Stanley's Cup

Is going back to Pittsburgh.

There it is. I called my shot.

Why? Call it gut. Call it guess. Call it a little bit of history.

The last time two teams met in back-to-back finals was when Edmonton finally broke through the New York Islanders dynasty. This series gives off the same vibe.

You have the young, brash Penguins, who have so much talent and so much skill against a gritty, tough Red Wings team. The two teams know each other and they've been through this before. And this time, the kids from Pittsburgh have the advantage of experience.

Wayne Gretzky wrote in his autobioraphy of the first series against the Isles, that after it was over, he and his guys were walking away disappointed, but in good health. But, in the other locker room, while support staff was partying away, the players were tired, beat up, nursing the bumps, bruises and other injuries that come from sacrificing yourself as a team to achieve a singular goal.

The Penguins know that feeling now.

Also, they're healthy. The Red Wings, as deep as they are, are battered. Are they going to be able to keep up with younger legs, who, despite a grueling second round series against the Capitals, have had plenty of time to recover?

The X-factor in all this is in goal (as it usually is in the playoffs). Is Marc-Andre Fluery finally going to live up to the potential and promise of a first-round draft pick? Or will he disappear when it matters most, again? On the other end of the rink, you have the veteran Chris Osgood, who wants that one more Cup win, which likely will propel him from Hall of Fame consideration to near lock status.

One more thing: The Penguins players NEED this more. They fail again, and there will be lots written and said about their failures, and inability to play up to their potential. They need to prove that they're not just the team that comes out of the weaker conference by default. They have to prove they can hang with the big, bad boys from out West.

And while it would be a great story and emotional boost to the people in Detroit ...

Penguins in six.