jeffreymark

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

The youthful, Cinderella Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup final in last night's 7th game. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made a last second spectacular game ending save to assure a win. Penguin's dark horse Evgeni Malkin won the Con Smythe trophy for most valuable player of the playoffs. Malkin lead the team with 36 points-the most since Wayne Gretzky's 40 points in 1993.  Sidney Crosby is the youngest captain ever to play in the Stanley Cup final. For more on individual player's accomplishments go here.  The video below offers some key highlights of the game. Move the video cursor to 8:56 and watch Fleury's unbelievable save. Oh yes, one must get through the commercial before viewing the highlights.

DALLAS STARS WON'T GET 'ER DONE THIS YEAR

The Dallas Stars sailed further in the playoffs than pundits expected. But, they met their match with a bigger, stronger, and quicker Detroit. Detroit's forechecking and use of the body to block out Stars' aggressiveness has kept Dallas skating on the parameters. Looks like we will get a "Cup" series featuring the older wiser Detroit vs. the young Sidney Crosby led Pittsburgh. Ought to be a good one.

LIVE BLOGGING DALLAS STARS

Several sports pundits from the Dallas Morning News are live blogging game 6 against Anaheim Ducks. If goalie Marty Turco keeps up his outstanding play, excluding game 5, the Stars will take the Ducks tonight.

STARS' SECOND SEASON

Hockey fans often dub playoffs the second season. My Dallas Stars, led by center veteran Mike Madano's intangibles, have the Ducks down 2-0. This year the Stars, known for their physical defenses, added offensive firepower. Stars commentator Daryl "the razor" Reaugh explains the necessity for doing so:

The Ducks appear to be learning the lesson modern playoff hockey has been teaching - and they have company in the classroom.

You see, no longer does the phrase "Defense wins championships" ring true.

In today's game the ability to put the puck in the other teams net is paramount.

Just look at the teams that find themselves down 0-2 in the opening round; New Jersey, Boston, Ottawa (playing without Alfredsson and Fisher), Nashville, and Anaheim who are the weakest scoring team from the regular season in this years playoffs. All of them have serious issues when it comes to their attack and the warts are showing.

Devils - a new coach but the same checking based system that's just fantastic - with a lead.

Bruins - trap happy system with a cheesey d-corp and unproven netminding, oh, and your best offensive player is concussed. Good luck with that.

Senators - they have the potential to score, but with the injuries and the general flounder that last year's Eastern Conference champs seem to be in...potential can't be realized.

Nashville - they were a one-line offense in the regular season and one line is usually easily shut down in the post season - even if your not the best defensive team in the league - which their opponent the Red Wings are.

Anaheim - the Ducks sacrificed offense for defense in their quest to repeat and it isn't panning out. With leading goal scorer Cory Perry injured and Andy Mcdonald and Dustin Penner elsewhere, they are relying on brooding Todd Bertuzzi, 38 year old Teemu Selanne and their checking line to beat Turco - it's not working.

And apparently it's not just about the number of goals you can manufacture, it's also about who strikes first. The team scoring the first goal of the game has gone on to win an incredible 15 of the 16 opening round games played so far.

In the Stars - Ducks series Dallas is scoring first, scoring often, and scoring with relative ease against an Anaheim club that isn't scoring, defending or playing with any hockey sense. If this continues, and there is every indication it will, the Stars will be the latest team to prove that playoff hockey in 2008 rewards the attacker more than the defender.

Lock it down?

How about Fill 'er up.