The 2009 Stanley Cup series is set, with the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins as the two teams left with the chance be crowned champions.
NHL fans will be treated to a rematch of the 2008 NHL playoffs, where these two teams battled it out for the Stanley Cup.
Can the Detroit Red Wings continue their show of dominance in the league or can the Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Sidney Crosby, continue their improbable run to hold the Stanley Cup?
Back in February, the Pittsburgh Penguins were 10th in the Eastern conference in points and were on the outside looking in when it came to the playoffs.
After a coaching change and several key trades during the regular season, the Penguins fought their way back into the playoffs and a return trip to the Stanley Cup finals.
The two main factors for the Penguins success on the ice have been Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Both players have combined for 26 goals and 30 assists during the playoffs and have shown no signs of slowing down as they prepare to take on the Red Wings.
Though Crosby’s production, 2 goals and 4 assists, dipped in the series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Malkin stepped up by scoring 6 goals and 3 assists.
During the 2009 NHL playoffs, Penguins goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury did enough to keep him team in each game. Fleury compiled a 12 – 5 record with a 2.62 goals against average while keeping 90.6% of the shots out.
Even though Fleury allowed at least 2 goals in every game of the 2008 Stanley Cup finals against the Red Wings, his save percentage of 92.3% was more than respectable.
The key for Fleury this season has been his ability to bounce back after allowing a soft goal. If Fleury can maintain his composure against a Detroit team that puts the puck on net, the Penguins will be able to make this a series.
The key to the success of the Detroit Red Wings in 2008 has been the depth of their team and it showed in the 2009 NHL playoffs.
Even when they lost Hart Trophy candidate, Pavel Datsyuk, and Nicklas Lidstrom, for several games, the team did not miss a beat by knocking the Chicago Blackhawks out of hunt.
Two players, Johan Franzen and Daniel Cleary, have stepped up their performance in their absence. Both players have combined to score 18 goals and 15 assists during the playoffs.
Keep an eye on winger, Marian Hossa, who jumped ship last off-season from the Penguins to the Red Wings, claiming he wanted the chance to win a Stanley Cup.
Hossa will need to step up his performance in this series if the Red Wings are going to have a chance to repeat as champions.
Without a doubt, one of the most underrated players on the Red Wings is their goalie, Chris Osgood.
Despite having a lackluster regular season where the Detroit fans were calling for his head, Osgood has stepped up his game since the start of the playoffs.
After the first three series, Osgood has a 12 – 4 record with a 2.06 goals against average while managing to stop 92.5% of the shots he faced.
In fact, Osgood has only allowed more than 3 goals on 4 separate occasions. Pittsburgh fans remember Osgood from the 2008 Stanley Cup finals after he opened the series with 2 consecutive shutouts.
In the 2 losses during the series, Osgood’s save percentage was below the 90% mark.
The determining factor for the 2009 Stanley Cup finals will be the Penguins offense versus the Red Wings defense and the success of the power play.
If the Penguins are able to control the Red Wings with their fore checks and force turnovers deep in their zone, the Red Wings can be in serious trouble.
Despite the success Crosby and Malkin have had in the playoffs, they have not faced a team with the Red Wings defense.
The power play unit of the Penguins will need to continue their success as of late, scoring 16 goals out of 83 chances, if they are going to break through the penalty killing unit of the Red Wings who have been successful shutting down their opponents 73.7% of the time.
The question is which one of these things is going to give?
Fans should expect hard fought games each and every night, with the final outcome being decided by 2 goals or less during these Stanley Cup finals.
The talent alone on both of these teams is reason enough to expect this series to go the distance of 7 games.
Even though the Penguins have gained some valuable experience since their last 2008 Stanley Cup finals, the Detroit Red Wings will show us again why they are the class of the NHL when they lift the Stanley Cup in celebration.
Umm…that’s why we won!