Daily News writers split on Stanley Cup final

Sam Donnellon: Some Flyers fans are dreading a Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup victory. They do not want to see Mike Richards holding that Cup a year after the Flyers made him their ex-captain, really don't want to see Jeff Carter do the same. Well dread not. At least not that. I believe the Devils will dispose of the Kings easily in five games. In doing so, they will make it crystal clear that the Western Conference was a weaker brand of hockey this year, particularly playoff hockey. And that will lead to a whole 'nother dread, that had the Flyers bore down in the Devils series the way they bore down in upsetting Pittsburgh, they could be the team exposing the Western Conference. And hoisting the Cup. Devils in 5

Rich Hofmann: Despite the appearances to the contrary - hated Devils on one side, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards on the other side - this really is a good Stanley Cup finals matchup for the Flyers. Why? Because it is a series that validates their style of play. The Devils and Kings got this far because both of them were all about aggressive, persistent forechecking. That is the Flyers' MO when they get it going. We will not have to listen to people waxing poetically about the art of the blocked shot, which would have been the result if the Rangers had gotten through to the final. This will be about two teams that attack in the offensive zone, attack and attack some more. It will be good hockey. It will demonstrate the value of aggression and goaltending. This is the Flyers' blueprint. That they fell short against the Devils in the second round does not change that. Devils in 7

Frank Seravalli: Admittedly, it is hard to pick against the Los Angeles Kings - with their postseason numbers as gaudy as their Southern California scene. You can point to any number of things: an 8-0 record on the road, knocking off the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds in succession, Jonathan Quick's obscene 1.54 goals-against average in the playoffs. They're all sexy. And the Devils are the epitome of hockey porn. That's why I like the Devils to win the Stanley Cup. Two out of the three times they've won the Cup, they beat Anaheim (2003) and Detroit (1995), who both entered the final with a 12-2 record in the playoffs. The Kings are 12-2. Unlike Los Angeles, which has rolled through the playoffs, the "no-frills" Devils have not flinched in the face of adversity. They've knocked off two solid teams in a row with an in-your-face tempo and persistence that isn't going anywhere. New Jersey is not starstruck by the bright lights of the game's biggest stage. In fact, the Devils never seem to be too high or too low. That stoic franchise philosophy is about to pay off again for the fourth time in 18 years. Devils in 6