NBC's broadcast strategy for the Stanley Cup Final is interesting, and it's also kinda brilliant. Going back to the days when it was a separate entity, two games of the Final have always been in NBCSN's contract. In recent years, they've put Games 3 and 4 on cable, with the other five on the main network. This year, it'll definitely be Game 2, with the second game determined by who wins that game. If it's 2-0 when the teams leave Pittsburgh, Game 3 is on cable. If it's 1-1, the first game in San Jose is on NBC, with Game 4 shifting over to NBCSN instead.
While the Final being on two different networks certainly isn't ideal, the fact that NBC and NBCSN are essentially the same thing certainly makes it easier. And with the two Stanley Cup Final games worked into the cable contract, there's very little they can do about it. Game 1 has to be on NBC, and all potential Cup-clinching games should. When NBCSN had Games 3 and 4 guaranteed, it was possible the Cup would be awarded on cable. This way, fans are guaranteed to see the Cup handed out on broadcast TV. Ideally, NBCSN would have Games 2 and 3, with NBC showing the opener and all potential clinchers. But I understand that scheduling these things isn't exactly easy, so I guess this will have to do. At least people who don't get NBCSN will get to see who wins the series.
But which team will that be? I said prior to the Penguins-Capitals series that whoever won that one would win the Cup, but Pittsburgh had a much tougher time putting away Tampa Bay than I thought. San Jose, meanwhile, has finally exorcised the demons of playoffs past, and Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture, Brent Burns and Co. are finally making that first Final appearance. Can the Sharks finish the job and lift the Cup for the first time in franchise history?
San Jose is loaded with talent. That's why the Sharks' playoff struggles in the past have been so frustrating. For everyone. This year, they've finally put it all together. And that offense is clicking. All four lines are getting in on the act, and even the defensemen are scoring! Meanwhile, Martin Jones has done exactly what he's needed to in goal. And I think past his Final experience as Jonathan Quick's backup in 2014 could be important. He's been here before, so he shouldn't be as nervous in the big spots. That's more than I can say about the rest of the team. Jones and Dainis Zubrus are the only players on the Sharks roster to have previously played in the Final.
Pittsburgh, on the other hand, has plenty of players with Stanley Cup experience. Five Penguins (Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, Letang, Kunitz) were on the roster when they won the Cup seven years ago, and two others (Matt Cullen, Carl Hagelin) have been in the Final with other teams. That might not seem like a lot, but, with the exception of Cullen, those are all key players for the Penguins.
They've been the best team in the NHL since the calendar flipped to 2016, and they've certainly been the best team in the playoffs, too. Matt Murray has done the job in goal, which means Mike Sullivan's gonna have a tough decision on his hands. Does he stick with Murray or go back to Marc-Andre Fluery if he's healthy? That decision could either win him or lose him the series.
Regarding the series schedule, the NHL made a very smart decision. The Stanley Cup Final usually follows a Monday-Wednesday-Saturday format. But with the cross-country travel this year, they've made a slight adjustment. There are two days off before each game where there's travel required. So, Game 5 will be on Thursday, Game 6 is on Sunday and Game 7 is back on Wednesday. That extends the series over 17 days, but it was a smart move to not make them potentially fly cross-country and play the next day four times. I'm sure the Rangers and Kings would've liked it if they'd done that two years ago.
That schedule will probably benefit the Penguins more than the Sharks. The West Coast teams are used to that travel. The Sharks' last two series were against Nashville and St. Louis, which are both in the Central time zone. Meanwhile, the Penguins' travel this postseason has featured trips to New York, Washington and Tampa. Even counting that series against the Kings, the Sharks have logged many more miles than the Penguins during the playoffs, as they always do during the regular season.
If they'd kept the series schedule the same, it might not have made a difference. It might've affected both teams the same way. Maybe we'd see tired legs all the way around. And who's to say the travel won't be a factor even with the change? The Sharks are used to it. The Penguins aren't. I think San Jose is much better-equipped to handle the back-and-forth.
However, my pick for the series is Pittsburgh. I, like most of America, will be rooting for the Sharks. But I think Pittsburgh is simply too good. My concerns about the Penguins' goaltending have proven to be unfounded. And that team has that never-say-die attitude that makes them very tough to beat. They destroyed the Rangers. They outplayed the President's Trophy winners. They were down 3-2 to Tampa Bay and dominated the final two games to win the series.
This won't be a blowout by any stretch of the imagination. This will be a very close series. But Pittsburgh's got that killer instinct, and they've been there before. The Penguins also have the two best players in the series, who are desperate to add another title. Ultimately, I think the fact that Game 7's in Pittsburgh will be the biggest factor. Because I don't see the Penguins losing that deciding game at home.
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