So it's round two of The Battle of the Hudson. The Rangers and the Devils face off for the first time in the conference finals since 1994 and, if history is any indicator, this series should be one for the ages.
Eighteen years is a long time. Only one player from either team has appeared in both series. Whatever else you may say about Martin Brodeur, know this: he's still an elite player and he would no doubt love the chance to avenge the loss he suffered at the hands of Messier, et al.
As a Rangers' fan, my main concern is not the match ups, which favor the Blueshirts. It's stamina. No team has ever won a Stanley Cup being extended seven games in each of its first two series. Fatigue is bound to play a role sooner or later. The Devils, meanwhile, are well rested, having dispensed with the Broad Street Pussies in five games. Though it is worth noting that it took them the full seven to beat the Putty Tats from Miami. Still, going into this year's tournament, I felt the Devils were the most balanced and dangerous team in the hunt. They can come at you with three solid lines, while the Rangers pretty much will rely on the Brad Richards' line for the bulk of their offense.
And let's get one thing straight. Unlike '94, whoever wins this war is NOT a lock to win the Cup. L.A. has played a whopping ten games this post season and won nine of them. Their goaltender is as good as any in the league. With all the talk about Henrick Lundquist winning the Vezina trophy this year, Jonathan Quick has been his team's most valuable player. Period!
Of course I'm picking the Rangers, but barely. This is going the full seven, no doubt about it. So buckle up and get ready.
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