Saturday, April 19, 2014

Game One - The 2014 Stanley Cup Playoff Edition

Detroit vs. Boston.  An original six match up.   Wildcard #2 vs. the best team in the East.   Some might think this series was a blow out in the making.  How could Boston, with their amazing goalie and veteran, gritty team not dominate the Red Wings,  a team hampered by injury and playing a slew of recent AHL call ups?

But Boston did not dominate.  Game one was well-matched.  Both goalies stood on their heads, fell on their sides, kicked out their legs, and denied shot after shot after shot.  Both teams played hard, played physical, played to win.  There were mistakes on both sides, but not many.  There were chances on both sides, but to no avail.  Until the best player in hockey took control of a haphazard pass and somehow dragged it from behind while still skating forward to shoot and score the game winner.  And the game's only goal.  1-0 Red Wings.

It is only the first game.    There are potentially seven games in a series and we have only played one game. But what a game it was.  And how much better is it to have won the first game in a series than not.