Still Proud of the Detroit Red Wings

I have heard that one's downfall could be from aiming too high, but the Detroit Red Wings took that too literally tonight. In the third period, the Red Wings were down 2-1 when Niklas Kronwall took a shot that hit the cross bar and ricocheted back into play. His aim? One inch too high. An inch lower and the puck would have careened into the net for the tying goal.

Sad to say though, the Red Wings should not have had to be scrambling to tie up the score in the third period. The Penguins first goal came only seconds after the ref swallowed the whistle on what should have been called an icing. If he would have blown the play dead for icing, the goal would never have happened and the game would have gone into overtime.

Icing or no icing. One inch too high or not. The Detroit Red Wings dug their own graves tonight as once again their undoing was the turnovers that turned into goals. If the Red Wings would have played their usual smart hockey, the Stanley Cup Finals likely would never have made it to the game seven tie breaker in the first place. Turn overs gave Pittsburgh too many goals in the series and gave them the winning goal in game seven.

I feel bad for Hossa really. After defecting from the NHL's favorite team to the Detroit Red Wings in hopes of winning the Cup, he had to watch his former team lift the Cup. That had to be seriously heart wrenching for him. I only hope he signs a long term contract with Detroit so he can be a part of taking it back next year.

So the Red Wings lost and as much as it irks me to see it, the NHL's poster child, Sidney Crosby got to lift the Cup. I was bummed, but I realized something else. I was still proud to be a Detroit Red Wing fan. They were the defending Stanley Cup Champions and took it all the way to game-7 in the Stanley Cup Finals again this year before being eliminated. The Red Wings did not lose their composure as time wound down. They did not take stupid penalties. They played hard and lost like professionals. The Detroit Red Wings are a team to be proud of and I look forward to sweeping them next year in the Stanley Cup Finals to let them know the Cup belongs here. In the REAL Hockey Town!