Stewardship of the Stanley Cup, the most coveted trophy in the National Hockey League, will be decided this Friday once Game 7 has been played. Everyone knows that the two teams are the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

From whence did these two leviathans of ice arise?

The Red Wings, one of the original six NHL teams, have a rocky history. They had a 20 year losing streak that could only be broken by a bringing in some mad Russians to teach everyone else how to, you know, skate and stuff. They’ve been drinking from the Cup of Lord Stanley since 2007, despite every other team in the league trying to get a sip.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ track record is littered firsts and history-makers. Mario Lemieux was the first team owner to play on his own team and be inducted into the Hall of Fame without the 3 year waiting period. He went on to start a charitable foundation to fight cancer. The Pens also have one of the most ravenous fan bases in professional sports.

Paul Lucci, my co-conspirator in this comic endeavor, lives in/around the Pittsburgh area. He is categorically a Pens fan and his general demeanor is affected by his team’s performance to a frightening degree. 

This is all by way of saying that the recent burning of barns by these two teams has wreaked complete havoc on Paul’s ability to remain standing upright. So today’s comic will be late because the Penguins had to be so damn good.