I understand and have sympathy for Hartford folks who lost the team. It wasn't as if we asked for the Whalers to move down to Raleigh. It was pretty much bolt-from-the-blue type stuff when it was announced they were coming. NC State had been trying to get a new arena built for years, but could never come up with the scratch on their own to do it. Karmanos couldn't get a new arena deal in Hartford to his liking and the folks in Raleigh decided to jump on the chance to get a pro sports team and get the arena built not just for NC State, but for the newly coming hockey team and for the city. Rest is history now. I do hate it for Hartford, but what's done is done.
Having said all that, I am so glad my reverse-psychology pessimism paid off. I kept disbelieving they'd win right up until Williams banged home the empty-netter. Even then, with a minute to go, I still was concerned Edmonton had just enough time to put two in and force OT.
At any rate, I discovered how hard it can be to celebrate without actually making much of a sound. I wanted to shout and scream for joy (still want to), but having a two-year-old and a two-month-old asleep at the time of the game's ending ruled that out entirely. My wife barely understands why I love this team and this game and so she indulges me as much as she can, but I think I'd have been in some trouble if I woke the kids up.
Kudos to Edmonton and all their fans. Such tenacity and grit should rarely be rewarded with just the Clarence Campbell Trophy, but that's how it shook out this time. As I noted before, a couple less accurate shots in game four and Edmonton skates away with the Cup on their home ice in game six. It was that close.
Carolina Hurricanes: 2006 Stanley Cup Champions
Even after typing it, it is still hard to believe that the statement is true. It seemed so far away after the dismal funk of 2002-03 and 2003-04 when the team was essentially DFL in the league. Now Brindy, Wesley, Weight, and all the grizzled vets who have fought so long to win a championship finally have it and their names will be engraved for all time. Staal and Ward and Ladd and all the youngbloods get their names on there as well. I hope they realize how fortunate they are to get that honor so young. I don't know what they'll do for an encore in 2006-07, but hopefully it'll be more of the same. The team will change a bit for next year, but hopefully Jim Rutherford can continue to do his magic within Karmanos's penny-pinching constraints to at least produce another successful season and perhaps another deep in the playoffs next year. The Southeast is going to only get harder as Atlanta gets another year older, Ovechkin moves from rookie to bona-fide stud along with whoever they draft near the top of the order in the draft up in Washington, and Tampa Bay looks to bounce back from a mildly disappointing season this year. Should be great fun.
As Ric Flair might say, "The Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup Champions! Woooooo! Woooooo!"