Did Crosby Not Shake Captain’s Hand?
In a bizarre, but also reprehensible story, Red Wing players are calling out Sidney Crobsy for not shaking captain Nick Lidstrom and alternate captain Kris Draper's hands. Said Draper:
"Nick was waiting and waiting, and Crosby didn't come over to shake his hand," Draper told an Associated Press reporter a couple hours later as he was leaving Joe Louis Arena. "That's ridiculous, especially as their captain, and make sure you write that I said that!"
The Penguins did respond, but not Crosby:
"Nobody respects the traditions of hockey more than Sidney Crosby," team vice president Tom McMillian said. "It was a young team celebrating its first Cup and some of the guys might have been a little late getting into the handshake line."
Even with the two different stories, I would be more inclined to believe the Red Wings players. And if it's true, it's a shame. One of the greatest things about hockey is the respect players have for one another. Even after hard fought series, they still manage to shake each others hand, and congratulate them. It's one of the greatest traditions. Crosby, apparently, violated it. It's wrong. There's a code in hockey, a respect. And captains of teams have to be the leaders in maintaining that code and respect. Crosby couldn't do it. He's the youngest captain to win a Cup. He sure acted young and immature there. It's interesting. Crosby was too hurt to play, but he seemed fine skating around with the Cup. He, apparently, was too excited to shake the other captain's hand.
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Penguins Win Cup
In a terrific finish to a terrific season, the Pittsburgh Penguins are champions of hockey. Even with Sidney Crosby hurt, sitting out most of the second and third periods, the Penguins found a way to persevere, capped off by an amazing last second save by Marc-Andre Fleury on Nik Lidstrom. I'm an unabashed Pens hater--as a Ranger fan, you almost have to hate them. But, they deserved to win, and I congratulate them. I cannot wait until next season.
Can Penguins Force Game 7?
Can the Penguins force a Game 7 against the Red Wings? Or will the be forced to watch the Wings celebrate in Pittsburgh once again? To go to game 7, Marc-Andre Fleury has to step up his game. He can't let soft goals. He needs to be the backbone of his team. Evegni Malkin needs to stay out of the box and start scoring and distributing. Sidney Crosby needs a big game. The Red Wings are tough, experienced, resilient. The Pens might need a miracle to win. We shall see.
