Faceoff Factor

One More Time.

Jesse Marshall | Pittsburgh Penguins

Jun 12, 01:01 PM | Hype this story!

Tonight marks the 87th game of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Take that for what it’s worth.

Having battled back from a series deficit twice already, the Penguins will attempt to end this series on their terms after a great performance in Game 6 on Wednesday.

The Penguins, in preparation for tonight, are staying in the same hotel that they were staying in when Petr Sykora scored in triple overtime of Game 6 last year.

Battles like this are always easier when you know your opponent bleeds just like you do. The Penguins have cut the Red Wings this series, and they are certainly shedding blood. If not for some bad bounces in Game 1, the Penguins could have wrapped this series up already.

That said, if not for Marc-Andre Fleury, the Red Wings may have closed out the series in Game 6, and we wouldn’t even be preparing for this game right now.

None of the what if’s matter. We’re here. Our team is facing down history.

Are the odds in their favor? Historically, no, but as Hal Gill said in today’s Post-Gazette :“I don’t pay much attention to history, I never did in school and I’m not going to start now.”

I was a kid when the Pittsburgh Penguins won their last Stanley Cup. I can piece together bits of memory in my head. I can remember seeing the Cup in the locker-room. I can remember the scene at the airport when the players returned with the Cup and various other details of that nature.

However, I didn’t understand the game like I did then. Being 9 years old, I couldn’t grasp what it meant to win the Cup or he legacy that was involved in that hoisting of the trophy.

Speaking of, Badger Bob was named Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins on this day in 1990.

This run is completely different for many of us.

Mario Lemieux may be long gone, watching from high above in his owners box, but his heirs to the throne are ready to follow in his footsteps and make history.

You don’t have to tell Evgeni Malkin how important today’s game is. He already knows. From today’s Tribune-Review

“The Cup is all I want. I will give 120 percent. I will give everything. One win. The Cup. After that I will talk. I will do anything. One win first.”

Tonight is for all the marbles.

I wanted to take a second to thank every single person that has visited this website throughout the year. It was a pleasure watching this team grow with you and going on one of the wildest sports journey’s of all time. We’ll be here all summer and into next year providing you with the best discussion we can. This site is nothing without you.

As fans, we’ll be on the edge of our seats, hoping we get the chance to watch our heroes lift the greatest trophy in all of sports.

If you’ve forgotten what that looks like, the beginning of this video ought to refresh your memory.