The Ducks were billed as Stanley Cup contenders from the start of the season and have lived up to the hype. They started strong, got derailed by some key injuries at the midway part of the season but were able to get it together by the playoffs, where they have put together a 12-4 record. The Ducks were clearly the better team in first and second round series wins against Minnesota and Vancouver. They struggled at times against Detroit, but found a way to win Games 3 and 4 despite getting outplayed and beat the Red Wings in six games. 

Ottawa's top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley has been spectacular in the playoffs. Those three have combined for 23 goals and 35 assists in 15 playoff games so far, making them easily the most productive line in the postseason. The Senators probably have a deeper group of forwards, but they aren't getting a lot of scoring depth so far in the playoffs.

The Ducks, even with Chris Kunitz out with a broken hand, seem to be getting more production throughout the forward lines. Anaheim's kid line of Dustin Penner, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry has been very effective and has helped cover the lack of production from Anaheim's top line. Teemu Selanne did start to heat up at the end of the Detroit series and that's a big boost for the Ducks.  And checkers like Travis Moen, Rob Niedermayer and Samuel Pahlsson have been chipping in with some key offense as well. 

Advantage: Ducks. They may not have the overall depth, but they have more players contributing offensively.

The depth advantage goes to Ottawa. The Senators have six defensemen they use throughout the game. Chris Phillips, Anton Volchenkov, Wade Redden and Andrej Meszaros all log between 20 to 23 minutes a game, while Joe Corvo and Tom Preissing pickup considerable time as well. Phillips and Volchenkov have established themselves as the Senators shutdown pair, but Redden and Meszaros are basically the top duo.

The Ducks go with basically four defensemen and mix in the fifth and sixth every now and then. Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer and Francois Beauchemin all have averaged about 30 minutes per game in the playoffs and Sean O'Donnell has logged 20 minutes a game. Pronger has been outstanding for the Ducks and actually leads the team in points with 14 (three goals, 11 assists). Niedermayer has had some ups and downs, but has come up big at big times.

Advantage: Even. Overall depth goes to the Senators, but the Ducks neutralize that with Pronger, Niedermayer and, to a degree, Beauchemin.

After missing the first four games of the playoffs due to some health issues surrounding his newborn son, Jean-Sebastien Giguere has been outstanding in goal for the Ducks. He's 9-3 with a 1.87 goals against average and a .931 save percentage. His performance in Games 4 and 5 of the Detroit series were key as the Ducks were outplayed but still came out on top to take a 3-2 lead in the series. As technically sound a goalie as there is in the league.

Ray Emery, who took over as Ottawa's No. 1 goalie back in November, got off to a slow start in the playoffs but he's been very good. He has a 12-3 record with a 1.95 goals against average a .919 save percentage. He has three shutouts in his last 13 playoff games. The Senators defense has helped, but Emery has developed into a solid goaltender.

Advantage: Ducks. Giguere's got the experience, the better numbers and he's the better goalie.

Anaheim's power play has been erratic at times in the playoffs, hitting on 15 percent of its chances. It heated up at the end of the Detroit series after failing to cash in over a five-game stretch dating back to the Vancouver series.

Advantage: Ottawa. A struggling penalty kill and the inability to stay out of the penalty box could be an issue for Anaheim

Anaheim's Randy Carlyle has done a great job in two years with Anaheim. His teams have won five playoff rounds while compiling a 21-11 record in playoff games. His emphasis work ethic and his no nonsense, direct approach seems to have rubbed off on his team. When the Ducks play that way they are at their best.

Advantage: Even. Both teams are extremely well coached.

Advantage: Even

The Ducks will provide a much stiffer and far more physical challenge. Anaheim can also score and play a sound defensive game in front of Jean-Sebastien Giguere, one of the game's elite goalies.

Players like Giguere, Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer, Teemu Selanne, Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza are the potential big name difference makers in the series, but it may be the secondary players who turn the tide one way or the other.

Will it be someone from the Ducks' Kids Line or Mike Fisher, Mike Comrie or Peter Schaefer for the Senators? Will it be Rob Niedermayer, Travis Moen or Samuel Pahlsson for Anaheim or Antoine Vermette, Chris Kelly or Chris Neil for Ottawa? Brad May for the Ducks or Dean McAmmond for the Sens.

Based on the playoffs so far, the Ducks secondary players have been providing more and giving their team a much more balanced attack.

Prediction: Ducks in 7
Conn Smythe: Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Anaheim

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