Skating towards Lord Stanley's Cup, Part II
Interview by Andrew McDermott, Staff Writer
May 5 , 2010
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It’s no surprise the Penguins have made it through the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. As of the writing of this article, the Penguins are tied in new series 1-1 with their opponent, the Montreal Canadians. Here are my grades and predictions for this round’s matchups.
Montreal Forwards
Montreal’s forwards are led by assistant captain Brian Gionta. He is a proven goal scorer who always comes through in the clutch. The team also has forward Mike Cammalleri, who has given the Penguins problems so far in this round. Scott Gomez will also score goals, and Maxim Lapierre will provide the physicality Montreal needs. Grade: A
Penguin Forwards
Pittsburgh’s forwards played really well in the first round. Sidney Crosby went insane, and Matt Cooke also had some surprising goals. A big blow came to the Pens when they lost Jordan Staal with a torn tendon in his foot. His presence on the penalty kill will be sorely missed. Look for Bill Guerin to also have a good series. Grade: A
Montreal Defense
Montreal’s defensemen are probably one of the best groups in the playoffs. They have blocked over 230 shots this playoffs, and they are led by former Penguin Hal Gill in this category. This is what I believe will be Montreal’s downfall, though: Even though they still have Hal and Andre Markov, they are very slow, a factor which will allow the Pens’ speedy wingers to have the edge in the series. Grade: B+
Pittsburgh Defense
Pittsburgh’s defensemen played very well in the first round. Sergei Gonchar took control of the power play, which allowed the Pens to take the series. Brooks Orpik also became a physical presence, and with Jordan Leopold back in the lineup and Kris LEtang playing the best playoff hockey in his short career, I believe the Pens are set in this category. Grade: A-
Goalies
Even though Fleury let some bad goals in during the first round, he still has the edge. Surprise goalie Jaroslav Halak has performed well in the playoffs, and he shut down the Washington Capitals, which is no small feat. I believe Fleury will outplay Halak and allow Pittsburgh to take the series.
Winner: Pittsburgh in 7 games
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