I have no defense

I'm not even sure who that team was last night that showed up in the Pens jerseys. That definitely was not the same crew who produced back-to-back Stanley Cup final appearances.

It started ten seconds into the game, and was all downhill from there. Exactly what I preached about no more than 3 hours before the game, letting in soft goals and maintaining some sort of defense. 30 seconds into the game it was already 1-0 Montreal on their first shot. By the third goal, M.A. Fleury should have been pulled. By the fourth goal it was entirely too late.

To be honest, it was the first game that I've watched of the Pens where Crosby played completely uninspired. If you compare this game to the Gold Medal game, the only similarity between the two players was the last name. He took a terrible penalty 10 seconds in, and for the rest of the game resorted to acting like he did the first two years in the league. Rather than having a quiet focus and attacking the net, he chirped away, got frustrated, and complained. Yes, I said it, Sid the Kid complained. I thought those days were long gone, but it was like I was watching that same over-hyped rookie.

Now on the positive front, many players gave it their all. Jordan Staal is by far my favorite player on this team. The guy does not give up and plays very old-school. Hits hard, works relentlessly on the penalty kill, and crashes the net. He is our 3rd Line center but could easily be a #1 on any other team. Sergei Gonchar, albeit one dumb mistake, is still one of the best defenseman in the game, and needs to be kept on the team for power-play chances alone.

It's been described as the curse of multiples. Many coaches have described the most difficult task in sports is not winning a championship, but trying to repeat. Trying to win multiple titles or appear in the finals is an insurmountable task. It showed last night. Montreal is a very hungry team, with an outstanding goalie. The Pens ONLY in last night's game played with no sense of urgency and played like they assumed they would win. Well guys, you'll have plenty of time now to think about it, while Caps and Pens fans debate over whose team is worse.

Personally, this year is a wash. Both teams underperformed and neither made it to the Eastern Conference finals. The good news is now Montreal ranks with the NY Islanders and Florida Panthers as teams who crushed the more talented Penguins teams. I still hope someone can stop this Canadiens team, because I can't stand the thought of them getting any further.

Goodbye Civic Arena (I'll never call it Mellon Arena) and your three Stanley Cup titles. For in the 2010-2011 season the Penguins will start anew, much like an expansion franchise in their home digs at the Consol Energy Center. Let's hope the opening ceremony there is nothing like the farewell party we gave the old Igloo.