How'd I Do? - Round 2
Posted 2:00 AM ET | Comments 0
1 Buf vs 6 NYR - Buf in 6 - Bang on. But this series was a little closer than it should have been. We still have not seen the Sabres' best hockey. The Rangers put up a hell of an effort though, and with a few lucky breaks, they could have been playing Ottawa in Round 3. As for my players to watch, Drury was solid as usual. Avery was largely a non-factor.
2 NJ vs 4 Ott - Ott in 6 - Right team, but the Sens won in 5. Brodeur was awful, compared to his usual self. It wasn't that he gave up a lot of goals, it was how and when. Heatley, Alfredsson, and Spezza were awesome in this series. Emery, my Sens' player to watch, didn't have to be outstanding, but he played well enough to win, and that's all the Senators need. I was laughed at whe I said he'd match Brodeur. My Devil to watch, Parise, played well, but really wasn't a driving force.
1 Det vs 5 SJ - SJ in 6 - Right number, wrong team. The Sharks are the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde team in the NHL. When they're on, they're the best team in the league. When they're off, they're incapable of beating my hometown Swift Current Broncos. 10 minutes a game will not win you a series against your conference's #1 seed. Something needs to be shaken up in San Jose. Credit to Detroit for taking advantage, but they have not faced anything close to either opponent's best effort. Datsyuk was a big difference maker in this series. Hasek was my Wing to watch, and he did his job, although he is having more and more misadventures with the puck. I picked Marleau for San Jose. I was right about his importance to the Sharks in this series, but wrong about his performance. He had better be injured, because otherwise, he was trying to play badly.
2 Ana vs 3 Van - Ana in 5 - Bang on. Anaheim proved t be too much for the Canucks to handle. Luongo braved the elements as long as he could, but like I predicted, he won't score for them. This was a mismatch. Getzlaf, my Duck to watch, was good, but didn't have to be great. Naslund had one decent game, but basically played without passion.
Round 3 pix and players to watch tomorrow...
2 NJ vs 4 Ott - Ott in 6 - Right team, but the Sens won in 5. Brodeur was awful, compared to his usual self. It wasn't that he gave up a lot of goals, it was how and when. Heatley, Alfredsson, and Spezza were awesome in this series. Emery, my Sens' player to watch, didn't have to be outstanding, but he played well enough to win, and that's all the Senators need. I was laughed at whe I said he'd match Brodeur. My Devil to watch, Parise, played well, but really wasn't a driving force.
1 Det vs 5 SJ - SJ in 6 - Right number, wrong team. The Sharks are the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde team in the NHL. When they're on, they're the best team in the league. When they're off, they're incapable of beating my hometown Swift Current Broncos. 10 minutes a game will not win you a series against your conference's #1 seed. Something needs to be shaken up in San Jose. Credit to Detroit for taking advantage, but they have not faced anything close to either opponent's best effort. Datsyuk was a big difference maker in this series. Hasek was my Wing to watch, and he did his job, although he is having more and more misadventures with the puck. I picked Marleau for San Jose. I was right about his importance to the Sharks in this series, but wrong about his performance. He had better be injured, because otherwise, he was trying to play badly.
2 Ana vs 3 Van - Ana in 5 - Bang on. Anaheim proved t be too much for the Canucks to handle. Luongo braved the elements as long as he could, but like I predicted, he won't score for them. This was a mismatch. Getzlaf, my Duck to watch, was good, but didn't have to be great. Naslund had one decent game, but basically played without passion.
Round 3 pix and players to watch tomorrow...