Who Wins The Stanley Cup?

[pietasterp]

Hard to see anyone de-throning the reigning champs right now...considering they have a relatively easy road to the Cup final (no offense to any remaining East teams) and should make it there relatively unscathed, compared to whoever comes out of the West who is going to be bruised and battered (like always)...I think the Pens will beat the Sharks in the final. But I'd be more than happy to piss everyone off and have the Wings-Pens part 3....except with the Wings winning, of course.

Having said that, I have seen teams ride crazy-hot goaltending to the Cup before...and I seem to remember a Montreal Canadiens team riding some circus-tent goaltending to a very unexpected Stanley Cup win in mid-80's, in an eerily similar situation to what we're seeing from the Habs right now. Which is why you gotta love hockey - you never know...

[DrJones]

Quote: Originally Posted by pietasterp

Having said that, I have seen teams ride crazy-hot goaltending to the Cup before...and I seem to remember a Montreal Canadiens team riding some circus-tent goaltending to a very unexpected Stanley Cup win in mid-80's, in an eerily similar situation to what we're seeing from the Habs right now. Which is why you gotta love hockey - you never know...

What nobody remembers, however, is that Montreal wasn't really much of an underdog that year. The '86 Habs finished 7th in the NHL standings (this year's Canadiens finished 19th by comparison) and had home-ice advantage in the first three rounds of the playoffs. The only team Montreal "upset" was Calgary, who finished with 2 more points. The league powerhouses that year (Edmonton, Philly, and Washington) were all eliminated by other underdogs before Montreal had to play them. If the Habs make another unlikely run, they'll have to do their own dirty work this time.

[ThrowItToFitz]

Flyers.

Just to annoy my Pens supporting friend, lol.

[pietasterp]

Quote: Originally Posted by DrJones

What nobody remembers, however, is that Montreal wasn't really much of an underdog that year. The '86 Habs finished 7th in the NHL standings (this year's Canadiens finished 19th by comparison) and had home-ice advantage in the first three rounds of the playoffs. The only team Montreal "upset" was Calgary, who finished with 2 more points. The league powerhouses that year (Edmonton, Philly, and Washington) were all eliminated by other underdogs before Montreal had to play them. If the Habs make another unlikely run, they'll have to do their own dirty work this time.

Good point, Doc...but going into the playoffs, I don't know that anyone thought that the Habs had a Cup run in 'em that year...And even though that roster, in retrospect, had a lot of talent, at the time, I think Chelios was on a 2nd or 3rd defensive pairing (with Larry Robinson? I can't remember that far back...), Guy Carbonneau was not a first-line guy, and I don't know that I can even remember any of their wingers...

Nevertheless, you're right in that I did not remember that all the powerhouses got knocked out early that year. I just remember that a-hole winning the Conn Smythe at the end of it all...

[BurghFan]

Pens over Sharks in 6

[shaunjuan2000]

Pens and Hawks. Sidney denies Hossa again. Win in 6!

[Evan_OS]

Alot of people picked the Penguins to be in the Finals, including me, but looks like thats a no go.

[Piderman]

Quote: Originally Posted by CodeBlueDude

Alot of people picked the Penguins to be in the Finals, including me, but looks like thats a no go.

Good! After they beat my Sens, Twice in the past 3 years. If the Flyers win I get 9 more dollars and bragging rights between my friends. LETS GO FLYERS.