Pavel Datsyuk, Tomas Holmstrom and Henrik Zetterberg have been outstanding, but without Johan Franzen on the second line, Detroit’s scoring has taken a dive. For the record, those four names are really hard to say four times in a row super fast. Go ahead and try it. How’d ya do? Liar.

Detroit’s top line has been outstanding, but their supporting cast is a little thin. Without Franzen’s 12 goals on the second scoring line, Detroit’s offense might not be able to break Pittsburgh’s defense for 3.13 goals per game, which is their current average.

Three much easier names to chime off are Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal, they are outstanding centers who have dominated on the ice and made all of their line mates better. It’s meant wondrous things for Marion Hossa, and it’s an honest shame they won’t be able to afford him next year (well, bad for Pittsburgh anyways).

Until Franzen returns to bolster Detroit’s offense, Pittsburgh has a clear advantage. Three lines are always better than one.

Edge: Pittsburgh

DEFENSE

Pittsburgh’s defense is much better than we all thought it was, but Detroit’s is by and large the best in the league. By a long shot, too. Niklas Lidstrom has been the best defender in the league for the better part of a decade, and now he’s flanked by an up and coming blue liner named Niklas Kronwall. They also have Brian Rafalski, making this one of the most feared blue lines in a long time.

The Pens have been much better with their team defense, but you can’t knock the pedigree of Detroit’s defenders. It’s one of the reasons they’ve allowed only 2.24 goals per game, despite having Chris Osgood in net.

Edge: Detroit

GOAL TENDING

Chris Osgood’s numbers are unbelievable. He has a 1.65 goals against average, has gone 10-2 SU in these playoffs, and back stopped 15 shots in his most recent stand between the pipes in the third period alone. The problem with believing in Osgood is that he’s faced fewer than 22 shots per game thus far on average and hasn’t seriously dealt with an offensive explosion from any of Detroit’s “formidable” opponents.

Marc-Andre Fleury, on the other hand, has been everything that we used to expect from him when he started his storied career. Fleury was a cardboard cut out of the player he is today, much in part due to Pittsburgh’s horrific woes as a team. Now Fleury has survived those dreadful years and is finally playing with an incredible team. I love Fleury’s youth, and his resiliency. Even when things are at their worst, Fleury will be able to produce and reward the Pittsburgh betting faithful.

Edge: Pittsburgh

COACHING

When Rob Babcock has all of his personnel, then the Wings look virtually unstoppable. Honestly, they make any good hockey team look like a pee wee league team when they’re clicking. But with Franzen out, Detroit has looked pedestrian. You know, if that pedestrian was absurdly good at hockey.

Michel Terrien has been a proven, reliable coach who has repeatedly gotten the most out of mediocre rosters. Now he has one of the best. But can he take this band of kids and make them in to a band of heroes? The answer is a definitive “hell yeah”.

Yet Babcock gets the nod here for his proven, winning ways. Also, the Stanley Cup Ring he has on his finger gives Detroit the clear edge.

Edge: Detroit

I’ll be back later this week to have more in depth analysis on this matchup, but it’s even through these four categories. Of course, coaches don’t play and defenses have had nightmares thinking of Crosby and Malkin tearing them to shreds. Right now, the edge is in Pittsburgh’s hands as they march towards the Stanley Cup Finals.

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