Game 7 prediction

The Detroit Red Wings have won four Stanley Cups and been in the Final series six times since 1995. The Phoenix Coyotes have not gotten past the first round of the playoffs since 1987, when they were the Winnipeg Jets. Tonight, they meet in a winner-take-all Game 7.

Want to know what moment defines the Coyotes/Jets franchise history to me? It was a video put out by the NHL and CBC following the 1992 playoffs. It was hosted by Ron MacLean and the great Dick Irvin of Hockey Night In Canada. It was simply a countdown of the 50 greatest goals in Stanley Cup playoff competition. Not surprisingly, Bobby Orr's Cup-winner in 1970 was first and Bob Nystrom's Cup-winner in 1980 was second.

The Jets were represented in the countdown one time. I can't remember where it ranked, exactly, but the ranking doesn't matter. The goal was scored in Game 4 of the 1990 Smythe Division semifinal by Dave Ellett. It ended a double overtime game and sent the fans at the Winnipeg Arena into a frenzy as their beloved Jets took a 3-1 series lead over the mighty (though no longer with Wayne Gretzky) Edmonton Oilers.



Of course, the Jets would go on to lose the next three games and lose the series while the Oilers would go on to win the Cup. So CBC ranked the greatest Jets playoff goal as one that happened in a series they didn't even win. Ladies and gentlemen, the Winnipeg Jets! (And the Phoenix Coyotes!)

Anyway, these Coyotes have shown a lot. They didn't even have a coach until late in camp and still don't have an owner. They have no star players. They don't have any fans, although they have a lot of people pretend to be and show up to their home playoff games dressed in white. They went to Detroit and dominated the Red Wings in Game 6 when everyone in the world thought the Red Wings would close them out.

But I don't think they're going to win. Too much baggage. Not enough talent. The Red Wings don't care about that silly White Out and Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk aren't ready to say goodbye to their run with a first-round loss.