Skating towards Lord Stanley's Cup
Interview by Andrew McDermott, Staff Writer
April 16, 2010
On April 14, the defending Stanley Cup champions took to the ice to protect it against their first round opponent, the Ottawa Senators. The Penguins have not been good in the few final games and their performance sends me mixed messages about how they will do in the playoffs. Here are my grades for each position for each team.
Ottawa Forwards
Ottawa’s forwards are led by Captain Daniel Alfredsson and assistant captain Mike Fisher. Alfredsson and Fisher always perform well in the playoffs but always better against the Penguins. Look for Jason Spezza and Matt Cullen to get their fair share of goals too. The matchup I am looking forward to the most is former Penguins’ agitator Jarkko Ruutu vs. current Penguins’ agitator Matt Cooke. That will be fun to watch.
Overall Grade: B+
Penguin Forwards
Pittsburgh’s forward group is led by the two-headed monster, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. I believe the Penguins’ playoff hopes rely heavily on Malkin, who went absolutely insane last year in the playoffs. Also look for Jordan Staal to kill off those pesky penalties and score the occasional goal. Bill Guerin’s postseason experience will also help the Penguins through the playoffs. Other notable forwards for Pittsburgh are Tyler Kennedy, Max Talbot, Pascal Dupuis and the “Ukraine Train” Alexei Ponikarovsky.
Overall Grade: A
Ottawa Defense
Ottawa is led by two tough defensemen, Anton Volchenkov and Chris Phillips. Both of these defensemen have tons of playoff experience which should help Ottawa in its push for the cup. Andy Sutton and Matt Carkner will also score the occasional goal, but I believe this group will be Ottawa’s weakest.
Overall Grade: B
Pittsburgh Defense
Pittsburgh’s defense is led by veteran Sergei Gonchar, an experienced veteran. He will lead the powerplay and skate with the first line, and will be the most productive defenseman for Pittsburgh. Physical defenseman Brooks Orpik will lead the team in hits and be the physical presence on the ice. Also look for Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski to score their fair share of goals.
Overall Grade: A-
Goalies
I believe Pittsburgh has the edge in this category. Marc-Andre Fleury always outperforms himself in the playoffs, and Brian Elliot has faltered and been shaky in the playoffs. The team of Crosby and Malkin will rattle Pascal, allowing Pittsburgh to take the series.
Winner: Pittsburgh in 6 games
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