Best Since 2000: Wings/Pens.

Finally the Wings have stomped out the would-be chokers in the Dallas Stars. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind Dallas; they just choke a lot. They always have the goods to be a Championship team, but they never get there. But this has set-up what might be the the BEST Stanley Cup Championship we’ve seen since 2000. I’m not saying it’ll be the most EXCITING since 2000 (although it may be), but these two teams are both VERY high quality hockey teams. Both of them do almost everything right. Which is why I think this series will actually be fairly LOW scoring. Neither team fucks up. It’s rare, to say the least, that a Defensman pinches in too eagerly and gives up a 2 on 1 or 3 on 1. It’s rare to see either of these goalies get WAY out of position. For Fleury, it’s mostly the dudes he’s got in front of him. The Pens play a calm/simplistic style of defense that would only work with the offense they have. Get the puck, and MOVE it. Because once the forwards get it, they won’t give it up soon. This also allows for the Pens defense to be fresh almost all the time, they’re rarely tired. Which is why I think some of these lines Detroit has will give them a run for their money. Detroit, who controls the puck probably better than any other team in the league. The Wings have fixed this problem (out of position) by replacing Hasek with Osgood, the best move of their post-season in my opinion. Dom H is a head coaches worst nightmare, especially during a Stanley Cup run; he makes brilliant saves from time to time, but those saves (and his general style) get him WAY out of position quite frequently. It’s a sad thing to say that “the Dominator” (he isn’t) is the best active NHL goaltender. I know, I know. Those who make this fucking ludicrous claim cite his career stats. Well- look who he’s been playing for all these years, of course he’s gonna have a good amount of wins and GAA. As a pure goaltender, Broduer pisses all over Hasek, it isn’t even close. If Hasek’s one of the league’s most OVERrated, then Osgood’s one its most UNDERrated. And with the Defense he’s got in front of him, it’ll be interesting to see how Hossa, Malone, Crosby, Malkin, etc attack Osgood and Detroit. This series could end up coming down to ugly goals, that’d be so ironic considering the insane amounts of talent at each end. But my guess would be that each team is preaching “get pucks to the net” right now. Any way you can, just get it to the net. I’m interested in seeing who the “pundits” are picking. I think either way you slice it, you’ve got to consider Detroit the under-dog. At least on paper. Then again, these teams are SO close to each other it’s hard to say. It’ll be an awesome Cup.