We don’t have the historical frame of reference at the tip of our fingers here and, even so, there’s likely not a ton of historical data to back it up, but let’s just say — for argument’s sake — that the Stanley Cup final of 2008 was the most lopsided series — that appeared close — of all time.

In this modern era of short-term memory, it’s easy to forget — amidst the tension and drama of Game 5 — that Games 1 and 2 really only had one team on the ice. After 4-0 and 3-0 losses on the road, the Pittsburgh Penguins left some people (me) jokingly suggesting that the Detroit Red Wings would become the first team to win a Cup without having a goal scored against them.

Yet the Pens managed, somehow, to push that thing to six games, even though the circumstances of Game 5 gave them no chance at all. They were dominated in that game as they had been throughout the series, but they managed to sneak one in here and there.

And that’s what the final felt like: A straw-weight jabber just trying to get a shot at the heavyweight’s nose when it’s exposed.

The Penguins mustered a Lilliputian-like four shots in the third period of Game 5 in Detroit, a game that held their fate in its balance. Not exactly inspired, all things considered. Yet one of those shots, produced a goal that was a part of creating one of the great Cup final games ever, even if Pittsburgh was only there for half of it.

And Game 6 held the same. Detroit needn’t worry about where the Cup was going, because the Red Wings showed that it was only a matter of time before it was residing in the Motor City.

The Penguins were out-matched, out-played, and out-shot in all six games and their lone credit is that they somehow — against all those odds — managed to take the thing that far.

In the end, it was painfully true they weren’t on the same level as the team that claimed the Cup.

Like that plucky straw-weight, they looked happy to be there until they took the roundhouse that ended it all.