It’s that special time of year again, after 82 grueling games and the final spots filled up the NHL playoffs are officially set to begin tomorrow evening! For me, the playoffs are not only the most exciting part of the hockey season but the best postseason of any sport. There’s just something about the hockey playoffs that bring out the best in the players. Harder hits, fancier plays, and a true grinding style to get a series win out of seven games. It just makes for exciting sports viewing. This year’s first round has thrown up a bunch of different match-ups that could shake the preconceived structure a little bit. I’m also glad to see a lot of rivalry series to be played out this year as well. I don’t what it is about hockey but it seems that the same teams play each other year in and year out and develop some series hatred…which of course just makes for better viewing. Here I’ll quickly recap my thoughts on each series with my prediction on who I think will come out on top in this round.
Eastern Conference
Capitals vs Rangers
This series involves a match up yet to be seen in recent playoff memory. The Capitals will be looking to avenge their postseason meltdown last year at the hands of a resilient Canadiens team. The Rangers do boast this year’s master of the shutout between the pipes but I don’t think it’s going to be enough to stop the firepower of the Eastern Conference champions.
Prediction: Capitals in 5
Flyers vs Sabres
Philadelphia is coming off their first divisional title since the 2003-04 season and a very unpredictable run to the Stanley Cup final last year only to lose out to the champion Blackhawks. Buffalo will just be glad to be returning to the postseason again and looking to make a similar run of their own from the bottom of the table. The Flyers have some serious firepower in their arsenal and they are out to prove that last year was not a fluke given their incredible run from start to finish in the season this year. Buffalo doesn’t stand a chance.
Prediction: Flyers in 4
Bruins vs Canadiens
Now this is what the playoffs are all about. An Original Six match-up that pits two heavy rivals against one another again. It seems like a postseason in hockey just can’t exist without these two teams meeting up at some point and they provide some solid play on the ice to enjoy. Boston is coming off one of their best seasons in recent memory and with Tim Thomas again proving to be one of the best goalies in the game it will be hard for Montreal to penetrate that goal. The Canadiens managed to grind out a run into the #6 seed in the latter half of the season and they always seem to turn it on when it really counts. After their resilience against the likes of Pittsburgh and Washington last year it’s going to be interesting to see how Montreal will approach this series. Look for it to be full of hits and shots but empty of goals. We could see a lot of overtime in this series.
Prediction: Bruins in 7
Penguins vs Lightning
Tampa Bay has come out hard this year and Yzerman has propped them back into Stanley Cup contention after easily missing out on the postseason last year. Martin St. Louis and Steve Stamkos should provide the firepower to keep Fleury on his toes in the Pittsburgh net. The Penguins themselves always seem to be in the mix for a run at the Cup given their stacked line up. You can never really tell how Crosby and Malkin are going to click in any given game but they will always provide the opposing defence with a distraction that should free up the other forwards. We should be able to see a lot of goals in this series but I think Tampa’s goaltending will ultimately let the team down.
Prediction: Penguins in 6
Western Conference
Canucks vs Blackhawks
This series has all of the makings to be a classic. You have the current holders of the President’s Trophy who lost less than 20 games all year against the defending Stanley Cup champions who barely squeaked into the playoffs thanks to a lackluster Dallas team. Vancouver boasts the best goaltender, the best scoring line, and the best two-way line-ups in the game. The Canucks have come out to play this year and they are not going to go home easily. The Blackhawks have done exactly what everyone predicted after winning it all last season. They dumped a lot of contracts and moved the players that put the banner up for them in the first place. After narrowly making it into the playoff picture the likes of Toews and Kane should make it interesting for Vancouver. Ultimately, the Canucks are looking for revenge from last season and to finally make a run in the playoffs after coming so close in recent memory.
Prediction: Canucks in 5
Sharks vs Kings
What is with these California teams? The winter sport is thriving on the sunshine coast and three teams in the postseason prove that hockey is out to break the paradigms. This local match up should provide a good series but might be the least interesting of them all. Both of these teams bounced up and down the standings all season and San Jose only gained firm control of their division after the All Star Break. Los Angeles looked to potentially finish high up in the standings to put them in a good position entering the first round but instead have to face their division rivals. The Kings have a good team and might provide some spark but I think the Sharks will just prove too much for them.
Prediction: Sharks in 5
Red Wings vs Coyotes
This is another repeat match-up of a series from last season. Phoenix has proven that last year’s playoff presence was not a fluke as they dually earned their place in this year’s postseason. Detroit is coming off another division title after Chicago’s lackluster season and is making their 20th consecutive postseason appearance. Key injuries for Detroit will provide Phoenix with the belief that they can make up for the Game 7 defeat that threw them out of the playoffs last year. Ilya Bryzgalov should prove to be solid in the net but Detroit’s sharpshooters always seem to step it up once the playoffs begin. With grinders against finesse this series should go the distance again with Detroit coming out on top.
Prediction: Red Wings in 7
Ducks vs Predators
These two teams provide another series in the Western Conference that did not look to be. The Ducks were sitting below playoff contention for much of the season before Corey Perry decided to single handedly put them into the playoffs. Nashville flirted with a run at their division but will settle for a middle of the table match-up. Look for Getzlaf and Perry to really turn it on for the Ducks and Nashville to crumble at the might of the Richard Trophy winner.
Prediction: Ducks in 5
Well, that’s my input…we’ll see how I do! Keep your eyes peeled for predictions once the next round gets underway.
