2011 Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions: Eastern Conference Finals

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.

Eastern Conference Finals

#3 Boston Bruins vs. #5 seed Tampa Bay Lightning

This is not an easy one for me to remain objective on: I hate both teams. The Bruins, well it is ingrained.  Being a Sabre fan for most of my life many a spring evening ended with me to sobbing myself to sleep on a tear soaked “Empire Strikes Back” pillow, all thanks to the hated Bruins.

From the cruelty of 1989′s ouster in five games after a Game 1 rout by Buffalo to Adam Oates faceoff goal in 1992 the Bruins along with the Habs scuttled my youthful dreams of a Buffalo Stanley Cup for the better part of my youth.  I will never forgive either team.

Even the post-season success against both franchises in the 90s and aughts could not wash away the stain of hatred I have for both teams. I hate the Bruins and Habs, even in my post-Sabres life I hold onto it.  I likely always will, with the faux superiority of being an “Original Six”…well hooray for the Douglases.

It is also tough to root for the Bruins with Boston sports fans being so spoiled.  Each of the other three major teams have won titles this decade; it would be nice if the Bruins kept the Chowds somewhat grounded.

However, it is hard for me to root for Tampa Bay.  I still have not forgiven them for beating my favorite non-Sabres playoff team of all time: the 2004 Calgary Flames.  It seemed so wrong that such a complete squad lost the Cup to the flashy, superstar dependent Lightning team.

That series gave us one of the most obnoxious celebrations by a homer broadcaster in sports history.  It is just awful. Dave Mishkin, you should be ashamed.

That alone might be enough for me to root for the Bruins; I cannot stomach the thought of another bush league call like that.  Not even Bob Uecker would go that low, I think.  Not that the Bruins TV squad is much better, these two teams had the worst announcers to deal with when we had the Center Ice package in 2005-2006: just putrid.

Onto the hockey, if I can removed the bile in my throat from that Mishkin call.

For Boston:

I love their defensive depth.  I hate Zdeno Chara, but the dude is a beast.  The Bruins roll out three solid pairings (Love Seidenberg and Ference, rugged playoff defensemen) and have a difference making goaltender in Tim Thomas.

Up front I love the role players.  Chris Kelly has deep playoff experience from his time in Ottawa.  And I can see Rich Peverly being a potting a few against the 2nd and 3rd Lightning defensive pairings.

This team is in trouble if it becomes a shootout as Rollie the Goalie is better than all the Philly goaltenders combined and the Bruins have a pop gun offense.

For Tampa:

I don’t see Steve Downie, Teddy Purcell and Sean Bergenheim having the same success they had last round against the loosey-goosey Caps.  It will be up to St. Louis and Lecavalier to carry the day.  It would also be helpful for the Lightning if Steve Stamkos would wake up.  Tampa has little chance if their big three cannot break through and light the lamp on a regular basis.

I admittedly underrated the Lightning D when I reviewed them in the first round preview.  The squad is solid 1-5, with Eric Brewer, Marc-Andre Bergeron and Mattias Ohlund providing solid play on the back end. The latter two also offer the occasional offensive spark.

Rollie the Goalie is the key.  If he can keep up his play and frustrate the B’s then the Lightning have a great chance of pulling out a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The pick:

I like the Bruins defensive style  for this time of year.  That, combined with a lethargic Stamkos will doom Tampa. I can’t see him waking up against this physical group.  I will take the Bs in six games.

“Mark it Dude”

2011 Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions: Round 2

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.

After having good prognostications for the Quarterfinals (especially for me), I am ready to dive head first into my thoughts and predictions for round 2.

Eastern Conference Semifinals

#1 Washington vs. #5 Tampa Bay

Tampa knocked off a wounded team in the Pens, but give them full marks coming back from a 3-1 series deficit.  Their back end, especially Dwayne Roloson played admirably.  Rollie the Goalie will need to do it again.  And I think he can.

But I don’t think he will.  I am sure the Caps were happy not to see the Habs again this spring.  Alex Ovechkin seems to be ready to take the next step in terms of postseason scoring as he potted three goals in five games against the Rags and chipped in three helpers as well.

The key player for this series in my mind is Mike Knuble.  If he can come back healthy from his hand issues I think the Caps take this one rather easily.

Caps in 6.

# 2 Philadelphia vs #3 Boston

The Bruins are looking for redemption after blowing a 3-0 series lead in last year’s playoffs to the Flyers in this same round.  I think they get it.  Philly looked shaky for most of the series and struggled on the power play until Buffalo’s top two PK forwards went out with injury.

This should be a physical series, I look for Zdeno Chara and Johnny Boychuk to have better success against Danny Briere than Buffalo’s back end had.  I love Ville Leino, which is tough for me to write as someone who hates the Flyers.  But he feels like the perfect Stanley Cup hero.  He is well on his way to proving it again this year after last year’s playoff run.

Still in the end I think the bitterness and heart break that has festered for the better part of the year helps the Bruins take this one in 7 hard fought games.

Western Conference Semifinals

#1 Vancouver vs # 5 Nashville

I love the way that Suter and Weber match up against the Canucks big line of Sedin-Sedin-Burrows.  My concern is how the 2nd and 3rd pairings will handle the Kesler line.  I am a huge fan of both Ryan Kesler and Chris Higgins.  The duo could real cause some problems for the younger Preds D-men.

My wish is that Barry Trotz would break up the big two and provide some depth to deal with the top two Vancouver lines. He will likely stick with what got him here and keep them paired.  Who am I to argue with Barry?  He looks like he could send some goons to take care of me if I got out of line.

Being a big believer in the idea that 4 steady lines are huge this time of year I think the Preds have a puncher’s chance.

Pekke Rinne and Roberto Luongo both had their rough spots in the last round.  The goalie that shows up consistently this round will be the one to top the balance of the series.  I will take Rinne and the Preds in 7 games.  If J.P. Dumont stays in the lineup, Preds in 6.

#2 San Jose vs # 3 Detroit

Joe Thornton and the Sharks proved me wrong last round, though they needed three overtime wins to do that.  They survived some shaky goaltending of last year’s Cup winning goalie, Antti Niemi.  They will not be able to get away with that this round.

I like the Wings to take this series, with Tomas Holmstrom and the team’s strong cycling being too much for the Sharks D to handle, especially when Detroit is one the Power Play.

Red Wings in 6.

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”