SPNHL, Season 28: Conference Finals Recap / Stanley Cup Finals Preview.
By Dirty-Dietrich.
“The conference is cool, but the cup is cooler.”
2 teams have won 8 games each in the post-season thus far. Two teams have beaten every other team in their conference. Two teams remain in the quest for Lord Stanley’s cup. Those two teams were determined in two completely one-sided conference finals affairs. Let’s touch a little bit on the two playoff series so we can see what brought us to our current monumental showdown.
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:
COLORADO AVALANCHE (1) VS. MINNESOTA WILD (3).
VICTORS: COLORADO AVALANCHE.
The Minnesota Wild disposed of their first round opponents, the Dallas Stars, in rapid fashion. They were the only team to sweep their opponents in the first round, and it was very ironic that they got swept in the conference finals. The Colorado Avalanche outscored their opponents 17-6 through 4 games, shutting them out twice while retaining a goal per game average above 4. Colorado refined their game after the one first round loss against Chicago and came out with all guns blazing.
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (3) VS. OTTAWA SENATORS (4).
VICTORS: OTTAWA SENATORS.
Throughout the regular season, the Penguins had the Senators’ number. Speedyturtle’s Vezina-caliber season and a tight team defense were keys to victory in the regular season, but their lack of offense against the scrappy Ottawa squad cost them greatly. Pittsburgh only scored one goal in the series, as they were swept by a defensively refined Senators team. The big difference was goaltending, as Brodtshadow and Kamakaze had every answer in net for a gritty Penguins offense.
I’d like to formally congratulate the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Minnesota Wild for their efforts throughout the regular season and into the playoffs. The Wild lived up to expectations this season, and the Penguins were one of the most underrated teams in the league this season. I was glad to see both teams make it to the finals and look forward to seeing them on the ice next season. But now, we move on to the cup finals.
This will be an incredibly exciting series to watch as we have the President’s trophy winners against a wild-card team. It reminds of the Super Bowl we had 10 years prior (XLII, for the historians) which featured the New England Patriots, in the midst of an undefeated season, against the New York Giants who were, coincidentally, one of the NFC’s wild-card teams. In one of the greatest Super Bowl games in history, the Giants defeated the Patriots 17-14, one of the greatest upsets in sports history.
10 years later, we have a similar situation on a smaller scale. The Colorado Avalanche have dominated the standings all season long, while the Senators cawed their way back from a slow start to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals. This will be a very hard-fought series as these two teams have a lot to prove, but different statements to make. Let’s take a look at the teams their rosters, and keys to victory ahead of the SPNHL season 28 Stanley Cup Finals.
COLORADO AVALANCHE:
Eggman: the Avalanche GM is a cornerstone at the point, and delivered night in and night out at D for the tenure of the season. He built a fantastic team, now he just needs to finish the puzzle and bring home Lord Stanley.
Sedinpower: Eggman’s defensive partner has been a great offensive presence for Colorado through the regular season and the playoffs, exemplifying the Avs’ playstyle of consistency and dominance at both ends of the ice.
Rancher: playing behind a strong Colorado squad, Rancher put up solid numbers to help the team win games and advance deep in the playoffs. He’ll need to keep playing at that level if he wants to get his hands on the Cup.
Toslick: Colorado’s leading scorer in the regular season has continued his high-scoring tendencies in the playoffs and has played a key role in his team’s run to the cup. He’s just about at the finish line, so he needs to keep up that pace.
Woytkiw: his name is ridiculously hard to pronounce (Woight-koo?) and he is even harder to shut down on the ice. His work in the conference finals helped to make the road to the finals much easier for the Avalanche.
Stamkos: a stalwart center, Stamkos played a big role Colorado’s regular season dominance. He hasn’t been a big presence in the playoffs so far, so expect that to change as we reach the most important time of the season.
Desy: Colorado’s high scoring rookie is a very dangerous player who knows how to make magic happen on the ice. Like Stamkos, he hasn’t been used to much in these playoffs, but is a testament to the depth of this team.
Boutch: I love saying this guy’s name. BOUTCH played a big role in the second-round romp of the Wild, and BOUTCH is a very versatile player who can play a great game up front and is also good between the pipes. Be careful of BOUTCH.
If the Avalanche want to win, they need to stick to their guns and play a tight, responsible game. This is a team who shut opponents down all season with solid defensive play and took advantage of mentally fatigued teams and capitalized on opportunities. They will have to turn it up a notch against an ardent Sens squad. Play smart, play hard, and the Avs will be all smiles when this series ends.
OTTAWA SENATORS:
KOZMO: the ringleader himself has put together a team intent on erasing the ghosts of two seasons past. He has assembled one of the deepest teams this season, and with his great backstopping ability, he may finally hoist the Cup.
BRODTSHADOW: A late season pickup for the Sens, Shadow was solid during the regular season but has been lights-out in the playoffs. If he keeps playing the way he has been, he may be in contention for the Conn Smythe and a Cup.
KAMAKAZE: Kamakaze was Ottawa’s starting goalie throughout the regular season, until he had to take a leave of absence. Returning in the playoffs, he has not lost a step, and rounds out a solid goaltending trio.
Fox: Fox was one of the best rookies this season, and perhaps the best rookie at his position. His responsible play on the ice and clutch ability makes him an essential part of this Sens squad, and a dangerous foe on the ice.
Noto: Notorious found his way to the Sens halfway through the season and has been a stalwart on D for Ottawa. His partnership with Fox has won helped win Ottawa many of games and may help them win 4 more games.
Marc: possibly the MVP of the Sens this season. Marc’s arrival caused a turnaround for the Sens. His dynamic play has continued into the playoffs, and has helped guide this Ottawa squad to the doorstehep of Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Ransom: former Selke and Calder trophy winner Ransom didn’t play much during the regular season but has been one of Ottawa’s leaders throughout this playoff run. 4 more wins, and he’ll be adding more hardware to his trophy case.
Grammyhands: the leading scorer among rookies was a big part of the Ottawa offense throughout the regular season and has retained that role throughout the playoffs. Going against a tough Colorado squad, he must stay that way.
Muse: Muse is one of the most versatile players in the league, playing a substantial amount of games as both a forward and a defenseman. His versatility may come in handy and help the Sens generate 4 more wins.
Dirty-Dietrich: oh hey. A solid defensive forward, Dietrich was one of the Sens’ main fixtures in the regular season. Playing a support role now, Dirty brings a balanced yet dangerous playstyle which can change a game in an instant.
If the Sens want to win, they have to leave it all on the ice. Every shift needs to be effective against a complete Avalanche team. Their breakouts must be smart, their passing plays must be creative, and their defensive awareness must be at an all time high. One mistake can cost the Sens the game, so the Sens need to be responsible when necessary but not afraid to take risks.
Looking back at the start of this post season, we have taken a very interesting path to get to where we are. Expectations have been met and upsets have occurred, superstars have emerged, and kings have fallen, and we are set for one last showdown. The Colorado Avalanche will face off against the Ottawa Senators for the Stanley Cup, and this is going to be pretty damn good.
Best of luck to both teams involved.
DD.