Making it to the Stanley Cup Final requires a great deal of good luck, skilled healthy players, and timing: avoiding key injuries, finding the right lines/matchups, hoping the netminders get hot, and having the team peak at the start of and throughout the playoffs. Yikes! Right now I just don't see the Pens making it to the Conference Final...with or without Crosby. Likewise, a couple months ago I envisioned the Wings playing in the Stanley Cup Final. While I am still very hopeful, I am not so sure. We shall see...