NHL Stanley Cup Final Prediction: Ending Wait of Two Years or Two Decades?

Consider it a lesser of two evils. The final two teams remaining are from America's two largest cities, one from a television ratings wasteland on the West Coast and the other being largely absent from social media mentions for most of the year until recent weeks. With a baby on the way, I'll just say I won't be too torn up about missing any moments of this year's Final.

I say that now, but because it is the last hockey series of the year, I know I'll be tuning in when I can. As a Blackhawks fan, I'm still clearly reeling from being one period away from a possible repeat to now instead seeing the Kings about to claim their second Cup in three years—and earning discussion of their own dynasty. Make no mistake, Los Angeles is the heavy favorite here, coming off of a Western Conference Final victory that was considered by many to be "the real Stanley Cup."

There will be no shortage of attractive underdog narratives for various media outlets to play up with this New York team, a franchise that last hoisted Lord Stanley 20 years ago. Sure, maybe having the best goaltender in the playoffs could indeed steal a game or two. But a series? Um, I've got my doubts.

ESPN's Craig Custance and CBS Sports' Chris Peters were the only two experts who correctly picked both Stanley Cup finalists in the last round, and more than half the names below had both teams wrong. That includes myself, as I appear to be well on my way to recording my worst score since ... the last time the Kings won the Cup (which was also the same record I had the year before that). Anyway, here's how everybody's faring going into the Final:

1. (7) Chris Peters, CBS Sports: 10-4 (7)
2. (1) Paul Grant, ESPN: 10-4 (6)
3. (2) Tim Kavanagh, ESPN: 10-4 (5)
4. (4) Sarah Goldstein, ESPN: 10-4 (4)
5. (14) Craig Custance, ESPN: 9-5 (5)
6. (9) Linda Cohn, ESPN: 9-5 (4)
6. (2) Barry Melrose, ESPN: 9-3 (4)
8. (5) Nicholas Cotsonika, Yahoo: 9-5 (2)
8. (5) Pierre LeBrun, ESPN: 9-5 (2)
10. (8) Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports: 8-6 (4)
11. (10) Steve Levy, ESPN: 8-6 (2)
11. (16) Scott Powers, ESPN: 8-6 (2)
11. (10) Katie Strang, ESPN: 8-6 (2)
11. (10) Brian Stubits, CBS Sports: 8-6 (2)
15. (13) John Buccigross, ESPN: 7-7 (5)
16. (14) Joe McDonald, ESPN: 7-7 (3)
16. (19) Greg Wyshynski, Yahoo: 7-7 (3)
18. (21) Sean Leahy, Puck Daddy: 7-7 (2)
19. (17) Daryl Dobbs, Puck Daddy: 7-5 (0)
20. (18) Sam McCaig, Yahoo: 6-2 (4)
21. (19) Ryan Lambert, Puck Daddy: 6-4 (3)
22. (21) Jen Neale, Puck Daddy: 6-8 (2)
22. (21) Harrison Mooney, Puck Daddy: 6-8 (2)
24. (24) Scott Burnside, ESPN: 5-9 (4)
25. (25) YOURS TRULY: 5-9 (2)

And as though my intro didn't make clear who I'm picking to win it all:

Los Angeles Kings over New York Rangers in five games

It is yet another year where I find myself laughing at the prospect of an Eastern Conference team even making the Western Conference team sweat. This year in particular seems like a particularly lopsided affair, with the Kings offering up a defense unlike any the Rangers have seen thus far. Los Angeles should be able to aggressively forecheck New York and create more than enough chances to pepper Conn Smythe candidate Lundqvist with so many shots that at least a few are bound to go in. Perhaps the Rags can offer up something in the way of the penalty kill to slow down an L.A. power play that's been nearly automatic at times, and I don't rule out Jonathan Quick suffering the occasional brain fart or two. Still, the Kings have maxed out all three of the series they've played up until now, a stark difference from the way they ran out to 3-0 leads in every series they played in the 2012 run. By now, they're committed to ending this thing and I don't see them giving New York much of an opportunity to even pretend to make this a series. I figure the Rags keep it close but lose a Game 3 heartbreaker before getting a dead cat bounce victory in Game 4, but in the end the Kings will be kings once again.