NHL - Detroit v Pittsburgh

30 May 2009

Preview By Tipster Jumbo (New Zealand)

Before I start getting to wasted down here in the Mighty Waikato I have managed to get on line whilst hiding out in a mates back room while everyone else is getting stoned up front so while I have the time I am keen to watch these games and try again this season on the NHL Finals and for those IN NZ that are interested these games will be live beginning tomorrow on Sky Sports 3 at 1pm in the afternoon,same teams as last season and both are again looking great,the main difference for me is that this time around Sydney Crosby is a year more experienced and has come through these playoffs looking sharp and now he and his Penguin Teammates get the chance for some thing that not many of us ever get,a second chance,a shot at redemption.

Now while I am not the biggest watcher of the NHL I have managed to watch every game so far this post season that these two sides have played in and am willing to bet while I watch the remaining games in this season,this match up here should be great,not only is it a repeat of last seasons finals series but if anything the Penguins have a great chance at winning the title this time around,last season and it was a huge chance for them and they lost but this season their lines are more cohesive and the play of Crosby and Malkin imp articular has improved immensely and that can only bring positive results for the Pengs as we enter game 1 of Lord Stanleys Cup.

The Red Wings and Penguins meet again in a rematch in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final.Both teams� rosters have changed since last June,. The Penguins, more than the Red Wings have a heap of new faces for the 2009 Final -- including a new coach in Bylsma, who has done an outstanding job as the Pengs head coach,After last season�s Final, the Penguins had a major roster turnover. Hossa left as an unrestricted free agent, signing with the Red Wings as has Conklin who has an outstanding record of finding himself I the Stanley Cup Playoffs having appeared in three of the last four Stanley Cup Finals with three different teams, Edmonton in 2006, Pittsburgh in 2008 and now the Wings in 2009. However the Pengs have�nt missed a beat and with Crosby and Malkin have two players capable of taking on all comers and reaching the heights of a Title look a round them and the class of Cooke,Dupris,Talbort,Gurerin,Stall and Sykora and they have the talent to be more than competitive,add in a defence with the likes of Gonchar,Boucher,Eaton,Gill and two great goal tenders in Fluery and Garon and not that much baggage from last years finals series and the Pengs have a chance here and are playing into form at what appears to be the right time. The Pengs have not lost in their last 5 games and began this post season push with a 4-2 Series win against the Flyers,they then went on to beat the Capitals 4-3 in a fantastic series and swept by the Hurricanes in great form and I think they are better than last season and now with a year under some of their belts are here and ready to make a difference this time around.

The Red Wings again have a great looking side with experience and fight all over the roster,Lindstrom and Ericsson are both set to take their places in the Red Wings Defence but the availability of Pavel Datsyuk could be the one place where the Red Wings will be short with him unlikely to play in Game 1,however run through their side and their team is stacked with talent and some of the biggest names in the business with Draper,Zetterberg,Fransen,Holmstrom and Hossa up front and at the back the likes of Chelios,Ericsson,Stuart and Lindstrom blocking the way for the Pengs goal scorers and of course Osgood who is an outstanding goalie of the highest calibre,they have the class and talent to win and sure have the drive,they reeled off 5 straight wins to begin this post season with a sweep of the Blue Jackets then had a hard fought 7 game series with the Ducks before advancing to this point again past the Blackhawks,they have lost only one Home game this post season and that was in Game 2 against Anaheim 4-3 and have lost only 4 of 16 post season matches this time around,their defence again is superb and their attack is great as usual but they do face a Pengs side who were a bit shy last time around and since then even with the roster changes have improved greatly.

If the Pengs are to have any realistic chance here this time around they must win one of the two opening games in Detroit which of course is never easy but the loss or perceived loss of Datsyuk could be the turning point in this series but the Pengs must make hay while the Sun shines on them,the Red Wings have their 3 best defense men only just coming back with Lindstrom and Ericsson both training and expected to play but Datsyuk for me the best defensive Forward player in the Entire league likely to not be ready for Game 1 and that could be the difference,both teams here enter in great touch with the Pengs having swept the Hurricanes and the Red Wings only dropping one game in their series against the Blackhawks and just watching both of those Series the Pengs appear to be in the better form heading into this Series of games and a win tonight in Game 1 will really set the cat amongst the Pigeons,you can never write off the Red Wings of course and their class and character is bound to shine in pressure situations but the Pengs do have a chance here and will want to go out and make this a winning start to what they hope will be a great campaign on their way to the lifting Lord Stanleys Cup ,the Pengs come here having won their last 5 including the sweep over the Hurricanes and a fantastic nail biting Series against the Capitals in which they got to advance in 7 brutal and fantastic games and I think that that Series of games imparticular has left a massive mark on this Penguins side and against the odds I�m willing to take them here in Game 1 to upset the Apple cart and grab an unexpected win�Good Luck.