Stanley Cup Playoffs 2011

[Reenk Roink]

It's finally the time of year when your Center Ice subscription finally becomes worth it because otherwise you're too ******* busy to use it .

First round predictions:

VAN vs CHI, VAN in 6: should be a good series but the Hawks have underachieved badly this year and the Canucks should be able to get revenge, though they will not beat them as easily as they should.

SJS vs LAK, SJS in 6: this one I probably won't pay too much attention to, though the matchup is pretty good.

DET vs PHX, DET in 6: Detroit is much worse than their record suggests, basically all their wins in the 2nd half of the season came against non playoff teams, but the Coyotes never impressed me and the Wings always have their number. I should be able to see my team win at least one series.

ANA vs NSH, ANA in 6: Ducks looking scary with Perry playing out of his mind for the last couple of months. Nashville can't score, and Ducks D + G are pretty close to the Preds'. Rinne steals a couple of games.

WSH vs NYR, WSH in 5: Caps new more defensive style makes them a worse team I think, that last year was just a choke job and a hot goalie combined. But they should still easily beat the Rangers.

PHI vs BUF, PHI in 4 (add one game for each game Pronger misses): I can't believe the Flyers choked away their top spot in the east , they have Buffalo completely outclassed though, except for in net and Miller has fallen back to earth. But they need Pronger like humans need oxygen.

BOS vs MTL, BOS in 4: Another lopsided series in the East, Boston should absolutely have no trouble with Montreal. I'd say Price would steal a game against basically any other team but Thomas will negate that steal here.

TBL vs PIT, TBL in 5 (6 if Crosby plays significantly): Gonna be one of the ones I watch most closely. PIT has incredible team defense and Fleury is playing at his potential, but losing Crosby and Malkin seals their fate. Even if Crosby will be back, he probably won't be anywhere near at the level he was earlier this season. PIT can't win with shootouts anymore, and TBL with St. Louis and a rejuvenated Lecavalier are dangerous, even if Stamkos is cold. Gagne has finally woken up a bit.

[drone]

I think the Caps are better suited for the playoffs this year than last. The high-flying style was destined to fail in a 7 game series, if not against Montreal then against a better team. Arnott was a huge addition to the locker room, if he can keep Semin (traditionally clueless in the playoffs) focused they will be very dangerous. They will still blow it at some point, this is the Caps after all.

Montreal will give Boston a series. That one is going to get chippy.

[Who am i?]

Hello

New York Rangers.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Flyers have seriously pissed me off basically these last two months, but hopefully an easy-ish series against Buffalo will allow us to get back on our feet. drone, no offense (and I don't suspect you'll take any), but I can't take the Caps seriously in the playoffs until they prove they can consistently deliver. Honestly the team I'm worried about most in the East is Tampa because of that trap defense of theirs which has always given us headaches. However, they've fallen off as much as we have in the last part of the season, and I still can't stomach saying that I want Concussed-He-Shall-Who-Not-Be-Named's Team to do any sort of advancing. Thus, I'm rooting for the Lightning to win.

Biased fan's opinion, but I think the Flyers will make the Cup Finals unless this is the year the Caps stop underachieving. Whether they will take home the Cup will depend on who we're facing, injuries, etc.

[Reenk Roink]

Watched the Wings-Yotes game live, result as expected, Detroit matches up really well against Phoenix, Franzen has turned on playoff switch again.

Then I had the Pens-Bolts game recorded, was a pretty fun game to see, aside from the result, game was close, I'd say the Bolts played better, but MAF played really well. Just scary how good the Penguins would be with Crosby and Malkin.

Saw a bit of the Caps-Rangers game, and drone you might be right, the Caps pulled this one out in good fashion, and it might look like Semin is up.

Ahhh, playoff hockey is such a timesink but it's worth it.

[drone]

drone, no offense (and I don't suspect you'll take any), but I can't take the Caps seriously in the playoffs until they prove they can consistently deliver.

Well, I did say:

They will still blow it at some point, this is the Caps after all.

Their history of playoff collapses is long. Usually involving the Pens, but probably not this year.

[Romanic]

Boston in 4, Hah! I wonder who else voted that the Canadiens will win the Cup.

Voted Habs to win, I'm clearly biased.

[GeneralHankerchief]

PHI vs BUF, PHI in 4 (add one game for each game Pronger misses)

Well, that's one. Luckily, I didn't watch the game as the Phillies were in town and I could get a ticket for $5. Can't say I'm too surprised though.

[Reenk Roink]

Boston in 4, Hah! I wonder who else voted that the Canadiens will win the Cup.

Voted Habs to win, I'm clearly biased.

Well don't take my predictions with anything more than a grain of salt, especially the Eastern Conference, I haven't watched and followed hockey as much as usual this season.

By the way, it was Subotan who voted for the Habs; that guy probably never watched a hockey game in his life...

Great game between Tampa and Pittsburgh tonight, my favorite series by far so far.

[drone]

Quality win by the Caps last night, down 0-3 in the third fighting back to win in 2OT. MSG is pretty quiet!

[Beirut]

Groan...

[Motep]

I have to vote for my team. Game is up!

(only two wins a row needed to move)

[Reenk Roink]

How weird have these playoffs been so far? Amazing to see TB style on Pittsburgh though. Yeah you can play hard and have a good coaching system all you want but TALENT matters a lot.

[Reenk Roink]

Sorry GH, but like I expected, the absence of Pronger is always going to be a big deal, but especially when a team doesn't have great goaltending... Let's see if he can work magic even when hurt though.

That being said, I thought Boucher was actually pretty good this series, and one bad start shouldn't get him yanked. Miller is playing the best of any goalie in the playoffs it seems though, and the Flyers really should have taken one of the 1-0 games.

[GeneralHankerchief]

It ain't over yet. Game 6 has been the bane of Philadelphia sports teams for years now, but if we survive this I like our chances at home for Game 7.

[Reenk Roink]

Leighton really let the Sabres down. He's gotta pace himself so he stays in longer and lets in more goals.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Can't decide who I want to win 'Hawks-Canucks Game 7. On one hand, Vancouver is a clear threat to win it all and having them out of the way would help every other team out there. On the other, I still just can't forgive Chicago for beating us for the Cup last year and don't want to see them do well, especially not in such a momentum-creating way that could enable them to go on a run. Ah, decisions...

[drone]

Rest, glorious rest for the Caps.


Speaking of rest, I don't think the Pens were awake yet. How can you start a hockey game at noon?

[Motep]

Can't decide who I want to win 'Hawks-Canucks Game 7. On one hand, Vancouver is a clear threat to win it all and having them out of the way would help every other team out there. On the other, I still just can't forgive Chicago for beating us for the Cup last year and don't want to see them do well, especially not in such a momentum-creating way that could enable them to go on a run. Ah, decisions...

I've better reasons for my team to win. Two years in a row would be nice. Now...to win and keep on winning...

And at any rate, if they lose Tuesday, they still put up an admirable fight.

[Romanic]

I've better reasons for my team to win. Two years in a row would be nice. Now...to win and keep on winning...

And at any rate, if they lose Tuesday, they still put up an admirable fight.

Habs won't be losing Tuesday.

[Beirut]

Yay!!!

[GeneralHankerchief]

Phew.

Also, good thing B's-Habs are going 7, Pronger could use the extra couple of days.

-edit- And go Habs! (need them to take out the Caps again like they did last year...)

[Reenk Roink]

I love hockey so much.

I hope to see another relatively boring Philly-Buffaloesque game with Tampa and Pittsburgh (with Tampa being like Philly of course). I doubt that Montreal-Boston can top what I've just seen right now, but hopefully they can be close to it.

[Motep]

: (

[Beirut]

Phew.

Also, good thing B's-Habs are going 7, Pronger could use the extra couple of days.

-edit- And go Habs! (need them to take out the Caps again like they did last year...)

Should be a scorcher tonight. I can't imagine anyone in Quebec won't be watching.

For the most part, I can't stand hockey. But it has been a good series with Boston. I don't mind if we lose after that, but I want to beat Boston just as revenge for Chara nearly killing our guy with that dirty check.

[Beirut]

Montreal & Boston: Overtime!

The whole province is wide awake and on the edge of its collective seat.

T e n s i o n !

[Beirut]

Wail!!!

[Romanic]

*sob* *sob*

[Reenk Roink]

All right on to the semis

My predictions which hopefully will be better since I actually watched all of these teams play.

VAN vs. NSH: VAN in 5. Vancouver should be breathing huge sighs of relief and also feel good about finally killing the Hawks, play to your potential now...

DET vs. SJS: DET in 7. I'm gonna take back some of what I said about the Red Wings. They seemed motivated in the playoffs, so they might have been coasting a bit in the regular season. Datsyuk is playing like the best player in the world and Zetterberg is back. San Jose is a strong team but a bit weaker than last year.

WSH vs. TBL: TBL in 4. I'm a homer.

BOS vs. PHI: PHI in 7. This one was hard to choose. I don't think Boston's offense is good enough to beat Philly which is just a complete team. Pronger should get better with every game, and he's better than Chara, especially in the playoffs.

[GeneralHankerchief]

My semis predictions, from a biased East Coaster's perspective:

Vancouver vs. Nashville: Vancouver in 6. Preds are scrappy, but Canucks get it done with a bit more breathing room than they did against the 'Hawks.

Detroit vs. San Jose: Detroit in 7. Deferring to Reenk for this one.

Washington vs. Tampa Bay: Washington in 7. Caps looked good in Round 1 and didn't take a series to 7 for the first time in the Bruce Boudreau era. However, the Rangers were a depleted team. We'll see how they handle Tampa's trap.

Boston vs. Flyers: Flyers in 5. I'm ecstatic over our opponent in Round 2. Out of the possible choices of Boston, Tampa, and the Team That Shall Not Be Named, I think we match up with Boston best. B's will not score enough to beat us and we finally looked like a complete team in Game 7. My only hope is that Jeff Carter stays hurt - that guy just does not deliver in the playoffs. Finally there's the psychological edge we have on them from the series last year. Flyers avenge our Québécois brethren and get to the East Finals for the second year in a row.