Then, it was two. In the closet thing to a dream match-up that the NHL brass could have had, the storied Detroit Red Wings take on the upstart Pittsburgh Penguins and the league?s new golden boy in Sidney Crosby. So, who will lift Lord Stanley? Read on to find out. Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin has been in a zone since the playoffs began, but the emergence of Marian Hossa makes this offensive even better. Hossa has a team-high nine goals and 10 assists in 14 playoff games, including four goals and five assists during Pittsburgh?s Eastern Conference series win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Goaltender Marc-Andrew Fleury has moved from pleasant early surprise in net to a bona fide championship goaltender this post-season. He is 12-2 with a 2.33 GAA and in only two games has he allowed more than three goals. This is important heading into the Detroit series because with their potent offense, a five, six, seven goal performance isn?t out of the question. If Fleury can stay away from the disastrous period and poor overall games, Pittsburgh will be in good shape. The skill guys led by Crosby, Malkin, and Hossa, also have to be able to play through the physical play of Detroit. The Red Wings aren?t an overly physical team, but they are seasoned and will try to make the young guns of Pittsburgh uncomfortable on the game?s biggest stage. One more player who also will have an impact on this series is defenseman Sergei Gonchar. He is the most talented defenseman on the team, and it will be Gonchar who sets the tone for the rest of the defensemen. Detroit will bring it fast and bring it often, and as we saw in the Colorado series, they can overwhelm even playoff teams with their talent. Detroit Red Wings If there is one team who can score consistently with Pittsburgh, it is the Detroit Red Wings. Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Johan Franzen are all averaging over a point per playoff game, but Franzen hasn?t played since Game one against the Dallas Stars. He is doubtful for Game one against Pittsburgh, according to the Detroit Free Press. A player who will need to step up is Tomas Holmstrom, who has 10 points and a +5 rating in 16 playoff games. Holmstrom is an excellent presence in front of the net and will cause many problems for Fleury and the Penguins? defenders. The blue liners for Detroit, led by Nicklas Lindstrom and Brian Rafalski, also will be counted on heavily. Both players will be depended on to keep the vision clear for Chris Osgood and to not allow Pittsburgh?s skill guys to skate free around and behind the net. I think losing two games to Dallas will end up being good for Detroit as it gives them the chance to regroup before the Stanley Cup Finals. Prediction The winner of this year?s Stanley Cup will be the team who can be more physical without getting out of their game. Both of these teams are high octane offensive who prefer to skate freely over the clutch and grab game. Everything tells me to pick Detroit from their experience to better defensemen to the Holmstrom effect. However, the status of Franzen scares me, and something about Pittsburgh makes them special right now. I think Crosby, Malkin, and company are ready to take their spot at the top of the game and will do so in a very entertaining and competitive series. - Pittsburgh in seven games Who will win the Con Smythe? I have Crosby. Think I?m wrong? Email your picks to Douglas.Benton@realgm.com