I never have been much of a hockey fan, and I will admit that I have not watched a single game of these NHL playoffs, but I have watched highlights on “SportsCenter.” I have also watched “Around the Horn” and “PTI,” which have discussed the playoffs thus far, so therefore, I feel as though I have enough experience to write this article for The Lawrentian.
Growing up in Minnesota, one might expect that I would be a die-hard hockey fan. On the contrary, I have only been to one NHL game in my life. I must admit that it was much more exciting in real-life than on TV, although I don’t believe I have ever watched an entire hockey game on TV.
My experience with this year’s playoffs goes as far as knowing that the Pittsburgh Penguins are a very good team and have two superstar forwards, and that the Detroit Red Wings are expected to challenge the Penguins for the Stanley Cup. The Penguins have already advanced to the Stanley Cup finals, and the Red Wings are on the verge of joining them.
I have learned throughout this postseason that Sidney Crosby is not the best player in the NHL as I once thought. He probably isn’t even the best player on his own team. Evgeni Malkin has possibly surpassed Crosby as the superstar in Pittsburgh. Crosby is still an all-world player, but the tandem of him and Malkin has proven nearly unstoppable in these playoffs.
The most exciting series thus far included that team from Pittsburgh and the Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin, who may be even better than Malkin or Crosby, leads the Capitals. The series went to seven games, but the lethal combination of Malkin and Crosby proved too much for Ovechkin and the Caps as Pittsburgh advanced.
As I write, the Red Wings are looking to clinch their series against the Chicago Blackhawks. If they are successful, it would set up a meeting in the Stanley Cup finals between the two teams that are playing best in the playoffs. If I had to choose, I would pick the Penguins over the Red Wings for the Stanley Cup, but then again, what do I know about hockey?
An outsider’s perspective
