Stanley

Here follows my opinion. It may not match yours. Fair play.

***

I’m a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. This means, like everyone else like me, that we are long-suffering as we watch one of the most talented teams in one of the most expensive markets lose every year. We keep faith and hope that THIS YEAR will be the year that they toughen up and make it happen. Every year since 1967. Still waiting. I know, I know.

But I still love hockey, and I have watched highlights of every game of every series in this weird, bubbled, piped-in crowd noise no-crowd playoffs. I just want to see the best team win.

Last night, the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars in game 6 of the finals to win the 2020 Stanley Cup. Congratulations to them on their victory (I had them picked as winners at the beginning of the season, I should have bet money. Anyway).

It was a hard-fought series, with plenty of injured players and dramas, big hits and rivalries, amazing plays and many examples of solid hockey.

However, many times the Dallas Stars played with what my son calls sour grapes – when the other team is better, you find ways to hurt them and bring them down instead of digging in, playing it right, and finding victory in virtue and that nth factor.

I know it is play-off hockey, and the referees put their whistles away and just let them play (though they did call many penalties this series, many others were let go). Despite their talent, I just cannot respect Radulov, Benn, several others, I’ve never been a fan. I know that Tampa was rough too, and gave as good as they got but, ultimately, I feel the right team won the Cup this year. Dallas, despite playing well enough to get that far in the finals, did not (in my eyes) deserve it.

Looking forward to the 2020-2021 season!