#BecauseIt'stheCup
Who will win the Stanley Cup in 2016?
I think it's safe to say both teams, San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins have a fair shot at winning. Of the 21 experts, 17 have sided with the Sharks to clinch their first NHL Stanley Cup; I would have to agree, but maybe not for the same reasons they have.
Maybe, I'm biased... but with good reason to be. Coming from Wisconsin I could side with Joe Pavelski of the Sharks (Stevens Point, WI native) or Phil Kessel of the Penguins (Madison, WI native). But, I'm going to choose Pavelski and the Sharks. Proximity becomes the deciding factor in this case. LOL
But, seriously the deciding player this series will be Pavelski. He leads the playoffs with 13 goals, far more than any individual on the Penguins. His speed, hockey IQ, canon shot, and gritty work style will help him excel in this series against the Penguins. Looking at other players on the Sharks, Marleau and Thornton are appearing in their first NHL Stanley Cup finals in 18 years, holy! That's a whole lot of years to wait for a chance to win a Stanley Cup. In addition to why the sharks will win the cup - they have a strong defensive core backing them. Both Burns and Vlasic are key defensemen headlining this d core. Each defensive member of the Sharks knows their biggest opposing threat at any time could be Crosby. If they manage to shut him down the Penguins have other players like Hagelin, Malkin, Kessel, Bonino who have been playing lights out. These players can contribute to the offensive at any given moment and are threats with or without the puck.
A closer look at goaltending. . .
Goaltending, it's been a bit of mix for Pittsburgh, but will they have it together? Murray has performed phenomenal but will it be enough to keep Fleury on the bench? This will depend how the series goes, but I wouldn't forsee Fleury jumping in the series, unless an unexpected injury occurs or Murray performs horribly. The sharks goaltender, Jones, has a save percentage of .9124 a little worse than Murray's, but he's still capable of holding the Sharks to a close series, and helping them win. On any given day, a goalie can be off / on, so this series will be interesting - that's for sure.
This series will be a matchup of small, acute, differences that will either make or break the game. Each game in this series will be close and hard fought - knowing one thing is on the line (the Stanley Cup).
My opinion:
I see the sharks digging deeper than ever and tapping into all their resources to capture the Stanley Cup. I wouldn't say they have more on the line, but they do! They have yet to win a Stanley Cup.