Finally, the Stanley Cup finals are set.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators will face off after splitting the season series 1-1, and storylines abound. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are looking for their third Cup, the Predators are seeking the first title in the franchise's history and both teams are afflicted with key injuries that they'll have to overcome.
How will the series play out? Let's have a look at each team's strengths and weaknesses by the numbers and make a call.
Pittsburgh's strengths
Evgeni Malkin (24 points), Sidney Crosby (20) and Phil Kessel (19) make up three of the playoffs' top four scorers
In 2015-16, the Penguins' depth helped guide them to the Cup, but this year, Pittsburgh has relied heavily on its three biggest names -- and they have been up to the challenge. Malkin and Kessel have spent nearly the entire postseason on the same line (211 minutes together) and have dominated to the tune of a 54.0 Corsi for percentage and 68.6 goals for percentage. And Crosby has been Crosby. No matter who head coach Mike Sullivan has slotted with him, the world's best player has come through, even setting up the game-winning goal in Game 7 against the Senators off the stick of old linemate Chris Kunitz.
Nashville has one of the league's budding star forwards in Filip Forsberg, but without Ryan Johansen in the lineup, the Predators are outgunned by the Penguins up front.
Matt Murray's career .928 playoff save percentage
Sullivan has learned he can count on Murray when the lights are at their brightest. The 23-year-old netminder not only led his team to a Stanley Cup victory last season, but he has been spectacular again this spring since returning to the net after a hand injury kept him out for the first two rounds. Murray has provided a quality start in all four starts since getting back between the pipes.
If Murray happens to stumble against Nashville, there's a very good Plan B. Marc-Andre Fleury was outstanding in Murray's place for the first two rounds -- including a shutout in Game 7 against the Capitals -- giving the Pens the most confidence in him in the playoffs than they've had in a long time.
Fourteen power-play goals in 56 opportunities (25.0 percent)
At different times throughout the playoffs, the Penguins have missed quality depth forwards like Patric Hornqvist, Carl Hagelin and Conor Sheary, who are solid contributors at even strength. Pittsburgh has made up the ground by producing at a high level on special teams. If the forward group is close to 100 percent and the power play keeps rolling, the Penguins will look very much like the No. 1-ranked offense they were in the regular season.
Pittsburgh's weaknesses
Kris Letang's 28:53 average time on ice per game in last year's playoffs
It seems pretty unlikely that the Penguins would have needed seven games to get past the Ottawa Senators if Kris Letang had been in the lineup. While top-notch forward talent and great goaltending got Pittsburgh back to the Cup finals, it has been much more challenging to play defense by committee rather than letting one of the league's elite blueliners control the game.
Sullivan may need to make some adjustments against the Predators. Veteran Ron Hainsey and partner Brian Dumoulin saw the most ice time of any Penguins pair against Ottawa, and both managed Corsi for percentages under 45 percent, which likely wouldn't bode well against an up-tempo, high-flying team like Nashville. Getting Trevor Daley and Justin Schultz back from injuries did give the Penguins some of their firepower against Ottawa, but nothing close to having Letang rushing the puck up ice or taking on top forwards.
Team-wide 46.5 Corsi for percentage during the playoffs
Without Letang, it has been much tougher for the Penguins to win the puck-possession battle. Against the Capitals, they were forced to collapse around the goalie and hope for counterpunch opportunities. Washington outshot Pittsburgh in every game. Normally teams don't win when they're crushed on the shot counter for seven straight games, but goaltending, special teams and a few special performances got the Penguins past the Capitals. If this series has a similar look, it's unlikely Pittsburgh can repeat those results.
The hard road to the Cup finals
Not only has Pittsburgh played in back-to-back seven-game series, but they had to play the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the NHL in even-strength goals for percentage, then face the world's best and most dynamic defenseman Erik Karlsson. The Penguins have played three more games than the Predators, and against statistically tougher teams. They are going into the Cup finals more worn down than their opponent.
Nashville's strengths
Twenty-eight goals against Pekka Rinne in 16 playoff games
Coming into the playoffs, it was fair to call Rinne the Predators' biggest wild card. He had a solid regular season but only managed a .907 save percentage in his previous 20 playoff games. This time around, Rinne has been all-time good, with a .941 save percentage and quality starts in 13 of 16 games. Can he keep up his incredible pace and have a Jonathan Quick- or Tim Thomas-like legendary performance, or will regression hit hard against the Penguins? The Predators will need the former to beat Pittsburgh's incredible trio of future Hall of Fame forwards.
Filip Forsberg in the 2017 playoffs: 57.5 Corsi for percentage, 80.9 goals for percentage
As if it wasn't clear already that Nashville's trade for Forsberg is one of the all-time steals, the 22-year-old forward has elevated his play in the postseason with eight goals and complete dominance of the puck. When Johansen got hurt, Forsberg stepped up even more against the Anaheim Ducks, making him a leader through three rounds in the Conn Smythe Trophy conversation. However, the Penguins are likely to match Crosby against Forsberg for the majority of the series. If the young star can break even or win that battle, he deserves to be MVP of the playoffs.
P.K. Subban, Ryan Ellis, Roman Josi all hit double digits in playoff points
You would be hard-pressed to find a better blue line in the NHL during the past decade than what the Predators have put together this season. Subban has blown all the narratives about his risky play to pieces, partly because Nashville plays to his strengths. Giving the former Canadien an excellent shutdown partner in Mattias Ekholm allows Subban to take high-reward chances. The Ellis-Josi pair features two of the league's best all-around offensive talents. They work in conjunction to create speed coming out of the defensive zone and can both step up and score goals. Even Nashville's third pair of Yannick Weber and Matt Irwin can offer offense from time to time.
Nashville's weaknesses
Ryan Johansen's 13 points in 14 playoff games
Just as the former Blue Jacket was proving that he was up to the task of beating shutdown center Ryan Kesler, he went down with an injury that will keep him out for the Cup finals. An outstanding playmaker, Johansen centered one of the league's best lines with Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson. Competing with Crosby and Malkin will be a lot more difficult without him.
Only two forwards outside of Forsberg with double-digit playoff points
Forward depth was already a concern before Johansen's injury. The Predators have had to rely on players like Colton Sissons, who has five goals and five assists after only producing 10 points in 58 regular-season games, and Pontus Aberg, who spent nearly the entire regular season in the AHL. Veterans Mike Fisher (zero points in 14 games) and James Neal (seven points in 16 games) will need to produce at a higher rate to make up some of the difference.
Seven power-play goals in 47 opportunities (14.9 percent)
The Penguins ranked 20th in penalty-kill percentage during the regular season, which may open the door for the highly skilled Nashville power play to take advantage. Thus far, the Preds have demolished opponents at 5-on-5 but haven't gotten much support from their power play. Gifted players like Subban and Josi could change that quickly.
The pick: Predators in seven
We could see one of the most exciting Cup finals series in recent history with the league's best offensive attack taking on the top blue line in the NHL. Considering the Penguins and Predators both ranked No. 1 in their respective conference in shots on goal per 60 minutes at even strength, this series sets up to have a high pace and possibly high-scoring games.
It's questionable whether Rinne can hold up against an explosive attack like Pittsburgh's, but the Predators' advantage on defense could be too much for the Penguins.