Stanley Cup Finals: Penguins vs Red Wings

Here we are…THE FINALS. What every team’s goal is at the beginning of the year (or should be because some are just a business). All the regular season, signings, flights, warm-ups, training camps, trades, and playoff battles to find out who is in the final.

Here’s a question for you: Is it only a successful year if you don’t win the Cup? Think about it,

There are many goals each team has like make the playoffs, win their division, get home ice advantage, make it past the 1^st or 2^nd round or the conference finals and make the Cup final. Look at Philly last year, they were dead last. After great signings, trades and management they made the top 4. I think that is a successful year. Now the Canucks, Flames and Wild had what I would consider unsuccessful years. Lots of expectations and not many results. Most Oiler fans, even though they didn’t make the playoffs, felt they had a successful year and have much optimism going into next season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins vs The Detroit Red Wings

What a match-up! The NHL can’t be happier to have these two teams colliding for Lord Stanley’s Cup. The biggest name in hockey against the best team in hockey.

I would imagine that most of Canada would be cheering for the Penguins in this series. And why wouldn’t they? This team is fun to watch, it has the super stars and they finally are living up to the hype.

Let’s break this series down:

Who’s got better goaltending? Really who knows; it’s debatable. I think Marc-Andre Fluery is on fire. This kid had lots of hype when he was drafted and until now hasn’t lived up to it. Finally he looks great for more than a game or two. His lateral movement is quick and he isn’t out of position much.

Osgood on the other hand is old faithful. I feel this guy has never gotten the love he’s desired. There has to be something said about a goalie that won a cup already and beat out future hall of famer D.Hasek for the job in the playoffs. He is proving many, many people wrong. Chris seems to be making very few mistakes and is a great positional goalie. I know you can argue that he has a great team in front of him but can’t you do the same for many Cup goalies like Roy in Colorado, Fuhr in Edmonton, Vernon in Calgary.

If I had to make a choice I would go with experience over youth.

These line combinations that the Pittsburgh Penguins are putting out night after night is amazing. It looks like they have 2 #1 lines. Crosby has Dupuis and Hossa with him. Malkin is with Malone and Sykora. On any given night they can put out some sick lines on the Power Play units.

What I like about Pittsburgh is that they have incredible speed and they hit so well. Not to fail to mention, that these guys are super talented. The last time a team had two superstar players like Malkin and Crosby was probably back in Pittsburgh with Lemieux and Jagr. And then the Penguins go and add a super talent in Marian Hossa from Atlanta. Hossa has 19 pts in the playoffs. WOW! Staal and Rutuu are causing head aches to all opposing players and coaching staffs.

Detroit is not going to lay down and let the kids win the Cup. These guys are playoff warriors and have won the cup a few times themselves. Let’s start with their foundation and that is Nicklas “I might be the best defenseman ever” Lidstrom. This guy is a rock. He’s amazing and he’s 38. He won’t be fooled by these kids anytime soon and you better believe he’s been playing against the best players in the world since before this super kids were born. Speaking of old, will Chris Chelios ever retire? He is solid. His experience alone will add depth to this Cup run. We can’t forget that this Red Wing team has some young guns themselves in Datysuk and Zetterburg. These kids can play! They have been torching the league all year long. Can the Penguins D handle these guys? The thing about Detroit is that they are stacked as well. Adding Ralafski to this defensive core gives them more championship rings experience. Draper and Holmstrom might be the two best shut down players in the business.

So to say this series could go either way is an understatement.

Of course I could be wrong but I doubt it. Here’s the prediction everyone and you might be surprised with my winning and the amount of games I am picking.

Detroit wins the Stanley Cup in only 5 games. Remember experience over youth.