Wings/Pens playing for the first time this year - poetry or pity?

Question

Here we go - the predictions, the opinions, the stats, the arguments - and yet here we have two team that didn't play each other even once in the regular season. Frankly, although I "think" there is some slight circumstantial evidence to favor the Wings (experience, tougher opponents, some freakin' talent), there's nothing on which to DIRECTLY make a comparison. Is this a good thing, because everything is fresh and unknown, or is it a bad thing, because we're all truly in the dark.

I honestly cannot predict the outcome, and that in a strange way makes this a relaxed and fun finals for me.

You?

Answer 1

These are really the two best teams in hockey.  Usually you get an argument about that but this time the two best teams clearly will represent in the stanley cup finals.  Offense- is about the same but I give a slight edge to Pittsburgh while Detroit has datsyuk, zetterberg, the pens counter with crosby, malkin, hossa, sykora, malone etc, Defense yeah I give the edge to detroit, I mean they have lidstrom and rafalski, the pens don't have that potency but still have a great defense with gonchar, letang, scuderi.  By the way scuderi leads everyone in plus minus.  Goaltending edge to Fleury, because Osgood has played well but hasn't really been challenged or peppered.  However the better question will be who will be more disciplined because everything will change based on that.  The more composed team will win, meaning whoever takes fewer penalties.  Honestly no one here will say I want to give the pens or red wings plenty of chances on the power play.

Answer 2

I think this series comes down to who wants it more.

The Pens can score and play defense with the Red Wings and the Goal tending might even be an edge to Pittsburgh.

Both will score... in fact, I believe it'll be a back and forth affair.

Lets face it... Pitts could have beaten Dallas, San Jose, Nashville and Colorado.... Detroit could have beaten Phila, Wash, Mont, Otta, Boston, so on...

Fact is... we get the best the NHL has to offer.

Pittsburgh wont give up Detroit fans... you score 1, they want to come back and score 2.

Detroit wont stop firing at Fleury.... if the Pens give up that middle Fleury will be yanked quickly.

Answer 3

It's a good thing.  It's down to the teams and their coaches to do their homework, then go play.  Not having butted heads all season is insane and needs to be addressed, but this series brings no regular season baggage with it to cloud the theoretically equal standing the teams have before the puck drops.  

I can't, and wouldn't want to predict - I just want to see epic hockey.  It won't be relaxing for me, but I don't want to miss another minute.

Go Wings.

Answer 4

i agree in that it is difficult to predict the outcome, at least w/ any significantly justifiable reasons.

food for thought (not saying that any of these have merit), again, just food for thought:

- the nationalities of the captains (personally, i think this is c**p. yes i know about stats. but it goes back to "flip the quarter 100 times" argument). if you buy into this, then i'd submit that you're subconsciously a racist. GASP!

- one regular season game would be hard to extrapolate to this series anyway.

- previous SCF experience of players? (hmm)

- coaching experience and SCF coaching experience

- since 1990, the Penguins are 2-0 in SCF. The Wings are 3-1. does it matter? how many players are still on those teams?

- is there any element of the 95 wings mentality in the young, flashy, highly touted Penguins? maybe. maybe not. we beat Chicago, and said "bring on NJ", and were embarrassed by a puck - possessing, positional defence (first), mentality. no one cared about Fedorov's MVP, and our President's Trophy. we had only lost 2 games in the playoffs. then we got swept. we were supposedly "hungry" ... the 40 year drought. it was "our year". tell that to Claude, Stevens, and Brodeur, and the rest of the devils.

- by concentrating the preponderance of your offense on 2 main players, doesn't that make it easier for a defensive minded team (defence first) to target, and then contain (or shut them down)? let's see, how many Selke Finalists are on the Penguins? How many Norris finalists?

- look at the "defence" that the Penguins have had to face so far in the playoffs. Philly gave them the toughest battle. What has Detroit seen all year?

these are JUST questions, and food for thought. i STILL think it will be hard to predict. however, since no direct comparisons can be made, you have to start SOMEWHERE. i assure you that Don Cherry, and his community will. otherwise they'll be out of a job. it will be interesting to see how the NHL legislates the referee - ing of the games. i think the first game will say a LOT. i think it will go at LEAST 6 games.

add - Rich. yes, we'll agree at times, and we'll disagree. there's a 50/50 chance. neither of us has a predisposition to have the opposite stance as the other. however, keep this in mind. there are people who i absolutely agree w/ (take political issues, for example), but they have assinine (in my opinion) reasons ("my parents brought me up that way"). therefore, it is hard for me to give them much credibility. conversely, there are people who i absolutely disagree w/, but have immense respect for, because they have well - thought out opinions and reasons, and frankly, have MUCH more credibility w/ me. i'm not saying this is the case here. i'm just saying that agreement is just as common as disagreement. i don't seek either. i seek truth and objectivity. sometimes i have to "adjust".

Answer 5

I dunno either. I'm partial to the Pens but I really think it will go to at least game 6. it won't be easy for either team. Detroit is more experienced but the Pens are  younger and less experienced. I have no idea how it will turn out though. Wings fans of course think it won't be a problem going up against us but like you said there is no way to make a direct comparison. This is going to be a good series. Let the best team win!

EDIT: We played 2 games in the preseason. Pens lost both.

Answer 6

To me the outcome of this series is all about the star matchups, and in my very biased opinion, the Red Wings come out on top.

The East in general seemed to be weaker defensively than the West.  Look at the Norris trophy candidates and overall defensive stats for the year and it becomes obvious.  That being said, I think Detroit has the BEST defense in the West, which I'd debate with anyone.  Our top 4 defensemen are rediculously talented and compliment each other well.  For Pittsburgh, and yes we didn't play them this year, they appear weaker on Defense.  Not outright weak, but weaker.  

Then there is the offense.  Sid and Malkin and some others are very talented, and it's scary how young they are.  I'm not going to beat around the bush when I say this might be the toughest task for the Wings facing such a dynamic and explosive offensive threat.  That being said, the Wings certainly show no issues with finding the back of the net.  We had the Mule putting up rediculous stats before the unfortunate "concussion like symptoms", but it wasn't like it was at the expense of our other players.  Datsyuk got his first career hattrick.  Zetterberg, among other stats, had 2 short handed goals against Dallas.  You see my point.

So the question becomes, can Pittsburgh solve the Detroit defense, and can their Defense solve our 3 legit scoring lines?  I honestly think the pressure is on Pittsburgh to figure it out, because the Wings have just been playing better than ev eryone they've faced for the most part, and I don't think Pittsburgh has the defense to take them out of that mindset.

I'll pit Lidstrom/Rafalski against any line in the league with total confidence, and Kronwall/Stuart are more than capable of handling the second.

(See, comparisons can be made)

Answer 7

It's a good thing but I can compare them. They each have 2 superstars with Crosby/Malkin and Datsyuk/Zetterberg. They also have great defense with Gonchar/Whitney and Lidstrom/Rafalski. I would give the defensive edge to Detroit but the superstar edge to Pittsburgh because many could argue that Marian Hossa is a superstar too. I give the goal-tending to the Pens because of how great Fleury has been and so i think the series will come down to special teams. Who can get their power play going and who can kill penalties? That will determine the series.

Answer 8

Go PENS!!! woot.

Answer 9

Either are capable of winning. They both need to stick to their game.