Photo Credit: Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images
It’s been an interesting year for hockey fans. The San Jose Sharks are in their first Stanley Cup Final ever and the Pittsburgh Penguins have made the playoffs for the past six years, but have failed to go far since their win in 2009. However, this year the Pens were able to make it all the way and here are the reasons why I believe the team could be Stanley Cup Champions this year.
While it might be the most obvious reason, the Penguins already have a two game lead over the Sharks. According to Bleacher Report, 78% of teams that win the first game win the Cup. The lead also shows that the Sharks can be beaten by the Pens, it could only be a matter of time before the team is able to pick up the last two wins.
While many points to Sidney Crosby as the winning factor for the Pens, one player that will make all the difference is rookie goalie Matt Murray. At only age 22, Murray has seemingly replaced fan-favorite, Marc-Andre Fleury. During their game on Memorial Day, Murray had 24 saves out of 26 and stayed calm despite all of the pressure. Even some of the best players in any league can’t do that. The team’s reliance on Murray is something that will echo far beyond the finals, but his presence in the finals is something that the Pens shouldn’t take for granted. He knows how to play calmly and is reliable. What more could the Penguins ask for to help them win?
While one player doesn’t make up the entire roster, one thing that the entire roster has is speed. Sidney Crosby is the obvious example. Crosby has transformed himself from a dud who couldn’t take his team past the first round of the playoffs into one of the best in the series. In the postseason so far, Crosby has six goals and ten assists, but the way Crosby is handling his stick, moving around the ice and the way that he works to improve himself shows that he’s far from washed up.
Another player who really brings the speed is Phil Kessel. Kessel came from Toronto and hasn’t looked back since with good reason. He fit seamlessly into the Penguins offense and compliments the other power players on the team such as Crosby and Malkin. He might be a new addition to the Penguins but his work ethic and his willingness to adapt is what makes him such a star in the finals.
This last point might be a little bit cheesy, but it’s true. The Penguins believe in themselves and it shows. They take the ice as if it’s game 7 and they’re just barely scraping by. While I’ve mentioned three of the most talked-about players in the post-season, it’s truly a team effort. The talent on the team is phenomenal, don’t get me wrong but the speed of the players, the caliber that they’re playing at, their willingness to make changes when needed and their intensity will be how they get the Stanley Cup victory.
