View from America

By Kevin Asseo BBC Sport in California

It must have been an odd place to be, sitting alone in the penalty box, when your lifelong dream finally comes true.

Lightning win Stanley Cup

That was precisely where Dave Andreychuk found himself when he reached the end of his 22-year quest for ice hockey's ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup.

Instead of counting down the final moments of the Lightning's game seven victory with his team-mates, Andreychuk had to watch from the penalty box after tripping Calgary's Craig Conroy with, fittingly, 22 seconds remaining.

"I was disappointed I couldn't be on the other side with my team-mates, savouring the moment," Andreychuk said.

"It was a moment that has gone through my head lots of times. Finally, it happened."

Chances are the odd ending did not dim Tampa captain Andreychuk's excitement for long at finally being able to lift the Stanley Cup after playing in nearly 1,800 NHL games since breaking into the league with Buffalo in 1982.

Only future Hall of Fame defenceman Ray Bourque played in more regular season games than Andreychuk before winning his first championship, with Colorado three years ago.

Andreychuk may not have quite the credentials of all-time great like Bourque, but he has undoubtedly been one of the league's top players for the past two decades.

Only Luc Robitaille of the Los Angeles Kings has more goals (653) from the left wing position than Andreychuk (634) in the past two decades.

Tampa's 2-1 victory in game seven was a glorious end to a fantastic series in which the last four games were each decided by a single goal.

Unfortunately, very few people were watching.

The TV ratings for the Flames-Lightning series were abysmal, the lowest for a Stanley Cup Finals in years.

For a sport that is on the verge of a prolonged work stoppage as owners and players dig in for a battle over a salary cap, it is a very bad omen.

DAVIDSON EYES DOUBLE SUCCESS

One man not letting the upcoming NHL problems worry him, despite having a huge stake in the proceedings, is Bill Davidson.

Detroit's defence did its job against the Lakers in the game one win

These are the best of times for Davidson, the owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Pistons.

In an era when many owners crave the spotlight more than their star players, the old-fashioned Davidson has remained reclusive even during both teams' championship runs.

To say the least, the 81-year-old Davidson, who looks like your kindly next-door neighbour, has looked a bit out of place sitting courtside at the Pistons-Lakers games with the likes of Jack Nicholson and Snoop Dogg.

A glass manufacturing magnate who bought the Pistons in 1974 and the Lightning in 1999, Davidson has been successful with a formula that more owners would be wise to follow.

Hire the right people for the front office, let them do their jobs without interference, then sit back and enjoy the results.

GAME ON AGAIN FOR GRIFFEY

Whether it is the chase for his 500th home run or, more likely, finally playing free of injury, Ken Griffey Jr is showing signs of a return to the form that made him a perennial All-Star for the first 10 years of his career.

With the injury hex that has followed him since his move from Seattle to Cincinnati in 2000 temporarily removed, Griffey is actually among the National League home run and RBI leaders in 2004.

It will take the outfielder, who has been a mere shadow of his former self since his move to Cincinnati, a long time to win over his critics and the Reds' faithful, but he is moving in the right direction.