Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

A Look At The Eastern Conference Finals

05/13/2016 at 11:20am EDT

from Scott Burnside of ESPN,

Better buckle up for what should be a track meet of a series between two of the speediest, most skilled teams around. The Lightning will come in slightly more rested, having dumped both the Detroit Red Wings and the New York Islanders each in five games. The Penguins are coming off an emotional roller coaster of a series with the archrival Washington Capitals that went six games and featured three overtime games and plenty of nastiness before the Penguins prevailed....

Series MVP

Pittsburgh: It's always news when Sidney Crosby doesn't light it up. And sure, the fact that he had zero goals against the Capitals might have arched an eyebrow or two, but the Penguins captain and Hart Trophy finalist does so much all over the ice, an outpouring of goals seems inevitable at some point. Why not now?

Tampa Bay: If he comes back, Stralman -- a right-handed shot -- could be the difference-maker for the Lightning. But whether he will play remains unknown. What is known is just how good Hedman has been this spring, and he has the potential to take over this series.

Bottom line

This should be a ton of fun, but I just don't see how the Lightning can match the Penguins' depth even if they can somewhat match their speed. Bishop might give the Lightning an edge in goal, but it won't be significant enough to derail a Penguins team on a mission. Pittsburgh in 6.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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