Kane and Able

So the streak of twenty-something Captains winning the Cup continues as the Chicago Blackhawks doubled the number of wins over the Philadelphia Flyers to take the 2010 Lord Stanley Cup last night.   Congratulations to Chicago for earning it, over the course of the entire season and for not allowing thugs to bully take-the-Cup from your grasp!

Official recap here.

Blackhawk's Captain Patrick Kane scored what will be a historic 'under-the-radar' overtime 'goal winning goal', literally under the radar of the goal light, the goal referee - through Flyer goalie Leighton's five-hole undetected by anyone wearing orange & black, while Kane skated theatrically pumping his fists and stick in the air, embracing the hesitating Hawk bench, defying what the officials or the Philly bench deemed "upon further review."  He knew.  There was nothing to review.  It was over for Philly.

NY Rangers fans across the globe felt elated at that very moment toward those responsible for ending our season prematurely - they would not drink champagne from the cup, they would not stand taller in the Atlantic Division, and they would no longer remind us that it could have been us.  We lost to Philadelphia in a skills competition and it ended our season, but toward the end of regulation we were on a winning streak, the team started to come together, not all that different than a path the Flyers took which brought them to the finals.   We were jealous during the playoffs, we felt down on our Blueshirts - but not now.

Losing the Cup when it's standing before you, in front of the fans that have continued to show up over two horrendous seasons, unable to close the dream and make your home city proud is worse than not making the playoffs.  As a fan, you have to live with that 'empty' for the entire off-season.  Go home Flyers and enjoy your vacation.   Nice job.  Now you have more to prove next season because second best doesn't cut it.

We know it hurts.  We visualize Lundqvist missing that shootout game to a fifth-stringer goalie named Boucher in the final-deciding-playoff game.  But you all probably feel much worse than we do, so have a couple of Yuenglings and cheesesteaks on us.  As the City of Brotherly Love, Hartnell and Carter can go back to hugging each other's wives, 'bully-camp' or whatever it is thugs do with time in your hands. 

We'll see you at the Garden in October ready to pick it back up where we left things....

Happy Off-Season Hockey Fans and Players.  It's been quite the ride and we'll see how things go with the approaching draft and July 1 free-agent day.

tdr