May
28
Written by:
jpeisich
5/28/2010 11:15 PM
The Stanley Cup final begins Saturday night with the Philadelphia Flyers @ the Chicago
Blackhawks.
The Chicago Blackhawks were expected to make it here.The Philadelphia Flyers were not.
The Philadelphia Flyers who made the playoffs on a shootout win in the last game of the season
mounted an improbable comeback in the second round of the playoffs after falling behind 3
games to 0 in their series with the Boston Bruins they came all the way back and not only beat
the Bruins in 7 games but also dismantled the Montreal Canadians in 5 games, yes the same
Montreal team that beat Washington and Pittsburgh this playoff year.
Goaltending:
The Flyers Micheal Leighton has been one of the playoffs hero's. The 29-year-old journeyman
has played for four NHL teams over the past nine years. He took over in Game 6 of the Boston
series after Brian Boucher was hurt and has gone 6-1 with three shutouts during that span.
Antti Niemi has gone from backup at the season's start to playoff star with a 12-4 record for the
Blackhawks during the playoffs.The 26 year old from Vantaa, Finland is on a roll.
Edge:Chicago Blackhawks
Defense:
Chris Pronger, at age 35, is playing like he is 25 and playing 30 minutes a game to boot.
Chris continues to intimidate opponents.Chris will be on the ice most times when Dustin
Byfuglien is on and when Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews is on the ice. He will try to stop the
Blackhawks up-tempo offense. The Flyers also have Matt Carle and the steady duo of Kimmo
Timonen and Braydon Coburn, but after the big four there is a huge droppff.
Chicago's Duncan Keith is emerging as one if not the best all-around defenseman.
Add Brent Seabrook, Brent Sopel and Brian Campbell, and the Blackhawks have a better
top four defensemen than the Flyers and maybe in all of the NHL.
Their 5,6 and 7th defensemen are without a doubt much better than Philly.
Edge:Chicago Blackhawks
Offense:
The Flyers have 9 players that have at least three goals, in this playoff year.
Daniel Briere (nine), Claude Giroux (eight) and Simon Gagne (seven). And the leading
scorer for the Flyers is Captain Mike Richards, who has six goals and 15 assists. Also,Jeff Carter is
back and he can score.
The Blackhawks are led by Captain Jonathan Toews, who leads all playoff scorers
with 26 points, and Patrick Kane, who has seven goals and 13 assists. Dustin Byfuglien, who had
eight goals in the playoffs, including four winners.
Edge: Even
Special teams:
Special teams are what decide playoff games, The Blackhawks' power play is clicking at 22.6
percent i and the Flyers are at 20.7 percent. The Blackhawks' penalty killers have an 86.6
percent success rate, and the Flyers are at 87 percent.
Edge: Even
Intangibles:
The Flyers and Blackhawks met once in the regular season, with the Flyers winning 3-2 in Philly.
The Flyers are looking for their first Cup since the Broad Street Bullies won back-to-back
in 1974-75. The Blackhawks haven't won a Cup since 1961, when the league had six teams.
Both cities fans are passionate and are starving for the Cup.
Coaching:
Peter Laviolette won a Stanley Cup as a coach, with the Hurricanes in 2006.
Chicago's Joel Quenneville has helped turned the Blackhawks into an elite team again.
Edge: Just based on winning the Stanley Cup already Peter Laviolette.
Pick:
Marian Hossa of the Blackhawks is trying to avoid losing his third consecutive Cup final with
three different teams. The Blackhawks have been great all season and they are young and
hungry and will be in the finals for years to come.
The Flyers have been a great surprising story this spring,The Flyers feel like a team of destiny.
They made the playoffs by winning in a shootout against the Rangers on the last day of the
regular season. Then they were down 3-0 in the second-round series against Boston and down
3-0 in Game 7 on the road of that series before rallying to become the third NHL team to win a
best-of-seven series after losing the first three games.
You Could not wright a better Script.
The Philadelphia Flyers are the Stanley Cup Champs in 6 Games!!!!!
Enjoy the Cup!!!
Stanley Cup Final Schedule: All games start at 8 P.M.
Game 1: Saturday, May 29th at Chicago
Game 2: Monday, May 31st at Chicago
Game 3: Wednesday, June 2nd at Philadelphia
Game 4: Friday, June 4th at Philadelphia
Game 5: If necessary: Sunday, June 6th at Chicago
Game 6: If necessary: Wednesday, June 9th at Philadelphia
Game 7: If necessary: Friday, June 11th at Chicago
Tags: