So, what are your predictions? Can anyone beat the Bruins in a 7 game series? Does anyone have a goalie hot enough to stop their offense night after night and have an offense that can put a sufficient number of pucks past Tuuka Rask to win consitently? Although I'm a long time fan of the Rangers, I predict a Bruins-Blackhawks final, with the Bruins winning it all.
NHL Playoffs
- Thread starter dklaiman
- Start date
The wings will take out the bruins in 6. The east is awful and I think that helped Boston with getting so many points. They are middle of the pack in the west.
I'm gonna say Montreal comes out of the east. And the west....Anaheim but I'm rooting for Chicago. Crazy to think out of San Jose, LA, Chicago and St.Louis 2 of them will be gone after round one. The only way an team from the east wins the cup is if the western teams beat the snot out of one another, which could very well happen. Also Lundquist is playing well and could take the NYR on a run.
I'm gonna say Montreal comes out of the east. And the west....Anaheim but I'm rooting for Chicago. Crazy to think out of San Jose, LA, Chicago and St.Louis 2 of them will be gone after round one. The only way an team from the east wins the cup is if the western teams beat the snot out of one another, which could very well happen. Also Lundquist is playing well and could take the NYR on a run.
I have a feeling it will be Boston in the east. To me they are the only team playing at a caliber high enough to survive, and they typically blossom in the playoffs. Detroit coming into the playoffs sure looked strong, especially with the return or Dateyuk and Zettrrberg.
The west is a whole other ball game. To me, realistically, the Blues, Ducks, Hawks, Kings and Sharks could all be potential contenders. That being said, the blues have been on a death spiral the past few games with injured players. Hawks are getting back Toews and Kane, two proven playoff performers.
Regardless the west will be a total slugging match, and in all honesty could give us equal or better hockey than the cup final.
I'm personally pulling for the Hawks, (Jets fan normally) but I wouldn't mind seeing the Blues or Sharks or Kings taking it. Detroit or Pens in the east.
However I am not naive enough to forget that ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN! BECAUSE ITS THE CUP!
The west is a whole other ball game. To me, realistically, the Blues, Ducks, Hawks, Kings and Sharks could all be potential contenders. That being said, the blues have been on a death spiral the past few games with injured players. Hawks are getting back Toews and Kane, two proven playoff performers.
Regardless the west will be a total slugging match, and in all honesty could give us equal or better hockey than the cup final.
I'm personally pulling for the Hawks, (Jets fan normally) but I wouldn't mind seeing the Blues or Sharks or Kings taking it. Detroit or Pens in the east.
However I am not naive enough to forget that ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN! BECAUSE ITS THE CUP!
Devils fan since 1984, so I'm cheering for anybody who's playing the Rags, lol.
Blackhawks, take another Stanley cup.
(A word of warning: I am a Bruins fan)
Boston was number 3 in goals scored (only 5 less than Anaheim) and number 2 in goals allowed (5 more than LA). However, our strength has been the "roll 4 lines" approach without super-elite talent on offense and so I get nervous whenever we play a team with superior offensive players (like Pittsburgh). To that end, having home ice is going to be a big thing for us, with last change and the face-off advantage.
I think Detroit, if Howard gets hot, is going to be one of our toughest match-ups in all the EC. They are fast and don't like to muck it up. Then I'm nervous about Pittsburgh because of Crosby and Malkin. While last year's series ended in a sweep, if it wasn't for Rask standing on his head in game 1, they could have scored at least 5 goals, and game two where the Pens just imploded, and the final two were one-goal games.
The Bruins remind me of Team Canada in this year's Olympics (no coincidence with Julien and Chiarelli); they are content to win one-goal games rather than truly blowing the doors off of some teams. So that is going to lead to games where the margin is razor-thin. And one thing that is ultra-maddening with them and I really hope it doesn't rear its head is they seem to mentally be out of it at the beginnings and ends of periods. They have probably allowed a higher percentage of goals in either the first or last two minutes of every period than they do overall.
I do think that the west overall is a better conference, but (if we're lucky to get there) we would only have to play one of those teams, and at home.
Boston was number 3 in goals scored (only 5 less than Anaheim) and number 2 in goals allowed (5 more than LA). However, our strength has been the "roll 4 lines" approach without super-elite talent on offense and so I get nervous whenever we play a team with superior offensive players (like Pittsburgh). To that end, having home ice is going to be a big thing for us, with last change and the face-off advantage.
I think Detroit, if Howard gets hot, is going to be one of our toughest match-ups in all the EC. They are fast and don't like to muck it up. Then I'm nervous about Pittsburgh because of Crosby and Malkin. While last year's series ended in a sweep, if it wasn't for Rask standing on his head in game 1, they could have scored at least 5 goals, and game two where the Pens just imploded, and the final two were one-goal games.
The Bruins remind me of Team Canada in this year's Olympics (no coincidence with Julien and Chiarelli); they are content to win one-goal games rather than truly blowing the doors off of some teams. So that is going to lead to games where the margin is razor-thin. And one thing that is ultra-maddening with them and I really hope it doesn't rear its head is they seem to mentally be out of it at the beginnings and ends of periods. They have probably allowed a higher percentage of goals in either the first or last two minutes of every period than they do overall.
I do think that the west overall is a better conference, but (if we're lucky to get there) we would only have to play one of those teams, and at home.
Toronto in the east and Van in the west --- WHAT?!?! Really? Hmm, my crystal ball is not only cracked but my news paper has been stolen too.
garyg
B&B membership has its percs
Da Wings as mentioned did a great job just getting into the playoffs for the 23rd year in a row with all the injuries. But, Zetterberg has just started to work out after back surgery in February, likely won't play until Round 2. The Bruins did pretty good in the East .. but lost the season series rather lopsidedly to the Winged Wheelers 3-1. So if there's a first round upset in the works that could be it. If not, then Boston takes the East, Avs are playing the best right now in the West
Blue Jackets fan from when they entered the league...I'm excited for playoff appearance #2, lol. I'm banking on MA Fleury choking again in the playoffs!
I have a hard time seeing anyone beating the Bruins in a 7 game series in the east. There are definitely some good teams out west. I was thinking/hoping for St Louis, but they definitely faded down the stretch.
I have a hard time seeing anyone beating the Bruins in a 7 game series in the east. There are definitely some good teams out west. I was thinking/hoping for St Louis, but they definitely faded down the stretch.
Season series can be tossed in the trash. I remember not too long ago Montreal dominated Boston in the season series, not sure if they won every game or lost maybe 1, but got hammered by the Bruins in the first round.
garyg
B&B membership has its percs
Yep, as someone already posted, it is the Stanley Cup and Who Knows?
Very true, a 7 game series is such a different beast than a regular season where you don't get to really know each other and hate each other as well in many case.
couple classic games tonight...avs with the huge late comeback as they've done how many times this year...blues in 3ot...
I love the playoffs...
I love the playoffs...
garyg
B&B membership has its percs
Ad Wings, great hockey game, wowzers! Bruins seem slower than Yogi, Raask being the bright spot there. I was five years old, not yet shaving, when these two orginal six teams met
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A great game from the Wings! No one can do what Dats did.
- Thread starter
- #16
I'm still thinking the Bruins take the series. Maybe not as easily as it looks like Montreal will, but in 5 or 6.
It's a long shot, but I'm hoping for Philly over St. Louis.
- Thread starter
- #18
I don't think Philadelphia will win its current series.
Well, because of the "bracket" system this year, the Broons are destined to play the winner of Montreal--Tampa next.
Now, "on paper", Boston is a better team than either. Even "on ice", Boston matches up well against most teams in the east, including Tampa Bay. But somehow Montreal always seems to "have their number" and play well enough to win or "make it close". I'd suggest that their hardest series in 2011 playoffs was against Montreal ... and if Pacioretti hadn't been out (no comment) that might have been the difference.
As a Habs fan myself, I think Montreal would have a better chance against Boston than against a Detroit team playing well enough to knock off Boston ... but I think the Habs would emerge far more battered if they won against Boston than if they won against Detroit, so winning a third round might prove more difficult. And of course, they still have to finish off Tampa Bay ... certainly not a foregone conclusion at all.
- Thread starter
- #20
I don't think anything in the first round can beat St. Louis-Chicago. Based on how they finished the season, I thought the Blues would just roll over (or be steamrolled). It will be interesting to see how much animosity carries over to the next game due to the Seabrook hit on Backes.
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