NHL / Richard Douglas / 16 May 2009 / Leave a comment

The Conference Finals, aka the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals, start on Sunday and this year's match-ups are a myriad of contrasts, writes Richard Douglas.

The Western Final sees the Detroit Red Wings [1.41] take on the Chicago Blackhawks [2.8]. These are two of the "Original Six" teams who made up the NHL between 1942 and the massive expansion of 1967.

The former are the Stanley Cup holders and the favourites for the competition at [2.28] with vast reserves of attacking talent and a keeper who has built an immense reputation over the course of the season.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are the youngest team ever to compete in the play-offs and will have to perform their patented fast-tempo game to perfection if they are to progress.

This fixture was the NHL Winter Classic this season when both sides donned vintage costumes and played a high-profile New Year's Day fixture on an iced-over Wrigley Field. It was one of four wins for Detroit in the six regular season games between the two teams.

The Red Wings were the second-ranked side in the West after the main set of games. In the play-offs they have swatted aside debtuants Columbus Blue Jackets before an altogether tougher 4-3 win over giant-killers Anaheim Ducks.

Chris Osgood is crucial to their cause. The goalie struggled to hang on to his place in the regular season but in the play-offs has dramatically lowered his goals-against average and increased his save percentage. But forget the numbers, Osgood has been pulling off the big saves in the big moments.

In addition to that, Detriot have goals. When Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and Marian Hossa failed against Anaheim in their Game Seven decider, second-tier scorers Jiri Hudler, Darren Helm, Mikael Samuelsson and Daniel Cleary filled the breach. If they can avoid penalties and handing Chicago powerplays, they should prevail.

That said, a logical punter would have gone against the Blackhawks in the semi-final against Vancouver Canucks. Joel Quenneville has moulded a side of young tyros who don't know when they are beaten - hence they have already come from behind to win six times in this season's play-off games.

They have also won five of six on home ice, forcing both Calgary and Vancouver into playing their kind of game. Defencemen Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith are the strong and silent types but they were enough to quell Calgary, Olli Jokinen and all. They cannot be underestimated.

The same goes for rest of the side but it will be a brave man who bets directly against a Detriot win. As for a scoreline, the Red Wings 4-3 is trading a [1.02] and it could well be that close.

The Eastern Conference Final is a classic match-up between a star-studded attack and an equally stellar defence.

The Pittsburgh Penguins' ([1.55]) semi-final against the Washington Capitals was billed as the battle of the sharp-shooters - Sidney Crosby v Alex Ovechkin. The Russian did outscore the Canadian 14 to 13 but it was generally seen as a series in which the Penguins were better going forward.

As ever Evgeni Malkin offered excellent attacking support, winning Game Three almost single-handedly. That was a pivotal rubber in the seven-game series. If the Penguins had not squeezed home in overtime they would have been 3-0 down with no margin for error.

Even then, the series went down to the wire. It was something of a surprise given the Capitals had won the Southeast Division and amassed nine more points in the regular season.

The Penguins strolled past the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 in the Conference quarter-final but the elimination of the Capitals, though closer, was more impressive.

However, it was not half as impressive as Carolina Hurricane's 4-3 victory over the highly-fancied Boston Bruins, the second-highest points scorers in the regular season. The victory was secured in the tightest way possible - overtime in game seven. The series showed that Eric Staal can be relied upon for what goals they can find and Jussi Jokinen lived up to his nickname, 'The Finnisher', to win Game Three in overtime.

However, goalie Cam Ward is the key. He pulled off 36 saves to complete a shut-out in Game Three and his 34 saves in Game Seven were probably as decisive as Scott Walker's overtime goal.

It was the Hurricanes' [2.5] fourth straight game seven win in the play-offs. Their best method here would seem to be to keep matters tight and low-scoring, hoping that Ward can do enough. He probably can't be though. The Hurricanes are this year's Cinderella side after nearly missing out on a play-off berth but the invitation to the Stanley Cup Ball may not arrive this season.

The market rightly thinks it will be a Detroit v Pittsburgh Final. However, this season has been one of shocks by plucky (not lucky) underdogs.

It is just possible that there are one or two surprises yet to be seen.