Motor City meets Steeltown on Saturday when the Detroit Red Wings face the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game One of the Stanley Cup finals. In one of the most eagerly awaited finals in recent memory, teams from the two blue-collar cities just 285 miles apart clash in a classic storyline of youth versus experience. Detroit hosts Game One of the best-of-seven series at Joe Louis Arena. Known as Hockeytown USA, the Red Wings are a charter member of the NHL, an Original Six franchise that has reached the playoffs 17 consecutive seasons, the longest run of post-season success in North American professional sport. They have appeared in 23 Stanley Cup finals and won three since 1997. The Penguins won back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992 but their recent history has been one of trouble more than triumph. In 2004 the Penguins languished at the bottom of the NHL standings, while the current season began with speculation the team was to be sold and relocated. While the Red Wings are arguably the NHL's most dependable team, the Penguins are the most dynamic, loaded with dazzling young talent led by captain and reigning MVP Sidney Crosby. The most talked-about prospect since Wayne Gretzky, the Penguins used the coveted number one selection in 2005 to draft Crosby, who has become the cornerstone of team that could dominate for seasons to come. But the 20-year-old also has a stunning supporting cast. With the number one overall pick in 2003 the Penguins took goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, and they used the second overall picks in 2004 and 2006 to select Russian Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal. In contrast, Detroit has been a victim of its own success and over the last 10 years has had only four first-round choices, none higher than 19th overall. This forced the Red Wings to become the NHL's shrewdest judge of talent, regularly finding gems that other teams overlooked. Henrik Zetterberg, one of seven Swedes on the Detroit roster, was the 210th player selected in 1999 while his All-Star line mate Pavel Datsyuk was 171st in 1998. Thomas Holmstrom was taken 257th in 1994 and Johan Franzen 97th in 2004 while even Nicklas Lidstrom, who won five Norris trophies as the league's best defenseman, was a third-round choice in 1989. Zetterberg has 21 points in the postseason, tied with Crosby for the lead.
