If you are not excited for the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, just watch game one tonight, and I dare you not to watch the rest of the series. Tonight starts the best sporting event you can watch. The intensity, speed, grit, teamwork, and skill that will be displayed by the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings is unmatched in the athletic world. What makes it better is we get at least four games and in this series the likelihood of six or seven! The Kings are hot, and it is hard seeing them stumble at all with the pace they have played at the first three rounds. This extra time off since the Conference Finals means they will be rested and eager to continue the high flying run they are on. The Devils have built their confidence through the playoffs to where they are now, poised to play their best hockey of the season at the most important time.
The lead is of course the goaltenders. Jonathan Quick has turned in the best performance of the post season only losing two games and backstopping the Kings to eight straight road victories. He has been unflappable between the pipes and allows the Kings to open up their game offensively with constant pressure on opposing team's defense. Quick has never been in this position at the highest level, but continues to make game changing saves and instill confidence in his team. He will need to continue this play for the Kings to win the series, and if he does, will undoubtedly be the Conn Smythe winner.
You cannot talk Quick, however, without talking about the man standing across from him. The man that will go down as the greatest goalie of all time with or without winning this series. Martin Brodeur is a phenomenon still playing at this level as he reaches forty years old. His athletic style always makes games an adventure, but there is no questioning his ability to stop the puck. He makes all the "easy" saves that always keep his team in games and more importantly with a chance to win night in and night out. His leadership and experience is unmatched and this gives the Devils a slight edge. Young guys bring enthusiasm and energy, but the veterans like Brodeur are the even keel that keeps a team focused and mentally prepared to be great and excel on the biggest stage.
It's a good thing there are two quality goalies in this series because there will be a lot of offense with many great scoring chances to be had. Both teams are deep showing the ability to score with their third line and put pressure on with their fourth. Both teams also have offensive stars. The King's Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Mike Richards are matched by Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Travis Zajac. All these guys make game changing plays every night and this must continue for their team to hoist the Cup. Brown and Kopitar need to find the back of the net shorthanded at least once this series while maintaining their excellent penalty kill. Kovalchuk has been a goal scoring machine on the powerplay so he will be ready to bury the biscuit when given the chance. The Kings seem to have more proven guys that can score, but the Stanley Cup loves unlikely heroes. The team that maintains their speed of play will be the winner.
Defensively the Kings get all the press led by Drew Doughty. Doughty has played exceptionally well this postseason becoming an anchor in the defensive zone. The Kings roll six d-men which keeps the legs fresh and allows them to be more active offensively while still dominating in their own end. Rob Scuderi, Willie Mitchell, and Matt Greene bring the veteran grit of successful playoff defensemen while young guys Alec Martinez and Slava Voynov round out an impressive d-corp. All can make plays and defend against any line in their own zone.
The Devils back line, while not as talked about, is just as an impressive group of blueliners. Bryce Salvador has had a surprisingly impressive offensive playoffs with more points in 18 playoff games than he had in 82 regular season games. Salvador, Andy Greene, Marek Zidlicky, and Mark Fayne have been the backbone of a strong defensive team moving away from the clutch and grab trapping Devils of the past to a quick puck moving, gritty play making group. They defend below the hash marks and make all the simple outlet passes so that their forwards can take care of business at the other end.
To say one of these teams has an advantage going into the series is crazy. The Devils and Kings truly mirror one another which excites me even more. There will be great play in all areas of the game leaving the door open for heroes each night. These will all be close one goal games that will have us fans on the edge of our seats. Within two weeks the Stanley Cup will be raised and a group of 20 guys immortalized in hockey history. I may or may not have some stake in this, attending game six in LA, but here it goes anyways. Kings in 6!
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