Here are the final scores for my 2008 NHL Playoff Pick Em Contest:

Tonight’s Stanley Cup Finals Game 2 winner will most likely be the one who goes on and wins the series. The Penguins need this one if they want any sort of momentum heading back to the ’Burgh.

I said yesterday that I believe the Pens will win this game, 3-2, and then win both games in Pittsburgh, with a combined score of 6-3 over the Red Wings.

The Pens key for the game is to get aggressive early. Crosby or Malkin need to score in the first 10 minutes if they want any sort of edge.

GO PENS!!!

-Mike Greenspire

Yesterday, in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Pens lost to the Red Wings 4-0.

Well, I thought we would lose one in Detroit. Now, we must rebound and win Game 2 on Memorial Day.

The Penguins through the first two periods looked about how I figured they would look, except that I thought there would be more than 0 goals in our favor.

Well, I have loads of confidence entering the 3rd, but what I was hoping for never happened.

I’ll tell you why. The Penguins looked like they did against Philly, only without the goals, and it’s as simple as that. If Biron, Lundqvist, Nabakov, or even Turco was the goalie in red, we would have won the game 4-1 or 4-2. But, the fact of the matter is that it was Chris Osgood in the nets for Detroit. He never let anything by him, nothing even got close.

The Pens offense looked great up until the start of the third. I’m guessing that we dropped off a bit because this entire post-season, we’ve never had a situation where we haven’t been able to score at will. Now we do, and we need to somehow exploit Osgood. We had too many costly turnovers and oddman rushes against us. We need to mainly take care of the puck better, and not let Detroit stay in the game.

Marc-Andre Fleury didn’t look himself, right from the entrance onto the ice, because upon touching the frozen water, he slipped and fell, and looked as though he may have hurt his leg. Maybe, maybe not, I’m not trying to make excuses, but he just didn’t look well during the final 30 minutes of the game.

For us to pull off a win in MoTown, we need to have more pop in the offense, and score early, rather than late, because perhaps our loss of momentum was caused by our guys not getting a goal in the first 2 periods.

Crosby and Malkin will get better, and will be better in Monday’s game, I guarantee it. But, there’s no way the Wings are gonna shut us out again.

My prediction for Monday’s game: Penguins-3, Red Wings-2

-Mike Greenspire

Well, this is a terrific time to be a sports fan from the city of Pittsburgh. The Steelers are back in the playoffs, the Penguins, most notably, are in the Stanley Cup Finals, and the Pirates are, well, at least we know what to expect from them!

The Pittsburgh Penguins advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1992 on Sunday, defeating the cross-state rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, 6-0.

Well, after Sunday, it was just a matter of time until we saw who gets to play the Pens, and as it turns out, the following night, the Red Wings defeated the Stars, 4-1.

Well, I was nervous about playing the Red Winsg up until Game 5 in Detroit. In case you don't know, or for some reason don't remember, the Wings lost that game, and let Dallas back into the series. After that day, I was more confident than ever in the Pens.

If Dallas can beat Detroit on the road, then Pittsburgh could beat Detroit handily on the road, which is what I think will happen come Staurday night. I see the Penguins winning Game 1, yet barely losing Game 2, and heading back to the 'Burgh all tied up.

Wow, then it's just a matter of time from there. Nobody has beaten the Penguins on their home ice since the Flyers did it in the regular season finale, back in April. I say the Pens win both games in Pittsburgh, and gain a 3-1 lead on the Red Wings.

So, back in Detroit, I'll give the Wings credit and give them the win in Game 5. Then, comes Game 6, in front of the home crowd of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Penguins win the 2008 Stanley Cup!

LET'S GO PENS!!!

-Mike Greenspire

Here are the current standings in my NHL Playoff Pick Em Game!