On behalf of GSH.com, I would like to congratulate the Tampa Bay Lightning, winners of the 2004 Stanley Cup, giving the franchise it’s first Stanley Cup in their 12-year history and giving the players and fans something they’ll remember for years to come. Ruslan Fedotenko notched two goals to win it for them including one off of a beauty Lecavalier play where he dangled about 4 Flames players and took a big hit as he dished it which was about as highlight reel of a goal as they come. Both ‘tenders had really strong games as per usual when we’re talking Kiprusoff and Khabibulin who both were called on to make some huge stops especially a few late in the game.
But let me tell you, it just chaps my nuts to hear some of the Calgary Flames fans being such sore losers about the loss. Give me a break, how do you blame the reffing in a game where 3 of your 5 penalties were total bonehead plays and the total penalty count was 5-3? There’s a difference between losing with class and losing like a bunch of whiney little idiots. As all hockey players know, referee’s will always be stupid in the eyes of one of the two teams playing and regardless of what some people might say they do hold a substantial degree of influence on how the game turns out but they obviously don’t pick sides, how would Calgary and Tampa be in the finals if it was all fixed? Give your heads a shake.
HOWEVER, when I hear people saying “let the players decide the game, don’t be calling penalties in the last minute,” I agree, but only to a certain extent. There’s a difference between “playoff hockey”, which has players doing whatever they can for a win where it gets a lot more physical, and “STUPID hockey”, which, as I’m sure you can gather, is where you lose the game for yourself with stupid penalties but blame the refs anyways. Here’s an example of stupid hockey which twice cost Calgary good opportunities to battle back in the finals: Two words: Villie Nieminen. 4:13 to go in the third, down 1-0, a win in the game gives you a 3-1 chokehold in the series. What does this hero do? Hits Lecavalier from behind cutting him open for 10 stitches worth of damage, and puts his team shorthanded for the rest of the game. Game 7: 1:01 left in the game, down a goal. Ference lines up St. Louis and blindsides him behind the net, cutting him open a bit on the forehead with his stick, putting his team down a man at a CRUCIAL point in the game.
In my humble opinion I think that the difference was the fact that Tampa Bay was just more disciplined on the ice and managed to keep their heads out there. And hey, I’m not afraid to admit that I got a little misty when the 22-year vet Dave Andreychuk hoisted the 32-pound trophy over his head for the first time. What a feeling that must be. FINAL THOUGHT: GO DELI CINQ

MORAL OF THE STORY: Well I think that the obvious one here in regards to Mr. Dave Andreychuk is that hard work will pay off down the line as long as you don’t give up hope. As they say “ the longer the wait the sweeter the wine”.