The Finals!

So, here we are, two games deep in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Pittsburgh Penguins have yet to score. Yes, the team that is allegedly the same group who has been compared to the Edmonton Oilers of the 1980's, has not yet scored a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals. It is unfortunate for Crosby & Co. that they seem to be more like the 1983 Oilers, Gretz & Mess' 1st Stanley Cup Finals, when they were swept by the New York Islanders.

These teams cannot be better matched. A quick look at the teams and the Match-up:

Finesse: Both teams are supremely talented. Between Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsuyk, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, if I wanted to start a franchise, I would take the duo of Crosby and Malkin; however, if I were in the business of winning a Stanley Cup Finals series, I would probably take Zetterberg and Datsuyk as their playoff experience is priceless. Having been around for several years longer than their young foes is invaluable and will give them a slight advantage. Age and experience is the only significant difference between the two tandems, and since the older couple are not yet Chris Chelios-old, their background gives them the advantage.

Edge, Red Wings.

Goaltending: Both starting goalies have had question marks placed next to their names when it comes to performing in the clutch. Both starting goalies have quieted their critics this post-season. At the beginning of this series, Osgood and Fleury were the only two goalies in the playoffs who have a Goals-Against Average of below 2.00, weighing in at 1.60 and 1.70, respectively. Marc-Andre Fleury is a young talent, like everybody else on his team; and like everybody else on the Red Wings, Osgood is older and rife with experience. He has already backstopped the Red Wings to one Stanley Cup and was on the bench for another. He is a journeyman who played in the AHL as recently as 2005, after being placed on waivers, traded to several teams and finally signed back by Detroit on a 1-year, $900,000 contract. He has been through the ringer and you can bet he will be ready for this opportunity. Like Zetterberg and Datsuyk, Osgood has tremendous experience and a history of showing mental-toughness when it is most needed; however, he is not old enough to be falling into disrepair, like Dominik Hasek.

Edge, Red Wings.

Grit: In a fairly evenly matched series, this is the first category where there is a noticeable difference. As I pointed out in the past, Gary Roberts is grit personified; however, Roberts is 42-years old and has not played much this post-season.

In the other corner is a team who will not be intimidated by tough play or Avery-like antics. Starting at the top of the list (if you're going by age) is Chris Chelios, who is one of the toughest players in the last 20 years. He is dirty and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Then there is Niklas Kronwall. He has emerged as a big-game player this season and has made some game-altering hits. He will continue to be an impact player. Pittsburgh is not a team that will be easy to push around; however, the Red Wings will try to do just that. If you run down the list of players on the Wings, they are simply built hardier and are tougher than the majority of the Pens. This list includes: Dan Cleary, Kris Draper, Chelios, Nicklas Lidstrom, Kirk Maltby, Tomas Holmstrom, and Darren McCarty.

Edge, Red Wings.

Defense: This requires less explanation. Nicklas Lidstrom - 5 Norris Trophies. Chris Chelios - 3 Norris Trophies. Kris Draper - 1 Selke Trophy (best defensive forward). Niklas Kronwall - 12 assists and many bone-jarring hits.

I do not need to add much more. Pittsburgh is inherently an offensive team who tends to play a run-and-gun style in order to outscore their opponents. They will not be able to do that with such an experienced defensive core. They will need to rely on puck-control, rather than nifty dangles to beat the Red Wings. While Pittsburgh isn't a bad defensive team, they do not have the pedigree that the Red Wings do.

Edge, Red Wings.

All of that being said, I would be shocked if this series does not go to 6 or 7 games.

In this year's edition, both teams skated through the first 3 series, losing a combined 6 games. There are a couple other reasons why The Finals have featured the surprising scoring-drought of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

1. Chris Osgood - Nobody has talked much about it, but this is the end-point of another Darren McCarty-esque return to glory. He has had extreme highs and lows in his career, but here he is, back in net for The Big Dance. After out-playing a red-hot Marty Turco in the Western Conference Semifinals, Osgood is putting on another show in the first couple games. As he continues to nurse the 3rd longest Stanley Cup Finals shut-out streak ever, the Red Wings have a lot of confidence in their goaltending and their defensive abilities. This will empower their offense to take greater risks in an effort to add to their already daunting lead.

2. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin - Both of these stars are responsible for the success of the Penguins in this offseason. They scored timely goals and stepped up when it was needed. It's safe to say that Game 3 will be the most important game of their young careers. For a team that was averaging 3.6 goals-per-game entering the Stanley Cup Finals, being shut-out in 2 straight games is almost unprecedented. These teams have the run of the ice when they have the power-play and they really need to get Pittsburgh's powerplay on the scoreboard in Game 3 if they have any chance of winning this series. Once they see a scuff in the armour, they may go into feeding-frenzy mode that they displayed against the Flyers in the last game of that series.

3. Home Ice Advantage - The advantage that a team has in its own building is immense, especially when their opponent is a young and nervous team in their first Stanley Cup Finals. Going into the white-out of Mellon Arena on Wednesday should soothe their nerves and they will be able to play the entertaining style of hockey that got them this far. Only once has a team not won the Stanley Cup after winning jumping out to a 2-0 lead, but if there ever was a team that can make history, it is these Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens need to jump out to a fast lead at home, as Detroit is 11-1 when they score first while Pittsburgh is 10-0.

After 2 games, Detroit clearly has an overwhelming advantage, but the Penguins are the only team who is capable of mounting a comeback in the face of such daunting odds.

Edge, Red Wings. They win their 11th Stanley Cup in 6 games.