Posts Tagged ‘Hockey’
Good year to be a Pittsburgh sports fan.
Was I ever wrong. Quite frankly I was also quite excited to be wrong. The Pittsburgh Penguins looked like they were going to follow the trend of last years Cup finals by doing their best to manage a single win in the best of 7 series. However after a rough start the Pens kicked it in to high gear and are the 2009 Stanley Cup champions after an amazing 7th game in Detroit. The series had everything a championship series should have. All-stars, surprise heroes, momentum switching, come from behind drama, last second nail-bitters, and maybe a dash of controversy.
What I am upset about, however, is if you listen to the sports media you’d assume Sidney Crosby won the Stanley Cup all by himself, and those others guys were just fans with really good seats. Seriously, he didn’t even score in the last 3 games of the Detroit series. Max Talbott, the 4th line wonder scored both the Penguins goals in their 2-1 victory over Detroit in game 7. Malkin won the MVP. Fleury made a last second diving save to keep the Wings from facing overtime. Sure, there’s no denying Crosby is a great player, but lets face it, he had a lot of help. The entire team stepped up when they were needed and the team earned that cup. Likely none of this media obsession is Crosby’s fault, nor do I think he buys in to the hype generated about him. It just shows how team sports have eroded when the media places all their emphasis on a single player. No team in the NHL wins Lord Stanley’s cup merely by having one stand out player on their team. Without all the pieces there is no team. Look at the LA Kings back in the day banking on Gretzky to bring them home the cup. How many cups does LA have? Sadly about as many as my Sabres: zero. One incredibly player can be a game breaker – he can be that edge in a closely fought contest. Everyone needs that go to guy. But if your whole team is built around that one player, no matter what level you play at in hockey, you’re not going to win the big games.
Son congratulations to Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury, Max Talbott, Marian Hossa(oh right, he thought Detroit would win), and a whole host of other Pittsburgh Penguins who I don’t really know. And yes, congratulations to Sidney as well – all of you earned it.
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Jun 15th, 2009
The NHL Championship is a Rerun.
Lord Stanley’s cup, one of the most storied trophies in professional sports. It has a long history, exciting moments, and those that were downright bizarre (both on and off the ice). It is the most coveted of items in the hockey world, and this year it seems we have to suffer through a rerun. Both the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins will be meet again to compete for the Cup – yes, the same two teams as last year. In fact the players haven’t really even changed (other than Hossa playing for the Wings instead of the Pens as he signed with them feeling they had a better chance this year that the Penguins did). It’s hard to get excited for this series. Like last year I’ll likely be half-heartedly cheering for the Penguins. Though if I were a betting man I’d put my money on Detroit. Like I said, nothing has really changed from last season. Sure, maybe the Penguins will feel a little more comfortable with that extra experience under their belt. But face it, last year they lost the series in 5 games. In fact they couldn’t even manage a single goal in either game one or two of the series. This time, I expect, Pittsburgh will actually put a few in the net the first game (and probably the second), but I can’t see them dominating a best of 7 series. Detroit’s older players are like the Energizer Bunny. A youthful Chicago team couldn’t wear their top line down and Pittsburgh certainly doesn’t have the kind of grinders that will go out there and wreak havoc with Detroit’s offense. We’ve been here. We’ve seen this, and frankly I wasn’t all that entertained by it last year. Hopefully the Penguins can make a series of it, but I kind of doubt it. A week ago, when I saw this rematch coming, I figured the Wings would again win it in 5. It must be my mood, but I think the Penguins this year have enough in them to win 2 games – sadly for them the first with 4 wins takes Lord Stanley’s cup… and that’s just what Detroit will do… hoist the cup on Pittsburgh ice after game 6.
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May 30th, 2009
And then there were Four.
Well Carolina had to be the ones to keep me from going 4 of 4 in the second round; I would have preferred it if Anaheim had been the ones to do that. Still, Detroit’s nail biting victory over the Ducks sets up a classic rivalry which is going to make the West the conference to watch. The East, meanwhile, is boasting the Carolina Hurricane taking on Sidney Crosby and some other guys from Pittsburgh – at least that’s what the media would lead one to believe. At any rate, this Sunday the Conference finals begin.
Western Conference
Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks – It’s old school hockey time! These two teams have faced each other in more games than any other rivalry in the history of the NHL. Since the 1920’s these teams have played each other over 700 times in the regular season as well as having met each other 14 times in post season play (Chicago holds a 8-6 edge in that category). This old time rivalry reheated this season as was evidenced by the Winter Classic, and the fact that every game they played against one another this season was in front of a sold out crowd. You have to turn the clock back to 1995 for the last time these two teams met in the post season (while Detroit has spent the last two decades being on the top of the heap, Chicago spent the time trying to obtain mediocrity). Anchored by young talent, and solid defensive players this years Blackhawks are the real deal. Kane and Toews have shown they know how to get it done on the score sheet. Kane scored his first post-season hat trick against Vancouver and has been showing all the signs of a power house player in the making. Brian Campell, the veteran on defense, has contributed greatly to special teams and has been a solid blue liner. That’s been vital for the Blackhawks as the one position where they don’t get much help has been in net. Cristobal Huet and Nikolai Khabibulin haven’t exactly been the most stellar netminders in the NHL. Neither of them could string together a solid set of games, and often times the Blackhawks won games in a wild west shootout style… surrendering 5 or 6 goals, but scoring one or two more than opponents. A lot was said that this would work against them in the playoffs, but so far their hard nosed work ethic around the puck has paid off. However they are about to face a Chris Osgood who has recovered from his worst career regular season to put up some solid numbers in the playoffs. Detroit is coming off a tough fought and physically grueling 7 game series against the Ducks, and one has to wonder if this won’t adversely affect the defending champions. Last season many, including myself, wondered the same thing and Detroit never once showed signs of slowing down. You can pretty much guarantee Detroit’s top tier players will come ready to play their A game. To win Chicago needs to keep up the hard hitting agressive play that took down the Cannucks in 6 games. They need to generate as much traffic as possible in front of Osgood and fight for every puck in the corner. Their blue-liners are going to have to be stellar to keep traffic in front of their own net to a minimum, while the offense is going to have to play a quick transitional game to keep odd man rushes from occurring. For Detroit the game plan is simple, they just have to be Detroit. They’ll play the same style of hockey that has come to symbolize Red Wing play – hard hitting, quick passing, and big shots from the blue line. They have a wealth of playoff experience and that counts for a lot this deep in to the playoffs. If they can stick to their game plan and keep Chicago from dictating the pace of the game they should manage just fine. This is going to be a classic series. While the East boasted their Crosby v. Ovechkin series, the West is boasting two teams who are out for each others throats. There’s a real rivalry here and not just two top-notch players everyone wants to see. While I’ll admit the creative play of Ovechkin and Crosby was entertaining, it wasn’t the real deal in terms of a good old hockey rivalry. At the end of the day whichever team wins this series will absolutely have deserved it. I’m going to go against the rational part of my mind, and go with a little bit daring when I say Chicago is going to be representing the West for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Eastern Conference
Pittsburgh Penguins v. Carolina Hurricane – To be honest this is a hard series to get excited about. Normally I am all over the Eastern conference but this series has all the makings of who could really care? Okay, fans of the two teams I’m sure will be interested, and the media will be drooling over every move Crosby makes, but at the end of the day this series isn’t going to be anything to write home about. I certainly have made a habit our of underestimating the Hurricane. While they do have some good players, looking over their roster there isn’t anything that jumps out at you as a team that has a deep run in to the playoffs written all over them. What happened, however, was that a lot of the players stepped up to a whole new level late in the season and it carried over in to the playoffs. Goaltender Cam Ward has been nothing short of amazing. With his stellar play in net the confidence has rippled outward to the rest of the team who have played like Cup contenders since the playoffs began. What will be interesting about this series is the break neck speed at which it will be played. Both teams boast a lot of speed and play quick attacking games looking to capitalize on every turn over by creating odd man rushes. Both teams have defenses that jump up in to the play. Both teams get crafty in front of the net. The question becomes which team is better at that style of play? While I don’t want to make the mistake of underestimating Carolina yet again, it’s hard to deny the talent on the Pittsburgh side of the ice. Without the big hitting had players to tie up the medias favorite darling and Malkin (the one they tend to forget about the second his play gets cold), it’s hard to see any advantage for the Hurricane in this season. While I am sure they will give it all and keep the series close, at the end of the day I have to say Pittsburgh is going to try again to claim that Cup for their own.
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May 15th, 2009
8 Teams Remain – Still Just One Cup
6 out of 8 seems to be an awful trend these days, but honestly I didn’t think San Jose would continue their nasty habit of turning in to an amateur league team the second the playoffs began. With their amazing regular season performance I thought maybe they had gotten past that particular curse. Apparently they hadn’t. To make matters worse Hiller played like… well certainly not like Hiller, but some goalie brought to earth by the hockey gods themselves. Then in the East there was Carolina, driving home the point that the game isn’t over until the final buzzer sounds. Down by a goal, with 1:20 left on the clock before it was all said and done, Carolina scored not once, but twice to eliminate New Jersey from post season play. Let’s see how I can pick them for this round.
Eastern Confrence
Boston Bruins v. Carolina Hurricane – Boston did what everyone expected them to do, and that was to dominate the flow of the game for 60 minutes – 4 times in a row. Montreal was outclassed going in, and the Bruins left no doubt that they are finally a team series about bringing a Cup home after all these years. Carolina, however, will have something to say about that. Going in to game 1 they are going to have a strong emotional high which to draw off of. They’ll need it as the Bruins will be looking fresh having had plenty of time to work the bumps and bruises out of their system. Still, I sometimes wonder if sweeping a series works for you in the end as maybe you have just a little bit too much time off. Boston is going to have to come out of the gate swinging. The Bruins knew how take it to Carolina during the regular season ; they won all four meetings against them. Still, they say that when the playoffs begin its like the regular season never even happened. The Bruins had 12 different goal scorers in their series with Montreal, and if they can keep spreading out the offense they’ll be hard to beat. Carolina’s top line is going to have to face a tough playing Chara which was something Montreal couldn’t manage to beat. For Carolina to win Staal is going to have to take advantage of any open ice he can find, while in net Cam Ward is going to have to bring his already solid game up another level. In the end I think the Bruins will overwhelm the Hurricane. Boston takes this series in 5.
Washington Capitals v. Pittsburgh Penguins – Malkin, Crosby, Ovechkin, it’s a who’s who of people the media love to adore. This matchup really is a made for TV movie in the making. If it plays anything like it’s being billed it should be one hell of a great show. The Capitals started off slow and it nearly cost them, but a late series surge by all their key players allowed them to force a game 7 and eliminate the Rangers. While they publicly talk about losing Brashear to suspension as a loss, I can’t help but feel he was more of a weight dragging on them – players, coaches, and fans, always wondering if this was the night he was about to do something really stupid. Game 6 was that night. However thanks to the lack of anything resembling intelligence by the officiating crew he got away with not only pre-game shenanigans, but a brutal, and utterly cheap hit. There was nothing but intent to harm another player with a blow like that and his six game suspension is hardly fitting. There are others who say it’s just part of the game – to those people: change the channel, there’s always wrestling on same channel, that’s more your style. Anyway – the matchup – get ready for a shoot-out at the OK Coral here. Two high flying offenses who relish the open ice, who make scoring opportunities appear out of thin air, and can flat out skate through defended like they were pylons are about to go at it. It’s not going to be a good series for the goal tenders stat sheets – but in the end that’s what this series is going to come down to: which goal tender can hold the fort better. Both teams have en0ugh talent up front, and only limited defensive options for dealing with the other teams top line. Will backup goalie for the Capitals, Varlamov, be called on to start this series? Or will the Caps give Theodore a second chance? The safe bet is that it is now Varlamov’s position to lose. He hasn’t had the best of experience facing a high powered offensive team. He did will in his time against the Rangers, but they aren’t nearly the same offensive caliber as the Penguins front 3. Fleury isn’t exactly an A-list goaltender, but he has proven to the Penguins that when the time comes to make those big plays he can step up and make it happen. His 45 save performance in game 4 allowed the Penguins to steal a game that looked to be safely in the Flyers hands. That’s the goaltender the Penguins need to show up if they want to be successful against the Caps. In the end I say this one goes to Pittsburgh in 7.
Western Conference
Detroit Red Wings v. Anaheim Ducks – Detroit breezed through the first round pummeling an inexperienced Blue Jackets squadron. There were very few moments in which Columbus looked like it might even threaten to steal a game. While the Ducks may be the 8th seed they shut down the Sharks. I imagine in Anaheim there are shrines all over to Jonas Hiller who found a way to stop 220 of 230 shots over six games. Not that the rest of the team was sleeping – but he started the seasons as the Ducks backup goalie, unproven in the playoffs, and is making a statement that he’s now the number one netminder in town. Defensively for the Ducks Pronger did what Pronger does best: hit people. He was a bruising force punishing people in the corners, throwing bodies around in front of the net, and making sure that many of the Sharks shots were from the outside. He kept San Jose’s top line in check. Still, that might not be enough when facing the Red Wings, a team that can safely roll through all four lines and know that whoever they have out on the ice can take control of the play. It’s a tried and true formula for the defending Stanley Cup champion, and now that Osgood seems to have woken up after the worst regular season of his career the Red Wings are dangerous. That’s the thing though, Osgood played well, but never faced a challenge. Simply put, the Blue Jackets made him look good and I doubt he’ll get the same luxury facing the Ducks, one of the most under-rated teams in the NHL this season. Red Wings fans may be a little cocky but the Ducks are going to give them a run for their money. Still, even if Osgood slumps back in to bad habits the Red Wings have more than enough assets to manage. At the end of the day this series will do to Detroit in 6.
Vancouver Cannucks v. Chicago Blackhawks – after the Cannucks dispatched the Blues handily in four games I thought, being the geek that I am, of a line from Stargate SG-1: “I believe the Cannucks of Vancouver to be superior warriors.” I thought they would find more of a challenge against St. Louis, but the Vancouver defense punished anyone foolish enough to cross that blue line. Add to that the best post-season netminder, Robert Luongo and the Blackhawks will be facing a team that rarely has their lamp lit. As always defense will be the key to the Cannucks game. They will be looking to slow down the pace of the series and keep the young guns of Chicago in check. The Blackhawks are going to have to continue to prove that their youth is an asset at this stage and not a detriment. They certainly accomplished that beating the much more experienced Flames team in 6 games. They may have gotten off to a rough start, but once they found their legs they played like it was just any other game. Their up-tempo style of offense going end to end and simply wearing down the opposition may be the key to unraveling the post seasons most stingy defense. They answered critics who thought they couldn’t be physical when it was required – especially Dustin Byfuglien who was a one man wrecking crew, showing no fear of tangling with the best Calgary had to offer. The wild card for the Blackhawks is their goaltender, Khabibulin, who hasn’t exactly been rock solid for the Blackhawks. During the regular season they compensated for his lackluster performance by piling on the goals and winning some high scoring affairs. While he certainly manned up for the last two games of the series against Calgary it’s questionable whether he’ll be able to continue that play. Against Vancouver it’s unlikely they’ll be able to count on loads of goal scoring to see them through. Veteran defensman Brian Campell is going to have to continue to play top-notch hockey, more than ever in this upcoming series. Chicago has to set the pace early, and if they can steal game one they just might be able to set the tone for the series. Call me an optimist, but I’m giving this one to the Blackhawks in 7.
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Apr 30th, 2009
Quest for the Cup!
Well it’s that time of year again, the Stanley Cup playoffs are set to begin tonight. Once again I’ll take a look at the playoff matchups and make my predictions. While it’s sad my Sabres decided to take a vacation the last quarter of the season and not make the playoffs, there are some really exciting matchups in the making here. So let’s begin with:
The Eastern Conference:
#1 Boston Bruins v. #8 Montreal Canadiens – While there is some hype built up over this contest between two Original Six foes, it’s not going to be that much of a contest. The Canadiens dropped up the second half of the season almost as dramatically as the Sabres, and while they managed to hold a playoff spot, they just barely did so. The team chemistry displayed earlier in the season has all but vanished. Their play style at times often looks like a bunch of little kids on the ice, all swarming around the puck with no concept of playing position. Montreal comes in to this game with the 31st ranked goaltender in the NHL. They won’t be able to rely on goaltending in clutch moments, and with the lack of a solid defensive core they must do all they can to stay out of the penalty box. Even at full strength they will have their hands full. They are facing the second highest goal scoring team in the NHL. With 7 players scoring more than 20 goals during the regular season the offensive output of the Bruins can come from any direction. They also have some talent in defense, with a strong grinding style of play anchored by the giant on skates Zdeno Chara. Then there is goaltending. Tim Thomas has the best GAA in the NHL and has been playing top notch hockey even after they locked up their playoff position. I’m not sure Montreal will even be able to pick up the fluke win. I’m calling this series a sweep. Bruins in 4.
#2 Washington Capitals v. #7 New York Rangers – I’m still awed the Capitals are in the position they are in. Yes, they have a talented offensive core, and face it I always managed to overlook it. With Backstrom and Semin joining Ovechkin in the top 20 goal scorers category there is a lot of firepower on Washington’s side of the ice. I do question their use of Donald Brashear, even in limited capacity, as it gives ample opportunity for the Rangers to find themselves on the powerplay. However it is l likely he will see be rotated out on the ice to deal with Sean Avery, the Rangers chief agitator, and someone whom the NHL needs to find the courage to show the door. Expect more than a few cheap shots and glove dropping incidents in this series. The Rangers lack the big go to scoring options that the Capitals have, but they have consistently spread the scoring around which makes them tough to defend against. Their defensive players are tough, and they limit the shots Lundqvist will have to face. The defense is going to have to hang tight in order to force low scoring close games. While there will be a little bit of drama and a whole lot of blood I don’t expect it to be the best of series. The Capitals will take this series in 5.
#3 New Jersey Devils v. #6 Carolina Hurricanes – These two teams seem to have some odd gravitational pull that causes them to keep running in to one another in the playoffs. While not all the series have kept fans on the edge of their seats I expect that this one will be a little bit more of a nail-bitter. Brodeur, the heart and soul of the Devils seems to be almost back to his pre-injury form. He had a few streaky moments after his return, but his likely to gain that post-season focus that he is famous for the second the puck hits the ice for Game 1. He’ll need to look sharp as Carolina has three solid scoring lines, any one of them likely to be the line each night. Led in goal scoring by Eric Staal, along with snipers Rutuu and Eric Cole, they are going to find the net more than once in this series. Even with stellar play Brodeur will unlikely be adding to his post-season shut out tallies. The Devils, however, are no slouches on the attack either. Unlike the Devils of a decade ago this team is about as far from the neutral zone trapping style of play that they made famous. The Devils of this season are a fast paced run and gun for the net kind of team and they have the skill players to make it work. Zach Parise will be leading the offensive charge while White and Salavador will be banging bodies around behind the blue line. This series could come down to the special teams play, and if that’s the case I’d have to say Brodeur gives Jersey the edge. The Devils win this series in 7.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins v. #5 Philadelphia Flyers – In what might be the most watched of the first round series the battle for Pennsylvania will be raging in full force. Better yet for those looking for some series entertainment these two teams are almost mirror images of one another on the stat sheets. Each team finished the season with 99 points with Pittsburgh getting the 4th seed thanks to having more wins. Of all the years I’ve been doing predictions this might be the hardest to call. For the Penguins offensive fire power in the form of Crosby and Malkin have proven difficult for many teams to match up against. These two seem to be everywhere in the offensive zone all at once and have a habit of turning a routine clearing attempt in to a highlight reel worthy goal. The Flyers, on the other hand, will be looking to scoring depth to light the lamps. They have some real offensive talent in Briere and Jeff Carter, but one can’t overlook players like Mike Richards, Simon Gagne, and Mike Knuble – all of whom have a wonderful knack for finding the back of the net. In defense the Penguins are happy to have Gonchar back as he is a real difference maker in clutch situations. He has been showing some signs of struggling since returning from injury so a lot will depend on whether or not he is back to come form when game one starts. The Flyers will be relying on Ryan Parent who sees over 24 minutes of ice time a game to hold down the fort defensively. He isn’t a flashy all-star caliber player, but he is a solid, and amazingly consistent defensive player who never quits fighting for the puck. During their meetings in the regular season he has done a surprising job of suppressing the Penguins top line, though in the end there’s only so much one player can manage. They don’t have any big bodies in the back (which has to be a first for the Flyers), so they will be looking for a quick transitional game instead of slogging it out along the boards. In net both teams have netminders who have proven themselves in playoff contests, and both Biron and Fleury are looking sharp coming in to post season play. In the end I have to go with the star factor that both Crosby and Malkin bring in to this contest. Pittsburgh wins this series in 7.
The Western Conference
#1 San Jose Sharks v. #8 Anaheim Ducks – Looks like there is a little hockey excitement brewing in California with both these warm weather teams taking the ice in the first round of the playoffs. San Jose comes in to this series with the NHL’s best record, which is no small feat. They were an offensive dynamo in the West and surprise a lot of people with their constant end to end style of play. With Patrick Marleau and Joe Throton leading a top-notch offensive attack the Ducks are going to be hard pressed to keep them from lighting the lamp. If Cheechoo can overcome the regular seasons slump he has been in the last couple of seasons then the Sharks will have a close to unstoppable forward lineup. The Sharks also have talented blue-liners with Dan Boyle and Rob Blake, both whom have ample playoff experience, and are extremely capable at shutting down teams top tier scorers. Add to that Nabakov who had an amazing regular season that was overshadowed by the Sharks scoring prowess and you have a team that is tough to beat on either end of the ice. The Ducks will look to run up the score with Getzlaf, Prerry, Bobby Ryan, and Selanne, all of whom racked up over 20 goals each during the regular season. Coming in to the playoffs they have won 7 of their last 10, and have been skating well. While their offense may have talent, their defense is the real strength to this Ducks team. Chris Pronger leads a talented cast of defenders that include Scott Niedermayer and Ryan Whitney. They have kept the Ducks in close contests all season and you can expect them to raise their game to the next level for the playoffs. What might be the Ducks undoing is the lack of consistency in net. The Ducks backup goalie, Jonas Hiller, played over 40 games this season with J.S. Giguere hard pressed to find his game. The once feared Giguere has been plagued with poor performance and early exits all season long. Still he is the likely starter for the series due to his depth of playoff experience. If he can find his way back to his normal level of play the Ducks might have a shot at a first round upset. Still, this game will go to the Sharks in 6.
#2 Detroit Red Wings v. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets – Ohio, welcome to playoff hockey. Columbus is making their first trip to the NHL’s post season play and they will have their work cut out for them when they face the Detroit Red Wings, one of the winningest teams in pro-sports history. Rick Nash is about to get his first taste of playoff experience and he is hoping he can help the Blue Jackets make it a long post-season run. He is a talented play maker who can be counted on to be a consistent threat in the offensive zone. Mike Commodore and Jan Hejda are going to be called on to elevate their level of game play when they face a team that has elite goal scorers at every position on the ice. Finally, Steve Mason who has carried the biggest burden in net is going to have to play flawless hockey if the Blue Jackets are to have a chance. Datsyuk, Hossa, Zetterberg Homstrom. This isn’t just a list of future hall of famers, this is what the Blue Jackets defense will have to stop. It’s a big job. A job very few teams have been able to manage, and a nearly impossible job during a best of 7 series. Short of a plague of epic proportions sweeping through the Red Wings locker room Detroit will dominant in the offensive end of the ice, controlling the puck, and setting up more scoring opportunities than some teams will see during their entire play off runs. And that’s just going to be game one. Even if the Jackets can gain control in the Red Wings zone they will find themselves staring down at Nick Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Nick Kronwall, all of whom not only possess amazing puck control, but aren’t afraid to play the body and throw big hits. They clear their crease with amazing proficiency and give up very few quality scoring opportunities. If there’s one downside for the Wings its that Chris Osgood had the worst season of his professional career. He’s been struggling to find consistent play and if the Blue Jackets can exploit that they might manage to not embarrass themselves in this series. I have a feeling Detroit fans can pull out the brooms and look for the series sweep. Red Wings in 4.
#3 Vancouver Cannucks v. #6 St. Louis Blues – Both these teams recovered from abysmal play during the middle of the season to put together some strong end of season numbers. Some people felt neither of these teams would be a very high seed in the playoffs expecting them to potentially be #7 and #8 if making the playoffs at all. Both surprised critics and gave fans something to cheer about by closing out the regular season on a high note. Now, both these high flying teams will collide head on to see which of them really had comeback kid written all over them. Daniel and Henrik Sedin are the star attractions of the Cannucks and combine often to light up the lamp. They received a point(one assisting, one scoring) 57 separate times this season. Wonder twin powers have activated and these two always know where each other is on the ice making them a formidable duo. On defense Salo is the closest thing they have to a big time name, but they play well together, and show up ready to play either a quick passed game, or a rough and tumble struggle every night. The versatility of the defense makes up for their lack of big time players. Luongo will anchor Vancouver in net and make them a very tough team to beat. St. Louis will be turning to David Perron and Patrik Berglund (neither of whom are yet 21) to solve the Vancouver’s defensive riddle. Add to the mix T.J. Oshie who has shown spectacular creative flair and the Cannucks will be faced with a tough challenge of their own. St. Louis, however, has rotated defensemen so many times this season they need to put a revolving door in the locker room. It’s surprising they were able to put together the record they did with the lack of consistency or depth in the defensive end of the ice. Fortunately for the Blues Chris Mason has brought his game to new heights since they All-Star break and managed to give their offense the opportunity to out score opponents. If Vancouver can get under his skin then the whole house of cards will come tumbling down. A couple early big goals and I think this series ends in 5 with Vancouver coming out on top.
#4 Chicago Blackhawks v. #5 Calgary Flames – this is the West’s answer to the big showtime #4 v. #5 matchup in the east. Chicago comes in to this game with one of the youngest teams in hockey. It is a team that, like the Chicago metropolitan area, has completely reinvented itself. Rather than fielding several players pushing their prime the Blackhawks have looked to youth, creativity, and speed to turn the ailing franchise around. Johnathan Toews and Patrick Kane will lead the youth movement in Chicagoland, both of them have a nasty habit of lighting up the lamp with unerving frequency. While they aren’t leading the league in goal scoring they are players who even at their young age have shown they are capable of being the go to guys. Back on the blue line the Blackhawks have a little more experience, but haven’t sacrificed any speed. Brian Campell and Duncan Keith both not only keep their crease clear of opportunistic offensive players, they both have a wicked shot from the blue line that has lit the lamp nearly as many times as the offense. On the power play these guys are dangerous, and even short handed they can’t be discounted. Chicago has a talent at special teams that can’t dismantle the hopes of their opponents. Khabibulin has been giving the thumbs up as the starting netminder coming in to the playoffs winning a season long struggle for the top spot with Cristobal Huet. Neither have been dominating this season, but Khabibulin’s playoff experience is what the Hawks will be banking on. On the other end of the ice the Flames might not be pioneering a youth movement, but they do have a talented force of their own. Recently acquired Olli Jokinen has found an immediate dynamic with Jarome Iginla that should make the Blackhawks worry. Both not only have dead on shooting ability, but they are no strangers to banging around with big defensive foes. They will cause no end of trouble for Campell. Dion Phaneuf is one of the best blue-liners in the game today. He’s gritty, he’s always where the action is, and his feet never quit moving. He tracks his target down through a crowd and keeps top scoring lines from many opportunities. Kiprusoff will be a tough nut to crack, and his netminding skill will test just how ready Chicago’s young defense is in the post-season. Even if they dominate him in one game Kipper leaves it all out on the ice and will come back unpahsed by the events of previous games. He is a solid goalie who will constantly keep the Flames hope alive. In the end I say this one goes to Chicago in 7.
This has to be a first for me as I didn’t pick one upset in the entire first round. I have a feeling the first round will go by the numbers, and while their will be numerous good games, and some come from behind victories, I just don’t see any team that is going to be upset worthy. If an upset does come in would be in either of the #4 v. #5 matchups as in both occasions the teams are pretty evenly matched and an ill-timed injury could change everything. If there’s an upset that I’d love to see it would be the Blue Jackets sinking the Wings, though this is the least likely upset in the first round.
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Apr 15th, 2009