The NHL’s biggest mainstream media events of the season are over, but man were they good.  HBO’s 24/7 finale was a beauty; the Winter Classic was worth all that hype in the end.  Highlights from the last episode:

– Matt Cooke’s son in the matching suit.  That is gangsta.  And then his dad throws some muscle around in the game.

When I grow up...

– Marc-Andre Fleury taunting everyone in the shootout. He should wear a mic every single day and do running commentary.  Like one of those web channels that just shows kittens day and night. “@wyshynski: Think we just discovered what the F in MAF stands for.”

-Jordan Staal: Way to make a comeback count. Great practice at Heinz Field, great game in the WC.  Really cool to see Bylsma debating with him whether or not he could play. [Video]

Jordan pretends to be patient.

– Capitals celebrating NYE by pretending to go to sleep early.  Where was Ovi?  HBO didn’t catch him sneaking out of the hotel?  Bah!

– The locker room footage of Crosby all loopy after the unexpected hit.  After he skated off doubled-up, NBC never mentioned it again.  They didn’t have the HBO access.

– Boudreau’s SO happy at the end of the Classic, it made me happy.  For the Caps.  What is wrong with me?

Ovi starts a new trend.

I hope NBC watched HBO for camera angles and other technical tips.  The aerial shots of the Classic on NBC were nauseating and distracting – people complain that it’s hard to follow the puck on TV, then NBC makes it much worse by shooting from space.

We all learned a lot from 24/7 and we’ll miss it terribly.  Not least of all for the ridiculous moments where HBO pulled no punches and just went for the joke.  Yahoo’s Puck Daddy blog captured this one: Note to Mike Green: Who wears a tan belt? (Yes, it’s a belt.  An embarrassing belt. Some HBO producer keeled over laughing.)

Goodnight, everbody.