Investment advisors are always careful to warn prospective clients that past performances are not indicative of what may happen in the future. No matter how reliable the track record, there are no guarantees.

These words of caution and wisdom aren’t always heeded in the world of sports. Sports fans and yes even experts often let passion get the better of their objectivity. In investment, this can cost someone a lot of money. Mind you, if you gamble on sports this can apply as well.

After six games in the Stanley Cup finals the Penguins and Red Wings were all knotted up 3-3 with one last game to go to determine a champion. Everyone weighed in with their predictions. Most of it falling heavily in favor of the Detroit Red Wings for two main reasons. One was the experience factor (although it’s not like Pittsburgh was completely devoid of any) and second home ice advantage.

It made perfect sense. The Wings are a championship big red machine - is that phrase a Cincinnati Reds copyright? - with plenty of depth and experience. Including this final, they were winners of four Stanley Cups and six finals since 1995. They never finished worse than fifth place overall in the regular season. In 1996, they won an NHL record 62 wins previously held by the Montreal Canadiens. During this time (1995-2009), no team has won more games than the Red Wings.

By contrast, the Pens were thought to not possess Detroit’s depth in its line-up (even though Crosby scored just one goal in the series and was hurt in the third period of game seven)and were too young to challenge Detroit’s savoir-faire. Pittsburgh was going to win a Stanley Cup one day - just not this year. On the other hand, if there was one thing in Pittsburgh’s favor, so the thinking went, it was their “youthful enthusiasm”. Indeed, Detroit was thought to be getting tired as the post season dragged on. Some believed the Anaheim series drained them.

Home-ice never seemed to matter as much as it did in this year’s playoffs and in this final in particular. The home team won every time. Ergo, Detroit was going to win game seven. This sort of logic, however rational it may present itself, can deceive. And it did in game seven.

Dante Alighieri believed there were limits to reason and philosophy. Faith had its own role to play in life. The Pittsburgh Penguins and its army of fans allowed faith to drive their team. The result was a third Stanley Cup for the franchise. A franchise that has been blessed with some of the greatest hockey players to ever play in Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and now Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The latter duo clearly on their way to sports immortality in a city filled with legends.

Pittsburgh is now home to two champions: The Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins.

Man is not a predictable animal. Sure, there are strong patterns that allow us to make reasonable judgments (and it was reasonable to pick Detroit) but the Penguins reminded us all to look beyond our finger tips sometimes.