Game 7: It's On.

Annnnnnnd.... exhale. You can now return to your usual breathing schedule. After the most intense and unbelievable final two minutes of the NHL season, Mr. Riley and myself needed a beer. We walked down the hill and looked for a random Lawrenceville bar where we could unwind, watch some highlights and surround ourselves with other pumped/relieved Pens fans. We found a small Irish Pub and entered.

Then we met him. Thirty short minutes later, we felt like we knew him. The man held a can of Rolling Rock in his hand - inside the bar. He had a pack of cigarettes rolled up in the sleeve of his t-shirt. His ensemble was classic: a baby blue Penguins throw back t-shirt, jorts (jean shorts for the un-hip) and the requisite Pittsburgh Steelers hat. When he smiled, the missing front tooth made sense. He had all the makings of a gentleman of the finest character. Mr. Riley and I talked to him for thirty minutes without even getting his name. This gentleman didn't need a name, he was Pittsburgh, he was The Spirit of Pittsburgh.

He was the most interesting man in the world.



The Spirit of Pittsburgh couldn't be more pumped up about Game 7. Through his intoxicated state, he tossed out phrases like "dem Pens got dem Bones to pick", "revenge time", "Pens aren't gunna lose in Detroit", "this dem City of Chapmins" Mr. Riley and myself tried to keep up with The Spirit of Pittsburgh who was firing on all cylinders. Broaching the topic of Nate McLouth couldn't even damper The Spirit of Pittsburgh's boyish enthusiasm.

I hope The Spirit of Pittsburgh is right. I want the Spirit of Pittsburgh to be right.

So Game 6, eh? The Pens showed up with some heart. They skated faster, they finished their checks and The Flower came ready to play. Instead of recapping the game, I'm simply going to comment on specific players.

Marc-Andre Fleury: There are Flower loves and Flower haters. The truth lies somewhere in between. While I don't think Flower will ever be a truly elite goalie on the Roy-Broduer-Hasek level, he's good enough to win a Cup, and it's going to happen sooner or later.

Scuderi: No Pens player has improved more over the last four years than "The Piece". Once part of the worst defensive pairing in the NHL (with Joe Melichar), Scuderi has turned into a brick on the back line. His amazing "save" with thirteen seconds left will get all the glory, but his stick deflection of a wide open rebound a minute or so before was just as vital and just as awesome.

Brooks Orpik: The NBC crew actually got this one right. Brooksie played such a great game that we'll even let the pseudo-turnover that led to Cleary's breakway slide. Brooksie was simply dominating in the Pens zone.

The Pens Third Line: Sid and Geno have had a tough time in this series, there is no doubting that. The Red Wings have clogged the passing lanes and clutched and grabbed Sid and Geno all series. They've been getting away with it and it's been working. In two of the Pens three wins this series, the third line has bailed the Pens out with timely, highlight real goals by Jordie and TK. Cookie has been banging with the best of them.

Zetterberg: Missed some wide open chances in Game 5. Is he ever not on the ice, I swear it seems as if he is.

Osgood: Whether he's a product of his defense, or that good remains unanswered. He made a lot of saves last night, but he gave up a lot of rebounds that Pens forwards could just not get their sticks on. The Spirit of Pittsburgh gave Mr. Riley and I his breakdown on Osgood: "There five holes. One, two, three, fur, five. Yinz gotta be shootin one and two. One and two he can't stop. One and two."

Datsyuk: Injured foot or no foot, his stickhandling and positioning have been outstanding. Although his stats throughout the playoffs may not support it, The Pens caught a huge break by him missing the first four games.

After six games, the Pens and the Wings stand on equal ground. It's a one game series, and whoever wins gets Lord Stanley's Cup. You can throw your breakdowns and predictions out the window, because in Game 7, all bets are off.