Both Conference Finals series have been disappointments for fans (except those in Detroit and Pittsburgh), because they have been so one-sided. The bottom line is that the better team is clearly winning each series right now.

One key similarity between the two leading teams is that they have strong defense corps. The Red Wings are the more obvious of the two. Detroit features perennial Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom but is also getting strong two-way play from Niklas Kronwall and Brian Rafalski. In fact, right now, three of the Wings top eight playoff scorers are defensemen.

The Wings' puck possession offense is based on the successful play of their blueliners. Detroit gets more offensive contributions from their defenseman than any of the remaining teams in the playoffs. They also have more blue line depth than any other team remaining and probably more than any team in the league.

Brad Stuart, who plays on the third defense pairing and has only one assist in 12 playoff games (but is a plus-4), has excellent puck handling skills and has been on the top defense pairing during his NHL career. And it's not like Stuart is past his prime, the Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, native is just 27. The Red Wings defense remains a key to the club's success and all of its top six defensemen are on the plus side of the plus/minus equation in the playoffs. The acquisition of players like Stuart and Rafalski were good moves by Wings' GM Ken Holland and are a major reason Detroit is among the league's top teams year after year.

The Penguins defense has been largely overlooked by the media and by fans which is a bit understandable on a team with Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Marian Hossa. Most discussions about the Pittsburgh defense revolve around Sergei Gonchar. Gonchar is the quarterback of the power play and the Pens' best offensive defenseman. He has killed the Flyers, scoring five points in three games in this series. Gonchar is also a plus-three despite the fact that three of his five points came on the power play.

Hal Gill was almost an afterthought at the trade deadline when he was picked up from Toronto. Instead, the ex-Leaf has used his size to add a much-needed element to the Penguins blue line. In the playoffs, where physical battles are more valuable and intense, Gill's play has been vitally important to the Penguins' success. He has only one point in 12 postseason games, but his value is unquestioned. Ryan Whitney, Kris Letang and Robert Scuderi have not been all that noticeable to the average fan, but they have done their jobs well on both sides of the ice.

The Penguins forwards have done a good job of back-checking as well and it's tied up the Flyers' attack. In game three in Philadelphia, the Pens were particularly effective defensively. They held the Flyers to just eight shots in the first two periods and 18 total for the game. More importantly, the number of quality chances the Flyers have had has been limited.

Sharks Let Wilson Go

San Jose's decision to let Ron Wilson go should not come as a surprise. The question now is who will replace him. The Sharks have the talent to win the Stanley Cup so their choice of coach will be important. GM Doug Wilson may be looking for a more easy-going "players' coach" after Wilson lost the locker room for being critical of his players in the locker room and to the press.

Maple Leafs Part Ways With Maurice

The Maple Leafs firing of Paul Maurice cannot come as a surprise. The club failed to make the playoffs for three years in a row for the first time since the 1920s and results are the bottom line in professional sports. Plus whoever takes over for interim-GM Cliff Fletcher is going to want to bring in his own person to run the bench.

That being said, Maurice helped the Leafs make a late playoff run and he constantly defended his players even while the entire organization was in turmoil. Maurice is a proven NHL coach and he had a lot of problems that were not his doing in Toronto. Maurice's personality may be a good fit in San Jose but even if he doesn't become the Sharks' next coach, look for him to be back behind an NHL bench sometime soon.

Looking Ahead to the Finals

The Stanley Cup Finals seem all but set. Don't be surprised if Dallas and Philadelphia win a game to stay alive a little while longer. If things hold, a Red Wings-Penguins Cup Finals would be an exciting one. The scary thing is that the end of the hockey season is just around the corner. Withdrawal symptoms anyone?