The Flyers have Jeff Carter, Patrick Sharp, and a young Artemi Panarin.
We lost Game 1 despite two goals from Sid.
In Game 2, Quick shut out the Flyers and Barrett Jackman scored in OT to give us the win.
Game 3 goes to us. Sid scored a goal.
Game 4 is going to forever be known as the Sid Playoff Hat Trick game. He scored three on the same powerplay after Tyler Kennedy delivered an illegal check to the head on him. Guy is a legend. We won 6-1 and Kennedy got suspended for two games.
Game 5 is ours despite a quiet night from Sid. He’s saving it for round 2.
We draw the newly relocated Winnipeg Jets in round 2. If anyone needs a reminder, Ilya Kovalchuk absolutely smoked us three years ago. This time around, though, we have a fully evolved Hedman, which should help.
We lose Game 1 in OT when renowned playmaker Andrew Ebbett set up the game winner. Sid had a goal.
We win Game 2 after a goal and assist from Sid.
Sid scored twice and we win Game 3. Come on, boys.
Game 4, Jonathan Quick pitched a shutout and Victor Hedman walked out of the game with a 100 game rating. Sid had a hand in both goals, he scored one and set up the other.
We beat them down in Game 5 in Winnipeg. Sid had a goal and assist and we are heading to the Conference Final for the second time! Crosby 1 – Toews 1.
Here we go, we’re playing the Bruins.
Where I think we can take advantage of them is their relatively weak D. Last time I said that, though, Ilya Kovalchuk killed us.
Game 1 to Boston. Troy Grosenick shuts us out.
Game 2 to us. Sid has a quiet game.
Game 3, we win. Mike Santorelli has 10 assists in the playoffs. Sid quiet again.
We take Game 4. Sid has a pair of assists.
Oh my god, we won Game 5. We won Game 5. We’re heading to the Final. Sid has two assists in the win. And, because he’s the captain now instead of Barrett Jackman, I’m assuming he touches the Prince of Wales Trophy.
Vancouver is our opponent in the Final. They are led by the Sedins and Ryan Kesler but are not without their faults. They never traded for Luongo in this universe and so they have Evgeni Nabokov and Jeremy Duschesne in net.
Game 1 to us. Sid with first star honours after contributing with an assist.
Game 2 to us. Sid assists all three goals and Jonathan Quick shuts them out.
We lose Game 3. Brock Nelson, who is a Canuck, explodes for five points. Sid has a goal in the loss.
We also lose Game 4. We’ve been shut out by both Jeremy Duchesne and Troy Grosenick in these playoffs.
Sid scores twice and we win Game 5 in front of a packed Air Canada Centre.
We lost Game 6 in OT after a Jeremy Colborne goal. Sid has an assist in the loss.
Okay, Game 7.
The Canucks are absolutely being led into battle by the Sedin twins, who are somehow working their magic against our Hedman-Josi pairing while Sid is getting stoned by Jeremy Duchesne. Vancouver, of course, has already won a Cup. They beat Roberto Luongo and the Panthers to do it. If they can beat us, I’m ready to put them in the same category as the overwhelmingly good Detroit Red Wings of the 2000s.
The game opens with a Daniel Sedin goal from Jonas Brodin. Jaden Schwartz ties it. Halfway through the third, Tom Pyatt converts on a pass from Sid to give us the lead. With eight minutes left, Sid takes an elbowing penalty, and we escape with the lead. With five minutes left in the game, we have 35 shots to their 17. I won’t be too mad if they give Duchesne the Conn Smythe.
Oh my god, we did it. We won. Sid has won his Stanley Cup and gets the Conn Smythe for his troubles. Three years after he won it for the first time in real life, Sid has a Stanley Cup.
Winning in Toronto must have been one of the most incredible sports moments of this alternate reality. Sid has truly cemented his place among the greats by bringing Toronto its 14th Stanley Cup. Of course, for us fans of other teams, it must be hell having to watch Sidney Crosby lift the Cup endlessly on loop all summer while TSN and Sportsnet go on and on about the Leafs.
The best thing is, Sid is still only 26, Quick 27, Hedman 22, Eberle 23, Josi 23, and Henrique 23. We also have Forsberg who is 19, Landeskog 20, and Schwartz 21. After the roster missteps early in Sid’s career, we were able to build depth through the draft. We are now reaping the benefits of the those underperforming teams. We have an embarrassment of riches right now. There’s a good chance this team can bring #15 to Toronto before their primes end.
In a lot of ways, too, the early 2010s were lost opportunities for the real Sid, so it’s kind of amazing to see him win it here.