Next year!

Okay, I'll talk about the game in a minute, maybe. But first, get a load of this one. Citizens Bank (link from Post-Gazette) (which used to be Mellon Bank in this part of the world) is not going to finance some community college loans. Ouch. I have a handful of friends (and some of the toughest cookies I've known) that have gotten their B.A. by attending a CC somewhere. A quote from the article in today's Post-Gazette:

Likewise, Mr. Means (of Westmoreland Community College) could not say how many among his school's 6,200 students are affected, but he predicted confusion and frustration will result from the bank's move.

"The way I look at it is they're losing business," he said. "I think it's a mistake."

Oh yes, it's a mistake. Not that I've ever had an account with Citizen's since I closed my Mellon account when I left da 'Burgh in 1991, but now you better be sure I'm not going to support them, and I bet folks that get shafted will talk with their checkbooks more than my measly blog post.

Okay, I'll let some other people talk about the game:

"They lost to a better team, folks," is the DJ on da X. They are rightfully scolding folks that are calling and asking about the goal that Fleury scored on himself.

Oh, hey, I just got a Tweet from Chris Lucas (Hockeyskates) about the empty net at the end. "I saw your tweet about the empty net - yes, it is so the offense can have an extra man at the end of the game to help tie it up."

"It's the hardest trophy to win in sports," someone else.

"Those guys did a hell of a job."

"They lost to a better team."

Right now they're talking to Sergei Gonchar, defense man. Heartbreaking.

"There's a lot of venting that needs to be done, there's a lot of consoling that needs to be done, and that's why we're here" -- the morning DJs on da X. (I finally added "da" to my computer's dictionary.)

Ron Cook's column: tough being the forgotten bridesmaid.

Video from P-G: Penguin Fans Disappointed but proud.

Last Rink Rat report with Mike Lange, sponsored by Gullifties. Good times.

Mitch Albom's column:

The Wings may have won this thing in six games, but let's be honest: The Penguins are a sleeping young giant, who could be awakened at any time. And for a while, it looked like this series might actually tilt their way. They are a formidable young group, these Penguins, with star power of Crosby and Fleury and Evgeni Malkin -- who finally awoke Wednesday night, scoring the Pens' first goal -- and with 17 players under the age of 30, it would surprise no one to see these two teams in the finals again.

"The hockey gods were not on our side tonight," Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien said. "They deserved to win the Stanley Cup."

Okay, gotta go. Time to get ready for work.