When a playoff series ends there is always time to lament about what could have gone differently. A lucky bounce here, a bad call there could change the tone of the series. The “could have, should have and would haves” can haunt a team or players throughout the offseason. There’s plenty of time to think about things when you lose your last game of the season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins might be hanging their collective heads a little lower heading into the summer. After making what appeared to be all the right moves in the offseason and during the season, Pittsburgh was an overwhelming favorite to represent the East when the puck dropped for the Stanley Cup Final. As we have seen over the years in other sports, including hockey, an assembly of superstars doesn’t always bring home a title.
What “experts” failed to consider was that there are/were seven other teams in the conference that wanted to lift the fabled Stanley Cup just as much and apparently more than the Penguins did. A favorable matchup in the first two rounds gave Pittsburgh a berth in the conference finals. Pittsburgh had earned home ice advantage by virtue of dominating their conference opponents during the shortened season.
In contrast, the Boston Bruins were tested in the first round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a roller coaster seven game series. Boston overcame a three-goal deficit in the last ten minutes of Game 7 to break the hearts of the Maple Leafs and 48% of Canada. A second round date with the New York Rangers failed to live up to expectations as the Rangers continued their uninspired play for a 4-1 Boston series win.
The matchup between Pittsburgh and Boston looked to be a dynamic confrontation of offense versus defense. The rugged, aggressive and physical Bruins, matched up against the high-scoring Penguins. Pittsburgh had resolved their goaltending deficiencies in the first round and looked strong against the Ottawa Senators.
What happened next could not have been predicted by even the most revered of television psychics. A 4-0 series beat down wasn’t as completely dominant as the final tally may seem. Sure the Penguins played abysmal on home ice but they had no reason to be ashamed of the effort in Games 3 and 4. A 2-1 double overtime loss in Game 3 at Boston and a 1-0 shutout to close the series were more of a reflection of how good Tuukka Rask was in this series.
Hockey like any other sport is a game of inches and goofy bounces. Honestly, the Penguins came up empty in both departments. A wacky goal here or an odd deflection there and the Pens steal a game or two. Penguin fans need not panic. Heading into the 2013/14 season Pittsburgh will still have the most talented roster in the NHL if they do nothing more than field the same team. Some adjustments might need to be made here and there, but the core of this team is more than capable of contending for the Stanley cup for years to come.
Additionally, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that a hot goaltender can carry a team to the Stanley Cup. Exhibit A was just eliminated in the Western Conference Finals by the Chicago Blackhawks. Jonathan Quick practically carried the Los Angeles Kings to victory in several games last season. Give credit where it is due and Boston deserves to be playing for the Stanley Cup. If they happen to win it, you can bet the Penguins will be licking their chops to face them in the 2014 playoffs