Brain Enema of a Savage Mind

Lord Stanley’s Cup

All right, it’s finally here.  The best team in the East taking on the best team in the West in what should be a wild shoot ‘em up.

Pittsburgh Penguins v. Detroit Red Wings

Detroit comes in to this game eager to return to the glory days where they dominated the NHL.  They finished with a spectacular regular season record, and have been matching that record with an equally impressive post-season tally.  They have a very experienced and determined crew.  It’s almost a whos who of hockey glory these days.  I had wondered if age would be catching up with them, however after how they man-handled Dallas I’m not sure age is an issue with this team.  Chris Osgood continues to be a dominate netminder – not that he’s been called on very often to win the game for them with a powerful defensive core in front of him keeping the traffic in front to a minimum.  Chris Chelios has continued to do what he does best by pounding the offensive talent of opposing teams.  Add to this mix Zetterberg who has been a scoring machine (tied for playoff point lead with Sidney Crosby) and you have one hell of a tough team.

On the opposite side of the ice is an equally impressive cast of characters.  A lot is said in the media about Sidney Crosby, and certainly he’s been putting up the numbers.  He’s a valuable asset to this team, but his media pressence overshadows other members of this team.  At the trade deadline Pittsburgh brought in a couple of experienced players in Hal Gill and Marian Hossa to provide some stability to the brashness of youth that fills the Pens locker room.  Hossa is one of the most underrated defensive players in the game.  He closes up the passing lines and forces low percentage points from the outside with he is amazing postional play.  He’s a living text book of to transition from the offensive forecheck to defensive prowess.  Then there’s Evgeni Malkin, in my opinion Pittsburgh’s most promising player for the future.  He’s quick, he sees all the ice, and when that puck is on the end of his stick he’s like a magician, weaving through defenders.  Cap all this off with Marc Andre-Fluery who has developed in to a future Hall of Fame goaltender.  The Penguins patience with him paid off, and he has been rewarding that patience with absolute brilliant play in net.  They’ll need him to be at the top of his game.

This is going to be a high scoring series with a lot of end to end action.  This is a tough one to call.  In the end I’m going to go with not only my gut feeling, but my desire to see the Eastern Conference come out on top.  Penguins skate away with the cup in game six in Pittsburgh.

Sad Clowns in Dallas

The Dallas Stars are playing like a team lucky to even be in the post season. Detroit is dominating them in every sense of the word, both mentally and physically. Not that I didn’t see this coming, but it really is embarrassing to watch the Stars completely collapse. I guess I should have predicted a sweep on this one, but I really thought Dallas could pull one win off – that some of the contests would be a little more, well, contested than they’ve been. Hey, the Stars still have a chance – not to win the series, but they might eek out that one win before the Red Wings finish them off.

Semi Finals.

All right, so I’m a little late on posting this as the first game has already happened.  What can I say, I was discouraged by my abysmal picking from the previous round (only 1 of 4), but I still say in two of the games the Rangers were robbed by obscenely bad calls that directly impacted last minute goal scores that would have pushed said games in to over time.  But you can’t dwell on the past, and things are what they are, so lets move on to the semi-finals.

Eastern Championship

Pittsburgh Penguins v. Philadelphia Flyers

The battle for Pennsylvania is alive and well.  This is one of those rare epic moments in a rivalry.  Since neither team can compete directly against one another in the Stanley Cup game this year, this is as close as it comes.  Pittsburgh keeps astounding me, defying odds, and playing like a team with a lot more experience than they have.  Outstanding goaltending and entire lines of players who are getting it done on the score sheet.  Whatever I thought of them early in the season, they really are the real deal.  Philadelphia spent the off season putting together a real team – not just picking up great players, but picking up great players who fit in the system they were looking to establish and it has paid off.  Biron was a wild-card.  His past performances have been streaky, but in Philly he seems to have found the chemisty Buffalo fans long had hoped he would achieve.  He still strays a little far from home, but he has a cast of defensive characters who are more than capable of picking up the slack.  Philly is a physical team that uses big bodies to generate traffic for their prolific snipers.  Daniel Briere leads Philly with 8 playoff goals and is showing no sign of slowing down.  This could be the best seven game, end to end, series to be seen in the playoffs in the last decade.  It’s too bad I’m not a fan of either team (I downright despise Philly, and Pittsburgh drives me crazy mostly because I am sick of hearing about Sidney Crosby like he’s the second coming of Christ), but this is shaping up to be some amazing hockey.  I’m going to have to go with my gut on this one and pick Pittsburgh in 7.

Western Conference Championship

Detroit Red Wings v. Dallas Stars

Yes, they’re already a game in to the series, but even if they weren’t it wouldn’t change the fact Detroit is not going to fall apart like they have in so many playoffs in the past.  This is a team on a mission.  The best team in the regular season, and they are looking to be the best team in hockey when all is said and done.  With Osgood playing the way his in net they might very well do just that.  Most of Dallas’s success against San Jose came from Marty Turco holding his own while the Sharks did everything they could to screw themselves.  Bad turn overs, stupid penalties, and missed opportunities galore. It was a case of not so much Dallas winning as it was San Jose losing.  The Stars aging players are starting to show signs of fatigue.  A lot of the chemisry they rode in to the playoffs has all but evaporated.  They are a team on the ropes and baring a stunning game two performace I’m saying Detroit takes this series in five.

There you have it.  A Detroit Red Wings v. Pittsburgh Penguins cup game.  Not since it was a Detroit v. New Jersey have I cared less.  Actually, any combination of the remaing 4 teams is less than interesting too me, but I’ll watch anyway, because even if I don’t care who wins it should still be a fun ride.

Then there were eight.

Well I fell a bit short of the mark last year – I got 6 out of 8 which isn’t terrible, but it still leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.  One wrong in each conference, I demand a recount!  Well, okay, not really, but let’s see how I can do with the second round of playoff action.

Eastern Conference

#1 Montreal Canadians v. #6 Philadelphia Flyers

I didn’t give Biron enough credit.  After years of watching him play for Buffalo I remember his tendancy to blow the big moments and become unraveled.  For the most part he held together in the series against Washington, and the boys up front got the job done.  Now the Flyers have to face Montreal who came through their series by the skin of their teeth – much like Philly they almost blew what seemed like an unstoppable push through the first round.  Montreal’s rookie goaltender (Carey Price) did everything but score a goal of his own in their game 7 thrashing of the Bruins.  Offensively they’ve got the momentum on their side, but sadly they’ve shown how quick they are to give up that momentum.  In order to get past Philly Montreal will have to get under Biron’s skin – look for an agressive attack right out the gate.  However, assuming Biron continues playing to the level he played in the first round, Philly’s size, experience, and big guns are going to prove too tough for Montreal to handle in the long run.  Daniel Briere has been a goal scoring machine.  He leads the playoffs in both goals and overall points.  He’s going to be too much for Montreal’s rookie netminder to handle.  Philly takes in six.

#2 Pittsburgh Penguins v. #5 New York Rangers

While half of them can’t slide up to the bar for happy hour, the Pittsbrugh Penguins sure can put the puck in their opponents net.  They’re young goaltender is finally coming in to his own as well.  This was a team that did nothing but break a lot of hearts last year, but this year it seems to have come together for them and they’re carrying that fast paced style of play right through the playoffs.  They’re seeking to prove that in the NHL experience isn’t everything.  They’re about to put that to the test because the Rangers have some of the most experienced long lasting players in the game today.  Some of these guys put the energizer bunny to shame.  For years the Penguins relied on Jagr’s quick hands and aggressive skating to light up the scoreboard, but now they are going to see how the other teams felt with Jagr on the other side of the ice.  Add to that Scott Gomez, and hard hitter Sean Avery and you’re starting to look at a lot to contend with.  The only potentail soft spot for the Rangers is their goalie, Lundqvist, who hast yet to have a break out playoff performance.  He had a good first round and is going to seek to build upon that.  To win the Rangers are going to have to turn their physical game up a notch and win every battle in the corner.  It’s going to be a tight one, but I stick with the adage that come playoff time experience trumps youth.  Rangers in 7.

God, am I really calling a Rangers v. Flyers Conference finals?  Wouldn’t that just suck, but that’s what it looks like to me.

Western Conference

#1 Detroit Red Wings v. #6 Colorado Avalanche

This is the kind of game that makes fans of the Western conference all giddy on the inside.  Two traditional power houses coming together.  Normally this is the type of action reserved for the Conference final, but the Avs had a few hiccups along the way and didn’t finish as strong as one might expect.  Still, this series is the kind that could generate a lot of highlight reels.  Big names, heavy hitters, and a strong supporting cast.  The Red Wings got a special apperance from Chris Osgood who stepped in to relieve the floundering (and lets face it, long since over the hill) Dominik Hasek.  Osgood made a great claim on the number one netminder spot by playing some brilliant hockey against a determined Predators squad.  Datsyunk, Zetterberg, and Holstrom were insturmental for the Wings, dominating the transitional play and finding the back of the net.  On the other end of the ice both Forsberg and Foote proved that they haven’t lost their game quite yet.  Both of them put on performances harkening back to previous Avs Stanley Cup victories in the past.  Throw in Joe Sakic’s scoring magic and you have what looks like a great lineup on paper.  In round one they proved that paper translated to perfection on the ice.  Now they have to prove that they have their age won’t compromise their endurance as they are poised to face the best team in the league.  Will Detroit fall apart as they have in so many past playoffs, or will they roll four exceedingly talented lines right overtop of the Avs veteran squad?  I’m going to say that the stars for Colorado have enough left in them for one more good cup run and that they’ll dispatch Detroit in 6.

#2 San Jose Sharks v. #5 Dallas Stars

Dallas threw me for a loop.  They had the Ducks number and held their high flying scorers in check while solving the Giguere riddle.  Dallas took advantage of several powerplay opportunities and played a controled game that kept their own players out of the box.  They are going to be looking for that same kind of advantage when they face a San Jose team who nearly fell apart in their series against the Calgary Flames.  Joe Thorton is going to have to play the defensive series of his career to keep the San Jose big bodies out of the crease.  They’re going to need Zubov to stay consistant on offense (especially the power play) if they want to pull off another upset.  On the other side of the ice San Jose is going to look to continue is bone crushing, hard hitting style of play.  They’re gone to have to pound the Stars defensive with wave after wave of physical, rough and tumble play and create a lot of traffic in front of the net so talent like Marleau, and Cheechoo can put the puck away.  Both these players thrive in close quarters and aren’t afraid to take a run at the net.  If San Jose can get their act together and keep the penalty minutes down they should be more than enough for the Stars to handle.  San Jose wins the series in 6.

It’s that time again!

Well the NHL playoffs start tomorrow and even though the Sabres decided to really suck it up the past couple of months it won’t keep me from watching some playoff action.  I figured as such it was time to once again post my predictions.

Eastern Conference

#1 Montreal Canadians v. #8 Boston Bruins – The only team hotter coming down the home stretch than the Candians was the Washington Capitals.  The Bruins almost fell apart completely and dropped out of the 8th spot (less than a month ago they were the sixth seed).  Montreal is a fast team that capitalizes on every mistake made by the other team.  They are dangerous in the neutral zone and generate a bevy of odd-man rushes.  If Boston hopes to survive the onslaught they’ll have to tighten up their lax defense.  They’ll also need someone to step up and be a big offensive weapon for them.  It’s cliche but the first game will dictate the tempo of this series.  Look for Boston to come out giving it all they got, playing up the scrappy underdog role, but I feel they will fall sadly short.  I say Montreal takes this one in 5 games.

#2 Pittsburgh Penguins v. #7 Ottawa Senators – Even if this is a two seed facing a seventh seed this is going to be the Eastern Conference series to watch.  The Senators have been struggling as of late, but if they can shake off the regular season blues, and get their head in the game they have all the talent they need to take on team Crosby.  Even with Daniel Alferdson, the Senators big gun, likely out for the series, upcoming talent such as Jason Spezza have the capacity to step up and fill the scoring gap.  Ottawa is a dangerous team that combines a quick transition game with big hitting defensemen who could slow down the Penguins young talent.  Certainly, despite my feelings towards him, Crosby is a big time play maker and its impossible to discount him.  Their goaltender, Fluery, has been brillant as of late, playing well beyond his early season showings.  The Penguins are a team on a mission, and through sheer force of will I think they will win this series in 7.

#3 Washington Capitals v. #6 Philadelphia Flyers.  The Capitals went from being considered out of contention at one point to charging their way up the ladder, taking the Southeast Division by storm.  In a late season rally, winning 9 of their last 10 games, the Capitals made a lot of sports writers and critics eat their words.  Alexander Ovechkin, Washington’s amazing young star, only got better in every single game he played and now, with everything riding on the line, it’s time to find out if he has the mental edge.  There is going to be a lot of young talent on the ice for both teams – plenty of inexperience to go around.  This means there’s going to be a lot of offense, a lot of chances taken, and a lot of scoring both ways.  This series will come down to which goalie can rise to the top.  People should know how I feel about Biron, and I’m going to let that color my feelings here and say that the Caps take this series in 6.

#4 New Jersey Devils v. #5 New York Rangers – I dub this series the battle of who gives a flying f*ck.  Both of these teams have been streaky all season long, and despite having some considerable talent, neither has managed to get that talent to gel in to a cohesive unit that’s ready to go out and play night after night.  I think this series is going to be an odd one with one team dominating one game, and then the next night the other team hitting back.  In the end I have to give the edge to the New York Rangers, in large part due to former New Jersey Devil Scott Gomez.  Add to the Chris Drury, and a Jaromir Jagr who is starting to play back at his former levels of scoring prowess and you have a team that is poised to go deep in the playoffs.  The Rangers will own this series in 6.

Western Conference

#1 Detroit Redwings v. #8 Nashville Predators – Detroit finished the season with the best record in hockey.  Nashville almost folded during the off season and relocated the greener pastures.  It’s almost too easy to say nothing about this one, point at Nashville, laugh, and then move on, except for the fact that since the mid-90′s Detroit has been an amazing regular season team that fails spectacularly come the post-season.  Nashville has a crop of young talent who have taken turns leading their team to wins.  Each night leaves their opponents unsure just who to watch as they have so many players capable of stepping up and dictating the flow of the game.  Still, the Redwings have depth, depth, and more depth.  There isn’t a soft line on their team.  Even their checking line has soft hands to deflect blue line shots in to the net.  The Predators will need to come out of the gates on all cylinders.  If they slip early the Redwings will devour them.  I think the Predators will make this series look closer than it probably should be – yeah, I’m going with the safe bet and saying Detroit in 5 (though 4 of these 5 games are going to go to OT).

#2 San Jose Sharks v. #7 Calgary Flames – Hitting.  Hitting.  Hitting, and oh, some more hitting.  That’s what this series will be about.  Both teams play a very physical game that relys heavily on big hits to force turn overs and disrupt the offensive flow of their opponents.  This should be a fun one to watch for all you boxing fans out there.  This series will come down to one thing, and that’s which team has the better power play unit.  Even strength is going to be a low scoring affair, so both teams will have to capitlize on power play opportunities (because there’s going to be a lot of penalties in this series).  I’m going to be a Sabres fanboy here – Brian Campell (now playing for San Jose)has a great power shot from the blue line, and on the power play he is going to open a lot of opportunities up for them.  The Sharks will win this one in 6.

#3 Minnesota Wild v. #6 Colorado Avalanche – The Wild.. number 3.. really?  Seriously?  This isn’t some bizzare joke is it?  The Avalance might have finished six, but the depth of their playoff experience carries a lot of weight now that the regular season has ended.  They’re going to break out the brooms in Denver as they sweep the Wild – Colorado excites the home crowd and seals the deal in 4.

#4 Anaheim Ducks v. #5 Dallas Stars – The Ducks come in to this series riding a tidal wave of winning.  Dallas comes in to this series, limping, broken, and struggling to find the back of their opponents net.  While the Stars have a talented roster, the Ducks picked up some superior talent of their own.  Scott Niedermayer and Teeemu Selanne add creativity and offensive sniping capability to an already dynamic offensive line.  Marty Turco is going to be hard pressed to hold off the shooting gallery that the Ducks will let lose upon them.  With JS Giguire playing at levels he hasn’t seen in the past couple of seasons Dallas will be hard pressed to match the offensive output of their opponents.  The Ducks are going to walk away with this one in 5.

So there you have it, we’ll see if I need to take my crystal ball back to the shop for repairs at the end of this season or not.