Stanley Cup and Cheesecake 2012 - Stanley Cup Finals

If you need proof of how unlikely a Stanley Cup finals matchup this is, look no further than the picks submitted by the readers of this blog on the first day of the playoff just seven short weeks ago. No one came close to picking a correct final four, with only about 15% of readers getting even one team right. I know I have plenty of Kings and Devils supporters among my fans, and few of them even felt comfortable with the homer pick. Keep that in mind next February, when you're tempted to plan a parade... or a funeral.

So, the Kings and the Devils. Los Angeles brings a staggeringly good 8-0 road record into Newark for games one and two. If they can continue this good fortune, a California Cup is all but assured. I suspect New Jersey will hold serve, however, and at least gain a split in the first two games, and that this series will go a long way. Both teams are speedy and can score, so it oughta be fun to watch!

The Devils knocked off some big-name goaltenders on their way to the final, but at no point in the playoffs did either Bryzgalov or Lundqvist approach the performance of the Kings' Jonathan Quick. I look for him to be the Conn-Smythe Trophy winner, and for the Stanley Cup to go to the Kings in six.

UPDATE: Now the image above is available as a print!