Round Three: Grizzled Vets vs. Young Guns

The key to the Detroit v. Dallas series rests upon whether or not Dallas can recover from enduring a torrential comeback attempt from the San Jose Sharks that had to be decided in quadruple overtime.

Detroit has had time to rest after sweeping the Avs, and while Dallas will get a bit of a reprieve between now and meeting up with the western conference top seed, the series with San Jose became physical towards the end and took a lot out of the Stars in order to keep the hungry Sharks at bay.

That said, it’s that kind of effort and emotion that brings a team together, and if Marty Turco can play anything at all like he did in Game 6 versus the Sharks the whole series against Detroit, even the highly systematic Wings might find some serious trouble with the Stars.

I have to go underdog on this one, just because this is how Stanley Cup teams become Stanley Cup Legends. Stars in seven.

Out east, the Penguins will have had longer to rest from a series against the Rangers that wasn’t anywhere near as intense as out West, and Philly didn’t get challenged seriously by the Habs.

This is going to be a series of two fairly rested teams. So what will be the difference? Martin Biron, perhaps, who had some sensational goaltending against some serious shot counts by the Habs. Or perhaps some Malkin magic.

How about a possible return by Gary Roberts, grizzled veteran with a long list of playoff experience? Maybe it’s Sid’s year? Or perhaps the turnover of captaincy to Jason Smith has spurred the Flyers to their Eastern Conference Final? The Flyers haven’t seen the Cup in a long time, longer than the Penguins, and they’re playing a style that hearkens somewhat back to the Broadstreet Bully days. Maybe physicality will prove key.

I say Philly in six. They’re tougher, they’ve got what appears to be an edge in goaltending, but a more important edge in playoff experience with Hatcher and Smith manning the blueline.