NHL Stanley Cup Final: Memorial Day Ice-capades

Well here we are. Fourteen grueling, overtime-loaded playoff series have been played over the last six weeks, and left standing are the Eastern Conference's Pittsburgh Penguins and the West's Nashville Predators. One team's spot in the Final is somewhat expected, while the other is one of the most surprising Conference champions in history. Let's dive in to what should be a rip roaring time over the next couple weeks...

#2M Pittsburgh Penguins vs WC Nashville Predators
Season Series: Two Games- 4-2 win for PIT; 5-1 win for NSH
Current Stanley Cup Odds: PIT 5:8; NSH 7:5
Series Ther-WOW-meter: 8/10
The Breakdown: With all of its starpower and experience, Pittsburgh has made a habit of deep playoff runs during the Crosby & Malkin era. This year's run was perhaps their most impressive, needing to go through top-5 NHL teams Columbus and Washington before even getting to the Conference Final against Ottawa. The Pens possess overwhelming offensive talent (#1 in the league in goals scored) and a lethal power play that has put highlight reel goals on tape this postseason. There is a reason they are a heavy Vegas favorite in this one.

Red flags? There are indeed a couple. Though many expected a seven game slugfest between Pittsburgh and Washington in the second round, Ottawa followed up by giving the Penguins all they could handle and more. A seven game classic that went to double overtime in the final game. There is valid concern Pittsburgh will be more drained than Nashville coming in. The goaltending picture in Pittsburgh is an eye-of-the-beholder scenario. It was Fleury in the first couple rounds, and then Murray took over midway against Ottawa. Both have proven themselves as Cup champions in the past, but still some awkwardness in making a wholesale switch mid-playoffs.

Speaking of goalies, Nashville's entire outlook on this series depends on Pekka Rinne. The underappreciated superstar of the last decade had some pedestrian regular season numbers, leaving many to worry if his prime was behind him. But a spectacular playoffs and Cup run has him in the long-awaited limelight. But don't mistake this for a complete one-man show. Nashville has crafted a defensive corps that gives opponents nightmares each and every shift. Names like Subban, Josi, Ellis, and Ekholm only get their due when contributing on key goals...but their stellar play in front of Rinne has ignited Nashville through the entire tournament. Wiley vet James Neal accompanies young stars Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and (need to throw him in there for alma mater reasons) Colin Wilson up front on the offense.

So can Nashville actually do this? At this point you'd be crazy to say "no way." But after hearing those words in round one against Chicago and to a degree in the most recent round with Anaheim, maybe "no way" is exactly what the Predators themselves want to hear. The bigger the moments get, the more the team and fan base seem to rise up instead of shying away. No NHL team has repeated as Cup champions in almost 20 years, an ode to how difficult it is to achieve. Although Pittsburgh has the pedigree, Nashville has the chutzpah and (more importantly) the goalie to make the slipper fit. The Music City crowns a champion on home ice.
The Pick: 
Predators in 6