Thursday, May 28, 2009

Pens will be drinking brandy with Lord Stanley in 6 games




The Pittsburgh Penguins will drink from Lord Stanley's Cup on home ice Monday June 8th, 2009. It will be a moment to remember. The series will not be easy. There will be moments in every game where you think the Penguins will lose the game. There will be a few moments where you think they will lose the series. They will not. Do not get me wrong, the Red Wings are still a tremendous hockey team, but this years Penguins team will win the Cup. Why do I think this? Reason One-Despite the fact that the Wings beat the Hawks in 5 games, it took them 2 wins in overtime to beat a team that is very young and inexperienced, and who got poor goaltending for most of the series. The current Pens are FAR superior to that Hawks team in every way right now.

Reason Two-Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are on FIRE!! Both players have already surpassed last years point totals and obliterated their goal scoring totals.

Both players have more points in three series than the playoff scoring leaders from last yar had after four series. Though this does not guarantee that both will stay hot in this next series, their determination and maturity leaves no reason to believe they will not sustain a high level of play. Malkin was nonexistent in last years finals until it was too late, that will not be the case this year. He and Sid are both playing the best hockey of their careers.

Reason Three-Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Hossa are not playing their best hockey of the year. Add to that the fact that Datsyuk and Lidstrom are nursing injuries, as is defenseman Ericcson. Add the fact that the Pens are very healthy right now, and the depth factor could come into play about halfway through the series.

Reason Four-The relatively quick turnaround favors the Pens who are younger, currently healthier, and playing with a day more rest. They still have to go steal home ice, but the set up is ripe for them to do that, and I think the later in the series it gets, the more the Pens will have an edge.........Stealing a game on the road to start the series seems very doable........playing the body from the start and viewing the series as a war of attrition will benefit the Pens........an aggressive forecheck, turning the D of the Wings and finishing EVERY check will serve the Pens well in the long run. As they say in boxing, kill the body and the head will die.........

Reason Five-Scoring Depth-Although both teams have six players with ten or more points, the Pens top two have a total of 19 more than the top 2 for the Wings, while the next 4 are very similar. The Pens can now roll four quality lines, all of whom play with energy and desire. Guys like Guerin, Kunitz, Gonchar, Satan, Fedotenko, Talbot, Letang, and Eaton are putting the puck in the net and contributing offensively.




Reason Six-The Pens style is more conducive to winning this type of series.......have you noticed the fact that the Pens shoot the puck, sixty to seventy times per game, getting about forty on net during most games of these playoffs.......do you notice the authority with which they crash they net? Most of their goals in these playoffs have come from right in front of the net, after paying the necessary price.




Reason 7-The Pens defense is playing great-The defense is getting offensive contributions not only from Gonchar, but Letang, Eaton and Boucher. Letang has been very impressive thus far, and is motivated to play for his friend Luc Bourdon who was killed in a motorcycle accident this year. Orpik, Scuderi, Gill and Eaton have played great shutdown defense.




Reason 8-Sid is ready to fulfill the prophecy-It is tough to say ANYTHING bad about a kid who broke into the league as a youngster, and in his first four seasons scored 397 points, despite missing a quarter of one of those seasons. That said, the Sidney Crosby we have watched for the last three months is the BEST Sidney Crosby we have ever seen. Sid is not only scoring at a blistering pace, he is scoring GOALS like a sniper, erasing the "sid is more of a playmaker" argument. Sid is also blocking shots, backchecking like a demon, crashing the net, and winning faceoffs. He put the Pens on his shoulders in the Caps series and TOOK that series from OVrrated and his friends. His leadership skills have begun to catch up with his on ice skills and having two quick wingers who can play physical and finish plays is not huring him either. I will never forget the look on Sids face as he watched the Wings carry the Cup around Mellon Arena last year. This year Sid has the look of a player who will not be denied, the talent to impact that, and a supporting cast that can help ensure that he is not. The Sid factor tilts the scales to the Pens in my opinion........................The Pens were not ready last year to take the torch from the most dominant franchise in hockey.........this year they are.....and they will.

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