Game 7: Preview

Wings date June 10th, 2009... Exactly 2 days prior to what will surely be a historic game 7 in Detroit. It hasn't happened in Detroit for over 50 years & the statistics are truly on their side in this one, not only has the home team won every game so far in this series but the Wings are 11 - 1 in this post season & in Stanley Cup Finals history the record for the home team winning the Cup is 12 - 2. But the Wings need more than math, they need passion. Game 6 they slept through the first period & a half & then decided to make it a game. If they try something like that on Friday, they stand a good chance of blowing this. It's all on the line & I believe the Wings team that made the pens look silly in game 5 is the wings we'll see this Friday.

Make no mistake, bad officiating isn't what got us to a 3 - 3 split, it's been a combination of determination, complacency, terrible schedule (3 games in 4 nights - stupid 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here') & home ice advantage with all it's benefits. In the beginning many didn't think that Pittsburg measured up to the wings but they are better than what we've given them credit for but if you really examine it, they aren't equal to the wings cause when we can play our best guys against their best guys, it results in a win for Detroit but with a game 7 comes the potential for anything, bad calls, disallowed goals, crazy bounces off the back boards, thunderous hits from Kronwall or goals from overdue hero's like Hossa.

Yes, this is make or break for Hossa, if he's going to send a statement to Pittsburg that they weren't good enough for him, then he better produce himself. Overall, I think he's a fantastic player & I think he's a bit overwhelmed with the way things have transpired with his old team & the rematch but regardless, the entire playoffs, he's only scored two goals in all of the game 4's, giving him a total of only 6 for the entire playoffs, we need more from him & for his own sake I hope he shows up on Friday with his best game of his career. Regardless of what Hossa brings the Wings with Datsyuk back in their line up with home ice advantage, getting last line change & face off advantage, I sincerely believe they will win this game & hoist their 5th Stanley Cup in 12 years...

With that being said, if nothing else after Friday, we won't have to hear the name Crosby for another season, we won't have to watch the shameful manlove of Pierre McGuire for the rest of the summer. And we can let NBC get back to what they are good at, lame TV reality shows.

Wings 4
Penguins 3

Game winner - Franzen

Go Wings!!