After 46 days of playoff action, sixteen teams have been widdled down to the final two. Like last season, we have the Detroit Red Wings facing off against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not much has changed for both teams. The key parts of both teams remain the same though Marian Hossa and Ty Conklin will wear Red instead of Black in this year’s battle. The main difference from one year ago is that the Penguins have one more year of playoff experience under their belts.

Steve Says:
The rematch that the hockey world has been waiting for and the only thing that would have allowed Gary Bettman to sleep at night. For the second year in a row, and the first time in 25 years, the same two teams will meet in the Stanley Cup Finals. Representing the Western Conference, the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Detroit Red Wings. Representing the Eastern Conference, the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions, Sidney Crosby… and those guys that play in the same jersey as Sidney Crosby.

I could spend all day long breaking down the series position by position but it comes down to depth. The Wings have a deeper offensive attack though the Pens have more explosive stars. The Wings completely outclass the Pens defensively. The two teams are fairly even in goal. When you get past the first few lines, the Wings really shine. Their depth allowed them to push right by the Blackhawks even when they were without Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Ericcson, and Draper. If the Wings are healthy, the Penguins will be hard pressed to contain Detroit.

What this series could come down to is how Pittsburgh handles the pressure. Any game where the media gave Pittsburgh a chance of winning the Cup, they lost. They didn’t win until game three not because they were at home but because they were written off. The same with game five when Detroit was expected to close out the series. If Pittsburgh has trouble with the expectations, like they did again at the start of this season, Detroit should eat them alive.

One advantage that Pittsburgh has going for them is the Bettman Factor. Gary bent over backwards for NBC so they could get games on network TV. Back to back games on the weekend so we don’t interrupt “I’m a Celebrity”? You got it. The first three games will be in four nights. The injury riddled Wings will have to dig deep to weather the storm of the early part of the series.

Pittsburgh
Man to Watch: Evgeni Malkin – Tied for the playoff point lead with Crosby, you know he’s as critical to the Pens’ success as #87. Without Malkin firing on all cylinders, the Wings can just buckle down and shut down Crosby. Malkin has to be effective enough to have the Wings worried about a double barrelled attack so things aren’t too easy for them. Then again, the Wings dealt fairly well with Toews/Kane/Sharp and Havlat/Versteeg from the Hawks. Malkin has to find another gear to help his team win the Cup.
X-Factor: Ruslan Fedotenko – Fedotenko was one of the free agents the Pens signed to replace Hossa. He was fairly quiet during the regular season which gave him a reserved seat in the press box. During the playoffs, he’s been inconsistent. He can go light the lamp for a couple games and then vanish for the next five. Any offense that he can contribute is needed against a sound defensive team like the Wings.
Conn Smythe: Sidney Crosby – Crosby has been the best player on this team. Now, who knows how much that has to do with media spin. Sid is always given the benefit of the doubt by the Canadian media and they have made it seem as though he is dominant both offensively and defensively. He’s pretty good on offense but I’m still not convinced he’s a two-way player.

Detroit
Man to Watch: Henrik Zetterberg – Last year’s Conn Smythe winner may not be the leading scorer in the playoffs or the best defensive forward in the playoffs. The fact is that he is still one of the best rounded players in the league. He’s probably the most complete player in this series. That includes Crosby. He led the Wings to a Cup last year and has to take the bull by the horns and lead the team again this year.
X-Factor: Marian Hossa – This was the big money coup that the Wings pulled in the off-season. And while he was among the top player in the Detroit lineup during the regular season, he has been nearly invisible during the playoffs. He’s been hot and cold during the post-season but has finally started warming up and making an impact. He was Pittsburgh’s best player in the run to the Finals last season and has finally started to regain that form from a year ago. If Hossa can play up to the form that we know he can, this will be a tough series for the Pittsburgh defense.
Conn Smythe: Dan Cleary – This may be a controversial pick on a team full of superstars. The fact is that Cleary gets it done at both ends of the ice. While that isn’t unique on this team, he has come out of nowhere this post-season to become one of the leaders on this team both offensively and defensively. He just does his business so far under the radar that the Pens could be caught off guard early in the series.

Prediction: Detroit in 6
Conn Smythe Winner: Sidney Crosby (For the media, perception equals reality)

Jackie Says:

This is indeed the  rematch that the hockey world has been waiting for. In fact, this might be Gary Bettman’s dream come true! For the first time in 25 years, the same two teams will meet in the Stanley Cup Finals. From the Western Conference, you got the defending Stanley Cup Champions, Detroit Red Wings. From the Eastern Conference, the you got the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions, Pittsburgh Penguins.

Looking at both teams, the Wings are more experienced and they are definitely more consistent. Defensively, the Wings are stronger, no questions asked. The two teams are fairly even in goal, though I do find Marc-Andre Fleury to be somewhat shakey at times. The depth of the Red Wings squad is where the team really stands out. Without key players like Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Ericcson, and Draper, the Wings managed to push past the Blackhawks in five games. If the Wings are healthy, the Penguins might find it difficult to contain such a well rounded team.

However, don’t count the Penguins out just yet. After the beating they received last year in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Penguins will have a better idea on how to handle the pressure during the games. Yes, the Red Wings have improved with the addtion of Hossa, but the Pens also boosted their squad with the addition of Kunitz, Guerin and Fedotenko. Another advantage to the Penguins is the NBC factor. Since the network didn’t want to the NHL games to interfere with their awesome summer programming consisting of Law and Order reruns and other brain-numbing reality shows, you’re gonna have the first batch of 3 games in 4 nights. The Penguins are young and explosive, they can rebound night after night, but can the same be said for the injury riddled Red Wings?

Pittsburgh
Man to Watch: Evgeni Malkin — Without this man, the Penguins will not be here again. While Sidney Crosby steals the spotlight, Malkin has quietly stepped up in crucial moments to help the team win. He is currently tied with Sid the Kid in the lead for points in the playoffs. With 12 goals and 16 assists so far, he is a force to be reckoned with. The Red Wings can spend all their time shutting down Crosby (like what the Caps did), but Malkin can sneak up behind them and do some damage. Unlike the squad of newbies on the Blackhawks, Malkin have faced the Red Wings before and he can use the learning experience from last year to shift to a new level during the finals this year.
X-Factor: Bill Guerin — The trade deadline pickup is one of the key puzzle pieces that put the Penguins back into playoff contention back in March. He provides the much needed veteran leadership that the team lacks. The gritty 6’2″ forward provides a physical presence to the team while helping the team offensively. Unlike other new Pens like Fedotenko or Satan, Guerin has been fairly consistent through the playoffs so far with 7 goals and 7 helpers and any additional offensive support he can provide during the finals is crucial, especially against such a strong defensive team like Detroit.
Conn Smythe: Sidney Crosby — He currently leads the lead in points during the playoffs. He can certainly light up the scoreboard alongside fellow Penguin, Evgeni Malkin. While he is said to be a great two-way player, I believe he still needs some work on the defensive end. However, he is often touted by the media. It certainly creates an illusion that he’s currently the best player in the league. That illusion will be good enough to net him the award. That being said, I don’t think he’s a bad player. He has the skills, but he doesn’t exactly make the best of it. He often puts a greater effort in games of desperation, especially when his team is in danger. His greatest motivation is to win the Cup this time around. If he is motivated enough, expect to see shine during this series.

Detroit
Man to Watch: Henrik Zetterberg — Last year’s Conn Smythe winner is still making a huge impact for the Red Wings despite the fact that he is not leading in points. He still packs the offensive punch and plays very well defensively. He is definitely a complete package, something Crosby is still striving to be. He helped lead the team to the cup last year and there’s no question he has the ability to do it again.
X-Factor: Dan Cleary — This man came out of nowhere and potted in a few key goals to lift the Wings to the Stanley Cup Finals this year. He helped the Wings barely edge out the Ducks when he poked in the game winning goal against the Ducks in the semi-finals. He also scored a few key goals during the Wings-Blackhawks matchup. He was pretty much hidden behind all the talent on the Red Wings squad, so he definitely shocked the opponents during the first few rounds of the playoffs this year. Now that he’s in the spotlight, the Penguins will be on the lookout for him.
Conn Smythe: Johan Franzen — Another player that tends to be overshadowed by the other superstars on the Wings during the regular season is The Mule, Johan Franzen. Every year in the playoffs, he steps up his game and provides the offensive support. This year is no different. He currently leads the Red Wings in points with 10 goals and 9 assists. While he was fairly quiet in the last four games against the Blackhawks, it doesn’t mean he won’t be taking on an important role against the Penguins in the finals. There’s a reason why he was awarded all that money in the long term contract with the Wings… he’ll earn every penny of it. That’s for sure.

Prediction: Pittsburgh in 6 (I do believe the young team can win it this time around)
Conn Smythe Winner: Sidney Crosby (Just because he’s a media favourite, though I think Malkin deserves it more)