Pens-Habs Game 7

Game 6 sucked royally and I have to say that I don't have high hopes for Game 7. Don't get me wrong, I haven't given up on the Pens, but any elimination game in any playoff format boils down to the following factors: momentum, luck, timing, coaching, and defense.

Look at that list. All those factors favor the Habs. They favored the Pens heading into Game 7 against the Caps and the Red Wings in last year's playoffs and they don't favor the Pens now.

Also, in the post-game show, the local analysts for the Pens stated that Game 7 is going to come down to goaltending. Given the fact that Halak has been unstoppable in these playoffs, that does not favor the Penguins.

The Habs seem to get every bounce, every hole in the ice favors them, and the Pens could have scored at least two goals in Game 6 if a couple of select shots had not hit the post. When you think of luck, of fortuitous bounces, you definitely think of Montreal and not Pittsburgh.

The fact remains that the Penguins are the more talented team, they're the deeper team, and they've risen to the occasion before. Fleury needs to step it up. Malkin, Crosby, and Staal need to step it up. It's Game 7. It's win or go home time.

It's time for the Pens to assert themselves, to establish dominance, and to prove that they are actually the better team. The Habs are scrappy, they're resilient, they have a phenomenal goaltender, and they're a very talented team, but they're not as good as the Pittsburgh Penguins.

But, when it has come down to do-or-die time, the Habs have made the plays, gained the momentum, and taken it to the Pens. We have one last, final opportunity to prove that we deserve to be in the next round, despite how inconsistent we've been in the first two rounds. It's time for us to finally seize the moment in front of our fans and make a demonstrative statement of purpose.

I just hope our boys have it in them.