and now the east

(hey NHL, the picture is yours i know. i'm not saying it's mine. don't sue me jerks)

The Eastern Conference wrapped up its quarterfinal rounds tonight in dramatic fashion. Montreal and Boston went into OT, where Boston actually won a game 7, and Tampa Bay came back from being down 3-1 in the series to ride out a last minute penalty to defeat the Penguins at the Consol Energy Center. We now officially have our match ups, so it's time to break them down.


#1 Washington Capitals vs #5 Tampa Bay Lightning
Regular season results, Washington wins 4-2 (3-1-1 tampa bay)

The Washington Capitals beat the New York Rangers, erasing some dubious history of losing a series after being up 2-0. Michael Neuvirth has been excellent, even in loses for the Caps. Look for him to continue starting for the Caps to start this series. Meanwhile Southeast Division rivals, the Tampa Bay Lighting, have fought back from the brink of elimination to advance to the next round. Dwayne Roloson has been huge for the Lightning since being acquired from the New York Islanders earlier in the season.

Washington Capitals: The Capitals are past the first round, and they beat an excellent goaltender to do it. The commitment to team defense has really paid off. All of their regular season adversity has really seemed to make this a better club this spring. While, one player does not make a team, the deadline acquisition of Jason Arnott certainly hasn't hurt. The goaltending carousel has stopped on Michael Neuvirth and he has yet to disappoint. Washington will need to get more scoring out of Backstrom who has a points in the first series. Yes, not even a number, but a letter of points. The trio of Ovechkin, Backstrom and Semin will need to step up for Washington as Tampa Bay is more offensively gifted than the Rangers.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa Bay has really come into their own under first year head coach Guy Boucher. Given the talent this team has up front, it's not so much as surprise as it is a relief. The Lighting have a goaltending merry-go-round of their own, as four goaltenders have played for them this season. When the ride finally stopped Rollie the ageless goalie, Dwayne Roloson, has emerged as their starter and he is on a mission. Twice in his career, before the series against Pittsburgh, he has lead a team back from being down 3-1 and almost singlehandedly won a cup in Edmonton. It's hard to recall an injury to one player being so significant to a team, than Roloson going down in '06. With the team he has in front of him, it's very possible that Roloson can will this team back to their first Cup final appearance since their win in 2004.

Breakdown: Look for goals, and lots of opportunities. Neither of these teams are defensive juggernauts, but they are capable of keeping games close. At the end of the day though, these are two teams who are more comfortable scoring goals than preventing them. With that said, goalies will still be called upon to make crucial saves to give their teams a chance to win.

Bottom line: Bolts in 7. Look for this series to be a back and forth battle. As good as Neuvirth has been good, Roloson knows what it takes to win and will be a deciding factor in this series.


#2 Philadelphia Flyers vs #3 Boston Bruins
Regular season results, Boston won 2-1-1

The Flyers have once again staged a comeback in the playoffs, battling back from 3-2 to defeat Buffalo in an exciting series. Boston was engaged in one of the oldest rivalries in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens. In a series where the home teams were both 1-2 before game seven. Boston was the aggressor getting leads and holding them for periods of time, but the Habs continually battled back and forced overtime where they ultimately lost thanks to Nathan Horton. The win has set up a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference semi final, where the Flyers became only the third team in the NHL to come back from a 3-0 series deficit to win a series. In that monumental game seven the Bruins managed to blow a 3-0 lead. This series is going to be epic

Philadelphia Flyers: Well we can't talk about how determined this team is, or the talent from the the fowards to the defense. No, the only thing that matters in Philadelphia is goaltending. Will it be Boucher? Bob? Leighton? It doesn't matter that Danny Briere leads the league this postseason with goals, or that Claude Giroux leads the postseason with assists and is second in points and Timmo Kimmonen leads the league at +9. None of that matters since they don't have a superstar goaltender capable of stopping shots from five different angles at once. While goaltending is certainly a concern, Brian Boucher has been more than up to the task of backstopping the Flyers. With the exception of a terrible stretch during game 5, Boucher has been excellent between the pipes for Philadelphia. He's 3rd among all goalies in the playoffs in goals-against average (not including Lindback or Niittymaki who came in relief for their respective clubs). Their abysmal power play has shown signs of improvement since Chris Pronger has returned to the lineup, scoring critical goals in both games 6 and 7.

Boston Bruins: The Big Bad Bruins are more than capable of playing physically, yet they seemed content to let the faster Canadiens move as they pleased. They will need to up their physical play against the Flyers, a team who can bang and move. The Bruins have an undeniable edge in net with Tim Thomas who had one of the best regular seasons in recent memory. They're going up against a team who can put a lot of rubber on net. Timmy Thomas will need to be at his best to keep the Bruins in the game. The Bruins will need to improve their special teams, especially their power play which was absolutely dreadful against Montreal. The Flyers kill penalties aggressively and the Bruins will need to be smart with the puck, or they will give up shorties. Chris Kelly has been an excellent pick up for them in the post season. He leads the team in goals and is second on the team in points. Look for him to continue his steady play against the Flyers.

Breakdown: This should be a very physical series, as both teams are able to bang bodies and dish out some punishment. The key will be special teams. The Flyers are looking to be clicking on the power play, while the Bruins power play is powerless. This is one of the more evenly matched series we will see this post season and should be an exciting one. The Flyers entered the playoffs on a terrible run, but picked it up in the series against Buffalo. The Bruins were in a tight division race all year and rode the back of Tim Thomas to the third seed. The speed of the Habs showed their weaknesses, but given the history between these teams, expect this to be hard hitting and nasty. Boston will want revenge for last year, and the Flyers will look to get a lead and stay on top.

Bottom Line: Flyers in 6. Given the officiating this post season, and both teams ability to sit in the sin bin, special teams will be crucial to this series. Boston will need to find a way to score on the power play, otherwise they will have to completely dominate five-on-five play to get to the conference finals. The Flyers will also need to continue to find success on the power play. Tim Thomas is more than capable of stealing games, so scoring when you have the man advantage will be huge.

Western Conference Semifinals

While the east is currently wrapping up in dramatic fashion, the West is ready to go so let's take a look at the match up for the Western Conference Semifinals. just a note. I was 3 for 4 with western conference picks. Not bad for my first "official" predictions.

#1 Vancouver Canucks vs #5 Nashville Predators
Regular season results, series split 2-2

The Canucks barely escaped a monumental collapse against the 8th seeded Chicago Blackhawks, while the defensive minded, disciplined Nashville Predators moved past the Anaheim Ducks for their first ever playoff series win.

Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks blew a 3-0 series lead against the banged up Chicago Blackhawks and also lost their 1-0 lead in game seven with less than 2 minutes to go. While they did manage to win in OT, the Canucks have to be shaken. GM Mike Gillis was fined by the NHL after voicing his displeasure with the officiating in the series, and some of the Canucks players have had less than complimentary things to say about letting Chicago comeback. Luongo will still be this team's question mark, and going up against a Vezina candidate in Pekka Rinne, the pressure will be on to perform.

Nashville Predators: Finally over the hump! After numerous appearances in the playoffs, the Predators have finally won a playoff series. They did it the way they have always won, with a solid team effort on defense and taking advantage of their chances. Look for the trend to continue. The Canucks are a deeper team, but still rely heavily on their top 6, well the Sedins +4. Expect to see a lot of Weber and Suter this series as they will be tasked with stopping the twins.

Breakdown: Another David and Goliath match up for the Predators. It is clear that Barry Trotz has the faith of his players, and they believe in each other and the system. Vancouver has the deeper line up, but Nashville played them tight all year, and I expect the confidence they have from dismissing the Ducks to give them some swagger coming into this round.

Bottom Line: Nashville in 7. Yeah, I said it. The Vancouver coaching staff is lacking confidence in Luongo, despite what they might say publicly. Pekka will need to step up his game, as he will be facing the majority of the shots this series, but at the end of the day I think the confidence and belief in themselves that the Predators have will get them over the hump.

#2 San Jose Sharks vs #3 Detroit Redwings
Regular season results, San Jose won 3-1

Detroit comes in with the longest break between rounds after the sweep of the Phoenix Coyotes, while San Jose comes off the hard fought series win against the Los Angeles Kings. The rest will do Detroit wonders as they've had time to rest key players and nurse injuries. San Jose comes off a gutsy win in game six against the Kings and look to build on their momentum.

San Jose Sharks: Another year, another playoff series. A rematch of last year's semifinals where they easily defeated the Detroit Redwings. This isn't last year though. As cliche as it is, their best players will need to be their best players. Marleau, Heatley and Thorton will have to play hard as will Clowe, Couture and Setoguchi. If they can get secondary scoring from players like Wellwood, the Sharks will be tough to beat. Also Niemi will need to put the doubters to rest and return to Cup winning form and not give up three goals on four shots again.

Detroit Redwings: The Redwings easily defeated the Phoenix Coyotes without one of their best players in Henrik Zetterberg. Look for Hank's return to start the series as well as well rested Lidstom and Datsyuk. Franzen will also be rested, and hopefully looking a little less like Franzenstein. The biggest question mark for the Wings, as it has been all season will be the play of Jimmy Howard. He will need to play his best hockey of the year against a team with the scoring talent of San Jose.

Breakdown: This will be one of the more intense match ups of the playoffs. Detroit showed that even without their best player, they're still one of the best teams in the league. The addition of Zetterberg will be huge for the Wings. The Sharks have the edge in goal, but the Wings are an entirely different animal come playoff time, and they will be incredibly tough to beat.

Bottom Line: Detroit in 6. No need to explain any further. They're the Wings. you can't spell wings without win. holy puck, did I really just say that?

What about Bob

AKA: Ring around the Rosie, Are You Pucking Kidding Me, Broad Street Bullshit. Or for the neo-cons out there, Bobrovsky Shrugs

It's April, that means two things; the playoffs are here and the Flyers goaltending is being questioned. Although to be fair, it's questioned year round. The season started with questions of whether or not the inability to land a number one net minder would spell doom for the flyers. Then the reports of Michael Leighton being hurt gave way for the the emergence of Russian prospect, Sergei Bobrovsky. Bob, as he's now known, came out in pre-season, if for nothing else than to get a look at him playing the North American game. He came over from the KHL's equivalent of the Edmonton Oilers and had decent numbers there. Undrafted, the Flyers signed him to a deal. It is my belief that Bob was to start in Adirondack with Johan Backlund, but the injury to Michael Leighton along with Bob's excellent pre-season appearances changed all that.

So the season goes on, and Bob plays well. There were even rumblings of Bob being a Calder Trophy candidate, and with good merit in the first half of the season. One thing that people have often overlooked, and it's now coming to the forefront, is that Bob has never played any more than 35 games in a professional season in Russia. Couple that to the fact that the European game is more deliberate than the faster more physical North American game, and it makes for one tired rookie. Even if Bob has been reluctant to admit it this season, it looks like he might be hitting the wall. Bob has always said the right things after games and put the effort in out on the ice, but after Game 1 he refused to talk to the media. It's entirely understandable as he turned in a solid performance, but couldn't hold on for the win. It's understandable to be upset after a loss, and he is still just a 22 year old rookie, which seems to be forgotten sometimes, and these ups and downs of a season are part of the growing process. It's just unfortunate for Bob that he's starting to struggle at the most crucial time: playoff time.

Given his play down the stretch and into this opening round, the team has to go with better goaltender. Coming off the bench early in game 2, Brian Boucher played well, allowing only 1 goal in 40+ minutes of relief. Brian Boucher has been the consummate professional this year. After being signed as a backup last season to Ray Emery only to lose his job, twice to waiver pick up Michael Leighton, he has never once complained or done anything other than his job. This season is no different. He comes into camp with a chance to win the starting job, only to lose it to a kid. An unknown kid at that. Once again he has embraced his position, and has served a role that he has once been familiar with, albeit on the other side. In his rookie campaign, also with the Flyers, he played ahead of John Vanbiesbrouck, Beezer acted like a mentor to the young Boucher and he is now returning the favor as best he can to Bobrovsky. Quietly, as seems to be his M.O., Boucher has turned in one of his best seasons and leads the team in most goaltending statistical categories , (.916 SV% 2.42 GAA to Bob's .915 2.59 GAA).

So Boucher enters the playoffs and relief, and is now the starter for the Flyers. Stands to reason that Bobrovsky would be the backup, however this is the Philadelphia Flyers. Dressing tonight for the backup is none other than Michael Leighton. Leighton, who started the year on IR, made one appearance (a win 1-0-0 4.00 gaa .889 with the big club this season) before being assigned to Adirondack to get playing time and heal. He was re-called with a few days to go in the regular season, admist speculation as to whether or not he would clear re-entry waivers. Well he did, and he was a healthy scratch, until this evening. Whether or not Leighton will get any action this season remains to be seen, but right now this is Brian Boucher's job to lose.

Have the Flyers soured on Sergei Bobrovsky so quickly? I honestly don't think so, but Boucher has almost a zen-like calming influence on the Flyers right now, and he has been solid all year, so you go with the "hot" goalie, if 2+ periods of hockey makes a goalie hot. To come full circle, what about Bob? In the long run, one has to expect that Bob will be fine. He is still a young kid who can barely speak the language, and still has a lot to learn about the the nuances of the game, as well as its physicality. This could actually be good for him in terms of his development. No one can deny the contributions that Bob has made to this team. He helped this team jump out to a dominating division and conference lead earlier in the year. The play of the entire team was the reason for the Flyers slipping to the 2nd seed in the East, and cannot be placed on one player. If there are to be any criticisms to be made about Bob's performance at all this season, it is his tendency to go down early. "Shoot high" is the mantra when playing against the Flyers, and with good reason. What I have noticed is that Bob actually makes himself smaller at times when making the save. The one thing you hear from every coach, analysts and other so called "experts" (aka know it all motherpuckers with blogs) is that goalies need to make themselves larger, take away the open space. Bob's athleticism is second to none, and he is still young and goalies are slower to develop than skaters. Sam Carchidi has commented that Bob needs to bulk up a bit to be tougher covering the puck, and I would have to agree. Look to Bob to come into camp this summer hungrier and with a possible chip on his shoulder. Despite the talented goaltenders in the organization (Joacim Eriksson and Nic Riopel especially), the future of the Flyers will be in the hands of Sergei Bobrovsky. In a town that has notoriously looked for the next one in net, something they haven't had since Hextall's first go round in Philadelphia, Bob has given Philly phaithful plenty to be hopeful about. He's young, athletic and hungry. Look for #35 between the pipes for a long time. In the meantime we all have to remember, he's still a kid.

Wild Wild West

Eastern conference is covered, so we'll head over to the Western Conference. These should be some epic match ups. At least in theory.


#1 Vancouver Canucks vs #8 Chicago Blackhawks
Regular Season results, Vancouver Wins series 2-1-1

Vancouver Canucks have run away with the regular season winning the Presidents Trophy, have potentially the first brothers to win consecutive Art Ross trophies (and possible Hart Trophies) and a goaltending duo who have won the William M. Jennings trophy, one of whom could be a Vezina winner as well. The Canucks are a team that on paper looks unbeatable. The Hawks on the other hand lost their last game of the season, and had to hold their collective breath while they waited the results of the Dallas-Minnesota match up to see if they would make it. The cap issues they've had, coupled with some injuries to key players have made this season quite the roller coaster ride for Chicago. As they say, win and you're in and while they didn't win, they're still in, and that's enough.

Vancouver Canucks: As stated by their accolades above, the Canucks are impressive on paper. On the ice, they're not too shabby either. With a defense core deeper than just about any other team in the league and they have a nice mix of high end talent and depth fowards. Added to their goaltender who is having a career year, and the Canucks seem unbeatable. I have to admit that I still have my doubts about Luongo in the post season. The Canucks have been a good team for a few years, but Luongo has been prone to collapsing under pressure. With the weight of being the best regular season team, which seems to have a curse of its own, and coupled with his own track record I have to wonder if he will be able to get the Canucks to hoist the Cup.

Chicago Blackhawks: How many times can we mention how Chicago was dismantled after their Stanley Cup victory last season? Well we're gonna do it again, because it's an important part of thier story. The vital core remained in tact as Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Keith and Seabrook all returned. What they lost, and what seemed replaceable, were their depth players. Credit where it's due as the Hawks tried to replace them, but as evident by their play against the Red Wings sunday afternoon, they couldn't match up against the top end players of the opposition. Also the play of Cory Crawford has been good, but he hasn't been up to the level of Niemi during the stretch run, and it's unknown how he'll respond to the rigors of playoff hockey.

Breakdown: The Blackhawks have had the Canucks number the past two years in the Western Conference semis, but these were both two different teams. The Hawks have been dismantled and patchworked back together. The Canucks have slowly built themselves into a powerhouse. Vancouver looks like they have the pieces to finally get over their playoff nemesis in the Blackhawks.

Bottom Line: Canucks in 6. Hawks will remain competitive throughout the series, but the tide is turning for the Canucks. Crawford's inexpirience will be a factor.


#2 San Jose Sharks vs #7 Los Angeles Kings
Regular Season results, split 3-3 (San Jose 3-1-2, Kings 3-3)

The San Jose Sharks quietly won the Pacific Division. The Sharks floundered (ok, I honestly didn't mean to make a fish joke) earlier in the year and were out of the playoff picture at one point, but without all the expectations on their shoulders, could this finally be the year? The Kings meanwhile have had their own ups and downs, but managed to hold on to a playoff spot despite losing their best player indefinitely due to injury, and lost 10 of 15 games in a stretch. However they have gotten some of the best goaltending in recent memory in Jonathan Quick, who has been near the top in almost every goaltending category.

San Jose Sharks: Despite of their big three having double digit drop offs in production, the Sharks have once again clinched their division. Ryan Clowe is having a career year in terms of points and goals while playing alongside rookie sensation Logan Couture. Defensively the Sharks have been quietly adequate. While not grabbing any headlines, they haven't caused any serious problems for the Sharks. When added to Niemi finding his game in San Jose, the Sharks turned it on when everybody stopped looking and now that the pressure's off, maybe this is the year.

Los Angeles Kings: While everyone has been quick to criticize the King's goaltending (puck, another awful pun. I'm racking them up today), more often than not it has been a lapse in team play in front of them. The Kings defense is solid crop of players lead by Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson along with some veteran know how from Rob Scuderi and Willie Mitchell. Offensively the Kings have been led all season by Anze Kopitar, who has recently been lost to a "lower body injury" (broken ankle) which will pose a challenge come this opening round series. Will trade deadline acquisition Dustin Penner be able to find his scoring touch in California once again? Los Angeles enters the playoffs with six 20 goal scorers, so they are getting contributions from multiple players, but someone will need to step into that dynamic role and attempt to replace Kopitar's team leading 48 assists.

Breakdown: The Sharks took advantage of the Kings towards the end of the season in a 6-1 drumming that seemed to expose every one of the Kings weaknesses. Coupled with the back to back losses to Anaheim to lose the 4th seed, the Kings are stumbling into the playoffs. The Sharks appear to be healthy and ready to make a run. The Kings will need their star players to step up. The Kings seem to be the team everyone loves to hate, and they can certainly use that to their advantage. The Sharks have lost their media favorite status this season, and that could be what they need to finally get to the Cup. Without the pressure of a fantastic regular season and high praises of their roster, they're finally free to just play hockey. This should be a classic matchup, and a hard fought series.

Bottom Line: Sharks in 6. It pains me to say that, as I like what the Kings have done for the most part this season, but you cannot deny the Sharks talent. Down the stretch Niemi has played really well and they seem to be clicking offensively. There is definitely potential for "upset" here though, so I can't truly rule out the kings.

#3 Detroit Redwings vs #6 Phoenix Coyotes
Regular Season results, split 2-2 with 3 of 4 games going to OT or SO (phoenix won the only regulation game)

A rematch of last year's first round Detroit beat Phoenix in a thrilling 7 game series. Detroit has been rather Detroit like all season, overcoming what most teams would consider insurmountable adversities only to thrive when it matters. They ended their season with a playoff like performance against the Blackhawks where the Wings showed why they are one of the teams to beat every April. The Coyotes are back in the playoffs for the second straight year, which has to be some kind of franchise record. Bryzgalov has been his excellent self between the pipes and constantly gives the 'Yotes a chance to win, and win they have. Keith Yandle has had a career year for Phoenix with 59 point campaign, which is good for 3rd amongst all NHL defensemen and 2nd on the Coyotes behind Captain Coyote, Shane Doan.

Detroit Red Wings: The list of players who have missed significant time this season for Detroit almost reads like a fantasy roster: Datsyuk, Rafalski, Osgood, Cleary, Modano, Draper, and they are currently without Henrik Zetterberg. This is a team that should be out it right? How quickly we forget that the Red Wings are the cockroaches of the NHL, they can survive anything. Jimmy Howard has had a drop in his performance, both goals-against and save percentage have taken a hit compared to last year, and Chris Osgood has missed most of the season with a groin injury, leaving the backup duties to journeyman Joey MacDonald. Howard's play must improve in order to advance. Zetterberg is listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury, so who knows when he will actually suit up for the Wings. If he is healthy enough to return, it will give this Detroit line up even more weapons up front.

Phoenix Coyotes: Is there something in the water in Glendale, or is Tippett really that good of a coach? I'm going to have to go with B, seeing as how he's guided this team to consecutive playoff appearances. Bryzgalov has been the bargain of the century in terms of waiver pick ups, and he has delivered consistent, if not phenomenal, play for the Coyotes ever since. Keith Yandle has been one of the more surprising stories this season, not just for Phoenix, but the entire league. He has an 18 point increase in points over last season, and improved his personal best in assists by 19. Look for Yandle to continue to push the offensive envelope during this series, especially if they have any hope of passing the Wings.

Breakdown: The regular season is almost like an 82 game warm up for the Detroit Red Wings. Forget what you think you know about them during that time because they always step their play up come April. Expect this year to be no different. You could even see it in Sunday's play against the Blackhawks, the Red Wings are ready for the playoffs. Phoenix continues to thrive under Dave Tippett, even with the ever looming controversy around ownership of the team and possible relocation. They even gave the Wings a scare last season as they took them all the way to game 7 in the opening round of the playoffs. Look for this series to be more of the same. The Coyotes have already proven that last year wasn't a fluke, and they've played Detroit hard this year. Look for this to be another instant classic.

Bottom Line: 7 games. All the "experts" are picking Detroit, and I have to agree, but I can't officially rule out the Coyotes. This might be the best match up in the West in the first round.


#4 Anaheim Ducks vs #5 Nashville Predators
Regular Season results, Nashville won 3-1

Nashville is a team that plays defensive hockey (3rd in goals against and 5th on the PK) and tries to make the most of their offensive opportunities. The Ducks on the other hand are led by Richard trophy winner and Hart nominee Cory Perry as they are 11th in goals per game and 3rd on the power play. This will be an offense versus defense battle. Pekka Rinne is undoubtedly a Vezina trophy finalist, finishing 2nd only to Tim Thomas in most categories. The Ducks have had some goaltending woes with at least four different goalies starting between the pipes for them.

Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks have one of the best lines in Perry-Getzlaf-Ryan, and Temmu Selanne is showing everyone that age is just a number putting up his best season in five years with 80 points in 73 games. Anaheim's top three scorers (Perry, Selanne, Getzlaf) have all scored at better than point per game pace this season. Lubomir Visnovsky leads the league with 68 points by a defenseman. Even their defense can score. the Ducks biggest cause for concern is goaltending. Is Jonas Hiller finally healthy enough to return to form that saw them almost topple the Red Wings in the playoffs a few years ago, or will his vertigo like symptoms return? Are Dan Ellis and Ray Emery capable of bringing the Cup back to Anaheim should Hiller not be able to play?

Nashville Predators: The Predators are seemingly the negative of Anaheim. There is no goaltending questions here, aside from whether or not Pekka Rinne win the Vezina trophy. He has been a work horse for the Predators, and his numbers are outstanding, 2.12 GAA and .930 save percentage with 6 shutouts. This is a goalie who knows how to close the door on the opposition. He will need to do that, with Nashville ranking near the bottom of the league, 26th, in goals per game. Rinne and the Predator defense, led by Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, will have to be on top of their game to beat the Ducks. Nashville has only two players over 20 goals and no one with more than 50 points. The Predators will have to be patient and weather a few offensive storms from Anaheim and make the most of their opportunities when they arise.

Breakdown: Anaheim seems to be the team to beat in this series, but Nashville can stop them. Regular season numbers don't mean much in the post season, but Predators coach Barry Trotz, knows how to get the most from his squad, and he knows how to prepare. The Ducks are not the most disciplined team as they have 4 players near or over 100 PIMs, so they will give Nashville chances on the power play. If Nashville can stay disciplined and tight defensively they could pull an upset. In the end it will be up to Pekka Rinne to steal a few games, possibly the series. If he can continue to play as well as he has, he can be a major source of frustration for the Ducks.

Bottom Line: Ducks* in 7. I'm making this conditional on the Ducks keeping their noses clean and keeping their heads in the game. The Predators can make life difficult for the opposition and if they can do that consistently, they can pull out a win in this series. Patience is a virtue, and both teams will need a lot of it to come out on top.


OK, we're all done. Time to count down till the playoffs start and then get glued to our televisions and internet feeds. Oh yeah, been a while since I've done this, but follow us on Twitter @WTPuckingPuck and like us on facebook. seriously. we need "friends"

It's preview time.

No pontificating (I just wanted to say that) about the end of the regular season. You know it's over, and you know it was awesome. The playoffs are here and it's time to get down to business. So without further adieu (bi-lingual up in the mo-pucker) here is the Eastern Conference matches and my "expert" analysis and predictions.

#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 New York Rangers
Regular Season results, Rangers win series 3-1 (Caps 2-1-1)

The Rangers once again needed the last day of the season to clinch a playoff spot, and they needed help from the Tampa Bay Lightning to do it. The Caps on the other hand, have once again finished on the top of the heap, and while they failed to capture the President's Trophy for two years in a row, but till have the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers will be out to prove that they deserve to be in, and the Caps are looking to finally get passed the first round and show they're for real.

Caps: The Caps have improved defensively and that was their biggest downfall the last few years in the playoffs. Their run-and-gun offense was fine in the regular season, but when the playoffs start and teams buckle down, it's not always enough to play fast and loose. What remains to be seen is whether or not Mike Greene will be back in the line up after dealing with his head injury. He will certainly help the Caps power play which finished the season at 17.5%. The biggest question will be whether or not the Caps young goaltenders will be able to rise to the occasion and get them over the hump. All three goaltenders who have played for the Caps this season have been rather solid between the pipes, but only Varlamov has any kind of playoff track record. Neuvirth seems to be the Caps choice heading into the first round, so it will be interesting to see if he's the key to the Caps success or not.

Rangers: Rangers might have just made the playoffs on the last day, but the last few games have been some really inspired hockey with gutsy wins over division leaders Boson and Philadelphia. The Alanta shutout was a cause for alarm, but they bounced back and won when their backs were against the wall. They have lost one of their emotional leaders in Ryan Callahan to a broken leg, courtesy of Zdeno Chara. The return of captain Chris Drury seemed to be a morale boost. The play of Henrik Lundqvist has once again been stellar, as he is the NHL shutout leader this season, with 11. King Henrik, has been known to let in a softy in his day, so it should be interesting to see which version of him shows up come playoff time.

Breakdown: This series should be rather intense. The Rangers have a chip on their shoulder, but the Caps have something to prove of their own. Rangers and Caps have met in the playoffs before so there could be some bad blood brewing, if it hasn't started already. With the new commitment to better team defense, expect the Caps to put on a better display than they did last year against the Habs. Goaltending will be the key to this series. The Rangers actually put up more goals this season than the Capitals (233 to 224), so they aren't afraid to go toe-to-toe in an offensive battle. Their biggest problem is that they tend to score in bunches, so if the well runs dry against a team like the caps they could be in trouble. Will either goaltender be able to steal a game, possibly the series, for their respective clubs? Whoever can win the battle between the pipes will win the series. I think the regular season struggles of the Caps have made them a stronger team for the playoffs.

Bottom Line: Caps in 6. that's if they can get playoff caliber goaltending from Neuvirth...or whoever starts for them. If goaltending fails them again, Rangers in 7


#2 Philadelphia Flyers vs. #7 Buffalo Sabres
Regular Season results, 2-2 (Philly 2-1-1, Buffalo 2-2)

Stop me if you heard this before, but Philadelphia needed a solid last game effort to clinch a spot, and they have goaltending issues. Only difference now is that last year they were fighting for the final playoff spot, and this year they were fighting for the Atlantic Division title and #2 seed. Goaltenders for Philadelphia have been healthy this season as opposed to the trauma unit they had in goal last year, but their anointed starter has been pulled twice in his last few starts once again raising the question of who will be in the pipes come Game 1. Buffalo, has been...well Buffalo. Seemingly flying under the radar, but playing well enough to make it in.

Philadelphia Flyers: As stated above, the Flyers are once against in the midst of some goaltending issues, but that's par for couse at this point. Honestly, if this happened to any other team, it wouldn't be a big deal, but Philly's been having goaltending issues since Hextall's 2nd go round in the orange and black. It's up there with death and taxes as things you can count on in life. The recalling of Michael Leighton from the Phantoms only adds to the goaltending situation. Are the Flyers showing no faith in rookie Sergei Bobrovsky, or are the Flyers simply looking to add some insurance in case something should happen to either him or Boucher?
Offensively the Flyers are arguably one of the deepest teams in the playoffs. 7 players with 20 goals or more, two of which are over 30 goals on the season. They also have two players who just missed the 20 goal plateau, which means they could've had 9 players with 20 or more goals. Defensively, the Flyers have a terrific crop of 6 D-men, although the absence of Chris Pronger, courtesy of a broken hand, has been detrimental to the team. All aspects of their game has been suffering without his veteran leadership on the ice. Waiver pickup Nick Boynton is day-to-day with neck issues, so look for the 6th man to be Danny Syvret, until Pronger or Boynton is healthy enough to come back in the line up. Obviously the Flyers are hoping for Pronger's return first and foremost to help with their mediocre power play and PK.

Buffalo Sabres: Buffalo enters the playoffs on a decent streak of 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, securing the 7th seed. Thomas Vanek has been one of the hottest players down the stretch, and their leading scorer for the season. The acquisition of Brad Boyes has also sent a message that the Sabres are out to win, and they want to win quickly. Previous ownership of the team was notoriously frugal, and the new owner has come in with a message to the team that he wants to win, and he's willing to spend to do it.
Defensively one has to look at Tyler Meyers, rookie phenom who had one of the worst sophomore slumps in the first half of the season. He has since been on a tear and managed to finish even in plus-minus, after being a minus for the majority of the time leading up to the midway point of the season. Jhonas Enroth has also been a pleasant surprise for Buffalo this season. It used to be the Sabres only had a chance to win with Miller between the pipes, as Patrick Lalime has been terrible during his tenure in Buffalo. To give you an idea of his "success" in Sabres blue, in the past 3 seasons with the sabres, he has been a combined 9-26-5, including 0-5-o this season. Those are numbers that instill confidence in your back up. Enroth on the other hand is 9-2-2 this year, already equalling Lalime's wins over 3 seasons. If something should happen to Miller, Enroth appears to have the skills to step in and get some wins for the Sabres. At the end of the day though, this is still Ryan Miller's team, and he will need to be brillant to stifle the Philadelphia attack.

Breakdown: Philly limped into the playoffs this year, but they did that last year too. Will they capture lightning in a bottle twice, or will the lackluster 20 game stretch be too much for them? The long layoff should help, and hopefully they will use that time to rest up and nurse any nagging injuries before the series with Buffalo. Their regular season match ups have been exciting games, and the playoff atmosphere should only add to that. Will the man they call Bob say "nyet" to the Sabres and bring the Flyers one step closer to the Cup, or will they need to call on their expirienced backups? The Flyers have the physical edge, but Buffalo can punish you for being careless with the puck. If the Flyers can control the flow of the game their forecheck will wear down Buffalo. They will need to play smart and limit the term overs, something that has been a bit of an issue as of late. If they can do that, they can win.

Bottom Line: Flyers in 7. Ryan Miller will steal some games, but the Flyers should be able to prevail

#3 Boston Bruins vs #6 Montreal Canadiens
Regular Season results Montreal wins 4-2 (boston 2-3-1)

Boston Bruins: The "big bad" Bruins have certainly lived up to their name this year. Towards the top of the lead in fighting majors, and if there is a stat for this, they have to be up there in breaking opponents bones. Well at least Chara is anyway. Their abilities to be excellent loan sharks notwithstanding, the play of Timmy Thomas has to be noted. While most people out there were willing to write him off after last season (myself included) he has stormed back and not only silenced even the harshest of critics, he did so while setting a new record in save percentage of .938%. As long as Tim Thomas is between the pipes, the Bruins will have a chance to win every game they play.

Montreal Canadiens: In one of the most bizarre moves of last year's off season, the Habs traded the rights of Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues for a 6-pack and half a pizza. After their run to the Eastern Conference finals, defeating both the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins in playoff series for the ages, they essentially say "thanks for that, now don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya," although it probably sounded way more pompous in French. The Habs decided to stick with Carey Price and he has rewarded them with his best season as a professional, with each stat being a career high for him. The Canadiens will need more of this kind of play out of him if they have any kind of hope to beat the Bruins

Breakdown: This is like a prize fight where it's speed versus power. There is no way the Habs can compete with the Bruins in a physical series, but the Bruins cannot compete with the speed of the Habs. Whoever can control their aspect of the game will be victorious. There is already a long standing history between these two Original Six teams, and this regular season has only added to it. The Pachioretty incident will certainly be talked about again, and the Habs should use that to their advantage, but looking at their first meeting with the B's after that, they simply came out flat. The Canadiens will need to skate and move the puck quickly to keep Boston reeling. Conversely, the Bruins will need to bang on the Habs every chance they get. You often hear players say from the bench "no easy plays, boys" and the mantra should hold true for Boston. Finish every check and make the Habs pay a price every time they touch the puck, and they will success. Both goalies will need to bring their best efforts to give their teams a chance to win. You have two Vezina caliber goaltenders going head to head in one of the most storied rivalries in the NHL, and this should be an exciting series to watch.

Bottom Line: Boston in 5/6. The Habs will need to find a way to respond to the physical game of the Bruins if they have a chance. Plus, Tim Thomas has been a beast all season, and I don't that changing any time soon.

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs #5 Tampa Bay Lightning
Regular Season results, series split 2-2

This is the series the league will be pushing the most in the first round. Will Crosby be back in time to play in this series? What will Steven Stamkos be like in the post season? These are two teams with players who know what it takes to win the cup, and who want to win. Who will want it more?

Pittsburgh Penguins: When Crosby was on nearly a two point-per-game pace, the play of Marc-Andre Fleury was suspect at best. Then when both Malkin and Crosby were lost for the season, the man they call Flower came up huge for them. Jordan Staal finally returned to the line up after his broken hand injury and has been this team's number one center in the absence of the team's top two guys. Credit to Dan Bylsma for turning this team into a more defensive minded team amidst the loss of their two most offensively dynamic players. It is working well for them, as everyone was expecting them to fall off the face of the earth without Crosby and Malkin.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Steve Yzerman and Guy Boucher have turned Tampa Bay into what they should've been for years, a playoff team. Steven Stamkos was on pace for 50 in 50, and while he fell off his torrid offensive pace, he still managed to finish the season with 45 goals and 91 points. Line mate Martin St. Louis turned in his second best season in terms of points, and set a new personal record for assists. In terms of Center-Winger combinations they are 2nd only to the Sedins in terms of points, but not by much. Vincent Lecavalier looks like he's finding his game again scoring more goals this season than last season, despite playing in 17 fewer games. He's a long way from his career years, but he knows what it takes to win, so look for him to step his game up in the playoffs. The big question in Tampa is goaltending. Expect Dwayne Roloson to start. At 41, you have to wonder if he has it in him to sustain a long playoff run, but he seems to be ageless between the pipes.

Breakdown: The Penguins are perennial favorites for the division title and conference lead. This year was no different, and they challenged right up until the end for the division. Tampa Bay was leading their division for awhile, but lost it to the Caps. With both teams having a mix of veterans who know what you need to do to hold the cup over your head, as well as young hungry players, it will simply come down to who wants it more. Dwayne Roloson carried the Oilers to the Cup finals in '06, and if not for his injury, it's quite possible they would've won. Can Rollie the ageless goalie do the same for Tampa Bay? The Lightning are a team that can score, but they can also give up as many as they put in. Roloson will have to be his old self and be prepared to steal this series.

Bottom Line: Pens in 7. This should be a back and forth series, but it just seems like the Pens will find a way to pull this one out. Roloson will have to steal a few games in order for the Lightning to be victorious. Tampa has given up the most goals this season, and I don't see that changing in the playoffs.




So there you have it, the east in a nutshell. Yeah i picked all the top seeds, but honestly these series can all go either way. The only series I really see being "easy" to predict is Boston/Montreal. I will be back tomorrow, or Tuesday, with the Western Conference previews. Those should be fun matchups.

Playoffs...a prologue

The playoffs are all but here. The Eastern Conference is shaping up into a tight race with Buffalo, New York, Carolina and Toronto, yes the Maple Leafs are in the hunt for the last playoffs spots as the season comes into the final few games. Here's how the situation looks right now*:

Rank Team GP W L OT PTS

1 x-Philadelphia 79 46 22 11 103

2 x-Washington 79 46 22 11 103

3 y-Boston 78 44 23 11 99

4 x-Pittsburgh 79 46 25 8 100

5 x-Tampa Bay 79 44 24 11 99

6 Montreal 79 42 30 7 91

7 Buffalo 79 40 29 10 90

8 NY Rangers 79 42 32 5 89

9 Carolina 79 38 30 11 87

10 Toronto 79 37 32 10 84

* stats taken from 4/3/11 via ESPN.com

With 4 games left for everyone but the Bruins, the last few games are paramount in setting up last few playoff spots as well as the top spots. In all likelihood, the Leafs will not make the playoffs. That isn't a slight on Toronto, it's just that they need a lot of help, and I don't think they'll get it. With games against Washington, New Jersey and Montreal. Montreal and Washington are both fighting for position, so they will be a tough contest, as well needing the teams above them to lose. Looking at the schedule, Carolina will have a tough go as well against Detroit, Tampa Bay and Atlanta. Buffalo has a hard go of it to stay in the playoff picture as well with games against Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. The Rangers have a slightly easier time against Boston, Atlanta and New Jersey.

So with that all laid out, I shall attempt to make a case why each team will make the playoffs, as well as why they won't.

Toronto Maple Leafs:

Why the will: Toronto is the long shot here, but they have been playing their best hockey in recent memory a few years. Luke Schenn is emerging as a top defenseman, and the play of James "Optimus Reim" Reimer. He's making a name for himself in hockey mad Toronto with his calm demeanor and excellent play between the pipes. He has all the shutouts for the Leafs, as well as the best stats out of all three goaltenders on the roster. He has quickly replaced "The Monster" as the future of Toronto goaltending.

Why the won't: The hill to climb is almost too much without some much needed help. Buffalo and Carolina will have to lose out, while the Leafs will have to close out with three W's in a row. It just doesn't seem possible, but anything can happen. Ryan Miller's status is in doubt which certainly adds doubt to their chances, but a 5 point lead isn't bad at this point. Carolina is no team to write off either as they seem to find a way to make it when most think they're done. So the Leafs just have too much to overcome. Once again the dismal start of the season dooms Toronto, but it seems that for the first time in a long time, Leafs Nation has something tangible to build on and look forward too next year.

Carolina Hurricanes:

Why they will: They've been there before and know what it takes. Not only have they been there, but they've been to the mountaintop. Eric Staal and Cam Ward were critical in their Cup run in 06, and they're still young. While Staal isn't quite the same level as Crosby/Ovechkin, he can be a game changer, and Cam Ward can steal a game. Let us not forget rookie sensation Jeff Skinner. This kid has been solid all year for the Hurricanes, and I see no reason why he won't continue to be so in the playoffs.

Why they won't: They're the Carolina Hurricanes. This is a team that either goes deep in the playoffs or miss completely. That statement also seems indicative of their play in general. I think it's safe to say that anyone who has seen Carolina play at least two games this season knows they are very much a Jekyll and Hyde type of team. They can dominate opponents one night, only to be dominated the next night. Their inability to string together consistent efforts will kill this team.


Buffalo Sabres:

Why they will: They're already in, albeit it barely. The Sabres have been playing well, with a 6-2-2 record over their last 10 games. Jhonas Enroth has played well with Ryan Miller on the shelf. His save percentage is the same as Ryan Miller's, but obviously there is a discrepancy with games played and shots faced. Tyler Myers, last year's rookie of the year, has also seemed to find his game as he is now a +1 after being mediocre at best to start the season. If the Sabres can maintain their play they should be able to hold on to the 8th seed.

Why they won't: Ryan Miller. He is currently listed as day-to-day with the ever ambiguous "upper body injury". I have heard it's his collar bone, but usually UBI refers to a concussion. Whatever it is, the Sabres will need him to recover, and quickly if they want to have a chance to hold their position, and advance past the first round if they make it in. With the Flyers currently sitting in the #1 seed, the Sabres could be in trouble either way.


New York Rangers:

Why they will: The Rangers have really come on as of late, with impressive wins against the Flyers and Bruins. The young defense is playing with maturity beyond their years, and the forwards are getting contributions from players that aren't named Gaborik. The Rags are also playing with confidence, and heading into the playoffs that can't be bad. Oh and they have that guy named Henrik Lundqvist. No big deal, he's just leading the league with 11 shutouts and can stand on his head when need be.

Why they won't: The Rangers are another team who seem to score in bunches...or not at all. If the timid Rangers show up the rest of the way, they are done. Also, King Henrik has a tendency to let in the stinker. He'll have to live up to his nickname to carry this team. Obviously the Rangers are sitting in the drivers seat as they just tied the Habs with 91 points after tonight's impressive come from behind victory against the Bruins, but the first period should be a sign that this is a very beatable team.



I won't even begin to break down the Western Conference because as of right now as the 5-10 spots are seperated by only 5 points. It's anyone's race at this point. Ahh the Wild Wild West.