On to Round 2 of the NHL playoffs! A big thank you to the Colorado Avalanche for ruining my perfect record. Let's see if we can't do just as well this time around...
EAST
(1)Montreal vs. (6)Philadelphia -- Both teams survived Game 7 tests. Will this series also go the distance? Mmm...probably not. Call me crazy, but I think the Flyers will pull this one out. Carey Price has got to have Habs fans a bit worried. PHI in 6.
(2)Pittsburgh vs. (5)New York Rangers -- I think this will be a great series. The Pens blew the doors off the hapless Senators, and the Rangers--gods be praised--knocked Martin Brodeur out. Crosby and Malkin will be too much though, although I think this will go the distance. PIT in 7.
WEST
(1)Detroit vs. (6)Colorado -- Maybe if Claude Lemieux and Patrick Roy have anything left in the tank, they can make this another great Wing/Avalance series. The Wings aren't quite the powerhouse that they appeared to be a few months ago, but they'll get by here. DET in 6.
(2)San Jose vs. (5)Dallas -- I thought the Sharks were for real, then they went and almost blew it against the Flames. So will the Stars keep rolling after ousting the defending champs? Eh...no. SJ in 6.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Playoffs!
So what if Carolina isn't playing! It's the NHL playoffs, dammit! Nothing else matters! (At least until Saturday, when The Masters is on CBS.) With that in mind, here are my fearless predictions for 2008.
EAST
(1)Montreal vs. (8)Boston -- Seriously, how many here thought the Bruins would actually make the playoffs? And how many think they'll beat the Canadiens? Me neither. MTL in 5.
(2)Pittsburgh vs. (7)Ottawa -- Back in December, this would have been a marquee matchup. Since then, the Senators have done just about everything wrong, while the Pens kept winning, even when NHL Meal Ticket (aka Sidney Crosby) went out of the lineup. Ottawa has enough to keep it close, but if the Pens can score (and if Marian Hossa remembers he wears a Pens jersey now), the Sens won't win. PIT in 6.
(3)Washington vs. (6)Philadelphia -- The big question in this series is how well will the Caps defensive forwards Bengt Gustafsson and Kelly Miller shut down the Propp/Poulin/Kerr line....oh wait...(Archivists really do live in the past.) Ok, as great as Ovechkin is, think with your head, Caps fans. You've been 'hot' lately, but you're about to be 'not.' PHI in 5.
(4)New Jersey vs. (5)New York Rangers -- Ugh. Can both these teams lose, please? I voted against the blueshirts last year (against Atlanta, hahahaha), so I won't make that mistake again. The Devils still have Brodeur, but who's gonna score? NYR in 6.
WEST
(1)Detroit vs. (8)Nashville -- Ok, Preds fans, repeat after me: "Getting to the playoffs was a moral victory and I will be satisfied with that." Now don't you feel better? DET in 5. (Best chance for a sweep, here)
(2)San Jose vs. (7)Calgary -- This could be the toughest, ugliest series in the first round. If San Jose is for real this year, we'll know early in this series. I think they're for real. SJ in 6.
(3)Minnesota vs. (6)Colorado -- Don't you bet the Avs wish they still had Sakic, Forsberg, and Foote from their glory days? What...? They still do? Ok, this series is where youth and skill beat age and treachery. MIN in 5.
(4)Anaheim vs. (5)Dallas -- Hm. I take back that SJ/CGY comment. THIS series could be the ugliest. Since I don't really like either team, I'll hope for Chris Pronger to go home early. DAL in 7.
EAST
(1)Montreal vs. (8)Boston -- Seriously, how many here thought the Bruins would actually make the playoffs? And how many think they'll beat the Canadiens? Me neither. MTL in 5.
(2)Pittsburgh vs. (7)Ottawa -- Back in December, this would have been a marquee matchup. Since then, the Senators have done just about everything wrong, while the Pens kept winning, even when NHL Meal Ticket (aka Sidney Crosby) went out of the lineup. Ottawa has enough to keep it close, but if the Pens can score (and if Marian Hossa remembers he wears a Pens jersey now), the Sens won't win. PIT in 6.
(3)Washington vs. (6)Philadelphia -- The big question in this series is how well will the Caps defensive forwards Bengt Gustafsson and Kelly Miller shut down the Propp/Poulin/Kerr line....oh wait...(Archivists really do live in the past.) Ok, as great as Ovechkin is, think with your head, Caps fans. You've been 'hot' lately, but you're about to be 'not.' PHI in 5.
(4)New Jersey vs. (5)New York Rangers -- Ugh. Can both these teams lose, please? I voted against the blueshirts last year (against Atlanta, hahahaha), so I won't make that mistake again. The Devils still have Brodeur, but who's gonna score? NYR in 6.
WEST
(1)Detroit vs. (8)Nashville -- Ok, Preds fans, repeat after me: "Getting to the playoffs was a moral victory and I will be satisfied with that." Now don't you feel better? DET in 5. (Best chance for a sweep, here)
(2)San Jose vs. (7)Calgary -- This could be the toughest, ugliest series in the first round. If San Jose is for real this year, we'll know early in this series. I think they're for real. SJ in 6.
(3)Minnesota vs. (6)Colorado -- Don't you bet the Avs wish they still had Sakic, Forsberg, and Foote from their glory days? What...? They still do? Ok, this series is where youth and skill beat age and treachery. MIN in 5.
(4)Anaheim vs. (5)Dallas -- Hm. I take back that SJ/CGY comment. THIS series could be the ugliest. Since I don't really like either team, I'll hope for Chris Pronger to go home early. DAL in 7.
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