Stanley Cup Finals 2010: Will the Hossa Curse Strike Again?

After Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Chicago Blackhawks were sitting pretty with a 2-0 lead. That was before they went to Philadelphia and ran into the resilient Flyers.

With the series now tied up 2-2, is it possible that the Hossa curse is still alive?

Marian Hossa is a great regular season player, the last three teams he has played for, Penguins, Red Wings and Blackhawks, have won their division the year he was there. In those three years he has scored 93 regular season goals, 95 assists for a combined 188 points. His playoff numbers though, are not so good.

His year with the Penguins, the numbers are little bit misleading. He played in 20 games, scoring 12 goals, 14 assists for 26 points, but he was no where to be seen in the Stanley Cup finals against the Red Wings.

Once he jumped ship to the Wings, he had an abysmal 6 goals, 9 assists in 22 games. Much like his time with the Penguins, he was no where to be found when it really mattered.

This year in the playoffs, he has 3 goals and 12 assists in 20 games. But has he shown up during the Finals?

In the four games thus far, he has 1 goal and 3 assists. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, he seems to actually be stepping up and making his presence felt. With the Blackhawks, I don't believe he will get the same type of blame, as he did when hewas in Detroit.

If I was a Blackhawks fan, it would make me nervous that the curse of Hossa is going to affect your team. Despite the series tied at 2, Philly has been in all of the games and have played much of it in your zone. This is the time when your veterans step up and take over the game. That means you Marian.

They do say though, a series doesn't start until a team wins on the road. Chicago can win every home game and still win the cup, but they are a better road team in the playoffs. That was until they went to Philly.

I see the curse continuing and the Flyers are going to be hoisting the cup at series end. I wonder where the mercenary will sign with next year...