Reviewing My 2011 Stanley Cup Predictions: Round 1

Two weeks ago I set out my predictions for the first round of this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.  The time to judge those picks is now.  I am going to give them one of 4 grades:

1. “It’s in the hole!”: I got my inner Spackler on, truly a Cinderella story.
2. On the Green: Close but no cigar.
3. The tall grass: I had some fine points right, but they moved the hole midway through my swing.
4. “Right in the lumberyard, Danny”

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

#1 Washington vs. #8 New York Rangers

Prediction: Caps in 6.

Grade: On the Green, Caps in 5.

#2 Philadelphia vs #7 Buffalo

Prediction: Sabres in 6

Grade: The tall grass.  Had Sergei Bobrovsky played the whole series I think that is how it would have ended up.  But he did not and the Flyers took it in 7.  I think that the goalie juggling will come back to bite Philly in the rear going forward.

#3 Boston vs # 6 Montreal

Prediction: Bruins in 5.

Grade: On the Green.  The Bruins won in 7, and when they won the mini-mites up front for the Habs struggled as I predicted.

#4 Pittsburgh vs # 5 Tampa Bay

Prediction: Pens in 7

Grade: The tall grass.  Tampa’s D was much more solid than I thought they could be from games 5-7.  Rollie the Goalie dialed back to earlier times.  The Pens clearly missed Sid the Kid and Malkin in this series.  Such is life…

Western Conference Quarterfinals

#1 Vancouver vs #8 Chicago

Prediction: Canucks in 6.

Grade: On the Green.  The Canucks almost blew it again.  Luongo came up big at the end, huge glove save in OT.  I am glad Patrick Kane and his Tommy Gunn Mullet are out of the tourney.

#2 San Jose vs # 7 Los Angeles

Prediction: Kings in 5.

Grade: “Right in the lumberyard, Danny”.  Game 3 was a killer. The Kings blew that three goal lead and I knew this one was headed where Danny Noonan played it while kickin it will Ty Webb.

#3 Detroit vs # 6 Phoenix

Prediction: Wings in 6.

Grade: On the Green.  The Coyotes could not handle the methodical Wings.  I worried about this pick, turns out that I gave Phoenix too much credit.

#4 Anaheim vs # 5 Nashville

Prediction: Preds in 7, if J.P. Dumont plays Preds in 6.

Grade: “It’s in the hole!”  Nailed it, down to the Dumont factor.

Overall a successful round, especially when you consider who was picking.  Second Round prognostications coming tomorrow.  “Mark it Dude”

2011 Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions: Round 1

It is one of my favorite times of the year: playoff hockey.  Thanks to cutting the cable cord and the NHL’s lack of vision in building an ad-based online streaming network I will be stuck with highlights the next day and NBC’s weekend coverage.  I never thought I would be so happy to see Pierre Maguire and his dancing hands of doom.

Without further adieu, here are my picks:

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

#1 Washington vs. #8 New York Rangers

Season Series: Who cares, this is the playoffs.

Any chance that the Rags had to take this series went the way of the Leafs when Ryan Callahan went down with a broken leg.  I think that the Rangers can take a few games.  Henrik Lundqvist is worth at least one win on his own. I still have faith in Chris Drury this time of year to take another.  The Caps learned tough lessons last year: Caps in 6.

#2 Philadelphia vs #7 Buffalo

This one is tough for me, my old flame against a team that I with loathe until the day I die.  The Sabres have been red-hot since fracking billionaire Terry Pegula bought them: best in the league.  The Flyers have struggled lately.  Again, regular season need not apply. What tips this series in goal-tending and I would take Ryan Miller over Sergei Bobrovsky any day of the week in a 7 game series.  I love the Flyers depth up front, but I do not think it will be enough. It’s Miller Time.  Sabres in 6.

#3 Boston vs # 6 Montreal

Montreal’s mini-mites up front will get swallowed up by the physical Bruins.  Any chance that the Habs had came and went last month when they no-showed the revenge game on Chara for his bush league hit on Max Pacioretty.  I know I said the regular season does not matter.  In this case it does.  Bruins in 5.

#4 Pittsburgh vs # 5 Tampa Bay

I know Geno and Sid the Kid will be no shows but I like the Ice Chickens in this one because I dislike Tampa’s back end for playoff hockey (save Hedman and Brewer). Their goalie options are underwhelming to say the least.  I love Rollie the Goalie, but time has passed him by. As a huge Jordan Staal fan I would love to see him shine here.  And I think he will. Pens in 7.

Western Conference Quarterfinals

#1 Vancouver vs #8 Chicago

Roberto Luongo has been as bad a postseason performer as any prime time player I can remember in hockey.  He is Bobby Bonilla-esque in the way that he falls apart when the lights are at their brightest.  Chicago has given the Canucks troubles the past few years.  But these Hawks are not the same squad.  Gone are the guys who win series: Versteeg, Eager and Burish, the guys who do the little things to win games.  And I think that will cost the Hawks in the first round.  I am huge Ryan Kesler mark.  I loved the way he plays the game, he is a straight up throw back hockey player.  Canucks in 6.

#2 San Jose vs # 7 Los Angeles

Anze Kopitar going down with an injury was a huge blow to the Kings, that is for sure.  I still think they have enough to pull off the upset.  Antti Niemi was great for the Blackhawks last year, but he had a stellar D in front of him. I think he flops here with defensive stalwarts like Dan Boyle and Kent Huskins in front of him rather than Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith.

To top it off the Sharks are still centered around perennial playoff underachievers Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.  I look for Dustin Brown to lead the Kings to an upset with Jonathan Quick providing the saves that doom the psyches of the fragile Sharks centers.  Another year, another early exit for the Sharks: Kings in 5.

#3 Detroit vs # 6 Phoenix

I love the Coyotes young players.  I know that the Wings are long in the tooth and have a suspect  situation in the cage.  This sounds like a familiar cadence from Stanley Cup playoffs from the past.  This year I don’t bite.  I think Bryzgalov can steal one or two, but the Wings prevail in 6.

#4 Anaheim vs # 5 Nashville

I am on record with my friend Joe that I hate this match-up.  I am pissed that the Preds could not tip a Blues club that had their putters packed and planes fueled and ready for warmer climates.  But as a fan, I have to believe.  I see the Preds winning and aside from partisanship here is why: stud defensemen.

The Preds have two legit studs in Weber and Suter.  The Ducks have a collection of nice 3 and 4s; and that will cost them.  I love the Ducks size and skill up front, but  Rinne along with the two studs will keep them in check just enough to take the series.  Preds in 7, heart burn city.  If J.P. Dumont plays, Preds in six.

“Mark it Dude”