Despite the Eastern Conference's 8-7 victory over the Western Conference in this year's NHL All-Star Game, don't expect the Stanley Cup Finals to go the same way. West teams have been manhandling their Eastern counterparts all season long, thanks to a more competitive division and a fast, physical style that combines the new and old NHL. The numbers tell the story: West teams have built up an 81-44-13 record against their opponents, while the East has only managed a 60-66-15 record against the West.
Take the high-flying Montreal Canadiens, tops in the Eastern Conference, as an example. On their recent Western swing, they beat the well-out-of-contention Los Angeles Kings and the on-the-bubble Phoenix Coyotes. But in a pair of matchups that could throw some light on the Stanley Cup Finals, le bleu-blanc-et-rouge were dominated by the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks.
The Canadiens are a fast, skilled team fighting for the league lead in goals scored. But against the larger, more physical Ducks and Sharks squads, they were routinely thrown around and were unable to break out on the odd-man rushes that they love to capitalize on. The Habs this season have a 3-5-1 record against the Western Conference, and the three wins were against the Kings, Coyotes and the Chicago Blackhawks, all opponents in the bottom half of the standings.
This is not a problem that only befalls quick, skill-reliant teams like the Carolina Hurricanes and the Canadiens. The New York Rangers have been even worse against the West. This is a team known for its standout goaltending, in the form of Hendrik Lundqvist, and its aggressive, physical forwards. But New York has gone just 1-7-2 against the West this season, despite playing a Western Conference style.
Just two teams from the East have a winning record against the West. They are the Boston Bruins, who are on the playoff bubble, and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are all but assured a spot in the post season. The Bruins under Claude Julien play a stifling neutral zone trap and are very good at physical play, which matches up well with many of the Western Conference powerhouses. The Penguins have a great combination of skill and strength up front, from Sidney Crosby to Georges Laraque and everyone in between.
Between the pipes is another matter, as Marc-Andre Fleury has yet to justify his first-overall draft choice. Ty Conklin managed to play out of his mind in Fleury's absence, but it is unlikely that Conklin is capable of taking the Pens deep into the playoffs. If Pittsburgh can reach the Stanley Cup Finals, it will have a great opportunity to win based off of its 8-1-1 record versus the Western Conference.
The pace for the President's Trophy is being set in the West by the Detroit Red Wings and their 98 points. Detroit has beaten up on Eastern Conference opponents, with a 7-2-1 record, and has everything going for it except when bitten by the injury bug. The Wings are emerging as the best team in the NHL, and that can largely be attributed to the dominating goaltending duo of Chris Osgood and Dominek Hasek. Detroit has let up the fewest goals in the league, and Osgood and Hasek are one-two respectively in goals against average with marks of 2.07 and 2.09.
On offense, captain Nicklas Lidstrom has been a huge part of the team's success this season. The future Hall of Famer averages nearly 30 minutes of ice time per game and is an integral part of the Wings' power play. The veteran leads all defensemen with 59 points, and his plus/minus of 39 is far and away the best in the NHL, with teammate Pavel Datsyuk a distant second at 34. When Lidstrom was out, the Wings went just 3-8-2, their worst stretch of the season. The Captain will be a big part of the team's playoff success, and Detroit cannot afford to see him injured again.
Whether or not an Eastern Conference team can take down a West powerhouse remains to be seen. The playoffs are a totally different animal than the regular season, and in a head-to-head series anything can happen. But if you're a betting man, put your dollar down on Detroit or anyone else from the West.
