. You can't even imagine unless you have been out there. I played all the major sports but I can tell you-being a goalie with 100 mile an hour slapshots being deflected, breakaways, screens, and pucks that at times come from out of no where-there is no better position in all of sports. When we drive we all hate to get stopped by red lights-but no one hates red lights like a goalie. Yet to get between the pipes is the greatest feeling-so next time give the goalies some space when they let an easy one in-what you see or think you see isn't always what's happening-and i am sure every major league hitter will tell you the same thing. It was a great Cup finals and while someone has to lose-it doesn't make that team losers. The wings will be back and the pens know it.The pens will contend for the next decade. they just might meet again for the rubber match. If there is any justice with the hockey gods they will and I just CAN'T WAIT!! GO HOCKEY-PLEASE SUPPORT THE NHL-IT'S A GREAT GAME.

I can't wait for the rematch!

And how sweet it is to say: SCREW YOU HOSSA! B-O-O H-O-O

I wanted to go with a team that had the best chance to win the cup.

Oh Hossa did you back the wrong horse!

LETS GO PENS!

HERE WE GO STEELERS!

Speaking strictly hockey, not petty crap, the Pens simply looked better than did RWs in the final game at the Joe. Cumulatively, they cut into Detroit's passing lanes and forced dangerous turnovers with longer stick (read "hustle") poke checks. Detroit's first penalty - breaking Malkin's hockey stick - would become a symbol of their frustration where the RWs always seemed a step or one-half step out of position. Look at the DVR of how many point men (out of position) allowed the puck outside the Pens blueline. Missed opportunity.

Plus, how many Pens goals in the finals games were scored - not by any power play - but by mental lapses by RW defensemen who have a sloppy habit of clearing the pucks through the front of the goaltender? Check the DVRs again.

While RWs finally used a physical Gm 7 it may have disrupted their normal picture perfect passing and puck control trademark, resulting in Pen opportunities to score. Alot of the game was played under the Detroit blue line, with a maddening inability to quickly gain puck control and quickly clear the zone into an offensive mode. How many line changes were inhibited by Pens playing longer inside the RW blue line? More missed opptunities.

Pens were not perfect, either, but they withheld their excessive aggression and for the most part removed RWs power plays from any equation. Playing in enemy turf, they looked more relaxed than did RWs, who appeared more distracted by their supportive crowd than in Gm. 5.

Individual RWs distinguished themselves (especially Chris Osgoodenough), but overall the defensemen became the greatest disappointment to the Back-2-Back repeat treat.
Nevertheless, Mike Babcock and the team provided a superlative and exciting year and have now traded spit with the Pens by allowing them to win the 2009 cup in the Joe, just as the RWs won the 2008 Stanley Cup at Mellon Arena. Congrats to the Pens on a well-played Finals series.

Enjoy the cup (as did the RWs) for the next year. Remember, defending the championship is much more difficult than having won it.

Sax from Pitt your parentss must be proud of you, wa, wa,

Sax from pitt, what have you won in your life, a new diaper?

I am a die-hard Pens fan too but I wish other Pens fans would get off of Hossa's back. Give the guy credit for turing his nose up to the money and going with his heart. Detriot is an awesome team. I might have done the same thing. Hossa didn't owe Pittsburgh a darn thing. Besides, I haven't heard anything except very positive comments from any of the Pens players about what a great guy Hossa is. If Hossa didn't want so much money, I'd like to see the Pens get him back. Now concerning Draper and his comments about the handshake flap....screw him. Draper is a punk!!!

Steelerfan: Draper has won more cups than anyone on the Pitts team, calling him a punk when he said Crosby should have shaken Lidstrom's hand is out of line. Lidstrom last year made certain he found EVERYONE before accepting the cup from the Troll (aka Bettman). I remember watching him look around to be certain he had gotten everyone.

PS: Bettman is still a Troll and a punk in and of himself, guy needs to be ousted.