The Red Wings are on the verge of yet another Stanley Cup win while the Penguins seem to be doing their best impression of the 1983 Oilers
What should have been a fast-paced, exciting and competitive Stanley Cup Final, reminds the Milton Sports Guy of how the 1982-83 Season wrapped up
A week ago, it looked like we were on the verge of a Stanley Cup final for the ages. Now, it appears like it will be one of the more forgettable finals with the Red Wings on the verge of a tidy, efficient 5-game victory. What happened?
First of all, let’s look at the Red Wings who are often overlooked and underestimated – I predicted back in my original Stanley Cup preview column that they wouldn’t be around to see the semi-finals. I don’t know why (probably the heavy Euro-influence on the makeup of their roster), but although they seem to ease through the regular-season year-after-year, they’re rarely the pick to win it all. For me, it’s the ‘playoff toughness’ intangible – after being dispatched by the tougher, younger and more fiesty Flames, Oilers and Ducks in recent years I just thought they’d be too old and slow to advance to a 4th round.
Well, the MSG was fooled. Instead of being soft and old, the Wings have proven to be calm, cool, collected, experienced and opportunistic – much in the character their captain, Niklas Lidstrom. The tougher but more inconsistent Flames gave them a bit of a challenge in round one; the Avs were outclassed and embarrassed by Detroit in round two, and the toughest test they’ve had in the postseason thus far came when the Stars beat them twice in a row – after the Wings had won the first three games of the series, mind you.
They had effortlessly sliced through the Western Conference like a hot knife through butter and were prepared to take on the new kids on the block, the Penguins.
The Penguins – the NHL’s newest marquee club with 2 of the league’s youngest stars and a boatload of other young up-and-coming studs coming from a raft of high draft picks after several trying seasons. A club reborn after years of financial troubles with an exciting young nucleus reminiscent of the Oilers from the early 80’s. Instead of Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, Anderson, Lowe and Fuhr, this year’s edition of the Penguins boasts the likes of Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Talbot, Letang, Dupuis and Fleury.
Like Detroit, they too coasted through three rounds, ousting the dysfunctional Senators without barely breaking a sweat and dismantling the Rangers and Flyers. All in 5 games. The young Penguins had appeared to have come of age and were advancing to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup final since the glory days of Lemieux and Jagr.
So here we were. A marquee final. The young, talented, sexy Penguins versus the experienced Red Wings from hockeytown going for their 4th cup in 10 years. A can’t miss final for TV ratings as well: the star power of Crosby and Malkin, and two U.S.-based teams from northern, hockey-friendly cities.
What has happened since the opening faceoff at Joe Louis Arena last Saturday? From my point of view it reminds me an awful lot of the 1983 Stanley Cup final between the New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers. Yes, the Penguins roster not only reminds me of that young Oiler team, but so does their level of play so far – and that’s not a good thing.
I thought the Pens could really give the Red Wings a run in this series and it wouldn’t have surprised me if they actually won. But after 4 games, I’ve come to realize what the Oilers figured out in 1983 – experience counts and sometimes in sports, you have to lose on the big stage in order to learn how to win on the big stage.
In 1983, the Islanders came in with the experience. They had already established their dynasty coming off of three consecutive Stanley Cups with a deep, talented team. It looked to be coming to an end though, as the high-flying Oilers had breezed their way through the playoffs. They were an offensive juggernaut and it looked to be their time. The wiley Isles had finally met their match.
Four games later, the Cup was being hoisted by the guys from Long Island.
Now, a year later it should be noted, the same two clubs met again to play for the big, silver mug. As we know, the Oilers prevailed 4-1 in a series that wasn’t close. The Islander dynasty came crashing to a halt and Gretzky & co. were beginning a dynasty of their own – 4 championships in 5 years (5 in 7 years counting the 1990 Messier-led, Gretzky-less Oiler team).
No one really talks about that 4th Islander championship. You remember they won 4, then you remember the Oilers winning their cups. Everyone forgets the drubbing the Oilers suffered that year in their first Stanley Cup final appearance. Let’s look locally to another sport: baseball. Remember the Jays’ tough postseason defeats in ‘85, ‘89 and ‘91 before going the distance in 1992 and ‘93? I’m a firm believer that most of the time, teams need to get close and taste defeat to really know what it takes to win it all.
Cut to the 2008 Penguins. As the Red Wings sit on the edge of another championship, did we really think the Penguins could go all the way? Like those young Oilers, they sure looked good through three rounds but you can’t help thinking that before they win it all, they need to learn a lesson like the one the Wings are giving to them now.
The series has been far from entertaining, with the Wings efficiently keeping the high-flying Pens at bay while capitalizing on every mistake or chance they get. It’s been a low-scoring series and outside of a two-goal Crosby outburst in game three, the Penguins’ young stars have been invisible. Marc-Andre Fleury has been steady in goal for the Penguins, but has been outdueled by Chris Osgood every step of the way (yes, THE Chris Osgood that led Detroit to the championship ten years ago and who still wears one of those oh-so-retro mask/helmet combos).
You have to think Detroit wraps this thing up Monday night back at the Joe.
Now, here’s the question: what happens to the Penguins?
Will it be difficult to keep their nucleus of young talent together in this salary-cap era of the NHL? If so, will they be back to the final next year or will they take a step back?
Or, like that young Edmonton team, is this just the beginning. The tough loss that inspires them to rise to the level of greatness?
Will we look back years from now and forget about this series, instead talking about the Penguins’ dynasty led by Sid the Kid & co.
As I said earlier, their play in this series reminds me of the 1983 Oilers who also suffered a Stanley Cup finals beatdown. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The Milton Sports Guy is a regular contributor to MiltonSearch.com who had not been born yet when the Toronto Maple Leafs were last Stanley Cup Champions.