| Though the weather outside doesn't make you think | | | | passed all tests up to this point. An interesting note - |
| about hockey, the Stanley Cup finals start tonight. The | | | | both Pronger and Staal were chosen by the Carolina |
| match-up must be a complete nightmare for Gary | | | | Hartford franchise second overall in the draft - Staal in |
| Bettman, the NHL's commissioner. Edmonton hasn't | | | | 2003 and Pronger 10 years earlier. |
| been a marquee team since Wayne Gretzky got | | | | 4) Veteran presence - Both teams added veterans |
| traded to Los Angeles, and people don't exactly think | | | | this year to stabilize the team and add the calming |
| of hockey when they hear North Carolina. The TV | | | | presence that they needed to get where they are. |
| ratings will be dismal, though that's nothing new for the | | | | The new players complemented long time team |
| league. It will, however, be a good series. Both teams | | | | members in both cases. In Edmonton, Michael Peca |
| have absolutely insane fans that will be out of their | | | | and Pronger joined team captain Jason Smith and |
| minds, and they both play an exciting brand of hockey. | | | | gritty fan favorite Ryan Smyth. Carolina added former |
| I have lived in Calgary for most of my life, so writing | | | | Oiler Doug Weight and Mark Recchi to help Rob |
| about Edmonton is like a New Yorker praising the Red | | | | Brind'amour, who is having a great postseason, keep |
| Sox, or a Michigan fan talking nice about the Buckeyes. | | | | the dressing room in line. Neither side will have an |
| An Edmonton win will kill me (My Canada does not | | | | advantage, then, when it comes to staying positive if |
| include Edmonton), but at least, according to the | | | | things start to go badly. |
| oddsmakers, they will have to come from behind to do | | | | 5) Goaltending - The goaltending situation couldn't be |
| it. The Hurricanes are lukewarm -140 favorites to win | | | | more different for the two teams. The Oilers picked |
| the series, but you can make a solid case for a win by | | | | up Dwayne Roloson from Minnesota at the trading |
| either team. The series is eerily reminiscent of the last | | | | deadline. He was awful during the rest of the season, |
| final - a feisty and overachieving team from Alberta | | | | but has been incredible in the playoffs. He's 36, so he |
| riding a hot goaltender into a match-up against a solid | | | | was shaving by the time that Carolina's 22-year-old |
| and offensively gifted southern-based team. Last time | | | | Cam Ward was born. Martin Gerber was the starter |
| my Flames gave it a valiant effort, but were ultimately | | | | coming into the playoffs, but Ward got his shot and |
| outmatched. It remains to be seen if history repeats | | | | has made the most of it. He was the goalie of the |
| itself. | | | | future for Carolina, and the future is apparently here. |
| Here are eight factors to considering when making | | | | Neither team has a real edge, unless the starters |
| your plays on this series: | | | | struggle or get hurt. Gerber can easily step in for Ward |
| 1) Rested or rusty? - Edmonton beat Anaheim in five | | | | and the team won't suffer much if at all, while |
| games, giving them nine days off before the finals | | | | Edmonton's back-up situation is a disaster. |
| started. That time let them heal up injuries and get | | | | 6) Special teams - There's a battle of the titans setting |
| over the flu, which had badly impacted the team in the | | | | up when Edmonton gets a penalty, which they are far |
| last series. It also let them get caught up in the | | | | more likely to do than Carolina. The Hurricanes have |
| mayhem that is sweeping Edmonton and the media | | | | the best power play in the playoffs, while Edmonton |
| attention in Canada (and elsewhere to a lesser extent). | | | | has outpaced every other team when it comes to |
| We will know quickly which factor will impact the team | | | | penalty killing. Obviously, both squads won't be able to |
| more. They have ridden a wave of momentum this | | | | have their way. Whichever side comes out and sets |
| far, but can that momentum survive a break this long? | | | | the tone early will make an impact on the series. |
| New Jersey swept the Rangers in the first round, took | | | | Edmonton can avoid the situation by showing more |
| a week off, then lost to Carolina in five. They looked | | | | discipline than they have so far, but that is unlikely given |
| like a different team entirely. Anaheim crushed | | | | their aggressive style of play. |
| Colorado in four straight, but then the Ducks fell with | | | | 7) Home ice advantage - Both arenas are as loud as |
| barely a quack against Edmonton. They had eight | | | | any in the league, so the home team should have an |
| days off. The precedent isn't good. | | | | edge. Carolina has taken advantage of home cooking, |
| 2) Best defenseman - Chris Pronger is, unquestionably, | | | | going 6-1 since dropping their first two games at home |
| the best defenseman on the ice in this series. Though | | | | versus Montreal. To make things interesting, Edmonton |
| he had an inconsistent first season in Edmonton, and a | | | | has been strong on the road. They've gone 6-3, |
| terrible showing for Canada at the Olympics, Pronger | | | | including three wins in Anaheim. The ice in Carolina will |
| is playing like the beast he is in the playoffs. He has | | | | be awful - soft and unpredictable - so Carolina could |
| immobilized the opposing offensive threats in all three | | | | have an advantage there, like Tampa Bay did in 2004. |
| series so far - Pavel Datsyuk, Joe Thornton and | | | | Carolina has the home-ice advantage to start the |
| Teemu Selanne. He's been averaging an incredible 31 | | | | series, if they can capitalize on that, they should be |
| minutes per game, and is the clear favorite for the | | | | able to come out ahead. |
| Conn Smythe for playoff MVP if Edmonton wins. He's | | | | 8) Underlooked players - Both teams have players |
| impressive in his own zone, but he forechecks | | | | who aren't getting the ink to match their play. Cory |
| incredibly well, too, and he has 17 points in 17 games. | | | | Stillman has 19 points in 18 games for Carolina. His |
| Carolina will have to find a way to contain Pronger, or | | | | presence has meant that teams can't focus on Staal. |
| avoid him, if they want to win. | | | | His experience and presence are as valuable as his |
| 3) Best forward - Not only is Eric Staal the best | | | | offense, too. Stillman is defending his Cup win with |
| forward in this series, he is the leading playoff scorer | | | | Tampa Bay in 2004. For Edmonton, the pleasant |
| and is fast becoming one of the handful of top players | | | | surprise has been Shawn Horcoff, their No. 1 center |
| in the league. He's an offensive machine, and he | | | | who has 17 points in 17 games. He's continuing to play |
| creates a tough match-up for any team. Pronger will | | | | the game he discovered this season. Both players will |
| be all over him like a glove, and Staal hasn't faced a | | | | be key to their team's success, and whichever plays |
| defenseman of his caliber yet this postseason, so it will | | | | better could make the difference in the series. |
| be telling, and key to Carolina's fate, how he responds | | | | The views expressed in this article are not necessarily |
| to that. He's only 21, so his response to that attention | | | | those of Doc's NHL picks service. |
| and the pressure of the series will be key, but he's | | | | |