You have to pick your poison when playing the Penguins. Do you try and stop Pittsburgh’s top line, anchored by Sidney Crosby, or do you focus on shutting down the equally talented, Evegni Malkin and his line? And, don’t forget about the defensemen, Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney are both threats to score when they touch the puck. Clearly, keeping the Penguins off the scoreboard will be a monumental task.

But, the Rangers have a great goaltender and a usually solid defense that should minimize the scoring opportunities. Pittsburgh tends to make sloppy mistakes in their own zone and the Rangers will have to capitalize on these when they occur. Both teams have had long layoffs since their last series, so expect some uneven play in the first game.

So, who will prevail in a battle that the NHL has to be thrilled to see? Pittsburgh’s firepower is impressive, but a goalie on a hot streak in the playoffs and the playoff experience of Jagr, Drury, Shanahan and Gomez is tough to bet against. It takes seven, but the Rangers keep it going.

Photo of Jaromir Jagr and Sidney Crosby by AP/Keith Srakocic