Game 7 predictions

By Jeff

No matter what you hear about tonight's Game 7 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning, know that past Game 7 results mean nothing and most predictions for the game are useless.

You will hear that the Pens have a history of blowing Game 7's at home. You will hear about last season's loss to the Montreal Canadiens. You will hear about how Mario Lemieux was denied a shot at his third cup by the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers. None of that matters tonight.

It's a fairly obvious statement, but media and fans are quick to talk about the past as if it will somehow factor in to tonight's game. This is not 2010, 1996 or 1993, so let's not be so excited to act like those results matter in 2011.

On the flip side, The Fan Morning Show's Paul Alexander mentioned that home teams are 2-0 in Game 7 this postseason. That would be a very insightful stat if one of those two wins was the Pens'. It's not (obviously) so it shouldn't give Pens fans any encouragement.

I won't predict a score. That would make it seem like I have some inkling of what it might be. I don't. The only things I can predict with some certainty are:

• I will be uncomfortable any time Martin St. Louis has the puck. It won't matter where he is on the ice

• My heart will skip a beat any time Marc-Andre Fleury goes behind the net to play a puck

• I will get very excited any time Dwayne Roloson goes behind the net to play a puck

• Ryan Malone will take at least one stupid penalty

• Alexei Kovalev won't shoot the damn puck and will probably take a stupid penalty

• Tyler Kennedy will skate hard down the right side and rip a slap shot into Roloson's chest

• As good as Zbynek Michalek has been, there will be at least two instances where his sprawling on the ice will put him out of position

• Steve Downie will be a prick

• The Pens' power play will stink

• I will have a sense of calm when Steven Stamkos has the puck

• The Pens' fourth line will be their best line like they have the rest of the series

Any other predictions?

Tay Zonday - Chaos