Thank god somebody finally beat the Red Wings, if only once. After helping the Wings win nine straight playoff games (two against Nashville, four against the Avs, and three against the Stars), Dallas decided they didn't quite want to go out in a sweep and won last night 3-1.
Chris Osgood, despite being the best goalie of all time, a sure bet for the Conn Smythe trophy and an obvious first-ballot Hall of Famer, allowed three goals on 22 shots. Marty Turco, the whipping boy of Stars and Wings fans alike, put on a clinic by stopping 33 of 34 shots. It's about damned time, Turco.
Obviously, the odds are still stacked against the Stars. As everyone has already heard a million times when one team goes up three games to none, the last team to overcome a deficit like that was the 1975 New York Islanders. I'm thinking 33 years is long enough to wait for a repeat of that come-from-behind insanity.
The Flyers, on the other hand, are done for. They were done for against the Capitals in the first round but barely squeezed by the upstarts from The District. Even though I want the Stars to beat the Wings (how sweet would that be?) I can't root for another Western Conference team to win the Cup, so the Penguins are definitely my adopted favorites. Say what you want about crying, whining or diving (good god that routine gets so old), but the Pens are talented, fun to watch, and a likable bunch of characters. Hockey is entertainment, after all.
Oh, and if you're not reading The Pensblog every single day, you're not really living. They hate Chris Osgood, too.
ADDENDUM: The Wall Street Journal analyzes the further decline of Emptytown and the hilarity of failing to sell out home playoff games. Even the Avalanche, a team nobody likes anymore (if you believe the naysayers), sold out all of their home playoff games. Step it up, Murder City.
The best quote, by far:
"I've seen them win a Cup, so I won't be totally disappointed if they don't win one this year," Bruce Anderson, a season-ticket holder for nearly 40 years, said.
What a die hard fan.
Hat tip to Greg Dubs at Puck Daddy.