In true heart-pounding fashion, the Pittsburgh Penguins rose to the challenge and defeated the favourite Detroit Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup. That they did so without the services of Sidney Crosby for more than half the game was remarkable, too, but for the most part this win was about character and heart.

Winning their third Cup in franchise history in Detroit’s building couldn’t have been an easy task for these young Pens and it almost didn’t happen. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made a critical save in the dying seconds of the game to keep his team’s 2-1 lead and Maxime Talbot provided both Pittsburgh goals.

In the end, it wound up being about depth and role players for the Penguins. They were able to get pucks deep and play hard along the boards against the veteran Wings, giving their team and their young players the extra boost over the edge necessary to get the better of the prepared, skilled Detroit team.

Evgeni Malkin earned the Conn Smythe Trophy after scoring 36 points in the post-season. He is the first Russian-born player to win the award.

Crosby missed about half of the game after being clipped by Wings centre Johan Franzen along the boards in the second period. He returned for only one shift of the final period and had to sit on the bench while his team pulled off the victory. “I don’t recommend anyone trying watch the Stanley Cup final, Game 7 from the bench. It’s a tough situation,” Crosby said after raising the Cup as the youngest player to do so.

The Penguins also become the first road team since the ‘71 Habs to begin a Stanley Cup final down two games and yet still win it all in the seventh and deciding game away from home.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.