NHL Playoffs Preview and Predictions

I have a range of topics I need to hit on including the opening couple of weeks of the baseball season, the NBA MVP and Tiger’s charge on Sunday but I will save those for a smorgasbord on Friday because today is the start of the most grueling postseason in sports, the Stanley Cup playoffs. Hockey’s postseason is two months of drag-it-out, knock-you-down, insanely intense hockey that I couldn’t do justice with words.

This year’s playoffs is as wide open as I can ever remember it being and that is saying something when just last year we had the number seven and eight seeds playing in the Eastern Conference Finals. For proof, just look at the top two seeds from each conference; Washington, Philadelphia, Vancouver and San Jose. When a team from Philadelphia (not named the Phillies) inspires the most postseason confidence you just know this thing is up for grabs. Let’s get into a little preview of each of the eight opening round series and my prediction for each. Let’s just say that I’m not exactly overflowing with confidence on these selections either.

In case you are wondering, I am going with the San Jose Sharks to hoist the Stanley Cup this year. In what has been a crazy year already, why not top it off with the Sharks finally getting over their postseason failures to claim their first Cup in the franchise’s history.

Eastern Conference

#4 Pittsburgh vs. #5 Tampa Bay

We will kick it right off with the prediction most of you are probably waiting for (and will probably quit reading afterwards) but I am going with the Penguins in six. My reason is quite simple: Marc-Andre Fleury. The Penguins have a distinct advantage in net this series and probably sport the league’s best defensive unit in front of their net minder. The Lighting have the prohibitive advantage on special teams, although the Penguins’ power play has shown some small glimmers of hope lately, which is an enormous factor in the postseason but the difference in this one will be Fleury in net for the Penguins against 41-year-old Dwayne Roloson. Roloson may be 41, but he has only 33 postseason games under his belt for a simple reason, he’s just not that good. The Penguins, who for now we have to go with the assumption that Crosby will not play, should be able to sneak enough pucks past Roloson to escape the first round and hope that Sid can return for the Eastern semis. I do fear a game seven in this series, however, as the Penguins simply cannot match the star power of Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos without Crosby in the line-up. That could spell disaster if the Penguins cannot jump out early on the Lightning and put this series away in five or six games. Again, Penguins in six.

#1 Washington vs. #8 New York

Pretty interesting match-up here when you think about the Capitals recent postseason struggles combined with the Rangers 3-1 series lead this year, including a 6-0 victory the last time these teams met. Still, you have to think Washington’s focus on their defensive play during the regular season will pay off somewhat in the playoffs. Even if it doesn’t, the Caps still have too much firepower for the Rangers with Ovechkin, Semin and the gang. Capitals in five.

#2 Philadelphia vs. #7 Buffalo

Buffalo seems to be the popular upset pick among many NHL experts but I have a hard time seeing the defending Eastern Conference champs go down without a fight. Chris Pronger is expected back to man the Philadelphia blue line after missing a month with a wrist injury and his playoff resume is well documented. It is not a coincidence that the Flyers escaped their own postseason demons last year after acquiring Pronger in the offseason. Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller has also missed time recently with an undisclosed upper body injury and playing the Flyers with their scoring and depth up front is no way to ease back in. I think the Flyers’ lackluster play over the last month of the season was a product of coasting towards the playoffs and they will come out strong now that they are here. Flyers in seven.

#3 Boston vs. #6 Montreal

Here is the upset I like. Montreal is a playoff tested team with depth and speed up front and a goaltender in Carey Price who I think is every bit as good as Boston’s Tim Thomas. Personally I think Thomas is a bit overrated because of the style in which the Bruins play and their physical defense. This series will probably come down to the Bruins ability to stay out of the penalty box. My guess is that they do not, and that Montreal’s tremendous power play takes advantage. Canadiens in six.

Western Conference

#1 Vancouver vs. #8 Chicago

When I talk about how wide open these playoffs are, this series is exactly what I am referring to. Here we have the defending Stanley Cup champs taking on what was by far the best team in the NHL during the regular season in the opening round of the playoffs. The question here is if Roberto Luongo, Vancouver’s fantastic goaltender, can shake off some of his past big game failures and carry this team past the second round of the playoffs. I think the Blackhawks and their young studs give the Canucks everything they can handle but the Sedin twins will be too much and the Canucks prevail. Canucks in seven.

#2 San Jose vs. #7 Los Angeles

If you read the opening paragraph you know who I am going with here. This is the perfect first round match-up to get the Sharks rolling as they take on a young Kings team who will be without their best player, center Anze Kopitar. Sharks in five.

#3 Detroit vs. #6 Phoenix Phoenix has the advantage in net and the Wings could be without Henrik Zetterberg for the beginning of the series or even more but I just can’t see the upstart Coyotes taking down the veteran Red Wings. It really wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see Phoenix pull this upset but I think Detroit’s power play will be too much and they find a way to win the series on home ice in game seven. Red Wings in seven.

#4 Anaheim vs. #5 Nashville

This should be a fantastic series pitting the Ducks’ fantastic forwards against the Predators strong defensive balance led by Shea Weber, Ryan Suter and goaltender Pekka Rinne. Nashville finished second in the NHL in goals against while Anaheim had three forwards in the top 11 and five in the top 26 in the NHL scoring leaders. Conversely, Anaheim will most likely be starting Ray Emery in net with top goalie Jonas Hiller on the shelf while Nashville has only outscored one other playoff team in either conference. The winner of this series will probably be whatever team can dictate the style and tempo. With such contrasting yet strong teams, I see this one going the distance where Anaheim will have home-ice advantage. Ducks in seven.