Some random thoughts on the Penguins-Boston Eastern Conference final:
*Sidney Crosby had four goals and two assists in five games vs. Ottawa. Evgeni Malkin had two goals and three assists. The Penguins are averaging a league-high 4.27 goals in the playoffs, over a goal better than second-best Boston (3.17). But it still feels like Crosby and Malkin are about to find another gear.
*Kris Letang was the Penguins’ No. 1 star in the second round, racking up a goal and nine assists while controlling play to an absurd degree. Letang makes the odd mistake. Live with it. That’s part and parcel of his style. Risk equals reward.
*The Bruins’ physicality won’t matter that much. A) The Penguins are no shrinking violets. B) To make physicality count, you can’t lose races to the puck. Can the Bruins match the Penguins’ speed? Milan Lucic (6-3, 228) will be a handful in front of the net, though. The net doesn’t move.
*The Bruins have been helped by injuries to some of their older defensemen. Yes, I said “helped.” Stand-ins Torey Krug and Mt. Lebanon native Matt Bartkowski have upgraded the Bruins’ blue-line corps. Captain Zdeno Chara, 36, is Boston’s stalwart on defense. But he looks exhausted and immobile.
*Patrice Bergeron is Boston’s best player. Crosby speaks glowingly of Bergeron’s skills. But Tyler Seguin is the Bruins’ top clutch performer.
*Jaromir Jagr has no goals in these playoffs. But Jagr has a way of rising to the occasion. It’s Pittsburgh’s Jagr drama vs. Boston’s Jarome Iginla drama.
*Boston’s Tuukka Rask is a mediocre goaltender. No better. He’s certainly no Tim Thomas. Then again, neither is Tomas Vokoun.
*When General Manager Ray Shero made his flurry of deals near the trade deadline, he did so with one primary goal: BEAT BOSTON. Jarome Iginla, Jussi Jokinen, Brenden Morrow and Douglas Murray made the Penguins bigger, deeper, grittier and tougher. Much more difficult to play against.
*When Murray (6-3, 240) and Lucic battle, it will be the hockey equivalent of two planets colliding. Coach Dan Bylsma might match Murray against Lucic. But can Murray keep up with Lucic’s linemates, David Krejci and Nathan Horton?
*Boston’s fourth line is getting lots of media. But one thing will greatly impede Shawn Thornton, Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille in this series: They won’t ever have the puck. The Penguins possess the puck. The New York Rangers didn’t.
*The Penguins beat Boston three times during the regular season, winning each game by one. This series will be similar: The scores will be close, but Pens in 5.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images.











