INSIDE HOCKEY

After over 1300 games, it all comes down to this: Game Seven of the Cup Finals. Can Sidney Crosby and the Pens overcome the odds to become the first road team to win a Finals Game 7 since 1971... or will Nicklas Lidstrom and the Wings prevail? Regardless of what happens, both teams deserve accolades not only for getting this far, but for delivering one of the most exciting Cup Finals series in recent memory.

The tension in a Cup Finals Game Seven is palpable; in a sport where every goal matters so much to begin with, the importance is compounded even further when the puck is dropped on the season's final game. The opportunities to carry Lord Stanley's cherished chalice are few and far between for all but a rarefied few, and in one of this Cup Finals' biggest storylines, the Red Wings' Marian Hossa defected from Pittsburgh last off-season for a better shot at the Cup. If the Wings win tonight, he'll have made the right move... but if they lose? Harsh justice for the glory-seeking Slovak.

At 39 years old, Wings captain Lidstrom is still going strong, but it's fair to wonder how many more seasons he's got left in the tank. Tonight may be his final moment on the NHL's brightest stage, his fifth time playing in a Cup Finals, and the Swedish rearguard has left an indelible impression.

When people speak of the greatest players in NHL history, Canadian names like Howe, Orr, Gretzky, and Lemieux rightly come to mind. But Lidstrom deserves inclusion amongst that select company, for he has put together a career like no other. Since breaking into the league in 1991-92 (60 points in 82 games) he has been one of the league's premier defensemen, both with and without the puck.

Lidstrom has never played in fewer than 76 games (the 1994-95 lockout-shortened season doesn't count), and his ability to neutralize the opposition's top forwards while at the same time delivering top-tier offensive numbers year in and year out have made him one of the finest players ever to lace up skates. Far more durable than Orr, Gretzky, or Lemieux, Lidstrom has put together a magnificent career comparable to that of New York Islanders legend Denis Potvin. No easy feat, that.

In the spirit of Lidstrom's fine play, for the first time since the NHL launched its post-lockout crackdown on obstruction, we're really seeing beyond a shadow of a doubt what's possible in this so-called "new" NHL. The referees have for the most part "let the players play," and the results have been unquestionably brilliant. Both teams skate exceptionally well, and the obstruction/interference penalties (both called and ignored) have been at a bare minimum. With the exception of the Red Wings' one-sided 5-0 victory in Game Five, this has been a very closely-contested series, and the stars have shined throughout.

The Wings' Henrik Zetterberg has been typically brilliant, making a strong case to become only the third player in NHL history to win consecutive Conn Smythe Trophies (the Flyers' Bernie Parent and the Penguins' Mario Lemieux were the others). And Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood, consistently maligned since he broke into the league back in 1993-94, has been sensational as well. He's already backstopped the Wings to two Cups, and it's high time that Osgood gets the respect he deserves as an elite-level netminder; few have played better--ever--when the games have mattered most.

On the Penguins' side, Evgeni Malkin (35 points) and Sidney Crosby (31 points) are the first teammates to score 30+ playoff points since Mark Messier and Brian Leetch did it for the Rangers in 1994. The Pens' dynamic duo have taken turns carrying the Pittsburgh offense, their production in the Cup Finals tied almost directly to which of them has been shadowed by the indefatigable Zetterberg. And though he imploded in Game Five, netminder Marc-Andre Fleury has been stellar as well, matching Osgood brilliant save for brilliant save.

What does Game Seven come down to? Keeping cool. Whichever team scores first will have garnered a huge advantage, because the cushion that goal provides is an incredibly valuable security blanket. The Wings certainly hold the edge in experience, with four players on the roster for all four (relatively) recent Cup victories (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008): Osgood, Nicklas Lidstrom, Kris Draper, and Kirk Maltby. The calming effect that quartet provides cannot possibly be overstated, and if the Wings score first, it will put Crosby and Company in a deep, deep hole. But if the Pens score first, all bets are off.

Here's hoping that we get through the entirety of Game Seven without a single infraction (called or ignored). Here's hoping that the result comes down entirely to the players on the ice, so that when the final horn sounds, the fans of both clubs can say, without a hint of bitterness, that "the best team won." Both the Wings and Pens are one win from carrying the Cup. The NHL is one game away from concluding one of its most compelling Cup Finals. Let's revel in it. Game On!