The "for great justice" thing started last season during Round 1 against the Devils. I felt that the Devils were bullying the 'Canes--much like the big lug that took your lunch money in 6th grade--and I wanted to see some justice served up on them like a plate of shrimp and grits. That's what started the "Go Canes, for great justice!" tagline. I resurrected it this season after Game 3 (figuring that since it did seem to work for a couple games last season, maybe it'll work this season), because I wanted to see us dish up some justice on the Devils and turn them out of the playoffs.

We did.

I kept it going in the second round, because I wanted to see us dish up some justice on the Habs and turn them out of the playoffs like they did to us back in 1986.

We did.

And I kept it going in the third round, because I felt that the Leafs were a bunch of schoolyard bullies that also needed to be turned out of the playoffs and because I felt it would be most fitting for Gary Roberts' chance at a Cup to be foiled by the team that he (IMO) abandoned because (in part) he felt that they had no chance at the Cup.

We did.

And so, now I keep it going in the Finals because I sincerely believe that a Hurricanes win would indeed be "for great justice".

Which brings me to the question you asked: "What's the justice in the Hurricanes winning the Cup?"

And here is my answer:

The justice is seeing a team that was once the joke of the NHL rise up and overcome all doubters and detractors and show the NHL that they don't need a large payroll and lots of Future Hall of Famers(tm) to succeed.

Justice for is the Hurricanes making the statement to everyone other than the teams that they've played that they DO deserve to be in the playoffs, that they DO deserve to be where they are, that they DO deserve to exist, and then winning the Cup as a great big fat exclamation point on that statement.

Justice would be Team Everyman winning the Cup and providing hope to small-market medium-budget teams everywhere (not to mention helping to bring more fans in--how can you not like an underdog?) The Carolina Hurricanes' playoff run is obviously appealing to people--look at the ratings, they're up from previous years when it was always more or less the same teams. Somehow, I don't think that's all WingsFans (and people that have hopped on their short-term bandwagon) tuning in.

Justice would be seeing Paul Maurice show that those of us that doubted him were indeed wrong to doubt him, and that the Hurricanes' manglement was right to have stood by him for the last seven seasons.

Justice would be Ron Francis winning a Cup with the team that originally drafted him--even though that team is in a different city and sports a Sightless Eye instead of a Whale Tail.

Justice would be seeing Marek Malik scoring the Cup-winner and hoisting the Cup as a great big fat "SOD YOU, JACK" to all the people that have ever hailed on him and laughed at the possibility of him EVER doing anything right.

Justice would be seeing Arturs Irbe--a man who faced down the might of the Red Army in 1991 and whose grandfather did the same in 1941, a man who lost many relatives to the gulags and who can really teach us North Americans a thing or two about patriotism--redeem himself for failing his country in Salt Lake City and give his countrymen something to really cheer about.

To me, that's justice. Everybody expects the Red Wings to win--and I ask you, where's the justice in that? Everybody would be like "Oh gee, like we didn't see that coming." Winning the Cup is a great accomplishment and I'd be happy for guys like Steve Yzerman and Nick Lidstrom, but still--everybody is expecting it to happen, dubbing it an inevitability like it's the Heat Death of the Universe or something and expecting the Hurricanes and their fans to just roll over and take it like a pooch.

Well skroob that. If the Hurricanes go down, they'll go down fighting tooth and nail--but damned if the Wings will walk away with that Cup.

I respect you and all but two fans on the Wings board. I respect the players on the Red Wings team and recognize that they have great skill. I respect Scotty Bowman for the damn good coach that he is.

But that doesn't change the fact that the Red Wings are the Enemy for the next two weeks, and it doesn't change the fact that--though I'm doing my level best to not flame the folks on the Wings board and just talk about the game--I'm going to defend my tribe.

Because I believe that they're on a mission for justice--and, after all, they are my tribe.