While I will usually write about soccer (FC Dallas blog will
resume next week and the European blog will continue Friday) I have a passion
for the sport I grew up watching: hockey. For me, the start of the NHL playoffs
is probably my favorite sports day of the entire year. Hard hits, great saves,
multiple overtime games, and the Stanley Cup. It truly is the best time of the
year. I’ve already picked my winner for this year’s Stanley Cup, but I won’t
share that until we get there. I will however, give a full analysis of each
series, except for the Stars-Ducks which my colleague Christian will cover.
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Bruins vs WC2. Detroit Red Wings
If
there was one team the Bruins did not want to face in the first round, it’s the
Red Wings. Detroit continues to amaze, making their 23rd straight
playoff appearance, the longest streak in American professional sports. Boston
may be the overall favorite to win the cup after winning the President’s trophy,
especially since they don’t have to go through the Western Conference. Boston
has the offense, the defense, the goaltending, and the coaching to go all the
way. The Wings are a little banged up, but Pavel Datsyuk’s return helps, and
Jimmy Howard provides a solid presence between the pipes.
Key Matchups
Patrice Bergeron vs. Detroit’s defense- Boston’s leading
scorer is peaking at the right time. With three goals and six points in the
last five games, he is Boston’s go-to guy for offense. Danny DeKeyser, Niklas
Kronwall, and the Detroit defense will have its hands full.
Boston’s experience vs. Detroit’s youth- You would think
experience is the winner here, and usually that’s the case but a younger team
may be able to play with less pressure. Usually it’s Detroit with older
veterans getting things done, but this year the team is seeing guys like Tomas
Tatar, Gustav Nyquist, and Riley Sheahan play major roles. The Bruins have a
good mix of young players (who played in a cup final last year) and veterans
(Jarome Iginla, Zdeno Chara).
Jimmy Howard vs. Tuuka Rask- In the playoffs, having great
goaltending can make the difference between making a deep run and exiting in
the first round. Both teams have solid goaltending, and Tuuka Rask is one of
the favorites for the Vezina Trophy. Jimmy Howard has battled some injuries
this season but he has grown into a very solid NHL goalie.
Verdict: The Red
Wings will push the Bruins in this series more than most people think. Mike
Babcock really should be considered for coach of the year for even getting this
depleted team to the playoffs. However, the experience and depth of Boston will
be too much for Detroit. Bruins in 6
2. Tampa Bay Lightning vs 3. Montreal Canadiens
When it
comes to the playoffs, this series is as even as it gets. Tampa did take 3 of 4
in the regular season, but every game was close. The Lightning clinched home
ice by winning on the final day and both teams probably overachieved a little
this year. Jack Cooper, Tampa’s coach, should also be in the running for coach
of the year, after leading the Lightning to the playoffs despite missing super
star Steven Stamkos for a majority of the season. The Canadiens have gotten it
done by playing tough defense and getting key goals from Max Pacioretty, who
finished with 39 goals.
Key Matchups
Tampa’s power play vs. Montreal’s penalty kill- Tampa is
average in both special teams departments, and that could be a problem.
Montreal boasted a top 5 penalty kill during the regular season and because
defense wins championships the Canadiens have the edge in the special teams
department. Don’t sleep on Steven Stamkos though, he’s always a goal scoring
threat on the power play.
Ben Bishop vs. Carey Price-Surprise! Another goaltending
duel. I promise it’s not a cop out, goaltending really is that important. In
this case you have a young goalie that is coming off a great performance in the
Olympics and a gold medal against an even younger goalie that wasn’t even
called up to his team. However, Ben Bishop is a big reason why the Lightning
have come this far and he should be a Vezina favorite.
Verdict: This
game may have multiple games that will be decided by one goal, and I think we
see at least two overtime games. Canadiens fans are some of the most passionate
in the NHL, so the Bell Centre will be rocking. Tampa clinching home ice may
have just given them the slight edge in this series. Lightning
in 7
1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. WC1 Columbus Blue Jackets
In many
ways this series favors Pittsburgh to win very quickly, but last time we
thought that, the Penguins were sent packing in 6 games against the Flyers, two
years ago. The Penguins have more than enough offensive fire power, including
Sidney Crosby who will more than likely win the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP. If
the Blue Jackets somehow manage to stop him, Pittsburgh has Chris Kunitz, James
Neal, and maybe Evgeni Malkin who is racing the clock to return from injury.
Columbus is making just its second ever playoff appearance and is still looking
for its first playoff win (they were swept by Detroit in 2009). It’s a great
story, and I doubt many experts picked them to be in the playoffs over teams
like Washington, Ottawa, or Toronto.
Key Matchups
Special Teams- In the playoffs, a game can escalate very
quickly because of how physical the play is. What often happens is a team will
take stupid penalties. The Blue Jackets are in trouble if they are this team
because the Penguins boast the best power play in the league at 23%. If the
Penguins take bad penalties, things may not be so bad because they also have
the 5th best penalty kill in the league. While Columbus isn’t
terrible in special teams departments (11th on the PP and 14th
on the PK) they have to be disciplined in this series. The Penguins have a
clear edge in this department.
Penguins defense vs. pressure- The downfall of the Penguins
in the last few seasons is defense. They just got their star defenseman Kris
Letang back and he will be the key if they want to make a deep run. Goaltender
Marc-Andre Fleury is a big part of Pittsburgh’s defensive problems. Fleury
played brilliantly in the Penguins run to the cup in 2009 but has since played
poorly in the playoffs. He needs to pick up his play for the Penguins to go
far.
Verdict: This is
the easiest of all of the series to call. Columbus isn’t a push over team, but
they don’t match up well with a team loaded with talent who is out to prove
their critics wrong. The only way Columbus stays in this series is for Sergei
Bobrovsky to play out of his mind, which I’m not ruling out, but it’s not
likely. I do think the Jackets win their first playoff game in franchise
history though. Penguins in 5
2 New York Rangers vs. 3 Philadelphia Flyers
These
teams haven’t met since 1998, despite being in the same division. Both expected
to be in the playoffs this year, and the Flyers miraculously rallied from a
4-10-1 start. Both teams have playoff experience, both have solid goaltending,
and both have new coaches. On paper, this series is almost as even as the
Lightning-Canadiens one. The Rangers have made it this far with the 4th
lowest goals allowed per game, a formula for playoff success. Led by goalie
Henrik Lundqvuist and defenseman Ryan McDonagh, the Rangers have prioritized
defense. The Flyers couldn’t be more opposite. Philadelphia has the leagues’ 8th
highest goals per game led by the top line of Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, and
Scott Hartnell.
Key Matchups
Flyers offense vs. Rangers defense- If defense wins
championships, the Rangers should come out on top, but the Flyers have a great
first line and solid second line that will challenge the Rangers defense. Ryan
McDonagh is also recovering from an injury and was kept out of practice for the
last three days. If he isn’t at 100%, the Rangers are weakened. Meanwhile, the
Flyers hope to get production from their top line as well as from Wayne
Simmonds and the second line.
Craig Berube vs. Alain Vignault- Both coaches are in their
first season with their respective clubs. The big difference? Berube is in his
first year as a coach with any team, after being brought in 15 games into this
season. Vignault, on the other hand, has been to the playoffs in each of the last
7 seasons, including a run to the Stanley Cup Finals with Vancouver in 2010.
Playoff hockey requires all sorts of coaching adjustments. If the Flyers can’t
find the back of the net, it will be up to Berube to adjust his lines and a
find a combination that works.
Verdict: Every
once in a while you have to go with your gut, even if it may not be the popular
pick. Though the series will be close, all signs point to the Rangers having
the edge. But I think Flyers goalie Steve Mason will steal this series and establish
himself as a top NHL goalie. Flyers in 6
Western Conference
1 Anaheim Ducks vs. WC2 Dallas Stars- Like I mentioned
earlier, I’ll let Christian handle this one, but I will give a prediction. Ducks in 7
2 San Jose Sharks vs. 3 Los Angeles Kings
Being a
Sharks fan must be very frustrating. One of the most consistent regular season
teams in the last decade, but nothing to show for in the playoffs. Every year
we hear “this is finally the year the Sharks breakthrough.” The reality is the
Sharks’ window to win a Stanley Cup is quickly closing as their veteran players
get older. The Kings, meanwhile, come into the playoffs as one of the hottest
teams in the league. Many picked them to win this division at the beginning of
the season, and for good reason. They have all of the components needed to make
a deep playoff run. Oh, and they won a cup only 2 seasons ago. This is the 3rd
time in the last four years these teams will meet in the playoffs, each team
winning a series. Home ice was very important last year and if it comes down to
game 7 this year, it’s the Sharks who have the advantage.
Key Matchups
Sharks forwards vs. Kings defenseman- Last year, the Sharks
were only able to score more than two goals once in the series. The Kings have
the best defense in the league, giving up an average of 2 goals per game. Joe
Thornton, Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, and Logan Couture will have their work cut
out against Drew Doughty and the Kings defense. Veteran defenseman Robyn Regehr
is questionable for the series start, and could be a big hole to fill for Los
Angeles.
Anti Niemi vs. Jonathan Quick- Both goalies have Stanley Cup
rings, and both need to play at their best for their teams to make deep runs.
Quick is coming back from back surgery, but has looked solid especially since
the Olympic break. Having the league’s best defense certainly helps. Niemi on
the other hand, has played averagely at best down the stretch and is recovering
from injury. If he struggles the Sharks may even go with Alex Stalock, who is a
promising young net minder.
Kings forwards vs. themselves- The biggest problem for the
Kings this year is goal scoring. They have the worst offense (statistically) of
any team in the playoffs but they’ve played much better since the Olympic
break. Acquiring Marian Gaborik could prove to be a huge move. Despite
struggling to score, the Kings have a plethora of offensively gifted players:
Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Justin Williams, Gaborik, Mike Richards, Dustin
Brown, and rising youngster Tyler Toffoli.
Verdict: Expect
these rival teams to beat each other up. Much like last year’s series, there
won’t be many goals scored because the goalies will steal the show. The Kings
are one of the deepest teams in the league while the Sharks have too many
issues with goaltending. Kings in 6
1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
What a
turn-around for the young Avalanche. They finished with the second worst record
last season and came back this year to win arguably the hardest division in the
entire league (the only division with 5 playoff teams). Some thought Colorado
would maybe sneak into a wild card spot, but the Avs had other ideas, taking
advantage of the St. Louis Blues late season collapse to win their first
division title in 10 years. The Wild come into the playoffs in a similar
position to last year. Solid goaltending by Ilya Bryzgalov saw the Wild pull
away and easily claim a playoff spot. Zach Parise and Ryan Suter will have to
play at their best to contain this Colorado team. Minnesota is helped by the absence
of Matt Duchene who led the Avalanche with 70 points, but is likely out for the
entire first round.
Key Matchups
Colorado Avalanche vs. Inexperience- Yes the Avs won the
division, yes the Avs can score, and yes they have great goaltending. However,
they don’t have much playoff experience, and playoff hockey is a different
animal. Max Talbot, who won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh and scored twice in
game 7, may be a key player in this series. It will be very interesting to see
how the youngsters react.
Avalanche forwards vs. Minnesota defensemen- The Avs may be
the best skating team in the league and they won many of their games with
speed. Duchene’s absence hurts them in that department, but Nathan MacKinnon,
John Mitchell, Tyson Barrie, and Erik Johnson are also fantastic skaters. We
know about Ryan Suter, but Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon will have to elevate
their play in order to slow down the Avs forwards.
Semyon Varlamov vs. Ilya Bryzgalov- Hey look another
goaltender battle! Varlamov is a big reason why the Avalanche are in the
playoffs. He beat Patrick Roy’s record for most wins in a season and did so
with an average defensive corps, often facing 30-40 shots a night. He did get
some rest in the last 10 days which makes head coach Patrick Roy look like a
genius. Bryzgalov has way more playoff experience with Anaheim, Phoenix, and
Philadelphia. He is turning out to be a solid acquisition for the Wild (they
only gave up a 4th round pick) and could be a dark horse in this
series.
Verdict: All
season long the Avalanche have silenced their critics. No one expected this
team to do this well, and Patrick Roy should be considered for coach of the
year. If Varlamov plays like he did during the regular season, Minnesota has no
chance. If he plays poorly the Avs are in big trouble. But I think the Avs
silence a few more people in this series. Avalanche
in 6
2 St. Louis Blues vs. 3 Chicago Blackhawks
This is
a surprise matchup, but only because it’s happening in the first round. Many
thought these teams would eventually have to go through one another. Both teams
enter the playoffs in a bit of a slump, especially the Blues who threw away an
8 point lead in less than two weeks to lose the division. Both teams have been
hit hard by the injury bug, but there’s good news as the Blackhawks expect both
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to return. Meanwhile the Blues, who were many
people’s pre-season favorites to win it all, are uncertain about the status of
T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, and Brendan Morrow. Barrett
Jackman, Derek Roy, David Backes, and Alex Pietrangelo should be ready though.
The Blues have especially struggled lately scoring goals which puts more
pressure on newly acquired goalie Ryan Miller.
Key Matchups
St. Louis Blues vs. Injuries- I know what you’re
thinking…Injuries happen to every team, you can’t use that as an excuse.
Normally, I’d agree, but the Blues have lost two/thirds of their starting
offensive players. Even if some of those guys return, they won’t be at 100% right
away. The good news for the Blues is they should have their entire starting
defense ready for game 1. The bad news? The Blues have only scored 9 goals in
their last 9 games; they need their forwards back ASAP.
Chicago Blackhawks
vs. Pressure- There’s no way to deny it, the Hawks will be under intense
pressure to make it back to the cup final, every team that defends its title
does. Guys like Kane, Toews, Patrick Shapr, and Marian Hossa are unlikely to be
affected having already won two Stanley Cups. Where the Blackhawks should be
concerned is goaltending. Corey Crawford hasn’t played very well this season
and whether that’s from pressure or not, he has to find his form from last
year’s playoffs.
St. Louis Blues vs. Pressure- The Blues are like the
Blackhawks’ little brother, sometimes annoying but never able to come out on
top. St. Louis has never won a Stanley Cup, in fact they haven’t even played in
a final. The last few seasons the Blues have played in the Blackhawks’ shadow. They’ve
had some good teams in the past, but many thought this year would be their
year. For most of the season you’d be stupid if you didn’t think the Blues
could go all the way. Every championship team faces adversity, the Blues are
facing it early. Can they overcome it?
Verdict: Despite
both teams being injured, this will still be an entertaining series. I’m
worried the Blues won’t have enough players at 100% to keep up. Chicago has the
second best offense in the league and they will score. The longer the series
goes, the more it favors St. Louis because they’ll have more of their starters
in the line-up. However, I think Chicago extends St. Louis’ wait for a
championship Blackhawks in 6
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