PITTSBURGH – Over the next two weeks the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins will square in the Stanley Cup Finals. For the Predators it will be their first Final in franchise history. The Penguins will be looking to be the first team to repeat since Detroit did it 20 years ago.
 These two teams had to endure a number of injuries to key players, but both have shown that they have the depth to endure. Pittsburgh had to win a game without Sidney Crosby and Nashville is missing their number one center Ryan Johansen. Kris Letang has been out but Pittsburgh’s defense by comity has held up to this point.
Coach Sullivan of the Pens notes their “next man up” mentality was key in overcoming adversity, while Nashville saw virtual unknown players like Colton Sissons step in and score a hat trick when called upon. Coach Laviolette he has “fond memories of his first cup win” while the other is “a painful reminder” of how difficult it is to obtain.
This will be the first time two American born coaches to square off in a Stanley Cup final. Coach Sullivan regarded this fact as “ showing how much US hockey has progressed over the years”.
The Stanley Cup is considered by many as the most difficult trophy to get in sports. Make no mistake these two teams had to run the gauntlet just to be here. Both took different paths but are equally hungry to hoist The Cup.
If defense does in fact win championships then Nashville will likely get a parade in June. They have the best top 4 four defensemen in the league. Most people have heard of P.K. Subban, but Ellis, Ekholm and Josi are among the best in the league. The Preds should be able to break out effectively as these 4 move the puck very well north and south. Subban will no doubt do his best to shutdown Sidney Croby as he did with the top center in previous rounds.
If Nashville holds the edge defensively, the Pens have the edge through the middle. They are stacked at the center position. You may have heard of their top two centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but their third and fourth line centers Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen are very highly regarded. Having world class centers enables the Penguins to utilize their speed in transition. They also have one of the better power play units in the league. If Nashville wants to have success, they will want to stay out of the box.
The defense of Nashville and offense of the Penguins may cancel each other out. If that’s the case, it will be up to the netminders to be the difference. Pekka Rinne of the Predators has been the best goalie in the playoffs. He has also shown a propensity for stealing games. While it helps that world class defensmen play in front of him, Rinne has been the best player for the Preds throughout the playoffs.
The Penguins number one goal tender Matt Murray has been very good as well. He has been stellar since he came in to replace Fleury , after missing most of the playoffs due to injury. Murry also has one thing that could give him an edge in the final, experience. Though technically still a rookie, he did win a cup last season. The added pressure of the final can be tough to deal with but Murray has shown that he could rise to the challenge.
On paper these two teams match up well against each other in different ways for varying reasons. It should make for a very entertaining series.
Will the Cup stay in Pittsburgh for another year or will music city get to dance with Lord Stanley?
All the clichĂ©s are used up, it’s time to drop the puck.
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