2013 NHL Playoffs Prediction Thread

[tripolie atche]

West

#1 Chicago vs #8 Minnesota - With Kane, Toews, Hossa, & Saad, it won’t matter who CHI’s goalie is as the Blackhawks will be too much for Backstrom & the Wild to handle. Blackhawks in 4.

#2 Anaheim vs #7 Detroit - Even though DET played well down the stretch just to get into in the playoffs, I think ANA’s offense will be enough to get past Kronwall, Ericsson, & the Wings D, but by the slimmest of margins. Zetterberg & Datsyuk should keep DET in the series, but it’ll be tough to do it against Hiller and/or Fasth enough times to advance into the next round. Ducks in 7.

#3 Vancouver vs #6 San Jose - While both teams match up well against each other, the trade for Derek Roy & Ryan Kesler’s return to the lineup is why I’m going with the Canucks, in spite of Niemi’s great play throughout the season. Also, we all know of SJ’s play in past postseasons lol. Canucks in 6.

#4 St. Louis vs #5 Los Angeles - Since the beginning of the 2011-12 season, the Kings have owned the Blues (took 3 out of 4 against STL in the regular season last year, swept them 4-0 in the 2nd round a year ago & swept them 3-0 in this year's regular season). Even though Elliott has been hot this past month or so, the Kings still have a better goalie in Quick & their offense is better with Carter, Kopitar, Brown, & Co. leading the way. Kings in 5.

East

#1 Pittsburgh vs #8 NY Islanders - No one knows the status of Sidney Crosby for this series, but even if he doesn’t play, the Penguins are deep enough to beat the Islanders without him. What I’m more concerned with is if Marc-Andre Fleury can overcome what happened to him in last year’s postseason. I think he will, & while Tavares won’t make it easy for him & PIT, the Penguins should advance into the next round. Penguins in 6.

#2 Montreal vs #7 Ottawa - With guys like Michalek, Anderson, & surprisingly Karlsson all back from their injuries, I think the Sens will pull off the upset here. While MON’s power-play has been one of the best in the NHL this season, OTT has been of the best teams at penalty killing. Also, I think Carey Price will struggle in this series which will too help lead to an early exit for the Habs. Senators in 7.

#3 Washington vs #6 NY Rangers - This should be the best series of the first round since these two teams will be playing each other for the 4th time in 5 years in the playoffs & because it’s pretty much a toss-up of who wins this series lol. While both teams are entering the postseason as two of the hottest teams in the NHL right now, & even though I trust Lundqvist more than I do Holtby; Ovechkin, Backstrom, Green, & WAS’s power-play will ultimately prevail & into Round 2. Capitals in 7.

#4 Boston vs #5 Toronto - Even with Kessel, Kadri, van Riemsdyk, & Lupul, I expect the Leafs to struggle to score in this series, especially on the PP, against Rask & the Bruins D. On the other side of it, the Bruins’ depth will overwhelm Reimer & perhaps even Scrivens. Bruins in 5.

My second round matchups are Chicago vs Los Angeles, Anaheim vs Vancouver, Pittsburgh vs Ottawa, & Washington vs Boston.

 

[CH David]

Blackhawks vs. Wild - I want to say the 'Hawks in a sweep. It would be a very satisfying start to the playoffs. Even if they do sweep the Wild in 4, all of those games would be tough games. Backstrom can steal a game, even if the team has been very inconsistent this year. If the Blackhawks play 60 minutes of team defense each game, this is over in 4. I'm hoping for a sweep, but I'll say Blackhawks in 5.

Ducks vs. Red Wings - The Wings are a nice story in having made the playoffs for 22 straight years. If any team can pull off a first round upset, the Wings can. Do I think that will happen? No, I don't. It'll be a tough series, and fun to watch, but I've got the Ducks in 6.

Canucks vs. Sharks - I'm rooting so hard for the Sharks. If they had home ice I would've predicted them in 7. Niemi can steal this series for them, and for them to win he will probably have to steal a game above the border. Both teams are excellent at home, and the road is kinda shaky. I'll take the Canucks in 7. Each team wins their home games.

Blues vs. Kings - From a personal preference, this will probably be my second favorite series to watch. This series should be a war. I'm hoping for a few OT games, maybe double OT. Hard hitting series for sure. Obviously both goaltenders are the key to this. In my view Quick is the best goalie between these teams. I'll take the Kings in 7 based on that.

I'm not well versed on the East, so take my predictions with a grain of salt.

Penguins vs. Islanders - I'll take the Pens in 6. A lot of firepower on that team and I'm not sure if the Islanders have enough of their own to take the series.

Montreal vs. Ottawa - Montreal in 7. Looking at the way they played each other during the regular season, outside of their first meeting, they were close games. Montreal was pretty similar both at home and on the road. Ottawa seemed to struggle away.

Capitals vs. Rangers - Who would've thought the Caps would be a 3rd seed after the start to their season. They were awful. Ranger have been kind of up and down this season. Rangers did finish up by winning 10 of 14 in April, and the Capitals won 11 of 13. I'll go with Caps in 6. Sorry, IDR.

Bruins vs. Maple Leafs - I'll go with the Bruins in 6. I'm glad the Leafs were able to make the playoffs for the first time in quite a while, but I don't see them getting past Rask as often as they will need to to win the series.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

East

PIT (1) v. NYI (8)
I'm going Pens in 7. I think it's gonna be a tougher series than most give the Isles credit for. Look at the regular season records between these two clubs the last 2, 3 years. The Isles have routinely made the Pens' life difficult, and have beaten them quite often.

Crosby is the X-Factor. He has something like 75 points in 40-something games against the Islanders since coming into the league. His eventual return tips the scales in the Pens' favor.

MTL (2) v. OTT (7)
Honestly, I follow neither of these teams closely at all. I find them both to be painfully boring to watch, and there are no players on either team I'm much of a fan of outside of Chris Neil. Subban I'd probably dig if he played somewhere else.

Wild stab in the dark? Sens in six.

WSH (3) v. NYR (6)
This is either the fourth time in five years or the third time in four years the Rangers have played the Caps in the playoffs, and guess what? They've beaten them every single time. Stay out of the box against the Caps' PP and my boys in blue should take it. It'll go seven, I'd imagine, but it'll go Rangers in seven.

BOS (4) v. TOR (5)
This should actually be a tough series. I'm sure folks will love to point to how the B's are just gonna steam roll the Leafs, but I'm not so sure. This is the same Leafs team that took major points from BOS late in the year, and talking from a purely physical point of view, the teams match up well. This will all come down to the net. Rask v. Reimer, and in part the D that play in front of them. The B's are better on paper, but paper tigers exist for a reason. That said, ultimately I say BOS in seven.

--

West

CHI (1) v. MIN (8)
The Wild are so fucking lucky they managed to squeak in with a schedule that totally catered to them (COL and EDM in their last two games). They don't at all deserve that spot. The Blue Jackets did, and the Jackets might have actually given the Blackhawks a better test with Bobrovsky in net. I think it's the only sweep of the playoffs. Hawks in four.

ANA (2) v. DET (7)
Ducks are going down here, no doubt. They've fallen off hard. This was a team with an extremely high shooting percentage/PDO for most of the year. They have decent pieces, but they've been overachieving all year. Wings are a better team with better depth and a better team concept despite a blue line with a ton of ghosts. I'm going Wings in six.

VAN (3) v. SJS (6)
Sharks are the a team quietly sort of dominating out West the last month. Based on how well they've done since the deadline, this is probably going to be a deep series. Their home record was the best in the NHL in the regular season, and the Nucks should consider themselves lucky that they have home ice. It's their only shot at winning this, IMO. Torres has been incredible for them. Plus I think the Niemi factor gives the Sharks the edge. Sharks in seven.

STL (4) v. LAK (5)
This is probably going to be the most difficult match-up in the playoffs to really pick a team for. Both teams match up well against each other, IMO, with strong defense and strong goaltending — neither team being that much better than the other offensively (edge to the Kings).

Ultimately I think the Kings are the better team though. L.A. in six.

 

[Septumus]

East

Penguins(1) vs Islanders(8)
The Pens are no doubt a powerhouse, and a favorite to win the cup, but I think the Islanders might give them a good run for their money in the series. I'm leaning towards Pens in 7, but if it's Islanders in 7 I won't be shocked.

Canadiens(2) v Senators(7)
Ah, if only Boston had beat Ottawa on Sunday, then it would be Habs/Leafs. But that didn't happen and it's still two Canadian teams facing off. To me, this series might come down to Price and Karlsson. If Price gets back to his form from before the clinch this is the Habs series to lose. I'm going Habs in 6 if Price plays like he can. Sens in 6 if he doesn't.

Capitals(3) v Rangers(6)
As IDR said, this is their millionth meeting in the playoffs recently, and the Rangers have won them all. That said, with the tear Ovi is on, and without Gaborik, it's a bit different than the last few times. Callahan and rest of the defense minded Rangers will have their hands full. I forsee this series going to 6 or 7, and a tough 6 or 7 at that, but I see Rangers winning it.

Bruins(4) v Leafs(5)
Oh boy. So happy my Leafs are back in the playoffs, and then we drew Boston. As much as I would love seeing Kessel score 50 goals this series just to spite his old team, I don't see it happening. What I do see happening, is close 1-2 goal games. I see this ending in 6 in Boston's favour, as much as it pains me to say.

So in the east, round two would look like Pittsburgh vs New York Rangers, and Boston vs Montreal. Two series that would be extremely hard played and awesome. If Toronto pulls a miracle out of their ass then it could be Mon/Tor, and I would love to see this series.

West
Now, I have a bit of east coast bias, with my favourite team there, so this may end up being me talking out of my ass.

Blackhawks(1) v Wild(8)
With the tear Chicago has been on all season, and the complete breakdown of Minnesota throughout the last half, I don't see this series being even. All the top guns for Chicago will come out I feel, and Crawford I could see being excellent in the playoffs if they decide to run with him. They will have to for game #1 at least as Emery is out with a lower body injury. Bolland is also out, which does give the Wild some hope. At the end, I could see this series being a sweep, or done in five. Chicago Wins.

Ducks(2) v Red Wings(7)
Twenty Two straight seasons in the playoffs, damn impressive. Anaheim did dominate early season and coast on that success for the most part in the second half, but they are deadly offensively. Detroit tend to turn it on in the post-season, and I don't believe it'll be any different this season. First playoffs without Lidstrom will be tough, but my crystal ball/time machine says the Wings win in Six and don't let him down.

Canucks(3) v Sharks(6)
Ah the Canucks. My least favourite team(only because of their fans, which I'm surrounded by being on Vancouver Island). But they do have skill, and it will shine these playoffs. On the Sharks, I don't know too much about their roster besides Big Joe and Niemi. I can see this coming down to the Goaltenders unless Vancouver's top forwards live up to their potential. I see this going to 7, and I think the Canucks squeak out a win.

Blues(4) v Kings(5)
Defending Champions against a team they swept last year(unless my memory is failing me). I don't see it being as easy this year for the kings in this grueling battle of defenses. I see 1 goal games for most of the series, a shutout or two on both sides, and the Kings pulling through in Game 7.

Round 2 in the west would look like Chicago v Detroit, and Vancouver v Kings, which I could live with.

 

[JGlass]

EAST

Pittsburgh vs. Islanders- Pittsburgh takes this one without a doubt, the only remaining question is how long does it take them. To they've been hot would be an understatement, and the Islanders have dropped their last three games, never a good sign when you're heading into the playoffs. What's worse, the Islanders have the worst home record of any team in the playoffs, and while having home ice advantage isn't as crucial as having home field advantage in football (look at the Kings last year), it's still not ideal. I'm calling the sweep, 4-0 Pittsburgh.

Montreal vs. Ottawa- Man, I never realized what a funny name Ottawa is until typing it out. Ya'll Native Americans were crazy. And who would have thought those ol' Habs would be cruising into the playoffs at cool number two? Anyways, while Montreal has been cool lately, Ottawa hasn't exactly been tearing the house down themselves. Additionally, Ottawa is missing one of their stars in Jason Spezza while Montreal is perfectly healthy and is playing great team hockey, having eight, count 'em, EIGHT skaters that have scored double digits in goals this season compare to Ottawa's three. And the whip cream on top of this Montreal Crepe? The only thing Ottawa has going its way is Craig Anderson, a slightly better keeper than Carey Price, but I don't think that will be enough. Unless Anderson puts up a Herculean effort in the net, count on Montreal to take this in 6.

Washington vs. Rangers- The Devils fan in me wants Washington to take this in 4, but I don't think that will happen. Washington finished off the season strong, winning 8 of their last 10 games, and in case you haven't figured it out yet, I put a lot of stock in how hot a team was at the end of their regular season to gauge what their postseason success will be. The Rangers, however, also finished strong winning 7 of their last 10 games. The Rangers will have the advantage in net with Lundqvist, but I'll take the pairing of Ovechkin and Backstrom (32 G and 40 A respectively) over Nash and Stephan (21 G and 26 A respectively) any day. As IDR pointed out, the Rangers have had success against the Caps in the past, but I think that's due for a change this year. It'll be a hard fought series, but I'm picking Washington in Seven.

Boston vs. Toronto- While I'm sure most hockey fans are changing their pants at the perspective of this old rivalry getting a new chapter, I can tell you I'm less than thrilled. I live in Boston, and for some strange reason these people think that the Boston/Toronto rivalry is the biggest one in hockey, complimenting the Bostonian that Boston is the center of the world. I call it New York envy. Regardless, this will be a fun series for all parties involved and I wouldn't be surprised to see it get chippy. Boston was cold going into the playoffs, but Toronto was at best lukewarm. Neither of these teams are going to make it far this year, but someone has to win this round so they can lose to Pittsburgh in the next round. It could go either way, but based on superior goaltending and more playoff experience, I'm picking Boston in five.


West

Chicago vs. Minnesota- Chicago in 4. Done.

Anaheim vs. Detroit- Neither team was overly impressive coming into the postseason, but Detroit is on a 4 game winning streak, so that's notable. Neither one of these teams lacks for playoff experience, and I think the question is going to come down to goaltending. Does Jimmy Howard prove he has what it takes to get it done, or does goaltending by committee in Anaheim win the day? I'm picking my first upset here and going with Detroit in 6. If Howard can win a couple games in a row he should develop a rhythm that the Ducks goalies won't get to, and it's worth noting that the Wings won the regular seasons series at 2-1.

Vancouver vs. San Jose- Sheesh, it's becoming more and more obvious to me that nobody in the West has what it takes to stop Chicago. I'm giving this to San Jose for two reasons. First of all, San Jose had Vancouver's number in the regular season, winning all three of their games. Secondly, Vancouver will choke. Again. Especially if Schneider needs to take a few games off and Luongo steps into net. Give it to San Jose in 6.

St. Louis vs. Los Angeles- After surprising everyone last year and winning the Stanley Cup, the Kings find themselves with a better position than last year at the five seed, though they still had a somewhat disappointing season considering the talent on that roster. Jonathan Quick had a disappointing season considering his Conn Smythe winning efforts in last year's final, but I'd still pick Quick over Elliot. What's more, the Kings had the 3-0 advantage in the regular season over the Blues, and the Blues are going to be less battle tested than this King team that had to fight through 4 rounds of being the underdog last year to win the Stanley Cup. This series will go to the Kings, and I'm thinking Kings in 5.

 

[LSN80]

Pittsburgh vs. Islanders-The Penguins took the season series 4-1, and I don't see things going much differently here. Crosby will be evaluated today to see if he can go, but the Penguins can and will win this series even if he's unable to go initially. The Islanders are more skilled then they're given credit for, and John Tavares is slowly turning into a Sidney Crosby clone. He wants it bad, and he makes lesser players around him like Brad Boyes and Matt Moulson better.

Unfortuntately for the Islanders, the Penguins have a second line that would be the top line on any other team in the league perhaps in Makin/Neal/Iginla. A third line of Sutter/Jokinen/Morrow is as good of a 3rd as you'll find as well, and the Penguins get Paul Martin back and Douglas Murray in a trade to firm up an already deep blueline. Fleury may very well be the X-factor here, but the Penguins can score, and in bunches, as evidenced in their season finale against Carolina.

I like the Isles, they're an up and coming team, but they don't have enough offensively or defensively to match up with the Pens. The Pens shut down Tavares in the regular season, and he's a rookie in the playoffs. Similar to the Pens first playoff appearance in 5 years against Ottawa 5 years ago, the Isles will have flashes of brilliance, but won't be able to overcome a deep, veteran Penguins team. Pens in 5.

Montreal vs. Ottawa- Ottawa comes into the playoffs with momentum, having beaten Boston to take the 7 seed and avoid the Pens. With regards to Montreal, it was almost about who wanted the 2 seed least between the B's and the Habs, and Montreal limped into the 2.

The key to this series will be the goaltending. Both teams play a defensive, low scoring game, so it's coming down to Price vs Anderson for me. Price has been streaky while Anderson has been consistent, but Price has been here before and this is new to Anderson. It's a tough call, but I think home ice prevails and the Habs can score when they need to, while the Sens need to be great defensively and in net to win. They've shown they can, but I don't think they will. This should be a long, boring series. Habs in 7.

Washington vs. Rangers- Outside of Pittsburgh, you have the two hottest teams in the East coming into the playoffs. The Rangers moved from on the bubble to the 6 seed, while Washington emerged from last place in the conference at one point to winning their division and the number 3 seed.

Much of Washington's damage, however, has been done on the PP. Couple that with the fact that their only victory over the Rangers this year has come via shootout, and I see Washington at a disadvantage here. Ovechkin is famous for disappearing in the playoffs, and the Rangers have men in McDonaugh and Girardi who can effectively limit Ovechkin's output 5 on 5. Outside of Ovi, Washington hasn't gotten much scoring outside of Backstrom, while Nash has m=been consistent much of the year, Stepan is extremely effective, and Richards has been coming on at the right time.

Goaltending is overwhelmingly in the Rangers favor, as Lunqvist over Holtby is a mismatch of epic proportions. Throw in the Rangers being deeper on D, and this series isn't as close as one might think. Stop Ovi, you stop the Caps. And I think the Rangers will do a good job of doing so. Rangers in 6.


Boston vs. Toronto- Neither team has been impressive coming in, but Boston is simply the better team. Toronto doesn't have a player who can take over a game, and the Bruins excel against teams such as that. Toronto can be porous defensively at times, as they're one of the worst teams in the league in shots against. The Bruins are one of the best in shots for, which means James Reimer will have to be better then Tukka Rask. I don't see that happening. Toronto is the more physical team, and their exceptional PK negates their over-aggressiveness at times. But Boston isn't a team that will get intimidated, and they're the better defensive team. Patrice Bergeron is the best offensive player in the series, and I think he will be the difference maker, along with Rask. Boston won the season series 3-1, and two games better then Toronto sounds about right. They move on to be fed to the Pens. Bruins in 6.

West

Chicago vs. Minnesota- What's to say here? Chicago has been the best team in the NHL all season, and the Wild slipped into the playoffs in their final game. Chicago has two outstanding forward lines mixed with Kane, Bolland, Toews, Sharp, and Hossa, and Keith, Seabrook, and Hjalmarsson have been rocks on defense. Minnesota simply doesn't have the depth to keep up here, as both Suter and Parise, while nice additions, don't provide nearly as much depth as Chicago has. The only way Minnesota stands a chance is with a Corey Crawford meltdown, and I don't see that happening. Minnesota might claw one out, but they will fall hard here. Hawks in 5.

Anaheim vs. Detroit- Detroit has now made the playoffs for a record setting 22 years. They enter hot, but Anaheim is simply the better, more consistent offensive team. Their top two lines are strong enough to wear down Detroit, and they have both Hiller and Fasth in net. Howard has been very strong, but ultimately, I think Anaheim's top 2 lines will be too much for Detroit's defense, as Getzlaf, Perry, and Ryan will be simply too much. Anaheim survived in perhaps the NHL's top division, winning it over the defending champs in the Kings and San Jose. They'll find a way to overcome Detroit as well. Anaheim in 7.



Vancouver vs. San Jose- Goodness, two of the biggest choke artists in the NHL playoffs over the past 5 years meet in the first round? So the question is, which team folds first? I say San Jose, as the Canucks have generally been better then San Jose over the past few years. They're getting healthy at the same time as well, and their top two lines are loaded with offensive talent. They're relatively thin beyond that, and it doesn't sit well for a long run, but it should be enough to beat the Sharks. The Sharks will rely on Anti Neimi rather then offense to win the series, and while he's been great all season, Vancouver has simply too much firepower for the Sharks to overcome. Canucks in 6.



St. Louis vs. Los Angeles- The Kings come into the playoffs with a better seed then they did last year when the won it all. And with the Kings, they've shown that home-ice advantage means little after running through the West last year as the 8 seed. Factor in having Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Anze Copitar and Dustin Brown on offense, and the Kings have more then enough to disrupt Brian Elliot's crease and score in deep. While the Blues are better defensively, it's not by much, nor will it be enough to stop the Kings. Jonathan Quick is better the Brian Elliot, who is highly inconsistent as a #1 goalie. If any team can challenge the Hawks in the West, its the Kings, and they start here with the Blues in what will be a shorter matchup then most think. Kings in 5.

The best playoffs in sports start tonight

 

[tripolie atche]

went 5-3 in the First Round getting ANA, VAN, & WAS wrong, & also I would like to mention what a great comeback that was by the Bruins last night.

West

#1 Chicago vs #7 Detroit - It seems fitting that these two rivals meet for the last time in the Western Conference Playoffs before DET heads off to the East. Anyways, I’m going with CHI again because of their depth. I mean Kane & Toews didn’t score a single goal in their series against the Wild (Toews didn’t register a single point until Game 5), & they still beat them in five. While I expect Zetterberg & Datsyuk to test the Hawks, Kane & Toews will wake up and not be shut down for a second consecutive series. Blackhawks in 6.

#5 Los Angeles vs #6 San Jose - LOL just amazed at this: LA has home-ice advantage in a series for the first time since…1992!!! Okay, even though the Kings are coming off a very physical series, to say the least, I don’t expect that to be a problem against a San Jose team that has been off for a week. Yes, SJ can match up with LA offensively but I just trust Quick & the Kings defense more while LA will hopefully stay out of the penalty box lol. Kings in 6.

East

#1 Pittsburgh vs #7 Ottawa - As much as I would love to go for the upset here, like the Blackhawks, I’m going with PIT because of their depth as the Pens will prove to have just too much firepower for OTTs defense & Anderson to handle. However, with PITs goalie situation, this shouldn’t be a short series but I expect Vokoun to be good enough for the Pens to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Penguins in 7.

#5 Boston vs #6 NY Rangers - It’s tough to pick who wins this series but I’ll go with BOS. In spite of NYRs play since the Gaborik trade, I expect Seguin, Marchand, & Bergeron to wake up in this series to help eliminate the Rangers. Lundqvist & Brassard will make it tough for the Bruins, but NYR will continue to struggle on the PP & home-ice will prove to be big in this series. Bruins in 7.

So, my conference finals matchups are: Chicago vs Los Angeles & Pittsburgh vs Boston.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

East

PIT (1) v. OTT (7)
Crosby is again the X-Factor for the Pens, but Anderson is the X-Factor for the Sens, and because Anderson, I say Sens in six. I think this is one of the match-ups that people are going into vastly underrating a Senators team that is firing on all cylinders despite not having a single major scoring threat or very sexy names. They play for each other and are very, very difficult to play against because their defensive core plays so soundly. If Anderson Anderson's, the Sens pull off the upset and go to their first Conference Final since 2007.


BOS (4) v. NYR (6)
Yeah, like I'm not taking the Rangers here. Rangers in five. Ballsy? Yup. But with reason. A number of them, in fact.

First off, these teams are near identical in make-up with neither club having a major scoring threat player playing well (Nash is a scoring threat player, but not playing well) which means they win games by relying on their defense and goaltending, as well as depth scoring. So when we compare both clubs in that respect and you factor in for the Bruins having lost half of their blue line since the playoffs began (Seidenberg, Ference, Redden), defensive advantage goes Rangers.

Rask v. Lundqvist? Probably a wash, but based on the fact the Rangers and Lundqvist managed to hold Ovechkin to one goal in seven games and are coming in off back-to-back shutouts, I say slight edge Rangers.

Depth scoring? Hard to say. Somewhat of a wash, but I'd say the Bruins have the better depth players from a historical perspective. Whether they actually show up in this round however is another matter entirley. Peverley has just one point in six games, Seguin just one point in seven games, Campbell one point in seven games, Kelly zero points in seven games, etc. Oh, and Dougie Hamilton has been fucking terrible too. Very, very, very slight edge Bruins.

--

West

CHI (1) v. DET (7)
I think the Hawks ultimately take this, but based on how Detroit took Anaheim to game seven, I think the same is gonna apply here. I think it's the home ice advantage that's the ultimate deciding factor. CHI, CHI, DET, DET, CHI, DET, CHI. Seven games with the Hawks edging the series out.


LAK (5) v. SJS (6)
Sharks are going to win this, and they're gonna win it decidedly again, IMO. They and the Senators are the most underrated teams in the playoffs this year. All the changes in personnel they've made this year have paid off in spades, and with Torres, Marleau, Pavelski and Thornton firing on all cylinders, I fail to see how an LA Kings team facing the exact same problems as last season (can't score) is going to thwart the second best power play in the playoffs (29.2%). Sharks in five.

--

So the Conference Final match-ups are Rangers/Senators in the East and Hawks/Sharks in the West.

 

[CH David]

Hooray for the 2nd round!

Blackhawks vs. Red Wings - I'm taking the Blackhawks in 6. If it goes 7, I won't be surprised. I do think this will be the best series of the round. Blackhawks and Wings have been great games the past few seasons, and this year was no different. They had high energy games, and they are always like a playoff game. Now that they are, I expect the energy to be there. Goaltending should be very good in this series. Wings are no slouches though. With them making the playoffs, anything can happen. These games will be fun to watch.

Kings vs. Sharks - So the Sharks sweeping Vancouver surprised me. I do think the will have a tougher time with the Kings. Goaltending is a good matchup with Niemi and Quick. Following my gut, I'm going to take the Kings in 6. I think the Kings are more physical overall, and for some reason I think Kopitar will be the key to the series.

Penguins vs. Senators - Pens vs. Sens has a nice ring to it. Anderson is the X-Factor in this series. If he is on then I say the Senators win. If the Pens are able to score at will, they will take it. I'll go out on a short limb and say Sens in 6. I think Anderson will steal this series.

Bruins vs. Rangers - Even matchup. I don't have too much to say on this one. King Henrik will need to be huge in this series for the Rangers to win. Either that or their offense will need to finally show up for more than one game. Fatigue for the Bruins could be a factor in this series with a few games that they had to make up towards the end. I don't have a great feeling on this either way. I'll say Bruins in 7, but wouldn't be surprised at any result either way.

 

[hatehabsforever]

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Pittsburgh versus Ottawa

Ottawa is a team that has been grossly underestimated by many. They play a strong defensive style, anchored by the stellar goaltending of the true Vezina candidate, Craig Anderson. And they have enough potential offensive punch to get the job done against an inconsistent and aging Vokoun or an ineffective (not to mention overrated) Fleury.

Pittsburgh has a ton of offensive weapons, including the best player in the NHL. But at the end of the day, the goaltending discrepancy will seal the deal here.

Senators in six


Boston versus New York

Should be a tough, physical, grinding series. Both teams are solid between the pipes. They are both strong defensively and have plenty of offensive weapons. At the end of the day it will come down to the intangibles: who wants it more, who shows more passion and heart, who is more willing to pay the price.

Boston was very fortunate to escape the Leafs after playing most of the last four games of the series in cruise control. Their lack of emotion was troublesome and concerning but when push came to shove, they ultimately displayed the heart of a champion. And I expect that to continue into this series.

Bruins in four seven


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago versus Detroit

Chicago are simply too strong and too deep for the Wings to handle. Father Time has caught up with the Red Wings, and I think there's only one proverbial rabbit to pull out of one proverbial hat, and they used that one up in upsetting the Ducks last series.

Hawks in four


Los Angeles versus San Jose

Another tough series. I won't make the mistake of underestimating the Kings like everyone did in every round last year. But at the end of the day, the Sharks will be too much for the defending Stanley Cup champions to handle. Niemi will out duel Quick in a long and hard fought series.

The Sharks have choked many times in the past, but this year, with lower expectations of the sixth seed, they will simply be too much for the Kings to handle.

Sharks in seven

 

[LoudClearVoice]

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago versus Detroit

Chicago are simply too strong and too deep for the Wings to handle. Father Time has caught up with the Red Wings, and I think there's only one proverbial rabbit to pull out of one proverbial hat, and they used that one up in upsetting the Ducks last series.

Father Time has caught up to the Wings? Dude, half their team is kids. Yes, they have some aging vets, but Zetterberg and Datsyuk aren't really showing their age.

 

[HBsam31]

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Pittsburgh versus Ottawa

Ottawa is a team that has been grossly underestimated by many. They play a strong defensive style, anchored by the stellar goaltending of the true Vezina candidate, Craig Anderson. And they have enough potential offensive punch to get the job done against an inconsistent and aging Vokoun or an ineffective (not to mention overrated) Fleury.

Pittsburgh has a ton of offensive weapons, including the best player in the NHL. But at the end of the day, the goaltending discrepancy will seal the deal here.

Senators in six


Boston versus New York

Should be a tough, physical, grinding series. Both teams are solid between the pipes. They are both strong defensively and have plenty of offensive weapons. At the end of the day it will come down to the intangibles: who wants it more, who shows more passion and heart, who is more willing to pay the price.

Boston was very fortunate to escape the Leafs after playing most of the last four games of the series in cruise control. Their lack of emotion was troublesome and concerning but when push came to shove, they ultimately displayed the heart of a champion. And I expect that to continue into this series.

Bruins in four seven


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago versus Detroit

Chicago are simply too strong and too deep for the Wings to handle. Father Time has caught up with the Red Wings, and I think there's only one proverbial rabbit to pull out of one proverbial hat, and they used that one up in upsetting the Ducks last series.

Hawks in four


Los Angeles versus San Jose

Another tough series. I won't make the mistake of underestimating the Kings like everyone did in every round last year. But at the end of the day, the Sharks will be too much for the defending Stanley Cup champions to handle. Niemi will out duel Quick in a long and hard fought series.

The Sharks have choked many times in the past, but this year, with lower expectations of the sixth seed, they will simply be too much for the Kings to handle.

Sharks in seven

It seems more like the Penguins are the team that is being grossly underestimated by the people on these forums. Weren't they the team that won 17 games in a row earlier in the year, and the number 1 seed in the east. I will give it to everyone that Fleury is overrated but Vokoun is undefeated since Fleury was pulled, and he was acquired for just that reason. You also have to remember that when Crosby is on the Pens don't really need much of anything else going for them. After the win tonight I am predicting that the Pens will sweep the series with Ottawa, and go on to easily represent the east in the Stanley cup finals having a relatively easy time with either Boston or New York. I may eat these strong words later, but I see it going down just as I said.

 

[tripolie atche]

wow went 4-0 in the Second Round, & now we're onto what should be a fun & interesting Conference Finals which features the last four Stanley Cup champions.

Western Conference Finals

#1 Chicago vs #5 Los Angeles - Things could get even more tough for Toews & the Blackhawks as the Kings are a much more physical team than the Wings were. In spite of this, however, I still think CHI will continue its momentum from their comeback against DET & advance into the Stanley Cup Finals. I expect both goalies to play well, but CHIs depth has been great all year long & it’ll prove to be the difference in this series. It also wouldn’t hurt for Kane and/or Toews to play well in this series either lol. Blackhawks in 6.

Eastern Conference Finals

#1 Pittsburgh vs #4 Boston - Should be fun hearing the Bruins fans boo Iginla & Penguins fans boo Jagr. Anyways, if Vokoun continues to play well then I don’t see why PIT can’t win this series. While the Bruins have a far better defense & a better goalie in Rask, I don’t think it’ll be enough to contain Crosby, Malkin, Neal, etc. This series should still go seven games, but in the end, PITs scoring depth & having home-ice will ultimately prevail & onto the Stanley Cup Finals. Penguins in 7.

This sets up Chicago vs Pittsburgh in the Stanley Cup Finals.

 

[tripolie atche]

alright so I couldn't have been any more way off in the PIT-BOS series lol.

Stanley Cup Finals

#1 Chicago vs #4 Boston - I expect this to be a very low scoring series & after what BOS did to PIT, I think I have to go with the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup for the 2nd time in 3 years. Quenneville split up Kane & Toews in practice yesterday, so I'm not sure if he plans on doing that at any time in this series but it won't matter. Despite losing Campbell for the rest of the playoffs, I think Krejci, Horton, Lucic, etc. will continue to find success on offense, while Chara & the Bruins D will do just enough to contain the CHI forwards. I don't expect this to be a short series since I expect CHI to actually do something on offense, unlike BOS's last opponent, but the Bruins will win it in front of their fans in Game 6. Bruins in 6.

Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Tuukka Rask

 

[CH David]

I find it rather incredible just how similar these two teams are. I'm so excited for an Original Six Final. It's going to be awesome.

I'm taking the Blackhawks in 7. Biased answer probably, but honestly, nobody knows how this is going to unfold. Boston is hot at 9-1 in their last 10, and the Hawks are 7-3 in their last 10, though 7-1 in their last 8. Rask and Crawford have been the two best goaltenders in the playoffs, but that edge probably goes to Rask for his job shutting down the Penguins in the Conference Finals. Defensively it is a draw as both have been top defensive teams. I guess Boston has the offensive defensemen edge, so there's that. PK edge goes to the Hawks, as their PK has just been outstanding all year. PP is a push, maybe the slightest of edges to Boston, maybe.

Offense is incredibly close. The top two lines of Boston have been great in the playoffs, and the other two have been good as well. The Blackhawks have gotten contributions from all lines, not only in the playoffs, but all season. The edge in speed and skill, in my opinion, goes to the Blackhawks. Physicality, and probably net presence, goes to the Bruins.

So many people have been saying that the Blackhawks are a weaker offensive team than Pittsburgh, so it should be a cakewalk for the Bruins. Maybe that's true, but not many teams have the firepower of Pitt anyway. The Blackhawks are much better on defense and in goaltending than Pitt, with good offensive pressure. A more complete team to me than Pittsburgh is. Boston is similar to the Kings but with better offensive skill. Likely an oversimplification, but it holds pretty true.

This series should be awesome from a hockey fan's perspective. Two Original Six teams, haven't played each other since 2011, last meeting in the playoffs was in '78. Can't wait for puck drop tonight. The Madhouse will be ROCKING, I can guarantee that.

 

[HBsam31]

I was also way off in my pick for the Pens/Bruins series. I am biased though being from Pittsburgh. I think I also picked the Kings though to so maybe I can redeem myself here in the finals. If the Bruins play the same way they played in the Eastern Finals then they are going to be a hand full for Chicago. I have a feeling that the Bruins won't play to that level again though, but I still think they will prevail in this series. I am going with Boston in six games.