Today was the last day of the 2007-08 NHL hockey season. The play-off season begins on Wednesday. The last possible day for it all to be over for the year is 9 June. A long season.
The Wings ended the season in fine style, by showing the Blackhawks who was in charge. After last week's embarrassing loss, Detroit won 4-1 today. And they looked as if they were in play-off mode. Good to see. Hudler managed a goal today to end his dry spell--hopefully it will follow into the play-offs. My biggest disappointment was that Baby Boy didn't get his 20th for the year--that time off with the injuries kept him from achieving the mark. Well, there is always next year.
With today's win, the Wings' goaltenders won the Jennings Trophy. It is given to the goaltenders of the team with the fewest goals scored against them for the season. Hasek and Osgood did very well this year and deserve the recognition. Hope Hasek can keep himself healthy through the play-offs.
--William M. Jennings Trophy--
Before the game today, the Wings were presented with the Presidents' Trophy. It is awarded to the team with the best overall record for the year and Detroit won it with 115 points--7 points ahead of the next team. But, as has happened most years, it means nothing during the play-offs. In 2002, the Wings won the Presidents' and then won the Cup--a team hasn't won both in the same year since.
In hockey--as in most sports--there are many traditions and superstitions. As the superstition goes, when being awarded the Presidents' Trophy, the captain of the team--or ANY member of the team--cannot touch the trophy at all. Big time bad luck to touch the Presidents' before winning the Cup. As the pictures show, Lidstrom couldn't stand far enough away from the Trophy today. (The captain accepts the award for the team.) It is rather amusing.
--Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom stands next to the 2007-08 President's Trophy as the National Hockey League's regular season champion before the start of their NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Detroit, Michigan April 6, 2008. Reuters--
And It Is Done...And It Begins
