[FlyingElf]

While I understand that I am one of a few hockey fans out there in the United States, I still must hype up what I consider to be the greatest time of the year. The hockey playoffs. Say what you want about the sport, but the NHL playoffs are almost always one of the most exciting events in all of sports. There is almost no predictability to it and every team that makes it has a chance to hoist that cup. That being said, I'll fire off my picks for the first round starting up on Wednesday.

West

#1 San Jose over #8 Colorado in 7
Seriously, if there is one team that proves that the playoffs are not the regular season, its the San Jose Sharks. The best postseason team of the last few years and one of the worst playoff records. I sure don't feel comfortable with this pick, but Colorado is not the team they were at the start of the season. Still I see this series going the distance with what will quite possibly be a couple of just sloppy games on both ends.

#2 Chicago over #7 Nashville in 5
Chicago is too good this year. They learned last year what it takes to go deep into the playoffs despite losing to the Wings and this year their team is even better and more prepared to handle a playoff run. They will go deep this year.

#3 Vancouver over #6 Los Angeles in 5
Not sold on the Kings really. They haven't made the playoffs since the beginning of the decade and Vancouver has just been oh so close to pushing a deep run.

#5 Detroit over #4 Phoenix in 6
Detroit is playing the best hockey they have all season. After being plagued by injuries early, this team is just on fire and the best thing you can do is go into the playoffs hot. That being said, Detroit can sometimes start off slow, but Phoenix is the perfect opponent in that respect as they don't have the experience to take control early and force Detroit to pay.

East

#1 Washington over #8 Montreal in 5
Washington is just too good this year. Yes, the playoffs are a different beast and yes they have questions at both goaltending and defense, but they have way too much offensive talent. As much as I hate to admit it, this might be their year.

#2 New Jersey over #7 Philadelphia in 7
Brodeur has the ability to simply steal games even if he is a little off this year. Philly is a dangerous team that likes to play physical and can wear a team out, but I just can't see them toppling the Devils. Still this could be one of the best series to watch this round. These are 2 teams that know each other well from a lot of divisional play.

#3 Buffalo over #6 Boston in 6
Is there a goalie you would rather have right now than Ryan Miller? The man has been absolutely lights out this season and I'm surprised there isn't more talk of him for MVP. Boston has some pretty good goaltending as well which could make this an interesting series, but I'm taking Buffalo for now.

#4 Pittsburgh over #5 Ottawa in 6
I am not at all happy with how the Pens are looking as of late. They are winning the games they should win, but are consistently struggling against the league's elite teams. Luckily the Senators are not that and the Pens have too much talent and ability. That doesn't mean that they will win, because I can see the possibility of them just coming out flat without the hunger they had last year, but in my opinion, its theirs to lose.

[wrexness]

I'm certainly curious to see if Ovechkin can lead the Caps to a title as kind of a shot back at the Pens for last year's win. I admit that I didn't watch more than 3-4 games of NHL hockey this year, but going by your own questions about Washington those are probably the two worst problems you can have in the playoffs. Run into one hot goalie and all of a sudden that offensive talent turns into an average of 1-2 goals per game in a series.

This post has been edited by wrexness: 12 April 2010 - 06:38 AM

[KirbyFanOne]

Number of games played aside, those pics all look good, but something tells me Phoenix might knock off the Wings.

[Neko_master_Luna]

I wish I could watch this this years, DAMN you AT&T!

[Isamu]

I plan on watching a few playoff games at acen.

This post has been edited by Isamu: 12 April 2010 - 01:14 PM

[FlyingElf]

wrexness, on Apr 12 2010, 08:38 AM, said:

I'm certainly curious to see if Ovechkin can lead the Caps to a title as kind of a shot back at the Pens for last year's win. I admit that I didn't watch more than 3-4 games of NHL hockey this year, but going by your own questions about Washington those are probably the two worst problems you can have in the playoffs. Run into one hot goalie and all of a sudden that offensive talent turns into an average of 1-2 goals per game in a series.

A hot goalie can and will win playoff games. It happened for the Pens last year and it almost seems like a must if you are going to go all the way. Still, the Caps are better than they were last year and last year they were 1 game short of a conference finals appearance in which I really feel like they would have knocked off the Hurricanes, but came up short against the Wings.

I hate the Capitals so I am loathe to admit they will likely go far this year...My preplayoff pick is going to be a Blackhawks and Capitals cup though with the Hawks taking it home. Blackhawks have some of the same problems the Capitals do so a matchup between the 2 would definitely be interesting.

[Neko_master_Luna]

I don't mind who wins so long as it's not the Wings & I was so happy it wasn't them last year. I am sorry, they are they Yankee's of Hockey & have enough titles for a while!

[Alkaren Hyralt]

Oh Stars, why'd y'all have to suck so much this season :[

[KirbyFanOne]

Neko_master_Luna, on Apr 12 2010, 05:10 PM, said:

I don't mind who wins so long as it's not the Wings & I was so happy it wasn't them last year. I am sorry, they are they Yankee's of Hockey & have enough titles for a while!

That actually belongs to the Canadiens. Detroit only has 11 >.>

[wrexness]

Well, the Candian teams (all of them, not just Montreal) have been pretty bad lately, at least in terms of Cups.

This post has been edited by wrexness: 12 April 2010 - 09:12 PM

[Lina]

I'm cheering for the Hawks since my Blues didn't make it. ; 3;

[wrexness]

>.< Indeed. The West was stacked this year. If the Blues were in the East, they would've been in the playoffs as a 7, but in the West they're sitting in 9th and at home during the playoffs. SEVEN teams in the West had 100+ points. That's just nuts. The Coyotes actually had the third most points in the West, but they're a 4 because they still couldn't win their division.

[Jello]

im cheering for the hawks... although their goalies need some work if they want to go far

[Alkaren Hyralt]

So long as the wings get crushed I'm good.

[KirbyFanOne]

wrexness, on Apr 12 2010, 10:11 PM, said:

Well, the Candian teams (all of them, not just Montreal) have been pretty bad lately, at least in terms of Cups.

No Canadian team has won the cup since I believe the Oilers in '90. It's been about twenty years. They all just suck out loud >.>

[Neko_master_Luna]

I meant for the US teams or maybe I should say for a one of the teams that city spends all it's revenue on. You guys should see how nice their stadiums are then look at the housing around them, it's sad. At least the teams I go for are based of of talent. Granted I think most players earn too much, but then again as a hockey fan, I am willing to spend too much on my team, so no wonder they charge so much. (sigh) Oh & the wing s may not have the most titles, but out of the US teams they do.

[FlyingElf]

Neko_master_Luna, on Apr 13 2010, 02:10 AM, said:

I meant for the US teams or maybe I should say for a one of the teams that city spends all it's revenue on. You guys should see how nice their stadiums are then look at the housing around them, it's sad. At least the teams I go for are based of of talent. Granted I think most players earn too much, but then again as a hockey fan, I am willing to spend too much on my team, so no wonder they charge so much. (sigh) Oh & the wing s may not have the most titles, but out of the US teams they do.

I always like to play devil's advocate on the sports players salaries thing. I mean I know typically sports players make a lot of money to do something they love, but really if they didn't make that much, it would be the billionaire owners making that money instead. I highly doubt we would see a heavy reduction in ticket price or concessions. So I guess I look at it as you're taking money away from billionaires and giving it to millionaires, which is better than the other way around.

Still overall, hockey salaries are way down from any of the other major professional sports. Plus, outside of Canada they don't get nearly as much in endorsement deals either.

[stringcheese]

Night of surprises right now. Ottawa defeats Pittsburgh 5-4, and Philly takes care of Jersey 2-1.

...and Tomas Holmstrom just ripped a nice wrister past Bryzgalof to put the Wings up 1-0 over the 'Yotes in the 1st.

[FlyingElf]

stringcheese, on Apr 14 2010, 10:33 PM, said:

Night of surprises right now. Ottawa defeats Pittsburgh 5-4, and Philly takes care of Jersey 2-1.

...and Tomas Holmstrom just ripped a nice wrister past Bryzgalof to put the Wings up 1-0 over the 'Yotes in the 1st.

Unfortunately my fears were realized in the first game for Pittsburgh. They are not the same team as they were last year. They just don't have that energy and flare...They played terrible defense, I mean Ottawa is not a team that should be putting up 5 goals, but they were given so many free releases on the net. The scary part about the Pens is that as bad as they played, they were still in the game late. I mean they got dominated in just about every aspect of the game and they still had a chance to tie it up at the end.

[jsieczkar]

I really need the Penguins to win the Senators can not get out of the first round. The Sabres suck against them and I was counting on the Penguins to take care of them for us.

[wrexness]

*bump*

Here's how things currently stand:
Washington / Montreal: tied 1-1
Philadelphia / New Jersey: Flyers lead 2-1
Buffalo / Boston: tied 1-1
Pittsburgh / Ottawa: Pens lead 2-1

San Jose / Colorado: tied 1-1 Avs lead 2-1
Chicago / Nashville: tied 1-1
Vancouver / LA: tied 1-1
Phoenix / Detroit: Coyotes lead 2-1

Somewhat surprisingly, it's already impossible for any of the first round series to end in a sweep.

This post has been edited by wrexness: 18 April 2010 - 10:32 PM

[FlyingElf]

wrexness, on Apr 19 2010, 12:29 AM, said:

*bump*

Here's how things currently stand:
Washington / Montreal: tied 1-1
Philadelphia / New Jersey: Flyers lead 2-1
Buffalo / Boston: tied 1-1
Pittsburgh / Ottawa: Pens lead 2-1

San Jose / Colorado: tied 1-1
Chicago / Nashville: tied 1-1
Vancouver / LA: tied 1-1
Phoenix / Detroit: Coyotes lead 2-1

Somewhat surprisingly, it's already impossible for any of the first round series to end in a sweep.

I'm always at least a little surprised to see a sweep in hockey. Teams are just too close to each other for sweeps to generally happen in the playoffs. Eveyone always talks about parity in the NFL, but I think the NHL does a far better job of it overall.

[wrexness]

Tell that to the Blues last year. ~w~

This post has been edited by wrexness: 18 April 2010 - 10:38 PM

[FlyingElf]

wrexness, on Apr 19 2010, 12:34 AM, said:

Tell that to the Blues last year. ~w~

haha, it definitely happens. The Pens swept the Hurricane as well in the conference finals even last year. But ever since the salary cap was implemented you are seeing less and less of it.

[KirbyFanOne]

As I recall Marty Brodeur still has not been shut out in the Playoffs. Which is good to know they got at least one win against the Flyers. Now can you get, oh I don't know, THREE MORE? :l

[wrexness]

I do agree that it's easier for a team to get into the playoffs and maybe steal a round or two, but it's harder to argue for parity when the last two years had the same teams in the Finals. XD I kid; it is true because since the lockout no team has won multiple cups, and there were 6 different participants in the the four Finals series.

Anyway, normally around this time I expect to see one or two goalies who just stone every single shot against them, that's why it's surprising to me that no one at least got to 3-0 before losing.

This post has been edited by wrexness: 18 April 2010 - 10:43 PM

[Lina]

My dad leaves tomorrow (Tuesday) for Nashville to cover the Hawks. He's so lucky. I wanna go. :'(

[FlyingElf]

wrexness, on Apr 19 2010, 12:42 AM, said:

I do agree that it's easier for a team to get into the playoffs and maybe steal a round or two, but it's harder to argue for parity when the last two years had the same teams in the Finals. XD I kid; it is true because since the lockout no team has won multiple cups, and there were 6 different participants in the the four Finals series.

Anyway, normally around this time I expect to see one or two goalies who just stone every single shot against them, that's why it's surprising to me that no one at least got to 3-0 before losing.

I think if football did a series we would probably see that more often as well. But because its one and done...its so easy to have that one bad game. And yes, goalies can and will steal games in the playoffs. I almost think its a requirement to win...You need your goalie to steal you those 1 or 2 games. Which makes Chicago and Washington interesting as they are both favorites to come out of their respective conferences, but both have definite questions at goaltending.

And speaking of goalies stealing games...Craig Anderson made 51 saves tonight to shut out San Jose. Thats a freakish effort.

[Jello]

Lets hope the Hawks can pull out another win tonight :-D

[KirbyFanOne]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!