Faceoff Factor

Let's Face It - 6/17/2009

Jonathan Farzalo | Pittsburgh Penguins

Jun 17, 10:21 PM | Hype this story!

Let’s Face It...It’s hard to believe that we started the season with an amazing run, but even harder to believe that by February we were in 10th place in the East.

Let’s Face It...Therrien had worn out his welcome in Pittsburgh. No it wasn’t his “fault” that the team was in 10th, the players quit on him, it was obvious it message was lost. We would not have won a cup this year with him behind the bench, sorry it’s true. It is however also true, even before the horrid stretch of play this season many were wondering about style of play, line juggling, the “dictatorship” type leading, and the coming down hard on these players. While he helped mold this group into who they are now, they had passed him by and needed a different approach that actually meshed with their individual talents.

Let’s Face It...The Satan experiment, and that’s what it was, didn’t work out. However he deserves every tiny mark of his name in the Cup. He took a one year deal to prove himself in Pittsburgh, which didn’t pan out with the worlds best playmaker. He was shuffled up and down the lineup through the season and took his lumps. He went to the minor leagues (think about that, a player who has played 1000 NHL games) and did so for the good of the team, like a professional, hoping he would get his chance to do something for the Penguins in the playoffs. He did. While most won’t point to a breakaway goal after exiting the penalty box or a blocked shot as series changers or playoff changers, who is to say we win in 4 games without that goal, perhaps Ward makes that save and the whole series is different….I’m just saying…

Let’s Face It...A healthy Mark Eaton is a nice addition to the team. Having him available to play against big name players and to kill penalties was a huge reason for success this year…and who knew he could score like that, he had more playoff goals then Sergei Gonchar.

Let’s Face It...Even Petr Sykora would be surprised to find himself suiting up for the Penguins next season. Ray Shero would be even more surprised to find himself offering Sykora a contract.

Let’s Face It...Chris Kunitz came to this team to play first line minutes. He is expected to put up goals and open up space for Sidney Crosby. Assists come with the territory of playing with world-class talent and Kunitz had 13 of them in the playoffs this year, but his single measly goal is not going to cut it, not making the money his is making and not playing with a playmaker like Sid. He certainly helps by tossing the hits out, but we will need him to net more goals next season.

Let’s Face It...People said Marc-Andre Fleury had never won anything and couldn’t handle the pressure or cast aside past demons. Many wondered if this was the man behind the mask that would lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Cup, sometime in the future. After Game 5 of the finals these people decided he was not the man to do this, he would not win us a Cup, could NOT handle the pressure…and instead of wilting in that spotlight and being crushed by the heavy load of…manure, he went out and played amazing hockey, sealing the deal with a tremendous save near the end of game six, and then ripping the heart out of all those naysayers in the dying seconds of a game seven.

Let’s Face It...Evgeni Malkin proved his critics wrong with a strong showing in this years playoffs. He won the regular season scoring title and then came into the post season and took the MVP of the playoffs as well.

Let’s Face It...The fact that Sergei Gonchar played with a partially torn MCL is just ridiculous. That’s playoff hockey…I’m sure this won’t be the last of the “played with injury” story we here from the Pens.

Let’s Face It...While it was sweet to be able to laugh at Hossa as the Pens celebrated and the camera crew rushed to find him, now, I could care less about him and is ability to suck it up all Finals long, oh wait, nevermind…thanks Marion.

Let’s Face It...The fact that Sidney Crosby missed part of the handshake line is fact. What also is fact is that NBC and about a million other news and media were pulling at him in every direction after the win (how does it feel to fulfill your destiny)…something that no Detroit player, regardless of experience and number of Stanley Cups has ever dealt with. What is also fact is that Detroit players disappeared faster than a woman on “Maury” who finds out that the 15th man tested “Is Not The Father”.

Let’s Face It...Max Talbot is a superstar…at least in Pittsburgh. And that’s all that really matters anyways.

Let’s Face It...The Pittsburgh Penguins just won the Stanley Cup…and days later I’m still going nuts!