You're from Chicago, man. You gotta know Hockey.
Game 7 of the Stanley Cup is like one of the rarest things there is. In the 110 year history of the stanley cup, there have only been about 12 or 14 game 7's. Since 1967 there's been only 4 (compare that to baseball....12)
You gotta play 82 regular games in the season, then win 3 best of sevens to even get to the Cup finals. Then to take THAT finals series to seven... woof. That's a highway.
The DUX knocked off #2 rated Detroit in a sweep. Knocked off #1 rated Dallas in 5. Swept through Minnesota. I forget where they came in - I think 7th.
In the finals they went down 2-0, then have battled back to make it 3-3 - going 10-1 at home (NJ is 11-1 at home in the playoffs....scary.) The DUX goalie got hot in the last 1/3 of the season, and has been smokin' in the playoffs - setting a record for holding opponents scoreless in overtime, moving into 3rd ALL TIME (the NHL is about 115 years old) for shut outs in a playoff season (his first, by they way...)
I could go on and on. Hockey rocks, man. These guys are fitter, tougher, more skilled and, by and large, more approachable and nicer than any other pros in any other sports. Its a whole other vibe. You're into it or your not. Its all good - we don't care. If baseball is your thing, try not to nod off. If football is your thing (you know, where the stand-around time actually exceeds the actual play time in a game by about three-fold...believe it or not...) that's cool, too.
I love basketball - but I LOVE hockey.
Going to a game 7 has happened 6 times in my lifetime - so I'm gonna soak this up tomorrow. Win or lose, nothing beats it. Its the hardest road in pro sports, and its the sweetest victory.
K
