2008 Stanley Cup Finals Preview: Goliath Vs. Goliath

What is the best part about hockey?

Is it the clutch plays? The high-octane action? The fights? Maybe it's this: this Saturday, the past and the future collide for the richest prize in the NHL: Lord Stanley's Cup.

So to make this short and sweet, it's impossible to determine who will win this matchup. But we'll sure as hell give it a shot.

How the Penguins Got Here

From the basement of the NHL to the top of their game, the Pittsburgh Penguins quickly dispatched Ottawa, executed the young upstart Rangers (led by former Pens great Jaromir Jagr), and had a slugfest with cross-state rivals Philadelphia.

In the process, they pulled a Danny Ainge: They went from being one of the worst teams last year to being four wins away from hoisting the Stanley Cup.

The young Davids of Pittsburgh grew up quickly and at the right time, because I don't think I've seen the Penguins this dangerous since the days of Lemieux and Jagr.

Now with the playoff experience under their belt, I don't expect Pittsburgh to stop with just making it to the dance...they intend to win the whole thing.

How the Red Wings Got Here

This should be renamed into "How Hockeytown Got Its Groove Back".

After some early exits in recent years, the Detroit Red Wings have a shot to win their first Cup in six years. After taking out Nashville, Detroit swept through Colorado and ground out a tough series against Dallas.

This pans out well for Detroit. With experience and youth on the team, they should make for some good head-to-head battles. With the experience of Chris Chelios and Pavel Datsyuk, as well as the youth of Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings aren't planning to get clipped anytime soon.

Isn't motivation a beautiful thing?

Why the Penguins Will Win the Stanley Cup

The Element of Surprise. The Red Wings will be completely focused on the dynamic duo of Sydney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, which opens the door for Jordan Staal to contend with Chris Osgood.

But the offense is only the beginning of the dangers of facing Pittsburgh. They have a pretty good goalie as well.

Did I say pretty good? I meant "Damn! He's good!"

Marc-Andre Fleury may not have the experience of Osgood, but he's been playing like it. Fleury has a GAA of 1.70 this postseason. Does that make him good? Definitely, but does that make him good enough to lead Pittsburgh to the Cup?

Why the Red Wings Win the Stanley Cup

Skating and Skills. The Red Wings have to believe that they can hang with the Penguins, but they also have to believe that they can duel with them.

It's obvious that age doesn't always have the advantage, but if the Wings can do what they've done all postseason, they can win it.

This is also due in large part to the stepping up of Chris Osgood, who has a 1.60 GAA in this postseason.

Home sweet home. Detroit has been pretty good at home, but what has helped them get back to the Finals is the fact that they turn the road arenas into their version of Joe Louis Arena.

After compiling a 12-4 record, Detroit looks to finish 16-4 and with the Stanley Cup in their possession.

So Who Takes Home Lord Stanley's Cup?

The Red Wings showed dominance at the perfect times throughout the postseason, including a four-game sweep over rival Colorado.

Despite the early sweep, Detroit is ready for this series. In their only meeting this season, the Red Wings won 1-0 in overtime during the preseason.

The Penguins can say that they are destined for greatness. Their boss has proven that this team is ready for everything. Whether at home, on the road, or playing table hockey in their parents' basements, Pittsburgh is ready to take on the "Best of the West".

Like the possible dream NBA Finals, this is arguably one of the best Cup Finals in recent memory.

No more talks about Big D, statues, snowstorms, or Ducks. This year, it's okay to watch a good battle on the ice. If you're looking to see a game worth talking about at the office on Monday, the Stanley Cup Finals between Pittsburgh and Detroit is perfect.

Now that the hype is over, here's my pick: Seven games. Both teams will win at least one on the road. Hockeytown found its groove, but in this epic battle of Goliath vs. Goliath, The Steel City Goliaths will take home the Cup.

Finals Result: Pittsburgh Penguins in Seven Games

The puck drops on Saturday. Cancel that date with your future mother-in-law, because not even she is going to be as important as the Stanley Cup Finals. See you this weekend.