Game 7 Memories

A memorable game through and through. Let's start with the ever so chilling, Vancouver Pre-Game Intro:

One of my favorite moments of the game. Mason Raymond, who was severely injured with a compressed vertebrae fracture, was in attendance with a giant back brace. It almost brought me to tears when the camera went to him:

Fact: There's nothing more magical than a home team announcer calling the team winning the Stanley Cup. Especially if that team hasn't won in over 35 years. The official call of the team winning isn't until the end of the video but you might want to just see how Dave Goucher, Boston announcer, handled himself throughout such a crazy game.

Another Fact: An aspect in hockey, that is unparalleled in any other sport, is the excitement when the Stanley Cup is one. Perhaps the only thing that comes close to this level of pure excitement is in college basketball when an upset is made and the home team fans storm the court. But in hockey, when a team wins the Stanley Cup, over 20 men, who play in the sport deemed by many to be the toughest, jump onto the ice, litter their equipment everywhere, jump with excitement and shed tears of joy. In every other sport, there are more than 1 trophy. In hockey there is only 1 Stanley Cup. And that's what makes winning it all the more exciting. When the players are given a few seconds to skate around the rink hoisting the cup high above their heads, and do what they've dreamed of ever since they were a child. Here is the Boston Bruins doing the above.

Did I mention Tim Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP?

Now another great aspect of hockey. In NO other sport do teams congratulate on another on a win or console the other on a loss. Hockey, the most brutal, unfriendly sport on the planet, has a tradition, that after every playoff series, no matter how long or how vicious, the teams line up and shake hands. This series was the most penalized series in NHL history. Players went back and forth taunting (specifically with fingers), cheap shots (and apparently not so cheap shots), and of course diving galore. But even these two teams lined up and graciously shook each other's hands either wishing the other a congratulations or complimenting their competitiveness.

And then of course they took pictures.

And then it was time to celebrate. And there's no better way to celebrate than to drink out of the Stanley Cup.

And with that, the 2010-2011 NHL season is over. Here's a look back at this postseason;

See y'all again in 109 days!