Stanley Cup Finals, Game 1- Penguins @ Detroit Red Wings

The Pittsburgh Penguins know what it's like to lose to the Detroit Red Wings. They did it just last year, remember, in this same Stanley Cup Final series. The teams have changed a lot since then, however, and there's no reason to believe that series will have any bearing on this one.

Marian Hossa has jumped ship from the Penguins' top line where he has since been replaced by Bill Guerin. Chris Kunitz joins Sidney Crosby and Guerin on the line that has terrorized the Eastern Conference during these playoffs.

Hossa plays for the enemy now and will no doubt have extra motivation going up against his former teammates. He left a long-term, lucrative offer from the Penguins on the table to get the best shot he could at the Stanley Cup. Needless to say, the irony would be tremendous if the Penguins can manage a way to beat him in the 2009 rendition of this rivalry.

Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom and his partner Johnny Ericsson will be in uniform for Game 1 after missing time in the Western Conference Finals with injuries. Selke Trophy winner Pavel Datsyuk is unlikely to play, as is Kris Draper. If Datsyuk is out, the Penguins have an instant advantage, particularly Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

With the Wings likely to focus mainly on Crosby's line, Malkin and Jordan Staal must step up and take advantage of the lower pairings for Detroit. If Malkin disappears like he did last year around this time, the Penguins are out of luck.

Marc-Andre Fleury will duel with Chris Osgood in net. Neither team has a distinct edge here.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Adams-Satan

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi
Boucher

Fleury

Red Wings-

Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary
Holmstrom-Filppula-Hossa
Hudler-Helm-Samuelsson
Leino-Abdelkader-Maltby

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Ericsson-Lebda

Osgood

GO PENS!