For just the second time in the last 10 years, the Stanley Cup Finals will go to a Game 7 when St. Louis and Boston play in a winner-take-all game for the title Wednesday night in Boston.
Ironically, the game will be played 10 years to the date of another Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, one which will bring painful memories to Red Wings fans.
The last opportunity any of the Detroit sports professional teams had to win a championship was on June 12, 2009, when the Red Wings hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of that year’s Stanley Cup Finals (we’re not counting the Tigers appearing in the 2012 World Series, because the opportunity to capture the title by winning one game never came in a Giants sweep).
But home ice couldn’t help the Wings, who fell behind 2-0 and despite a late rally, lost 2-1 and the title to the Penguins.
As joyous as it was for the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh the year before, it was equally painful to see Penguins captain Sidney Crosby lift the trophy on Joe Louis Arena ice.
While the Penguins went on to win two more Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, the Red Wings haven’t made it past the second round of the playoffs after that lost opportunity at home 10 years ago.