TMMOTS Stanley Cup Predictions

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Lauren Burg, Staff Writer

Ever heard of the phrase “Defense wins championships”? Well, this saying has rung especially true throughout the 2014 postseason, as both the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings have been extremely stingy defensively. Led by a rejuvenated Ryan McDonagh, the Rangers held Claude Giroux to single digits in points, effectively shut down league MVP Sidney Crosby and almost completely stifle the Montreal Canadiens playoff MVP P.K. Subban. That lightened the load on goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who proved during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals that overworking him could end up being costly. It also allowed the team’s offense to find its groove, something that took awhile but finally occurred.

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For the Kings, it’s been pretty similar.

anchors one of the best back ends in all of hockey, yet still manages to chip in offensively, evidenced by his 16 points in 21 games. He leads the league in ice time during these playoffs as well, averaging nearly 28 minutes per game. If for some reason he has a slight off game, his teammates are quick to help him out. Veteran

, whose play in Game 7’s is other-worldly, is LA’s fourth best scorer with 18 points, and has a team-high plus-11 rating so far this postseason.

With that being said, no team can get this far without an elite netminder. One who thrives in pressure-packed situations. New York’s Lundqvist and Los Angeles’