Heroes and Villains and Game #6

No other past or future Penguins game exists anymore. There's only one game, tonight's game. It's not the game for the championship. It's the game that decides whether or not the Penguins get to play for the championship. It's a game that can earn back the respect of all the people who have written the Penguins off. There's nothing else to think about. Worry about nothing beyond today, because if the job doesn't get done today, there is no tomorrow to worry about.

Heroes could be made tonight. Santonio-Holmes-TD-catch-in-the-endzone-on-a-late-4th-quarter-drive-type heroes. Jaromir-Jagr-scoring-the-OT-series-winner-against-the-Bruins-in-1992-type heroes.





There will already be plenty of villains on hand tonight. Mike Babcock will be there on the Detroit bench, complaining about every penalty called against Detroit while ordering his imperial red army to illegally yet subtly obstruct every Penguin trying to cross into the Detroit zone. Marion Hossa will one of the faceless redbeards comprising said army, after having sold out his loyalties and his friends for what he thought was the easiest and quickest way to win a championship.





For the Penguins to win, they need to step up and be the heroes. At this point, no one can make them do that but themselves. They've shown in the past that they can rise to the occaision. The only question that remains is whether or not they will do it tonight. If they do, this game could be legendary.