Stanley Cup Preview.

I went 0-2 in the conference finals, bringing my overaall total to 9-5, including 0-3 in series involving the Senators. Given the aforementioned 0-3 record, combined with the fact I needed a haircut yesterday, I took the opportunity to draw upon the knowledge of the ultimate Sens authority - My barber Super Sam, an Ottawa legend and rabid Sens fan, of whom I have been a loyal and dedicated patron for the past nine years.

Anaheim Ducks vs Ottawa Senators

Sam and I both agree that the Sens have officially shed the choking dog label. Win or lose, making it to the Cup Final is a huge accomplishment. We also agree this will be the Sens biggest challenge yet because the Ducks have the two best defenseman in the league in Scott Niedermayer*, and Chris Pronger, and the Ducks are a very aggressive and physical team. Neither one of us thinks the ridiculous 6 day layoff helps or hurts either team.

Sam and I actually agreed on most aspects of this series, including Sam's biggest fear that Jason Spezza is going to try one of his patented AHL moves - Coming across the middle of the ice with his head down, only to have Pronger knock him into the fifth row and out of the series with a crushing hit (think Scott Stevens turning Eric Lindros into a quivering heap a few years back). Sam is also worried that Ottawa may not get much scoring from their 2-4 lines because of Anaheim's very physical style and Niedermayer being in the second defense pairing. The Sens are absolutely going to get scoring from their top line of Alfie-Spezza (if he doesn't get killed)-Heatley but Pronger will limit their scoring because he is that good. We both also agree that Anaheim is a bit stronger in net with Giguere than Ottawa is in net with Emery, though Emery will be great.

Where we differ is that while Sam thinks the key to the Sens run has been their top line, I think it has been the play of their defense, specifically Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov. Those two guys have done a great job shutting down their three opponents top lines and keeping traffic away from Emery, and I expect them to give the Teemue Selanne line a rough go, though that line will still score. The difficulty for the Sens will be containing the Ducks precocious young forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, both of whom will score some key goals. These guys are not typical 1st or 2nd year players and know how to win.

We both say this series will come down to how disciplined the Ducks can be. If they are giving the Sens 6-7 Power Plays they won't win. I tend to think the Ducks will be disciplined because they know what is at stake. One final thing we disagree on is experience and that's why our picks differ. I usually say experience is overrated, but I look at Anaheim's top three players and see Scott Niedermayer, three time Cup champion and Conn Smythe winner, JS Giguere, Conn Smythe winner, and Chris Pronger, who should have won the Conn Smythe last year but was robbed by voters. I think Pronger will lead the Ducks to the Cup and get the Conn Smythe he should have won last year.

Predictions

Super Sam - Sens in 7 Skeelo - Ducks in 7 (but Steve Simmons and Michael Farber agree with me so I am not sure that should make me all that confident about my pick)

* Every time I see Scott Niedermayer in a Cup Final I have to cringe/laugh because he epitomizes the Leafs ineptitude of the past 27 years (the Leafs were actually decent in the mid to late 70's with Sittler-MacDonald, etc). I vividly remember being at a game at the Gardens in '89 or '90 and when the game was over looking up at the scoreboard. The scoreboard read that the Leafs had just traded their 1st round pick in the '91 draft for Tom Kurvers. My first thought was who in the hell is Tom Kurvers and why did we just trade a No. 1 for him? So there you go - Tom Fuckin' Kurvers for Scott Niedermayer, 1st Ballot Hall of Famer.