As every sports fan knows a Game 7 is the pivotal game. Whether baseball, basketball, or hockey. And coming up on Friday June 12 will be one of the most important games played in all of sports. A Game 7 for the Stanley Cup Finals. The best two teams stand, the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The race to four games will end on Friday night.

The Red Wings have always been a dominant team in the National Hockey League dating back to the Original Six. They have won 11 Stanley Cups, which is the most for a United States team, and third most overall. Being a very tight defensive team is why they’ve been able to get to the Finals for a second straight year. Their goalie Chris Osgood has always been a solid goalie and no doubt one of the best in the playoffs. And they do have quite the offense with Henrik Zetterberg, Marian Hossa, and Pavel Datsyuk leading them. But Datsyuk has played only two games so far this series (though he was the turning point in Game 5.) Marian Hossa who has gained far too much attention for playing with the Penguins last year and then going to Detroit hasn’t scored a goal at all this series and only has 6 goals total. Many people say the Red Wings are old and tired but they have been in pressure situations and they are machines. Do not count the Red Wings out but in order for them to win they need their offensive weapons to fire.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are still being called young. This is their third straight year in making the playoffs. Having gone through only two losses last year before losing the Stanley Cup in six games and it was obvious how the Red Wings were overwhelming. This season in January many people counted out the Penguins while being in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. They had a late season surge while having a new coach Dan Bylsma. But this year winning in six games against the Philadelphia Flyers, winning in seven games against the Washington Capitals and then sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes it is obvious the Penguins have learned from last year. The Penguins were able to get veteran players and Stanley Cup winning players not only during free agency but also at the trade deadline. The Penguins were battle tested early in the playoffs and tested in goaltending. Having stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and one of the best goalies Marc-Andre Fleury make them very hard to stop. The Penguins are far too good this year and have the will and knowledge to win a Game 7.

Penguins were down 0-2 when they came to Mellon Arena and won two straight - Dropped game 5 and came back and won game 6 while facing elimination. The home team so far is 6 – 0. The Joe Louis Arena, home to the Red Wings, is a tough and loud building. But at this point statistics mean nothing. It comes down to who has what it takes to win a Game 7 and who wants to win the most coveted award in the NHL and the oldest award in sports. Lord Stanley’s Cup. And the Pittsburgh Penguins have got what it takes to be the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

Game 7
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Detroit Red Wings, Friday Jun 12 8:00pm ET on NBC