The Thought Locker: Stanley Cup Championship Edition

Watching the finale of the Stanley Cup Play-offs while sitting at the bar in the Rainbow Lounge before a show at the Roxy was such a Los Angeles ending to a Cinderella story of a series. This is why I love my life. I only hope the pundits are right and the Kings are modeling the Blackhawks development curve. Watching Johnny "Captain Serious" Toews lift that Cup just made me want my boys to do it that much sooner.

I had some other thoughts too...

• If the goal that won the series doesn't have you convinced the "Hockey Gods" exist, nothing will. While Patrick Kane was looking up and saying "Thank you for liking me, guys!," Michael Leighton was looking down and thinking "What did I do to offend you?"

• Speaking of Patrick Kane, is there any greater argument that mistakes are eventually forgiven? The guy goes from beating up a cab driver before the season even starts to becoming the hero of the Stanley Cup Final.
  

• Probably none of my hockey buddies are happier right now than Erika Zimmerman. After changing her Twitter handle several times during the regular NHL season, something tells me she'll be sticking with Hattrickkane for a while!

• Could Patrick Sharpe be any hotter? He looked good enough at Staples Center in March...

...but the playoffs proved he can work the play-off beard too.

• Thanks to the Chicago Tribune, no NHL forward needs to fear Chris Pronger any longer. They can just imagine him in a figure skating skirt, laugh, and skate right by him from now on.

• The Blackhawks win also meant that I won a bet with my friend and favorite Philly Fanatic Tammy Good. I'm now 2-2 in bets on big games, since I also won my Olympic bet on Team Canada. Maybe if I had bet someone on the Kings clearing round 1, it would have happened. Better get my money ready for Frozen Fury weekend now...