2010 STANLEY CUP FINALS!!
#7 Philadelphia Flyers v #2 Chicago Blackhawks
Game 1 Flyers 5, Blackhawks 6
Game 2 Flyers 1, Blackhawks 2
Game 3 Blackhawks 3, Flyers 4 OT
Game 4 Blackhawks 3, Flyers 5
Game 5 Flyers 4, Blackhawks 7
Game 6 Blackhawks 4, Flyers 3 OT
#2 Chicago Blackhawks WIN 4-2
2010/06/11
It's over! The end of the world has been averted. The CRYERS have lost!! All hail the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks!!
2010/05/27
I cannot believe this is who is playing for the Stanley Cup this year. Ok the Blackhawks I have no problem with but the Flyers? What in the hell has gone on with the Eastern Conference? After the first round it looks like the Pens were good to go. Both of the teams we couldn't beat in the regular season (Devils, Caps) were out. Everyone sort of expected the Flyers to be a good match up with Devils. They were the one team the Devils couldn't beat all year but who would have predicted the Caps going down like that. They were up 3-1 and Montreal just caught fire and came back. I know I was cheering for them at that point. That was one of the greatest upsets to ever happen in sports. Little did we know that was just the start of the craziness in the Eastern Conference.
When the 2nd round started we all seemed to be confident that OMG the Pens got this. Easy road back to the Finals. Take out the upstart Habs and whichever team limps out of the other series and we're in. When depleted Boston went up 3 games to none of the Flyers that one seemed like it was a no-brainer, we'd play them, but the Flyers fought back. Just like the Habs in the first round they found their game and won one game at a game, eroding Boston's confidence and posting only the 3rd series win when down 3-0 in NHL history. I didn't get to see every game in that series but the difference from Game 1 to Game 7 was like nothing I've ever seen.
Well good for them but it didn't matter. The Pens took out the Flyers in the 2 previous years we went to the Cup Finals. It's no thing to do it again but first take care of these Habs and that was proving problematic. Just like the Caps before them the Pens dominated play for large stretches of time and pounded them with shots. We should have won every game 5-1 but it wasn't happening like that. They were just taking our punishment just like they did with the Caps and holding strong. Then one little turnover or slip up and they would charge back and put a shot past Fleury. I don't put all the blame on Fleury. He had to sit there for long stretches of time and not see any play then all of a sudden a guy would be barreling all alone on him and that's not exactly fair but still, you got to make those key saves. No doubt the Habs were in Fleury's mind and had his number for this series. We were still able to eke out some wins and Fleury did play exceptional in a few games (had 1 shutout, should of had 2) but the series still went win-loss up until Game 7 when it would have been our turn to win. However this was not to be. It was 4-0 at one point and we lost sending the Habs on to the next round and our dreams of repeating as Champions crashing down.
The Habs took out the (arguably) two best teams in the conference. Was this their year of destiny? Alas it was not to be. The Flyers much as they easily handled the Devils trapping style took care of Montreal in 5 games and punched their ticket to the Finals.
No matter what happens. I strongly dislike the Flyers and their fans. They are our hated rivals and they probably want us to win as much as I want them to: NOT AT ALL!! I would have been okay with the Habs winning. To lose to the eventual winner is one thing but the stinkin' Flyers? They didn't even make the playoffs until the last day of the regular season. They had to win in a shootout versus the Rangers to get in. I'll accept that they have played their best games at the best times but I will not accept that they will win this year.
The problem is if the Blackhawks win then Marian Hossa will finally get his Cup. This will be the 3rd year in a row he made it to the Finals. Amazing! Three years in a row on three different teams even. First player to ever do that. Boy would it suck to lose all three times. Now I know some people in Pittsburgh have a huge problem with him. He made some regrettable comments when he left Pittsburgh to go to Detroit and yeah so what? He may be a douchebag but he's suffered enough. Losing in the Finals is bad enough but two years in a row is worse. It's not like he is the reason the Blackhawks are doing so well anyway. He was mainly a passenger on all his Finals trips except for when he was a Penguin. Crosby made him better and he's not contributed that much at all this year either but him winning doesn't matter to me at all. Good for him.
Much as I can't imagine how my sporting life as a Steelers fan would have gone on if the Patroits would have completed that undefeated season I don't know how I'd cope having to call the Cryers the Stanley Cup Champs!! Not going to happen. Chicago in 6!
