Hear that? That's the fat lady, singing

[auntiemeesh]

That was some really frustrating hockey to watch. Game seven, home ice, and the Penguins played like this was the first high stakes game they'd ever been a part of. It started off with Crosby getting a dubious boarding penalty ten seconds into the game, which resulted in a Montreal goal. Things went down from there. By the middle of the second period, the score was 4-0 and Fleury got yanked from goal. Johnson came in, made a couple of saves and the Pens decided to start actually playing hockey. They got two goals through the second half of the second period, had a power play to start the third, failed to score again, took a really stupid too many men on the ice penalty, got scored on again, and gave up the ghost. It was painful to watch, especially after they started making the comeback and then just failing miserably to do anything with it.

So now the Pens pack up their locker room and scatter to their summer homes a couple of weeks earlier than anyone would have liked. This was the very last game played at Mellon Arena. When next season starts, they'll be playing at Consol Energy Center. It will certainly have all the latest amenities and all, but it won't be the Igloo.

And I'm conflicted. At the beginning of the playoffs, I said if the Pens got knocked out early, I wanted Montreal to be the eastern conference champs. Somehow, I failed to envision it being Montreal that knocked us out. Quite honestly, I thought Ottawa was going to do that in the first round. So, the Pens went further than I expected, but not nearly as far as I wanted, and my second choice team turned into the enemy. At this point, I suppose I want Montreal to go all the way. I would hate to have the Bruins or Flyers sweep in and wipe them out, because that would just make the Pens look bad. Oh, wait, the Pens did that all by themselves. Never mind.

Comments

[beanpot.livejournal.com]

As a Caps fan, may I just say...welcome to our world. Stupid Habs.

(But seriously - if they can boot out the Caps and the Pens - they better take the Cup)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

It makes for a great hockey story, with the vastly underrated 8 seed (16th seed, really) knocking down the giants. But man, it sucks getting the boot so early in the playoffs. We'll just have to hope our teams do better next season. A conference final face-off would be fun.

[lyda-pearl.livejournal.com]

sorry about the outcome of the game...better luck next year.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

It's amazing how much equanimity one can gain in 24 hrs. I feel much better about things today. :)

[ani-no-mouse.livejournal.com]

Sorry.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It sucked for a little while, but it's only a game. Life goes on remarkably undisturbed for all that the Pens took a bow a few weeks earlier than hoped, lol.

[antbee362.livejournal.com]

Ack! Early in the playoffs?! It feels to me that they have been going on forever. Doesn't hockey have the longest season of any sport. They start about the same time as football and go until about the allstar break of baseball.
LOL the wait comment.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

The hockey season, it is long. The regular season goes from October to mid-April. Playoffs go until early to mid June. Getting knocked out early means four long hockey-less months. Last summer I missed it a lot and this summer is going to be longer. Just another reason to hate summer, I suppose.