Ahhh... the day is finally here. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Every hockey fan eager and anxious to tune in, but if you're a Blues or Lightning fan, you're probably still a little bitter. Sorry. My team got eliminated in round 1, how do you think I feel?
Anyways, we are in for one hell of a ride, folks. The San Jose Sharks and the Pittsburgh Penguins are going to put on a show. This series is going to be a thriller. I am very excited that we are getting some fresh teams in the final this year. I was going to throw up if I had to watch Chicago or Los Angeles in the Final yet again. The fresh blood of these two teams is going to bring some new life to the Final, and will make for an extremely hard-fought and well-rounded battle for the glorious silver trophy.
Lets take a look at what we can expect from both sides.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Without a doubt, the Penguins have been the NHL's hottest team in the last few months, and they have proven themselves to not be fluke with their playoff performance. They made quick work of the New York Rangers in round 1, bounced the Presidents Trophy-winning Washington Capitals in round 2, and eliminated the defending Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning in a valiant 7-game series. So now the Penguins enter the Cup Final for the first time since 2009 when they won the cup against the Detroit. Most of the Penguins current core was a part of that '09 team, so the experience of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang will play a big factor in preparing the young guns for the ensuing battle.
I did not mention Marc-Andre Fluery because he has been overtaken in these playoffs by 22-year-old Matt Murray. Murray stepped in for Fluery towards the end of the season and head coach Mike Sullivan hasn't looked back for the most part. Murray has posted an insane .924 save percentage these playoffs and has a record of 11-4-1. Needless to say, Murray has been nails for the Penguins. Murray will be backstopping the Penguins in Game 1, and Coach Sullivan has all the confidence in the world in his young goalie.
Sidney Crosby has been there. He's captained the Penguins to a Cup before, which could possibly push him past a player like Joe Pavelski. Pavelski, while an extremely solid player, has never played in a Cup Final. Crosby has 6 goals and 9 assists in 18 playoff games, and while some may might have expected a little more out of him, he can still step up and have a big Final.
Admit loads of criticism when he was in Toronto, forward Phil Kessel has proven himself to be prime-time performer. He has exploded in these playoffs playing on a line with center Nick Bonino and forward Carl Hagelin, dubbed the "HBK Line." Kessel had always been criticized for his work ethic, but that has shown to be just garbage. 9 goals and 9 assists in these playoffs have made Kessel a candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy if the Penguins are to take home the Cup.
Evgeni Malkin has faced some scrutiny these playoffs. The elite Russian center has posted only 4 goals and 11 assists these playoffs. People are claiming that he has been invisible at times during the Penguins' first three series. While that may be true, I think Malkin explodes in the Final. He is going to put up an incredible performance and come alive. He is a big body player, and he can utilize his strength against a very strong Sharks defense. the Sharks have not faced a team with a player of Malkin's caliber playing on the second line. Malkin is going to prove why he is a top 5 player in the league and can put himself in his limelight instead of sitting behind Crosby. Watch out for Geno.
The Penguins defense is not as loaded as they would like it to be. They'll be without highly praised acquisition Trevor Daley on the blueline. The likes of Kris Letang, Olli Maatta and Ben Lovejoy are going to have to continue to be rock solid. They are going to face a very physical and high-powered attack from San Jose, and they will need to be at the top of their game constantly to counter-attack San Jose's efforts.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
It has taken the Sharks 25 years to reach their first Stanley Cup Final. Ironically, that was the same amount of years it took the Penguins to reach and eventually win their first Stanley Cup in 1991. After years of playoff disappointment and being labeled as "chokers", the Sharks have steam-rolled their way into the Final. They have a really special team this year. They had the best road record in the NHL this season, and with the series beginning in Pittsburgh for games 1 and 2, that could be a plus for the Sharks. The Sharks rolled over the Kings in round 1, dispatched the Predators in round 2, and eliminated the Blues in the Western Conference Final.
Everything seems to be going the Sharks way. They are a big, powerful and offensively aggressive team that never seems like they aren't peppering the opposing goalie with scoring chances. They've been backed on the blueline this entire season by the absolutely stellar play of Norris trophy-finalist defenseman Brent Burns and the solid play of defensemen Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Paul Martin. The two-way talent of Burns has been one of the biggest highlights of the Sharks season. He has solidified himself as one of the best d-men in the game. Vlasic is a fantastic penalty killer and Martin provides more veteran leadership to a team that needed veteran's with playoff experience. Burns' offensive output is going to be key to a Sharks cup win.
On the offensive side, Joe Pavelski has been a Conn Smythe-worthy force. 2nd in playoff points only behind teammate Logan Couture, Pavelski has posted 13 goals and 9 assists in these playoffs. He has stepped up in an absolutely massive way and has shown to be a leader and captain in the true sense of both words. Making Pavelski the captain has shown to be one of GM Doug Wilson's best decisions. It seems to have really lit a fire under the Sharks. Pavelski has shown know signs of slipping out of sight and will continue to be a force in these playoffs and really give the Penguins a lot of trouble.
The story of Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau is really a great one. The 36-year-old Thornton has been through hell to get here today. From being stripped of the captaincy of the Sharks to dealing with all of their previous playoff heartbreak, he finally is getting his chance. Thornton has 3 goals and 15 assists these playoffs, solidifying his play making ability in typical Joe Thornton fashion: not a lot of goals, but an insane amount of assists. Marleau has been with San Jose forever, and finally getting his first possible chance to lift the cup is something that will drive the fellow 36-year-old will put on the after burners to help push his team to a possible first Stanley Cup championship.
The Sharks have an incredible amount of depth. Logan Couture leads the NHL in playoff points with 24 (8 G, 16 A) and has shown himself to be one of the best performing centermen in the game. While I wouldn't put Couture in elite category, he is definitely up there in the top 15 NHL centers. The emergence of Finnish rookie Joonas Donskoi has been incredible. He has proven himself to be a legit scoring threat in the league. He had a terrific season, and has put out a solid playoff performance so far. Look for him to be a factor in the Sharks offense against the Penguins. Melker Karlsson has emerged as a very good depth winger playing on the Sharks' 3rd line. The Sharks depth scoring is a huge key factor in their performance. Joel Ward is also a solid playoff performer. He always steps it up in the postseason and I don't see why his performance in the upcoming Final would be any different. Keep your eyes on Ward in key situations.
In net, Martin Jones brings cup winning experience... but in a little bit of a different way. He was the backup to Jonathan Quick on the Kings Cup winning team in 2014, so he knows what the atmosphere and environment is like. While he didn't get more than 1 hour's playing time in that 2014 cup run, Jones can use what he learned from watching Quick. He has been solid these playoffs, posting a SV% of .919 and record of 12-6-3. It will be a battle of the young goalies, and should be a very fun one to watch.
FINAL PREDICITON?
San Jose Sharks in 7 games.
My reasoning? Both teams have equal level top end talent in the forwards category and the goalies cancel each other out in my opinion, but the key factor that will get the Sharks over the hump will be their advantage in depth scoring and defense. The Sharks have a stronger defense and are a bit deeper of a team than the Penguins. The top end forward talent for both sides are going to shine, but the performances that will decide the winner or loser of each game will come from the depth players, and the Sharks are stronger in that category.
Enjoy the finals, everyone. Happy Hockey!
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