Running Stanley Cup Playoff Thread

I'm with you on the 2nd part--Boston/San Jose for the Cup.

And I have to believe the Canucks were silently rooting for Dallas to win last night.

 

Their PP was 4th in the league.

 

Good column by Roy MacGregor on the Habs/Bruins rivalry. This will be their 33rd playoff appearance covering eight decades.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/montreal-v-boston-one-of-the-greatest-rivalries-in-sports/article1980998/

 

1st Round:
East:
Rangers, Flyers, Habs, Pens
West:
Nucks, Kings, Wings, Preds

Quarters:
East:
Flyers, Pens
West:
Preds, Nucks

Conf. Finals:
East: Flyers
West: Nucks

Cup: Flyers

Went off matchups rather than my heart...none of this looks right to me...but I'll stick to it and laugh when I am dead wrong for 90 percent of it.

 

Washington over NY Rangers in six. Washington has become a defensive-first team and the Rangers still struggle to score at times. Expect a few 2-1 games with at least 2 overtimes in the series.

Buffalo over Philadelphia in six Sabres have been really hot down the stretch. Flyers slumping and have goaltending issues.

Boston over Montreal in six. Bruins are bigger and have more reliable goaltending.

Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay in five. Pens' have learned, of necessity, how to win with defense. Stamkos gets no more than two points in the series. This reminds me a lot of Pens-Senators in 2007. Tampa will be great someday ... just not quite yet.

Blackhawks over Canucks in six. Hardest of all the series to call. Chicago has Vancouver's number and Toews/Kane/Sharp more than equal Sedin/Sedin/Kesler. Luongo still unproven in playoffs (yeah, I know, so is Crawford). Pressure on Vancouver will be immense.

Sharks over Kings in five. San Jose one of the best since All-Star break. Kings will miss Kopitar a great deal.

Red Wings over Coyotes in five. Might be the last stand in the desert, and Bryzgalov is good enough to steal a game. But Wings have the edge everywhere else.

Ducks over Predators in seven. Home team wins every game in a very evenly-matched series. But Nashville doesn't have a game-changer like Corey Perry.

Let the fun begin.

 

Washington over NY Rangers in seven -- Rangers beat the Caps pretty bad twice this year and know how to beat them, but Ovechkin will pull them through.

Philly over Buffalo in five -- Flyers have been there and done that, Miller may steal a game but too much firepower for flyers

Boston over Montreal in six -- Bruins are looking good and Thomas is setting records.

Tampa over Pitt in six -- Stamkos, St. Louis, Malone, Lecavalier are too much for a team with Crosby. Stamkos should have his coming out party in the playoffs, Lightning can make it to the Finals.

Canucks over Hawks in seven -- Sedin brothers plus Luongo will be the difference. Blackhawks are not as good as last season, as simple as that. Defense hasn't been as good, goaltending is an issue. Canucks have been the best team all season and will show why.

Sharks over Kings in five -- Kings losing too much with Kopitar out, Sharks know how to get out of the first round now.

Red Wings over Coyotes in five -- Wings beat the Yotes on the road in Game 7 last season, and that was with injuries plaguing the team. They are better this year and are in position to make a run for the whole thing.

Predators over Ducks in six -- Pekke Rinne is playing great, while the Ducks' goalie is not. Ducks don't look as impressive this season beyond Perry scoring a lot.

 

I really wish we had an NHL Playoff Predictions thread so I could avoid it.

 

So, you shoot low, stick-side.

 

Every goalie has a weak spot and sooner or later the shooters will adjust. Then the goalie has to adjust to their adjustments. kinda like pitcher/batter

 

A note on the two NYR-WSH blowouts. The first was during the middle of Washington's eight-game losing streak and it essentially was the impetus for the change in philosophy the Capitals underwent midseason.

The second one I can't really explain, other than that particular game was fluky in a really good stretch for the Caps. I believe it was the first home game after the Caps' trip out West, and they just look awful and lifeless. Credit to the Rangers for taking advantage and blowing the doors off the Caps, and that game was sort of a linchpin for a strong season-ending run.