Will the Detroit Redwings win the 2008 Stanley Cup tomorrow? Ahh, you better believe it son. As much as I don’t like the Detroit Redwings, I do happen to be cheering for them in the Stanley Cup finals. There are too many newbies – that don’t watch much hockey – that think Sidney Crosby is the greatest thing since sliced bread… Sid the kid is phenomenal, but the Pens don’t deserve to win the cup this year! Why?
I’ll give you some key reasons:
1. Detroit has the better team. They are definitely the best team pound for pound in the NHL. They have players like Darren McCarty, Chris Chelios, and Dominik Hasek sitting the pines… They have Johan Franzen who is leading the league in playoff goals for 2008 and he sat out over 1 round and 1/2 due to concussion-like symptoms! Put it this way: the fourth line on Detroit can play competitively with the first line for Pittsburg.
2. The Pens had a cake-walk to the finals – who did they play? Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals!!! What a joke. They also played the Rangers, who I thought would’ve put up a better fight, and the Senators, who were done before halfway through the regular season.
3. Datsyuk + Zetterberg = best line combo in the NHL. – I don’t care who is playing against Pavel Datsyuk and Heinrich Zetterberg, they will get outplayed all game. Quit telling me that the Crosby, Malkin, Hossa line was the best in the league. Put any line in the league against just Datsyuk and Zetterberg with 2 Detroit defensemen – they will still get outplayed. I’ve seen Detroit shorthanded w/ Datsyuk & Zetterberg take complete control of the game.
4. Pittsburg blew game 4 at the Mellon Arena – Game 4 was their only hope to get back in the series. Having a good record @ home and being undefeated @ home in the playoffs until game 4 is quite impressive. Against the Wings, that was their only hope to have a chance @ the cup.
5. The Eastern Conference is weak compared to the West. Look at all the great teams from the West that were out in the earlier rounds. Hell, I think the Minnesota Wild could’ve taken down Pittsburg… and they were eliminated by the Avs in round 1. The teams in the Eastern conference would get toasted by the Western teams. The West gives out a beating every game, all season. Eastern conference is slower paced and is more like cup-cake hockey.
6. The West is tougher than the East (and has been all season) – Look at how much more physical the West is than the East. It took the Pens 2 games just to adjust to Detroit’s physical style. And Malkin is still gun-shy! I don’t want a team from the East to win that had basically a free ride to the cup. Yes, Pittsburg is a great team, but wouldn’t have advanced nearly as far had they been in the West.
7. They have the best coach in the league. Mike Babcock definitely deserves coach of the year… Yeah he’s got great talent, but he knows exactly how to utilize it for optimal execution out on the ice. He is a great all-around guy that appreciates the sport & the game.
8. Osgood has played awesome. I gotta give credit to both goalies in this series. Chris Osgood and Fleury have been awesome to watch. If Osgood keeps up the great net-minding, the Wings will no-doubt win the Cup. Fleury has played well for the Pens, but theres only so many saves you can make before Detroit will put one in! They’ve out shot the Pens every game so far!
With all that said:
photo credit: SouthCentral
I think you’d better watch out in the next few years. Pittsburg has a very tough, young team, with a great coach. I think you’ll definitely see them win a cup within the next 5 years. Sidney Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, and Marc-Andre Fleury have had phenomenal seasons and should do very well in the upcoming seasons should they keep their team together!
My score prediction:
RedWings 5 – Pittsburg 2
Tune in for game 5 on NBC @ 8:00 E.T.
Be sure to tune in today @ 8:00 ET on NBC to catch the Stanley Cup Final game 5!
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