Star-Powered Stanley Cup Finals Has Tremendous Potential

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The New York Sun

The Stanley Cup finals begin on Saturday night, and by all rights, these playoffs have been a huge success for the National Hockey League. Television ratings are up across the board, rising round by round, and the finals matchup features, without question, the two best teams participating in the 2008 playoffs. They combined for a 24-6 record through the first three rounds, absolutely devastating their competition along the way, making this a fitting and potentially thrilling conclusion to the 2007-08 season.

Both these teams boast tremendous top-end skill, of course. Henrik Zetterberg, perhaps the NHL’s finest two-way forward, teams with Pavel Datsyuk and net-crasher Tomas Holmstrom to form a devastating top line for the Wings. Meanwhile, the Penguins boast a trio of talented young centers — Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal — that is the envy of the league. On the Wings’ side, Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski quarterback an unquestionably lethal power play; Sergei Gonchar and young Ryan Whitney do a similarly fine job getting the puck down low to Crosby, Malkin, and Marian Hossa when the Pens have the man advantage.

Certainly, the firepower is impressive, but as is often the case at championship time, it’s defense (and goaltending) that wins championships. Nearly every year, what differentiates Stanley Cup champions from those that fall in their wake is the willingness of their stars to “pay the price” and compromise their personal glory for the success of the team. In the case of the Red Wings and Penguins, that has certainly been the case this spring.

For a key example on the Motown side, there’s Datsyuk, who is known primarily for his stellar stickhandling and playmaking … as well as his tendency to avoid the more heavily trafficked areas of the ice. But in these playoffs, Datsyuk has demonstrated a tougher, grittier side, initiating contact more often than any of his teammates (37 hits). By asserting himself physically, Datsyuk has effectively opened up more space for himself on the ice, and it’s no surprise that he’s consequently averaging over a point a game during these playoffs for the first time in his career (19 points in 16 games).

The Penguins also have, in Gonchar, a talented European who is demonstrating a proclivity for the dirty work. Long dismissed as an offensive rearguard unaware of the whereabouts of the defensive zone, Gonchar has evolved and thrived under the tutelage of Penguins coach Michel Therien into a very solid two-way player. Throughout these playoffs, one of the biggest keys to the Penguins’ success has been their willingness to throw their bodies in the path of opposing shots, with Gonchar one of the team’s most selfless participants. His 31 blocks are second most on the Pens behind thumper Brooks Orpik, and the diligent defensive effort has without question made life far easier for young netminder Marc-Andre Fleury.

Indeed, both teams’ netminders — Fleury for the Pens, Chris Osgood for the Red Wings — benefit from the disciplined defensive play that’s characterized their respective teams this spring. In the Penguins’ case, blocking shots has been the key to reducing high-quality scoring chances against Fleury, and their workmanlike approach to the task has evoked memories of the Carolina Hurricanes’ 2006 championship team.

For the Red Wings, puck possession has been the key, even more so than their solid positional work. It starts with their excellent success rate in the face-off circle (56%) and continues with their tape-to-tape passing game, the two combining to form a high-end strategy of “keep-away” that is maddening to opponents. Every single Red Wings blueliner is capable of handling and passing the puck, an advantage that significantly reduces the number of defensive zone turnovers that yield high-quality scoring opportunities against Osgood. Through 16 games, the Wings have averaged the most shots per game among all playoff teams (36.3) while giving up the fewest (23.6). Clearly, the best defense is a good offense.

Often ignored in this discussion is Osgood, of course, his success typically being written off as a clear by-product of the Wings’ stellar team play. However, to assert this unequivocally would be to ignore the simple reality that the Wings have been an excellent defensive team for over a decade, and Osgood has been between the pipes for many of those seasons. So why have Osgood and the Wings been so successful this year?

The primary reason is because Osgood — traditionally a stand-up goaltender — has integrated some elements of the butterfly style into his game. Dropping down into the butterfly has enabled Osgood to stop low shots far more effectively, and he has essentially reinvented himself at the ripe old age of 35. They say that old dogs can’t learn new tricks, but Osgood clearly has, and it’s a key reason why he’s managed to stop over 93% of the shots he’s faced this spring.

Throughout these playoffs, home-ice advantage has proven to be critical for the two Cup finalists, in particular at the start of each series they’ve played. Both teams enjoyed home-ice advantage throughout the first three rounds, and they posted an impeccable 12-0 combined record in the first two games of those six series.

In the finals, the Penguins must begin on the road, at Joe Louis Arena, in what could be the most important factor in determining who gets to celebrate with the Cup two weeks hence. For while Crosby and company aren’t likely to be intimidated by flying octopi, the fact remains that they’ll be facing a very tough uphill battle if they don’t manage to win at least one game in Motown.

Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. The Wings are 7-1 at home in these playoffs, and their disciplined play and stellar puck possession game are unlike anything the Penguins have faced in these playoffs. Look for Detroit will take a 2-0 series lead, and then to carry that early edge to a hard-fought seven-game victory.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.


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