By James Duplacey, Paul Bruno
May 23, 2008 10:53am CDT

If playoff and regular season performances have told us anything about the two teams that have reached the finals, hockey fans everywhere should be in for a real treat.

The Detroit Red Wings won the President's Trophy for their outstanding regular season, where they posted the league's best record. They proved that was no fluke in defeating a pesky Nashville team in the opening round, steamrolled over arch-rival Colorado and then turned back the Dallas Stars to get to the final round.

The Pittsburgh Penguins finished a close second in the Eastern Conference race during the regular season. They opened the playoffs by making short work of the Ottawa Senators. Then they surprised many by dispatching the New York Rangers with relative ease and similarly rolled over the Philadelphia Flyers to reach the main stage.

Both teams parlayed a combination of dynamic offense and stifling defensive play during the course of these playoffs to set up this compelling confrontation.

It pits the experienced and playoff savvy Wings against the steadily improving, young Penguins. Both teams boast a number of marquee players, and this series should be fun to watch as a result.

This week James Duplacey and Paul Bruno, our Conference correspondents, break down the teams and give their predictions of the series outcome.


Goalies
Marc Andre Fleury has enjoyed his coming out party in these playoffs, posting an impressive 12-2 record along with a microscopic 1.70 GAA, along with a .938 SV PCT. in backstopping the young Pens during these playoffs. Goalie coaches will tell you that a hot goalie moves well in anticipation of puck movement and that characteristic has been very evident in Fleury's postseason play. Despite his relative inexperience with NHL playoffs, he is not displaying any nerves and instead has served as a foundation for Pittsburgh's surprising defensive play in recent weeks.

The steady, solid and stoic Chris Osgood has been dubbed "the worst goaltender to ever win the Stanley Cup" by both press box pundits and snide sideline scribes. Osgood will have the opportunity to erase that epitaph from his postseason tombstone by backstopping the Red Wings to victory. Osgood's strength is his ability to remain calm under pressure, make all the saves he should make and rarely get caught out of position. Since replacing Dominik Hasek (2w, 2l, 2.91 goals-against-average) during game four of the Wings' opening set against Nashville, Ozzy has compiled a 10-2 record, a sterling 1.60 goals-against-average and a masterful .931 save percentage. He's been to this dance before and he's never left the party without bringing home a silver mug called the Stanley Cup.

Defense – Pittsburgh
The Pens have been known for their skill on offense, but they have elevated their overall play due to a committed work ethic on defense. That is not to say they have not got an abundance of talent on the blueline.

They have an excellent blend of size, speed, experience and youthful exuberance in their defense corps. Sergei Gonchar (11 points in the playoffs) is widely acknowledged for his offensive skill as a deft passer and big shooter, particularly in quarterbacking the Pens' power play. He is ably supported by Ryan Whitney, a young gun on defense, on the other point of the power play. Whitney has shown strong defensive ability in the postseason, leading the Pens with a +8 rating.

When the Pens find themselves in shorthanded situations, they have leaned heavily on the size and reach of Hal Gill, a veteran who was brought in from Toronto, to act as a shutdown defender. He is joined in emphasizing the prevention of goals by a trio of youngsters who are gaining valuable experience under intense post season pressure. Rob Scuderi, Kris Letang and Brooks Orpik have all contributed to the staunch defensive posture that the club has exhibited throughout these playoffs.

Defense – Detroit

Detroit's offense may provide the flair, but it's their defense that keeps it there. If the Wings have a marked advantage over the pesky Penguins, it's in the defensive zone, where Detroit's mix of veteran versatility, mental toughness and uncompromising composure is their greatest strength. Niklas Lidstrom (2g, 8a), the perennial Norris Trophy recipient, has been the cornerstone of the Detroit defense for 16 seasons. His positioning is precise, his demeanor undeterred and his attention to detail unparalleled. The 2002 Conn Smythe Trophy-winner spearheads a veteran core of rearguards that includes smooth-skating Nicklas Kronvall (0g, 12a), reliable Brian Rafalski (2g, 8a) and the bruising body bouncer Brad Stuart (0g, 2a). Each member of that quartet has averaged 20 minutes of ice time during the postseason, and they are admirably accompanied by the ageless Chris Chelios – who captured his first Stanley Cup title before Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were even born - and the underappreciated but amply talented Brett Lebda. The Wings' blueline brigade is mobile, cerebral and composed, fluid in their break out patterns, dynamic on the attack and explosive offensively.

Forwards –Pittsburgh
When you think of the Pens offense, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin immediately come to mind. They have certainly shown their wares with 21 and 19 points respectively over their 14 games played, to lead the offensive totals for Pittsburgh. However, they are surrounded by a number of other skilled forwards who have also found the score sheet with great regularity of late.

The third young center in this offense, Jordan Staal, has rebounded from a sub par sophomore season to been an impact player once again. He has not only chipped in six goals, but has also been a key component in lining up as a top defensive pivot, as well. Usually, he has been pitted against top opposing lines. Late season pickup Marian Hossa is enjoying unprecedented postseason success, having notched three game-winning goals among his 19 points in the playoffs. Another free agent-in-waiting, Ryan Malone, has similarly put his best foot forward, by tallying 15 points with plenty of playing time on the top scoring units and the power play. Petr Sykora has added five goals, and his veteran skills to this dynamic mix, as well.

In terms of grit and/or tough physical play, the Pens are well-armed, as Pascal Dupuis has taken on the top checking assignment among the wingers while the likes of Jarkko Ruutu and Gary Roberts have made life miserable for opponents of their forechecking and physical approach to the game. Finally, Georges Laraque's mere presence on the roster has been enough to keep most opponents honest.

Forwards – Detroit
Blessed with a tandem of talented and tenacious attackers that blend speed, size and skill with explosive offensive dexterity, Detroit's front lines are versatile, agile and physically capable of creating open ice, winning key battles along the boards and surviving the suicidal savagery of the slot. In addition to those strengths, the Motown motormen have depth and determination, a quality that was amplified when Johan Franzen (12g, 3a), the playoffs' most productive marksmen with five game-winning goals and an equal number of powerplay counters, was sidelined with a concussion. The Wings merely adjusted, adapted and kept right on winning.

Detroit's top forward formation is bolstered by the fluid creativity of Henrik Zetterberg (10g, 11a) and the stubborn resolve of Tomas Holmstrom (3g, 7a), who plants his large frame on the lip of the crease to create havoc for opposing crease cops and bewildered blueliners. Should Pittsburgh's cement-footed defenders find a way to nullify that tandem, they still have to contend with the nifty nuances of Pavel Datsyuk (9g, 10a), whose ability to sneak through enemy defenses has allowed him to collect 19 postseason points.

That top trio is ably supported by the aforementioned Franzen, who is expected to return to action in game two of the Finals. Jiri Hudler (4g, 9a), Mikael Samuelsson (2g, 7a) and Valtteri Filppula (3g, 4a) are a formidable foursome that combine flash and dash with skill and will. When the attack requires the bark and bite of an aggressive, physical presence, the Wings feature the veteran resolve of Darren McCarty (1g, 1a), Kirk Maltby and Kris Draper (3g, 1a), three savvy veterans with a combined nine Stanley Cup titles on their resume. Daniel Cleary, a 20-goal scorer in the regular season, and Darren Helm, who scored the game-winning goal in game two of the Dallas series, are available to provide bench strength and timely contributions when called intro the fray.

Predictions
Paul Bruno says despite all the skill and desire of the Penguins, they appear overmatched by the experience and talent of the Wings. So, look for Detroit to prevail in six entertaining games.

James Duplacey says there is no substitute for experience. Pittsburgh motored through the playoffs without a blemish, but the Stanley Cup Finals are a different stage, where the spotlight is brighter and the heat is hotter. Detroit plays a patient, puck-possession game, designed to capitalize on mistakes. Pittsburgh will make them, and Detroit will make them pay. Wings in five.