Some random questions heading into Game 7:
- Will home ice advantage continue to define this series? The home team has won each of the first six games. At home, the Wings have outscored the Pens 11-2. At the Igloo, meanwhile, the Penguins hold a 10-5 edge. My feeling is that the adrenaline, passion and win-or-go-home desperation of a Game 7 trumps home ice advantage, which is a big plus for the Penguins.
- Will Sidney Crosby emerge as a force? Thus far he has been limited to 3 points (1G, 2A) in the series, while being shadowed by the Wings' Henrik Zetterberg. Without a doubt this is the biggest game of his career, and it represents a chance to carve out a legacy at this early stage of his young career.
- Speaking of Zetterberg, how amazing is the Wings' depth and team game that they can use him in a checking role? This is a guy who had 92 points two seasons ago, 73 this year and won the Conn Smythe Trophy last season. And Mike Babcock has enough faith in his team to stick Zetterberg on Crosby, and rely on the rest of the team to pick up the offensive slack.
- How will the goaltenders play? As mentioned, both have given up a lot of goals on the road and not many at home, which would suggest an advantage for Chris Osgood. Osgood also the advantage of experience, having already played in 128 playoff games and won three Stanley Cups (two as a starter). Fleury, on the other hand, has played just 48 playoff games (almost half of which have been this post-season) and has only last year's Final loss to draw upon.
- Will the role players decide the outcome? Hitherto unknown Justin Abelkader stepped in and scored two huge goals for the Wings in Games 1 and 2. Tyler Kennedy busted out a two point game, including scoring the game winner, in the Penguins 2-1 Game 6 win. Lesser lights such as Jordan Staal, Dan Cleary, Max Talbot and Darren Helm have all made significant contributions to their teams' success throughout the series. This game may be decided by Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, Lidstrom or Datsyuk. But don't be surprised if it's Kris Draper or Matt Cooke who emerges as the hero of the game.
8 comments:
Hmmm.. your suggestion that Matt Cooke could emerge as hero has inspired my imagination.
With under 30 seconds to play, and the Pens shorthanded and down a goal, Datsyuk trips on his own stick before he can shoot at the empty cage. Captain Crosby picks up the puck as the seconds tick down, charges for the net, but his shot is stopped. Cooker is there, though, crashing the crease to score on the rebound and send Game Seven into overtime. I can almost see it. Gee, I can almost see the penalized penguin celebrating the goal in the penalty box...
I really doubt that the Penguins pull this one off. I think that the Red Wings take their second title in a row at the Joe, and the Penguins turn in a lackluster performance like Game 5. I hope what I say isn't true, but I don't think the Penguins can scrape a win on the road. The Game 7 intensity works for both sides, and I think Osgood beats Fluerry, Zetterberg beats Crosby, and the Red Wings win. I highly doubt Cookie Monster will do anything to write home about no matter how much I adore him.
I've decided to take the night off work to watch this one (with Ian Wright, no less). In my mind Detroit is the better team by a fairly decent margain. That, coupled with Detroits amazing home record, means Detroit should win the Cup tomorrow night.
But it's only one game and that gives Pittsburgh some hope. Belarus beating Sweeden in the '02 Olympics proves that anything can happen. So if the Penguins win, does that mean they're the best team in the league, or are they the 2nd best team that just happened to win the Stanley Cup? Hmmm...
Regardless of what happens tomorrow night I think Chris Osgoode should be named backup on Canada's Olympic team. While he may not be as technically good a goalie as Cam Ward or Luongo, the guy wins championships. Canada will be a stacked team and are unlikely to need any 40 save performances. They'll likely need a solid guy to make the occasional big save. Osgood is that guy. For me it's Brodeur, Osgoode, Ward. Luongo may be the most talented goalie in the world but the results, so far, are not there.
Pondering more about Cooke's presence, and I'm wondering: who'd be the last ex-Canuck to have won a Cup? I can't recall anyone since Lidster in '94 (and was Nedved on that Ranger squad too?)...
Anyway, if Mark's preds come true that title will go immediately to the Cooker. Meanwhile, it's hard not to think that Jordan Scott has the likelier prediction to come true...
I'm near Cole Harbour, so I'm looking forward to soaking up the vibe if the Pens do pull this out!
Sorry, by "Jordan Scott" I meant "Jordan Kennedy." Jordan Scott is someone else entirely...
(And, craftily, I left myself needing to self-correct, which led to this new comment, thus boosting my Art Ross numbers.)
@Jordan Kennedy - I don't think there's anyway that Luongo gets left off the team. He's got more international experience than Ward or Osgood. Ward's Round 3 was similar to Luongo's Round 2 (and Brodeur's Round 1 for that matter), and all four of Luongo, Ward, Osgood and even Brodeur have had their fair share of shaky moments in the past. I'd say take the best three goalies and bank on at least one, and hopefully all, of them being on his A-game.
@Pete - Well Larionov won with the Wings back in 2002, but I'm not sure there's been anyone since. I also had a conversation a month or so ago about when the last time there was a Cup winner on the Canucks' roster, and couldn't think of anyone since Messier. I was actually planning to do a little research and write a post about it when I actually figured it out.
@R.A. Depalma - Such a pessimist! You must be a Canucks an ;)
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