NHL Morning Papers: Stanley Cup Finals Edition (Wednesday)

Here are the morning papers for the Stanley Cup Finals which begin on Saturday night:

Detroit Red Wings (1) versus Pittsburgh Penguins (2):

• After reading this article by Eric Duhatschek, you cannot help but like Mike Babcock. Here is Scotty Bowman’s take on the Finals. Meanwhile, Cam Cole wonders why the NHL is not starting the Finals until Saturday.
• Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press thinks Chris Osgood does not get enough respect. This is about as good a Cup Finals as one could ask for, writes Helene St. James. It is clear that the Wings have earned the respect of the rest of the NHL. Detroit GM Ken Holland is sick of all the injury questions.
• The Red Wings, unlike the Penguins’ past three opponents, are fairly unfamiliar, writes Shelly Anderson. Sergei Gonchar thinks Nicklas Lidstrom is really good. If you have not been following the Penguins season all year long on the Empty Netters blog, you have been making a mistake.

For Illegal Curve, I’m Richard Pollock.

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