NHL Playoffs: Round 1 recap

As an Avs fan I’m still trying to swallow what happened in round 1. The first round provided us with amazing hockey, and round 2 should be no different. Before I offer my predictions for round 2 let me quickly recap round 1.

                Bruins vs. Red Wings.  My prediction: Bruins in 6.

Result: Bruins in 5.

                I almost got this one completely right, but after game 1 I’m sure there was more than one Boston fan wondering if an upset was on the cards. Making adjustments in the playoffs is an integral part of winning, and Claude Julien did just that. Pavel Datsyuk still had a great series for Detroit, but no one else stepped up. Boston essentially put a choke hold on the series by winning both games in Detroit. This was the kind of performance that should have every other NHL team afraid to play Boston.

                Lightning vs. Canadiens. My prediction: Lightning in 7

Result: Canadiens in 4

                I got this series completely wrong. To be fair, I don’t think many experts picked a Montreal sweep, but it makes no difference. Game 1 was very entertaining, Montreal stole home ice by winning in overtime. After the Canadiens stole game 2 you sort of had the feeling this series may be over faster than originally thought. Give credit to the Lightning though: they played without their first string goaltender and battled valiantly in Montreal, a very tough place to play. As Max Pacioretty’s goal with just over a minute left in game 4 went in, you almost felt bad for the Lightning. Montreal will give Boston a stern test.

                Penguins vs. Blue Jackets. My prediction: Penguins in 5

Result: Penguins in 6

                I have to admit I underestimated the Blue Jackets in this series. Not only did they steal the first game, but they almost fought back from 4 goals down in game 6. Like the Islanders last year, Columbus had Pittsburgh on the ropes, and if I’m a Penguins fan I’m very concerned. Columbus scored multiple shorthanded goals and scored in clutch moments. Pittsburgh almost blew a 4 goal lead late in game 6, and needed a comeback to win game 4. Defense and goaltending are still a problem for this team.

                Rangers vs. Flyers. My Prediction: Flyers in 6

Result: Rangers in 7

                I went 2-2 in Eastern Conference matchups, and while this one went to 7 games, it was hardly as entertaining as the series suggests. Games 6 and 7 had more exciting feels to them, but the rest of the games were low scoring and dull. Momentum was hard find for either team, and I thought the Flyers would have it in game 7 after roasting the Rangers the game before. The good news for Rangers fans is they have the style to beat the Penguins. The bad news? Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malking are heating up

                Ducks vs. Stars. My Prediction: Ducks in 7

Result: Ducks in 6

                This one has to sting for Stars fans. Up 2 goals with 2 minutes left in game 6 and the Stars find a way to lose. Winning game 7 would’ve been a hard task but another team who we won’t talk about (just kidding we will later) managed to accomplish it. Home teams dominated this series, with the exception of the last two minutes and overtime of game 6. The Stars proved they can step up their game in the playoffs and the future is bright. Expect the Stars to compete for a playoff spot for years to come. The Ducks proved they can overcome adversity. They were all but done in game 6 when Nick Bonino scored. Even after that you thought the Stars would hang on. Anaheim’s reward? The Los Angeles Kings, good luck.

                Sharks vs. Kings. My prediction: Kings in 6

Result: Kings in 7

                Let me re-state something: It must be frustrating being a Sharks fan. Up 3-0 in the series after 3 dominating performances, the Sharks pulled off a massive collapse. The Kings are only the fourth team in NHL history to erase a 3-0 deficit. They accomplished it by going back to their strong suit: defense. After giving up 17 goals in the first three games, the Kings only gave up 6 the rest of the series, and only 3 in games 5 through 7. Jonathan Quick is back in form, Anze Kopitar found his scoring touch, and the Kings are on fire. The Sharks have to wonder what could’ve been. Is the window closed for guys like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau? The Sharks may fire a great coach in Todd McLellan, but he isn’t a playoff coach, and the team needs a shakeup.

                Avalanche vs. Wild. My prediction: Avalanche in 6

Result: Wild in 7

                This one really hurts. All season long the Avs refused to let their critics win. They continued that mentality in game 1, coming back in the third period. After getting completely dominated in games 3 and 4, the Avs again fought back to win game 5. Game 6 was much better but the Wild found a way to win. In game 7 it was the Wild who refused to go away, coming from behind 4 times and eventually winning in overtime. The Wild won by clogging the neutral zone and slowing the Avs speed. Inexperience really hurt the Avs in this series, as they looked like a shadow of the team that had the league’s best road record. Zach Parise came up big for the Wild when they needed him most. There was some bad blood in this series, including a dirty hit and questionable calls by the officials. Could this be the start of a new rivalry between two up and coming teams?

               

                Blues vs. Blackhawks. My prediction: Blackhawks in 6

Result: Blackhawks in 6

                If not for my Avs, I would’ve gone perfect in the Western Conference, but I’ll take a 3-1. It’s déjà vu for St. Louis though, as they blew a 2-0 series lead for the second straight year. Both of the first games went to overtime, so did game 5, which ultimately led to the Blues demise. Chicago’s experience and solid goaltending from Corey Crawford made the difference. The highlight of the series was Brent Seabrook’s illegal hit on David Backes which saw him suspended until game 6. Seabrook came back and was a driving force behind the goals. Jonathan Toews also stepped up big in game 5, scoring the winner in overtime. The Blues have to be scratching their heads after giving up an 8 point lead and losing the division. They could not have faced a tougher first round opponent. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, will certainly challenge to repeat as Stanley Cup champions as they are finding their playoff form.

Predictions

Eastern Conference: 2-2

Western Conference: 3-1 (1 exact number of games)

Overall: 5-3