How many times since the Detroit Red Wings lost to the Penguins on Tuesday night have you heard someone say, "Anything can happen in Game 7?"
You've probably said it yourself.
But truth is, that's one of the most inaccurate sports cliches out there.
In reality, there's no game in which being at home is more important.
There have been 14 Game 7s in Stanley Cup Final history, and the home team has prevailed 12 times (85.7 percent), including six in a row since 1987.
The most recent to win Game 7 on the road in the Final was Montreal at Chicago in 1971.
In this decade, alone, home teams are 4-0.
The number isn't quite as overwhelming for the entire NHL playoffs, but it is still a solid edge. Teams with home ice are 81-48 (62.8 percent) in Game 7 overall, although just 2-3 this year.
In the current series that has been dominated by home cooking, it all comes down to Friday night at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
For either the Red Wings or Penguins, it's win and sip or lose and weep.
"That's as big as it gets," Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "It will be a fun game to play in."
"We'll take it any day, 3-3 in games, play for the Stanley Cup at home," Detroit forward Mikael Samuelsson said. "That's a pretty good scenario."
For the NHL and NBC, it's ideal. There couldn't be a better script.
A classic Game 7 will make this one of the all-time great series in Final history.
The home team has won every game. The defending Cup-champion Red Wings, in fact, are 11-1 in the playoffs on home ice.
The Penguins are 6-6 on the road, including being outscored, 11-2, at Joe Louis Arena in three losses.
"I think most people were saying it would go seven when it started," Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood said. "It's been a heck of a series."
The Red Wings are going to be pushed to the limit because they couldn't finish off the Penguins in Game 6 on the road like they did last year.
Despite not getting a point from Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins forced a seventh game with a 2-1 victory at Mellon Arena.
Both goals were by third-line players, Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy, giving the Penguins some much-needed secondary scoring.
It was the first time in the playoffs the Penguins won without points from Crosby and Malkin, and the second consecutive game the duo has been shut down.
The perception is the Penguins can't win if their young stars don't deliver, especially against a team with the Red Wings' quality depth.
But they proved that wrong when goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and defenseman Rob Scuderi held off a late desperate bid from Detroit.
Now, Friday's game decides everything with Crosby and Malkin due for a breakout.
The Red Wings are 12-7 in Game 7s, including a 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in the second round on May 14 at Joe Louis Arena.
Dan Cleary scored the winning goal with three minutes remaining.
One night earlier, the Penguins went on the road to eliminate the Washington Capitals, 6-2, in another Game 7.
The Penguins also lost the first two games of that series, just like they did against the Red Wings, before rallying.
The extra day off between games here should provide "two refreshed teams," according to Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg.
Players naturally are banged up at this point, but all of the key figures are expected to play.
So both teams appeared prepared for the pressure of this winner-take-all game.
"We've been through a lot the last couple years, as far as are our playoff runs," Red Wings veteran Kirk Maltby said. "But we haven't had a lot of them (Game 7s) over the last few years (two since 1997). Now we've got two in one playoff run.
"I've only been in a couple. It's going to be a great atmosphere. Pressure or not, both teams are going to have it. We can't go in with the mindset that (home ice) guarantees us anything. It's do-or-die now. It's up to us to go out and play our best game."
The Red Wings' biggest problem during these playoffs -- and really all season -- has been getting off to slow starts.
It often takes them into the second, or even third, period at times, putting them in a struggle, before they really get rolling.
One more of those could ruin their back-to-back championship bid.
Additional Information:DECIDING FACTOR
While the Penguins never have been involved in a Stanley Cup Final Game 7, the Detroit Red Wings are 3-3 in deciding games, having played in the first six during a span of 22 years, beginning in 1942. Here is a look at the all-time results of Game 7's:
Year/Result
1942/Toronto* 3, Detroit 1
1945/Toronto 2, Detroit* 1
1950/Detroit* 4, N.Y. Rangers 3, 2OT
1954/Detroit* 2, Montreal 1, OT
1955/Detroit* 3, Montreal 1
1964/Toronto* 4, Detroit 0
1965/Montreal* 4, Chicago 0
1971/Montreal 3, Chicago* 2
1987/Edmonton* 3, Philadelphia 1
1994/N.Y. Rangers* 3, Vancover 2
2001/Colorado* 3, New Jersey 1
2003/New Jersey* 3, Anaheim 0
2004/Tampa Bay* 2, Calgary 1
2006/Carolina* 3, Edmonton 1
*-Home team
