PENGUINS WIN THE STANLEY CUP!!!!!!!!!!

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

With a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in game 7 at Joe Louis Arena, the Penguins captured the franchise's 3rd Cup.

Max Talbot scored both goals for Pittsburgh in the 2nd period and they held up behind 23 saves from goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury -- including a 10-bell save with 1 second left on Red Wings' defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom -- for the victory.

Evgeni Malkin captured the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP, leading the post-season in scoring with 36 points.

The Penguins overcame a left leg injury to their captain, Sidney Crosby, in the second period, on a hit by Johan Franzen. He missed the rest of the period and, after returning for the 3rd period, only took one more shift. He was obviously favoring his injury and didn't hit the ice again for the reaminder of the game.

The Penguins' effort and determination was just fantastic these last few games.

The fact is, the Penguins deserved to win this series. They were the better team.

And, even though the Penguin players won't say it, they have to take pleasure in knowing that their win left 'The Traitor' with egg on his face, sitting on the Red Wings bench at the end of the game, once again without the Stanley Cup.

F-HOSSA.

With this series victory, the Penguins are only the 3rd team in the history of the National Hockey League to win a game 7 on the road.

Want another statistic? Pittsburgh is only the 2nd team in the history of the game to come back to win the Stanley Cup after losing the first two games on the road. They beat the Red Wings 4 of the last 5 games.

Another? They are the first team in the history of the NHL to do that TWICE in the same post-season, after doing the same thing to the Washington Capitals in round 2.

And, for one last note, they are the first professional sports franchise to win a game 7 on the road in the NBA, NHL, or MLB in 30 years, since -- of all teams -- the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series in Baltimore.

I can't say enough about how proud I am of the Penguins.

Words don't describe it.

They were phenomenal.

And now, finally, deservingly, they get rewarded for it.

They get to have their names put on the most hallowed trophy in all of sports -- the Stanley Cup.

CHAMPIONS BABY!!

There's so much to digest with this win and I'll have more up here in the coming days, but it may not come as quickly, because I will be on vacation all of next week.

But rest assured, everyone in Penguin land should be basking in this for weeks and months.

I know I will be.

I believed.

The Penguins are the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions.