The Detroit Redwings won their 11th Stanley Cup last night. I've not been following hockey as much since I moved to Houston, in part because I have no cable and am unable to tune in to most games, but also because there are no NHL teams in Houston, so local coverage is nil.
A couple comments about the finals. First off - the Redwings were phenomenal. They were precision-like in their execution, and they played as well as one could expect a champion team to play. Second, and many people are going to be saying this - Sidney Crosby was outstanding. It's clear that he is well suited to serve as the face of the league. His determination and dedication to his team and his game were things that all sports fans admire. Third - the NHL needed these finals. Over the past three years, the Stanley Cup was won by Anaheim, Carolina, and Tampa Bay. None of these venues are traditional hockey areas, and their stories, though they did play against Canadian teams, are not ones that will drag in the casual fan. The NHL needed Detroit vs. Sidney Crosby just like the NBA needed Magic/Bird in the 1980s. The next thing that needs to happen is that Detroit and Pittsburgh need to meet in the finals again next year. I'm not just saying this because I want the team I root for and the player who has won me over as a fan in the finals again, but because it extends a story line that draws in viewers and makes observers fans.
I just hope Pittsburgh can keep their core team together and Detroit's goaltending can stay consistent enough for this to happen.
1 comment:
I watched some of game 5. I think they were in the 2nd overtime. What a game.
The Redwings are the only Detroit team I can stand. :)
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