I'm exhausted today. How many of you out there are too? You also stayed up till all hours watching the marathon Stars/ Sharks 7-period game? WHEW!!!!

"Exciting" doesn't even begin to do the game justice. After the last two gut-wrenching losses of Games 4 & 5, RJ & I were as nervous as we could be watching last night's spectacle.

We have our lucky mojos we do for every playoff game- we burn candles, we put up our Stars posters, we wear black for the home games just as if we were there, we make sure our 'rally cats' are sitting in the room with us (I know our two cats just love that but, hey, they've got to pitch in and do their part too).

Those things seemed to be working alright for the first round against the Ducks and Games 1, 2 & 3. Then came the stumbling blocks. I got as superstitious as a ballplayer. I was afraid to make any changes. What had I done differently for 4 & 5?  Aha, I remembered. I dozed off a couple of times during both. How could anyone call me a real fan if I couldn't stay awake. How could I not devote my full attention to them when the boys were trying so hard?

"Turcolicious" Marty

Well, things would be different for Game 6. Lucky for me, I took a nap during the day, not even realizing I would be up till the wee hours ! 8PM. Game time on Fox Sports Southwest with the brilliant team,  Daryl "Razor" Reaugh and Ralph Strangis.  We had our dinner out of the way, all lucky charms activated and were ready. First period came and went. Nothing. Second period and Antti Miettinen scored for Dallas- oh boy, they were really gonna put this game away!  They didn't allow the Sharks to come back with a score! Great!!!  Then, the disappointing first couple of minutes into the third period.... Ryane Clowe tied the game. Here came those big knots in my stomach. I was wringing my hands, pulling at my hair, keeping any eye on the candles- were they still burning? Was everything else still in place?

The minutes, then seconds, were ticking away. I just kept thinking to myself "Please don't let us go into OT- I can't take it"    Well, into overtime they indeed went.  First OT ended..... as Razor says "Oh my, that was larceny..."

Second OT - as grueling as the first. You could see the boys getting tired. I was and I was only watching.

Third OT had a couple of heart-stoppers when the Sharks thought they scored but "King Marty" was sitting on the puck and when they went on the Power Play but my Starry lads defended and Turco held his ground.

Fourth OT started. Razor commented that most all the fans were still there- amazing, since it was well after 1am now. Not only were they still there, the folks on the bottom sections were all standing and had been most of the overtime periods. AAC was rockin', rally towels were being slung, the crowds were chanting "Marty, Marty, Marty"....

Ralph announced that the game had just become the 10th longest in NHL history. I could barely watch but kept telling myself I had to. A true fan will watch to the end, no matter what.

Then, suddenly, a miracle. Shark Brian Campbell was called for tripping. We were going on the Power Play. There had hardly been any penalties in the entire game and this was just the second on all of the OT's. Here was a gift handed to the Stars on a silver platter. This was going to be it....this HAD to be it.....please let this be it.

As fittingly as anything ever could be, the Stars Captain Brendan Morrow slid one past Evgeni Nabokov. The whole place erupted. There was screaming, cheering, laughter, tears, & sighs of relief.... and that was just me Oh, it was perfect - perfect that Brendan had the game winner. He's the Energizer Bunny, he's a Timex watch, he's the little engine that could. After he had those two goals denied in Game 5, it was the icing on the cake that he put the puck in the net for the victory.

Captain Brendan Morrow

The game ended up lasting a total of 5 hours and 14 minutes. 7 periods. Third longest game in Stars history & I read this morning it was the 8th longest in NHL history- obviously the minutes were still ticking away when Ralph told it was the 10th longest.

And I watched it all. I feel so good today! I am enjoying that elation because they face the Red Wings next- first game is Thursday in Detroit and the butterflies in my stomach will soon return.

If only my Mavs could have done this well...........

Stars vs Sharks - Game 6 May 4 (and 5th!), 2008