Any interest in a NHL playoff thread?

[DeeBye]

The NHL regular season is over, and now it's time for the playoffs.

Here are the matchups for the first round (conference seeding in parentheses).

Eastern Conference

• (1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Islanders (8)
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• (2) Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens (7)
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• (3) Philadelphia Flyers vs New Jersey Devils (6)
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• (4) Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators (5)<>
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  Western Conference
  • (1) Detroit Red Wings vs Nashville Predators (8)
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  • (2) San Jose Sharks vs St. Louis Blues (7)
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  • (3) Vancouver Canucks vs Calgary Flames (6)
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  • (4) Colorado Avalanche vs Dallas Stars (5)<>
    [st]
    I am an impartial and unbiased NHL fan.
    
    

[mjdoom]

Well, regardless of what their chances really are I'm still an Islanders fan all the way. Maple Leafs, huh? I recall a tough series with them fairly recently. I do think that the Isles can knock off the Lightning in the first round (Lightning first seed, who would have guessed that one!) but after that I'm not so sure.

- Mark

[DeeBye]

Maple Leafs, huh?&nbsp; I recall a tough series with them fairly recently.

That was one of the best NHL playoff series I've ever watched. It was incredibly intense. Does Steve Webb still play for the Isles?

[mjdoom]

Actually he does. I know he went somewhere at the beginning of this season. Can't remember if they traded him or he signed somewhere else, but they have since gotten him back. Doesn't play a heck of a lot though.(more for his muscle)

It's kind of a pain trying to follow them sometimes too because I am in Massachusetts going to school. It's always a little harder to follow a team when you don't have the hometown coverage. Now I can only hope that they show a few of the first round games on ESPN.

- Mark

[TaMeOlta]

GoGo Boston Bruins !! :P

[gekko]

Bruins don't have the goaltending to make it in the playoffs. Raycroft is a great choice for rookie of the year, but he hasn't got the experience to get through such a grinding schedule. On that note, that's also the reason the Flyers (who are otherwise THE team to beat in the East) and the Senators are also toast. The devils are weakened on the blueline but have Brodeur, who almost single-handedly makes them a contender. If Stevens comes back, watch out.

Tampa Bay has a great team but their 100+ point season is just a little affected by the division they play in. Montreal has stumbled of late but will be fun to watch. The Islanders won't make it past the 2nd round but will also be very fun to watch.

That leaves the Leafs :D If they stay (get?) healthy, then they are the team to beat. 9 former captains on the team. One of the best primary pair defence duos in Leetch/Macabe. One of only 3 active goalies to have a cup.

I was hoping to Toronto/Montreal, but I'm also really going to enjoy watching the Leafs spank the Sens (how many games till they choke this year?). Maybe Habs/Leafs second round? Here's hoping!

gekko

[Chaerophon]

Having biases of my own, I've watched the Canucks completely reshape their game in the last month, and, in my opinion, they are a more playoff-ready team now than they were with Bertuzzi in the lineup. With a better commitment to team defence and a better distribution of responsibility throughout the lineup, I think that they could, against all odds, do quite well this year.

My picks for teams to make it through to conference finals are as follows:

Canucks v. Red Wings

Leafs v. Devils

We'll have to see what happens, I suppose. Dallas could be a team to be reckoned with if they start rolling. Same goes for Ottawa; if they get past Toronto, they could be the team to beat.

However, in my opinion, Colorado is done in six vs. the Stars.

EDIT:

A more expansive prediction:

EAST

1) Tampa Bay Lightning over New York Islanders (8)

(2) Boston Bruins over Montreal Canadiens (7)

(6) New Jersey Devils over (3) Philadelphia Flyers

(4) Toronto Maple Leafs over Ottawa Senators (5)


Second Round:

Devils over Lightning

Leafs over Bruins

WEST

(1) Detroit Red Wings over Nashville Predators (8)

St. Louis Blues (7) over (2) San Jose Sharks

(3) Vancouver Canucks over Calgary Flames (6)

Dallas Stars (5) over (4) Colorado Avalanche

Second Round:

Red Wings over Blues

Canucks over Stars

We'll have to see, and remember, I have my own biases ;)

[Mirajj]

(3) Vancouver Canucks over Calgary Flames (6)


I hope you are right. They haven't even begun, and I'm already sick of hearing all the "OMG! We're in the playoff's!" in town.

Mirajj, who's not a hockey fan anymore, and who's never understood the fervor over sports.

[SkyDarkwind]

There is no better time of year than this, and after just two days, I'd say this is an exceptionally good crop. It's just a shame that without Center Ice, we'll *never* get to see Toronto/Ottawa, and only see Vancouver/Calgary once down here in California, because of the 8 match-ups, those are definitely the two most exciting in my book.

As to predictions...

East:
Tampa Bay vs. NYIslanders - Lightning in 5
Boston vs. Montreal - Bruins in 6
Philadelphia vs. New Jersey - Philly in 6
Toronto vs. Ottawa - Ottawa in 7

Tampa Bay vs. Ottawa - Ottawa in 6
Boston vs. Philadelphia - Philadelphia in 7

Ottawa vs. Philadelphia - Ottawa in 6

I'd say Toronto has the talent to get to the final from the east, but with Nolan out, that weakens their PP. But more importantly, I don't know that Belfour can carry them all the way, and Trevor Kidd certainly can't. Tampa Bay is the new kid on the block, and while they certainly have talent, I don't think it can carry them all the way. Philly's got some depth, but Desjardins missing on the blue line hurts a lot. And as was said previously, Raycroft, while a great goalie, probably can't carry Boston all the way. So in the end, I think Ottawa has the best combination of talent and hunger, given how they were denied last year.


West:
Detroit vs. Nashville - Detroit in 5
San Jose vs. St. Louis - San Jose in 5
Vancouver vs. Calgary - Calgary in 7
Dallas vs. Colorado - Dallas in 6

Detroit vs. Calgary - Calgary in 7
San Jose vs. Dallas - San Jose in 7

San Jose vs. Calgary - San Jose in 7

I'd be lying if I said this was entirely unbiased. ;) In all honesty, I'd say either San Jose or Dallas will come out of the west. San Jose has some of the best chemistry and speed in the NHL, while Dallas has a lot of big-name players who play well together, and an active goalie who can make a huge difference. Say what you will about Detroit and their hall-of-famers and their depth and etc., but there are too many upstarts out west that have more chemistry, speed, and drive this year for them to get by. Calgary and Vancouver is going to be a shoot-out, but Kiprusoff used to be down here in San Jose, and while his performance in the starting role last year was less than stellar, I don't think that was his fault...I also think he can carry Calgary past an upset of Detroit, especially with Darryl Sutter coaching and Jarome Iginla getting his first real go at play-off action. Colorado lacks the chemistry to really get anything done, especially since they're going against a hot Dallas team that has found their game again. After watching game 1 of San Jose/St. Louis tonight, St. Louis looked outmatched, and the game was as close as it was because Osgood kept them in it, and they kept the play bottled up along the boards after the first period (zzzzzzzzz). Anyway, San Jose/Dallas would be another classic grudge match, as would the winner against a cinderella Calgary team.

As to the cup? I think this is Ottawa's year. There's no way it's easy, but I saw them in person earlier this year, and they just looked like a team that was together out there. With the likes of Hossa, Alfredsson, and Havlat on their games, and the sting of last year still in their heads, I think they can get past the east, and beat whoever actually does make it out of the west.

Anyway, just thought I'd pop out of super-lurk mode to throw in my two cents and wake the thread back up. :)

Go Sharks!

--SkyDarkwind
*clutches his Game 2 St.Louis/San Jose tickets closely*

[DeeBye]

Three Cheers For Ottawa!

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[vor_lord]

Dallas vs. Colorado - Dallas in 6

Colorado lacks the chemistry to really get anything done, especially since they're going against a hot Dallas team that has found their game again.&nbsp;

I'd have to admit that even as an Avalanche fan, I would have agreed with you here. Colorado looked pathetic towards the end of the season (worst record among playoff teams since the break), and they just didn't seem to have the toughness or the defensive focus to win in the playoffs.

But, I've watched the first two games, and they seem to have some pieces that could help them compete better. Marek Svatos is just incredible to watch--he has great confidence for such a young (and small) player, and he's made a difference every time he's stepped on the ice.

With the exception of Kariya, the team is healthy now, with Nikolishin back also. I also like some of the toughness I see from their recent pickups, such as Barnaby.

Game 2 vs. Dallas was a total domination of a very good defensive Dallas team. Lot's of odd-man rushes and speed (not to mention some luck getting the puck past Turco). Things will be different in Dallas though, and we'll see if the Avalanche have the mental toughness they need. They believe they are a better playoff team than a regular season team--they have to prove it in Dallas against the Stars who don't lose at home.

As far as the other series, I have to say Vancouver is looking much better than people thought they would be without Bertuzzi.

[gimlisam]

Now, 4 games in, Colorado seems to have regained some, if not all, of its composure that it, most unfortunately, lacked late in the regular season. As much as I would like to see Nashville eliminate the Red Wings, the series is tied at 2 right now, I think that an Avalanche vs Red Wings series would be VERY fun to watch. A prediction: The Avalanche win game 5 to eliminate the Stars (good riddance, IMO), and the Red Wings win their series in 7. The Avalanche will then beat the Wings in 6 games to make up for 2 years ago.

A note: I am a native of Boulder, Colorado, so there is just a slight bias on my part.

[Yrrek]

What was the result of the Montreal - Boston game? I had to leave before I could see the end :( *crosses fingers* I hope Montreal won!

[TPJ]

I live in Tampa - and this city is getting crazy! They actually mentioned the Lightning during the news broadcast last night. Yep - mentioned them.

</sarcasm>

If it isn't nudity or beer (or both), this city doesn't pay much attention....sad, but true.

Regardless - Da' Bolts PWN JOO AMA!

[gimlisam]

What was the result of the Montreal - Boston game?

Boston won 4-3 in double overtime. Sorry!

[Chaerophon]

Now, 4 games in, Colorado seems to have regained some, if not all, of its composure that it, most unfortunately, lacked late in the regular season.

Really? I watched that entire game, and I've got to say, it looked like more of the same. They were completely outplayed, outshot by a better than two-to-one margin and seemed to me to get very lucky. If Aebischer hadn't stood on his head for most of the night, that one could have been a blowout, IMO.

Anyways, good luck to you and yours, but I wouldn't count Dallas out just yet. There's a lot of character and pride on that team... (it pains me to say!) ;)

[Yrrek]

Damn! At least we gave a good run for the money! :)

[SkyDarkwind]

While I would love to see Detroit and Colorado beat each other up in 7 games (a series that would definitely have every game broadcast on national US television...haha. If Detroit or Colorado are playing, they're always on ESPN or ABC), weakening them for whoever their conference final opponent would be, that would only happen in the 2nd round if Vancouver can pull off the next 2 against Calgary, and they have to do that without Cloutier...they have the talent, perhaps, to do it, but I wouldn't bet on it.

But don't discount a Colorado/San Jose 2nd round series as not being entertaining. San Jose's one of those "best teams no one knows anything about", and I think there would be some stellar offensive play mixed with a great goaltending match-up to see. I for one am looking forward to it; the Sharks' series against St. Louis was way too defensive minded. =) And, also referring to 2 years ago, perhaps it will be the Sharks who would use their home ice to enact justice against the Colorado team that kept them out of the conference finals. ;)

Great hockey thus far, every series. I hope the rest of the play-offs can keep this pace up!

--SkyDarkwind