Final Fight

I'm getting ready to leave for the St. Petersburg Times Forum for game 7... I'll be joined by my colleague from the great white north, Keith, who'll be adamantly hoping his Calgary Flames can win the Cup...

While the Tampa Bay Metro region that surrounds him will be hoping for just the opposite.

We never expected it to come to this. And I can't believe it's happening - not only am I going to a Stanley Cup final game, but I am going to the grand finale of the series -- Game 7. The Cup will be in the building and, if God wills it, Gary Bettman just may say "Dave Andreychuk, come get your Stanley Cup" when all is said and done.

This is the apex of the Pass the Friggin' Torch tour -- the Lightning / Flames finals may be low rated on TV but they are creating more movement in the league than can be seen. Teams are watching the systems at work and adjusting, or making plans to mimic them, to better their own chances next year.

One team will be left standing tonight. One team that no one thought would be at this point. One team that no one expected to get this far. The question is - which one?

I'll post another open thread before I leave - so those not in attendance can post during the game...

And my final thought is this:

GO BOLTS!