Playoff Predictions Part 2
Posted 12:33 PM ET | Comments 3
Well after an amazing first round I'm back with my predictions for the Conference Semis!
First off a recap of my first round predictions:
(1) Detroit v (8) Nashville---Nashville in 6-Incorrect. Nashville seemed on a roll until Arnott couldn't deal with the Radulov hit and the OT loss in Game 5.
(2) San Jose v (7) Calgary---Calgary in 7-Close but no cigar. The bounces went to SJ in the 7th game and not to Calgary.
(3) Minnesota v (6) Colorado---Minny in 6-Wrong again. If Colorado's OT wins had swung the other way maybe I would've been right....
(4) Anaheim v (5) Dallas---Anaheim in 5-Nope! I'm just not a Dallas fan I said...but I am turning into one after they destroyed the non-motivated waterfowl.
(1) Montreal v (8) Boston---Montreal in 6-Correct! Off by one game but the Habs pulled it out.
(2) Pittsburgh v (7) Ottawa---Pittsburgh in 5-Right again! Off by one game as the Sens couldn't pull one out.
(3) Washington v (6) Philadelphia---Washington in 7-Painfully close. This was the most exciting series as I predicted. Heartbreaking loss for the Caps but they'll only get better!
(4) New Jersey v (5) NY Rangers---NJ in 6-Wrong! Not as boring as I thought it would be but Brodeur looked (GASP!) ordinary in net while Lundqvist stood tall.
First Round: 2-6 (Not a great 1st round but I was on the losing end of a couple of Game 7s!)
CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL PREDICTIONS
(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Colorado Avalanche---Avalanche in 6-This is a bitter rivalry that'll be freshly renewed seeing as the old Avs are back in force (Forsberg, Foote) and the youngsters (Statsny, Wolski) are contributing nicely. Wings will try to ride Osgood but I give the edge to Colorado in goal as Theodore appears to have regained his MVP form. Wings have enough fire power but the Avs can match it. If the games go to OT the Wings might as well concede defeat with Joe Sakic still being Joe Sakic.
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Dallas Stars---Sharks in 7-I just said that I'm becoming a Stars fan (which I am) but the Sharks appear may have gotten over that hump. Out of the first round Marleau is on fire and Thornton has actually shown flashes of breaking out of his normal playoff funk. With those two guys firing Sharks will be hard to stop even with Turco on top of his game in the Stars net. Nabokov and Turco steal some games for their respective teams but the Sharks eke out a victory.
(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers---Canadiens in 5-Are the Habs for real? I think they are. They have the speed, the scoring and the grit to compete with the Flyers and they have their ace in the hole, Carey Price. I don't think anyone can question this kid's confidence after the display he put on in the 1st period in Game 7 against Boston. He is rock solid. Habs have a better D than the Caps did and I think that'll be Philly's undoing. And despite Philly's attempts to ratchet up the physical play and intimidate Price in his net, Montreal will make short work of the Flyboys.
(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) New York Rangers---Rangers in 6-The Pens got out of the first round convincingly. But it was exactly impressive as they were playing against a team that had a less than 40% winning percentage since the start of 2008. All 1st round the Pens were saying how much more experienced they were after last year but a majority of their young guns still only have 9 playoff games under their belts. We'll see how they fair playing in the 2nd round against a team that is actually competing. Lundqvist shut the door against the Devils and I see no reason why that'll change against the Pens. The Rangers D is underrated IMO and Drury and Co can shut down at least one of Crosby and Malkin and let Lundqvist do the rest. Avery will be nullified by Ruutu but the Rangers have enough to get by the plucky Pens.
First off a recap of my first round predictions:
(1) Detroit v (8) Nashville---Nashville in 6-Incorrect. Nashville seemed on a roll until Arnott couldn't deal with the Radulov hit and the OT loss in Game 5.
(2) San Jose v (7) Calgary---Calgary in 7-Close but no cigar. The bounces went to SJ in the 7th game and not to Calgary.
(3) Minnesota v (6) Colorado---Minny in 6-Wrong again. If Colorado's OT wins had swung the other way maybe I would've been right....
(4) Anaheim v (5) Dallas---Anaheim in 5-Nope! I'm just not a Dallas fan I said...but I am turning into one after they destroyed the non-motivated waterfowl.
(1) Montreal v (8) Boston---Montreal in 6-Correct! Off by one game but the Habs pulled it out.
(2) Pittsburgh v (7) Ottawa---Pittsburgh in 5-Right again! Off by one game as the Sens couldn't pull one out.
(3) Washington v (6) Philadelphia---Washington in 7-Painfully close. This was the most exciting series as I predicted. Heartbreaking loss for the Caps but they'll only get better!
(4) New Jersey v (5) NY Rangers---NJ in 6-Wrong! Not as boring as I thought it would be but Brodeur looked (GASP!) ordinary in net while Lundqvist stood tall.
First Round: 2-6 (Not a great 1st round but I was on the losing end of a couple of Game 7s!)
CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL PREDICTIONS
(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Colorado Avalanche---Avalanche in 6-This is a bitter rivalry that'll be freshly renewed seeing as the old Avs are back in force (Forsberg, Foote) and the youngsters (Statsny, Wolski) are contributing nicely. Wings will try to ride Osgood but I give the edge to Colorado in goal as Theodore appears to have regained his MVP form. Wings have enough fire power but the Avs can match it. If the games go to OT the Wings might as well concede defeat with Joe Sakic still being Joe Sakic.
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Dallas Stars---Sharks in 7-I just said that I'm becoming a Stars fan (which I am) but the Sharks appear may have gotten over that hump. Out of the first round Marleau is on fire and Thornton has actually shown flashes of breaking out of his normal playoff funk. With those two guys firing Sharks will be hard to stop even with Turco on top of his game in the Stars net. Nabokov and Turco steal some games for their respective teams but the Sharks eke out a victory.
(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers---Canadiens in 5-Are the Habs for real? I think they are. They have the speed, the scoring and the grit to compete with the Flyers and they have their ace in the hole, Carey Price. I don't think anyone can question this kid's confidence after the display he put on in the 1st period in Game 7 against Boston. He is rock solid. Habs have a better D than the Caps did and I think that'll be Philly's undoing. And despite Philly's attempts to ratchet up the physical play and intimidate Price in his net, Montreal will make short work of the Flyboys.
(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) New York Rangers---Rangers in 6-The Pens got out of the first round convincingly. But it was exactly impressive as they were playing against a team that had a less than 40% winning percentage since the start of 2008. All 1st round the Pens were saying how much more experienced they were after last year but a majority of their young guns still only have 9 playoff games under their belts. We'll see how they fair playing in the 2nd round against a team that is actually competing. Lundqvist shut the door against the Devils and I see no reason why that'll change against the Pens. The Rangers D is underrated IMO and Drury and Co can shut down at least one of Crosby and Malkin and let Lundqvist do the rest. Avery will be nullified by Ruutu but the Rangers have enough to get by the plucky Pens.
Just teasing here - so should fans of the predicted losing teams feel good that you picked the other way in this round?
I still think Philly is the darkhorse in the east. Flyers in 6
To Phigment: Yes probably :P