My money would be on Detroit to raise teh cup over their heads yet again as Pittsburgh has been able to do next to nothing at Joe Louis arena in the first 3 contests there. However I have hope that Pittsburgh's hunger and their 2 superstars will pull it off when all of the marbles are on the line.
Fleury will need to be at his best, no softies, and a bunch of superb saves to keep Pittsburgh in the game or else it could once again look ugly for the Pens in Detroit. Jared Staal will be a big key for this game especially if Malkin and Crosby are canceled out by Zetterberg and Datsyuk.
I felt strongly at the time that the winner of game 5 would win the series, and I still feel that way just because Pittsburgh would have to win one in Detroit to skate the cup. Maybe Pittsburgh can show that they are too good of a team to lose 4 games in a 7 game series on the road.
Detroit should win this because IMO they are the better team. But it can't be said enough, game 7's are a different animal and any one's game.
My keys to the game.....
For a Detroit win:
Score early and keep buzzing.
Hossa finally shows up and puts the dagger squarely into the back of his former teammates.
Osgood pulls off one last performance that he only seems to be able to do with the Wings.
Their depth players start to run up the score with no answer from Pittsburgh.
For a Pittsburgh win:
Get the first goal and never look back, a huge key for such a young team.
Staal has a big game and takes pressure off of Crosby and Malkin.
Fleury needs to be at his absolute best for Pittsburgh to win, he needs to prove that he is a better goalie than Osgood tonight.
Make them pay on the PP, we need to see a 2-4 or 2-3 performance on the PP.
Crosby and Malkin play like world beaters and refuse for Pittsburgh to lose.
It should be fun, and outside of the Oilers making it here, I couldn't have asked for a better ending to the '08-09 NHL season than a battle of the old lion and the young lion going to game 7. Go Pens!
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