* NHL Conference Finals Results & Thoughts *
Welcome back to another one of my updates. Well, as you might have seen, I was terribly wrong with one of the picks I made. I had the San Jose Sharks beating the Vancouver Canucks. Completely wrong. I'll get into all that later. I would believe that the results are as expected. The Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins were the better teams left of the four.
==== NHL Conference Finals Results ====
<== Eastern Conference ==>
=3. Boston Bruins versus 5. Tampa Bay Lightning=
My Prediction : Bruins in 6 ==> Actual Result : Bruins in 7
This series was closer than it appeared. It was highly competitive and I can actually say I'm impressed by how the Lightning played. Dwayne Roloson played superb for a guy his age. The Lightning came up short, but they could easily be back sometime soon with core they've established. For the Bruins, this was to be expected. They're a well built hockey team. They have speed, a bit of scoring, size, grit, and goaltending. The fact that they're the last team in the Eastern Conference is no mistake.
My pick was close and correct, so no complaints there. I did think that Boston would dominate the Lightning a bit more than they did. I was thinking the Bruins in either five or six. That the Lightning hung around and made this the series they did was not expected (in my opinion and I'm no awesome hockey guru). It's with that note that I won't pretend I made a genius pick.
<== Western Conference ==>
=1. Vancouver Canucks versus 2. San Jose Sharks=
My Prediction : Sharks in 6 ==> Actual Result : Canucks in 5
I wasn't close whatsoever on this pick. I had figured that the Canucks would bend against a team that was built with more talent than the Blackhawks or Predators. This was not the case. The Sharks were undisciplined and did the usual playoff disappearing act that they've been known to do. Luongo didn't go to the pieces like I thought and the Canucks were deeper than I had given them credit for. I definitely went outside the box when I made the pick, but I do feel like I had some just reasoning. I banked on recent history and lost. As I mentioned earlier, the Canucks are definitely the class of the Western Conference. There is a good reason they won the Presidents' Trophy. They'll now have a chance to win the Stanley Cup to truly prove they're the best team in the NHL.
For San Jose, this is a truly disappointing series. They had assembled one of the more impressive teams in the NHL. They have a lot of established talent and plenty of upcoming talent on their team. I do get the feeling they'll be back. Much like the seeding suggested, they were just the second best team in the Western Conference.
NHL Conference Finals Round
Bruins vs Lightning : Pick - Bruins : Result - Bruins : Correct : 10-3
Canucks vs Sharks : Pick - Sharks : Result - Canucks : Wrong : 10-4
-Results Format-
Series : Pick : Result : Pick Result : My Playoff Record
=Dumbest Pick of the Round=
Vancouver Canucks vs San Jose Sharks : Need I say more? I banked on San Jose playing a dominating brand of hockey using their depth. I banked on Roberto Luongo being as shaky as he was against Chicago and slightly untested against Nashville. I didn't bank on the fact that San Jose can disappear rather quickly (especially in the Western Conference Finals) or the fact that the Canucks were the best team in the regular season. It was a dumb pick, but as I mentioned earlier, I don't feel too big of a moron. I'm glad I was able to make a bold pick even if it was stupid. Picking Vancouver seemed to easy. Sometimes the easy answer is the correct one.
=Hardest Pick of the Round=
Vancouver Canucks vs San Jose Sharks : Even though the Bruins and Lightning series was the closer and could have been had by either team, I'm still going with this series. These teams were both chocked full of talent and both had a good reason to be picked to win.
=Easiest Pick of the Round=
Boston Bruins vs Tampa Bay Lightning : Though it was close, I felt like Boston would win this one from the start. They're more physical and well-rounded. Tampa Bay's defense was sloppy at times which ultimately led to their defeat. Tim Thomas was the better goaltender. Dwayne Roloson was spectacular at times, but was pulled twice and sat out another game (backed up Mike Smith). Boston was able to play a strong defensive series that thrived on making Tampa Bay pay for their mistakes as seen in a few games. As I mentioned earlier, this series was closer than I thought it would be, so it's not like this pick was like taking the Canucks over the Oilers.
=Most Impressive Pick of the Round=
None. I was incorrect on one and cautiously correct on another. Had the Sharks beat the Canucks, there would be a place for this award.I was going to omit some of these until next season, but as we're closing in on the end of the NHL's season, figure I'd just copy, paste, and comment.
=Got Owned Series of the Round=
Vancouver Canucks vs San Jose Sharks : For a team that was second only to Vancouver, the Sharks were beat fairly easily. Their undisciplined play killed their chances of taking this series. It's not a surprise that the Sharks weren't able to win, but it is a surprise that they only collected one win. I would have figured at least two games.
=Shoulda, Coulda, Didn't Series of the Round=
Stupid award for the playoffs and I'll make sure it's removed during next year's run. As I said, every team has a case of why they should or could have won. The Lightning have the biggest case I'm sure as they were only beat by one goal in final deciding game of their series.
* Mass Playoff Prediction Update *
I'm still technically alive on my pick of the Vancouver Canucks to win the Stanley Cup. I was completely off picking the Philadelphia Flyers to emerge in the Eastern Conference. No victory to celebrate if the Canucks win as my round-by-round analysis had them losing to the Sharks. As I had said, the mass prediction was for entertainment value only.
* NHL Stanley Cup Finals Pick & Thoughts *
When looking at the two teams who will be competing for the chance to have their names engraved on one of the greatest trophies in all of sports, you'll find one that was an obvious choice and another that wasn't as popular. The Vancouver Canucks were tabbed as favorites to win all season long. They have solid netminding, a pretty good defense corps, and some amazing offensive talent. You'll find a lot of solid building blocks down their roster. The fact that they're where they are is no surprise.
On the other hand, you have the Boston Bruins. Many had teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins (who might have been Cup contenders had they not lost Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for the season), the Washington Capitals, and the Philadelphia Flyers as the favorites to win the East. You can't blame such predictions as those teams are usually always in the discussion of the best in the Eastern Conference. The Boston Bruins are certainly not out of left field. They have a goaltender who is a candidate to win the Vezina trophy (awarded to the league's best goaltender) and solid defense core that includes Zdeno Chara and Tomas Kaberle. The offense is decent with players like David Krejci, Nathan Horton, Patrice Bergeron, and Milan Lucic. It does hurt that they're missing one of the better offensive players of their team in Marc Savard. They do have a solid blend of players, though I would not see them as an exotic team. Even if Boston wasn't a favorite, I would say their team chemistry is a reason that they're where they are. They were able to beat their past by beating the Philadelphia Flyers in a sweep and by sending the Montreal Canadiens, a divisional foe, packing. This year's version of the Bruins has shown the ability to rise up above the circumstances. Out of the three rounds they've played, they've went to seven games against the Canadiens and Lightning to get where they're at.
As far as goaltending goes, both teams have a goalie who is capable of winning a game on their own. Tim Thomas can handle a shooting gallery when he's under siege. That helps the Bruins immensely when the Bruins aren't scoring at will. In Vancouver, the Canucks have one of the best goalies in the NHL in Roberto Luongo. He also can hold the fort down when the Canucks aren't at their best. Trying to determine who is better set for this series is difficult. I won't be a douche about this by saying the decision is split. I'm going to go give the slight nod to Vancouver as Luongo has a more proven track record and is younger. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Tim Thomas outplay Luongo. We could see another case of the losing team winning the Conn Smythe as Ron Hextall of the Flyers and J.S. Giguere of the Anaheim Ducks had previously done.
Defensively, the Boston Bruins are pretty set. They have one of the best defenseman in the game in Zdeno Chara. His shot on the power play and physical ability in front of the net are second to none. Tomas Kaberle, acquired via trade during the regular season, hasn't been amazing so far in Boston, but shouldn't be discounted. Shane Hnidy, Dennis Seidenberg, and Andrew Ference aren't stars, but provide Boston with a recognizable corps. The Canucks also have a pretty good defense in place. Christian Ehrhoff (banged up), Kevin Bieksa, Keith Ballard, Sami Salo, and Dan Hamhuis make a very good and deep corps. I believe the Canucks are deeper than the Bruins, but I have to give the nod to Boston as they have the better defenseman of them all in Chara.
I mentioned the Boston Bruins offense earlier. It's not bad, I'm just not as impressed with what they have. Horton, Krejci, Bergeron, Lucic, and Seguin seem to provide much of the luster for the Bruins. Chris Kelly, Rich Peverley, Mark Recchi, Michael Ryder and Todd Marchand give the Bruins some recognizable depth as well. In Vancouver, the Canucks have the Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler, Chris Higgins, Alex Burrows, Mikael Samuelsson, Raffi Torres, and Maxim Lapierre. Where Vancouver runs away from Boston is in higher end talent. Kesler and the Sedin twins are far better than anyone Boston has to offer on offense. The Canucks get the nod here.
With all that said, I'm going with the Vancouver Canucks (as I originally had done in the mass prediction) to win the Stanley Cup in 6 games. I feel like this one will highly competitive and entertaining. Boston should put up a great fight, but perhaps we've finally hit a year where the experts had it right all along.
I'll be back with a blog to close this season out when the Finals are over. I'll still keep on with the blog as needed, especially when we the free agent season. Until next time, enjoy!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
5/13/2011 : Playoff Edition 2011 : NHL Conference Semifinal Results, NHL Conference Final Picks
Sorry for the late posting of this. Blogger was down for a couple of days. Had it ready to go though. Also, RIP Derek Boogaard. The enforcer, who played most of his career in Minnesota and was currently a New York Ranger, was found dead in his Minnesota apartment. He was 28. Way too young. He was a rare breed of player that's slowly being removed from hockey as hockey moves away from fights and players who are used for intimidation. The Boogie Monster was one of the best in the game today. Aside from hockey, he seemed like a great guy that was always willing to embrace fans. It's a terrible loss for the hockey world.
* Conference Semifinal Playoff Results & Thoughts *
As you might imagine, I'm very deflated by the effort my Flyers put up. That said, I'm not stupid and can easily the admit the Bruins were the better team. They were far more physical and the goaltending was solid for Boston. Philadelphia showed that going cheap in net has it's rewards (2010's Stanley Cup runner-up team) and it's risks (2011's exit). Philadelphia is in a world of salary cap hurt, but I can't imagine them not adding a proven goaltender. Sergei Bobrovsky should be the future of this team, but the future is not now. He needs to be groomed for the North American brand of hockey. If there was another indication Philadelphia must act with haste in fixing it's issues, it's guys like Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen. Both players are aged and though they can make up for that with hockey smarts, their effectiveness on the ice is waning. The window for Philadelphia's current roster is shut within a year or two (though we'll see who they add to prop the window open for longer down the road). I give kudos to Boston for not letting the 3-0 series lead get away from them this year. There was only one game where Philadelphia was even close and they weren't able to close the deal. I'd continue with thoughts, but I'll just add my thoughts as I cover each series of the round.
==== NHL Conference Semifinal Results ====
<== Eastern Conference ==>
=1. Washington Capitals versus 5. Tampa Bay Lightning=
My Prediction : Capitals in 6 ==> Actual Result : Lightning in 4
Easily the upset of the entire round. Washington was a heavy favorite to win the Eastern Conference this year and failed. The Lightning have Dwayne Roloson to thank. Roloson was outstanding stopping heavy barrages of shots. Tampa Bay can also thank Sean Bergenheim who was clutch as hell. Tampa Bay's offensive power was able to finish the deal where Washington just couldn't figure out Roloson. Washington running with Michal Neuvirth in net reminds me of the Flyers situation. So much offensive depth, a decent defensive core, but an unaccomplished netminder. This isn't to rag on Neuvirth, but I wonder what happens if you put Tim Thomas or Roloson on the Capitals instead. It is a fair surprise that Lightning won the series, but that they swept the Capitals? That's the real amazing part. Tampa Bay enters the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since they last won the Stanley Cup in 2004. For Washington, it's another disappointing year where most saw them as an easy choice to represent the East, but they failed to do so.
=2. Philadelphia Flyers versus 3. Boston Bruins=
My Prediction : Flyers in 6 ==> Actual Result : Bruins in 4
Philadelphia seemed to be lucky just to escape the first round against the Sabres. They landed next to a team most would figure Philadelphia could match up with. This was not the case. The goaltending issues from the first round continued as Brian Boucher and Sergei Bobrovsky continued the carousel that made the Flyers the butt of many jokes. Boston was able to expose the Flyers not just in net, but also physically. Game two was the only game that appeared to be competitive, after that it was all Bruins. Philadelphia seemed tired and out of energy. Tim Thomas was absolutely stellar in net despite not needing to be considering how lethargic the Flyers were. There was no way the Bruins were going to let the Flyers relive their 2010 miracle four game winning streak to overcome a 3-0 deficit. Boston easily ends the Flyers season but lose Patrice Bergeron to a concussion. Bergeron is their leading scorer in the playoffs thus far and has a terrible history when it comes to concussions. It's reported he'll miss a game or two.
<== Western Conference ==>
=1. Vancouver Canucks versus 5. Nashville Predators=
My Prediction : Canucks in 6 ==> Actual Result : Canucks in 6
Where I was terrible in picking the Eastern Conference, I was dead on in the Western. Right team in the right amount of games. This series was odd. There were games where Pekka Rinne was busy....and games where he wasn't. I figured that Rinne was going to be busy the entire series. Rinne certainly played a big part in Nashville winning two games, but the Predators show resiliency in how they showed up against the Canucks. The series probably also provided Roberto Luongo with a break and confidence after the previous Chicago series nearly ruined him. As expected, Vancouver took care of business against Nashville, but not as easily as I had expected. Kudos to both teams. If not for the Sharks/Wings series, this would have been the most entertaining series of them all. Plenty to look forward to in Nashville. For the Canucks, they're just meeting expectations as they continue toward to the Stanley Cup.
=2. San Jose Sharks versus 3. Detroit Red Wings=
My Prediction : Sharks in 7 ==> Actual Result : Sharks in 7
As with the last series, I had the right team in the right amount of games. However, this one could have easily been finished in four games. San Jose dominated Detroit and exposed Jimmy Howard for most of the series. After the Red Wings won their first game of the series, I actually started to think that the Sharks could be the type of team to repeat what the Bruins did against the Flyers last year by letting a team win four straight. I was almost right. When I made this prediction, I didn't see either team taking a 3-0 lead on the other. I saw a back and forth series. I can't take too much credit for picking it to go seven games. It was nice to see the series go the distance because both of these teams looked so good. Detroit also showed how resilient they are by winning three straight games. They almost won game seven, but San Jose was able to close the deal. Easily the best series of the this round. San Jose, much like the Canucks, move on as expected. Kudos to Detroit. I was actually rooting for them in the end.
NHL Conference Semifinals Round
Capitals vs Lightning : Pick - Capitals : Result - Lightning : Wrong : 7-2
Flyers vs Bruins : Pick - Flyers : Result - Bruins : Wrong : 7-3
Canucks vs Predators : Pick - Canucks : Result - Canucks : Correct : 8-3
Sharks vs Red Wings : Pick - Sharks : Result - Sharks : Correct : 9-3
-Results Format-
Series : Pick : Result : Pick Result : My Playoff Record
=Dumbest Pick of the Round=
Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins : Banking on terrible goaltending against a team with a Vezina Trophy finalist? Not a good idea. Philadelphia barely escaped Buffalo. Boston did barely escape Montreal, but they had all the motivation in the world to win this series. The Flyers, aside from a few players, never looked good. Their play from the final few months of the season continued to plague them as well as injuries to Chris Pronger. All of that was in view and I chose to pick Philly regardless.
=Hardest Pick of the Round=
San Jose Sharks vs Detroit Red Wings : I had a feeling it would be San Jose based only on their forward talent. That said, it's so hard to rule out the Red Wings. They play so well together, even if every player isn't a star. You can't count the Red Wings out, especially because I feel San Jose's better players can disappear at certain times.
=Easiest Pick of the Round=
Vancouver Canucks vs Nashville Predators : I was a little off in thinking the Predators would easily be pushed over, but the Canucks were easily the more talented team. I knew that it would take a miracle for Nashville to win this series. Pekka Rinne was nearly that miracle.
=Most Impressive Pick of the Round=
None. Really don't think any of the picks apply. I am impressed that I landed the correct amount of games in the Western Conference sets, but that was mere luck.
=Got Owned Series of the Round=
Take your pick in the Eastern Conference. Both Philadelphia and Washington were thoroughly embarrassed and neither would win a single game in the round.
=Shoulda, Coulda, Didn't Series of the Round=
I won't pick any teams for this. You could say Detroit, but they were playing a pretty good San Jose team...and they did win three straight to make the series interesting. I might get rid of this award for the playoffs. I think every team could say they should have won.
* Mass Playoff Prediction Update *
Well, I was absolutely correct in the Western Conference. Both the Canucks and Sharks are in. I was absolutely wrong in the Eastern Conference as I chose the Capitals and Flyers to make it. It'll be the Bruins and Lightning instead. I'm still alive as I have the Canucks winning it all. Unfortunately, I think I'm having a change of heart. You'll see in my picks section.
* NHL Conference Finals Predictions/Picks *
<== Eastern Conference ==>
=3. Boston Bruins versus 5. Tampa Bay Lightning=
Tricky series ahead here. We first must acknowledge that the Bruins will be missing Patrice Bergeron who has been their leading scorer. Tyler Seguin, a former first-round draft pick, will likely start for Bergeron. He's solid but unproven as far as the playoffs go. It's being reported that Patrice will only miss a game or two, but I'm a little concerned that it will be longer than that with his history. With that out of the way, I think the Bruins are stronger in net. Tim Thomas was fantastic in the Philadelphia series. Dwayne Roloson of the Lightning was great too against the Capitals, but Thomas had a better season. Defensively, the Bruins are also the better team. Between Zdeno Chara and Tomas Kaberle, the Bruins are far more solid than the Lightning. Now for where the Lightning are more dynamic: forwards. I like the forwards the Lightning bring. St. Louis, Lecavalier, Stamkos, Gagne, Purcell, and even Sean Bergenheim who chipped in with huge goals against the Capitals. The Bruins aren't slouching, but I can't really name a guy who brings excitement to their team other than David Krejci. With Bergeron out and Marc Savard out for the season (possibly for his career), the Bruins can't match the Lightning in terms of scoring. They do have big physical forwards like Milan Lucic who can score with hard work. I think that's basically the summary of this series. You have one team who is more physical, better defensively, and comes with a better goaltender against the other team who can score goals and is very dangerous on the power play. This truly is a hard series, but I think I know which team to go with.
My Prediction : Bruins in 6.
<== Western Conference ==>
=1. Vancouver Canucks versus 2. San Jose Sharks=
The top two seeds in the Western Conference meet for the Conference Finals. Both teams have taken difficult routes to get to where they are. Vancouver had to keep the Chicago Blackhawks from knocking them out in the first round while San Jose had to stave off the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night. I would dare to say that both these teams were expected to get as far as they have without all the drama. The Canucks were picked by many to win the Cup this year and they're very close. Goaltending is a little even. Roberto Loungo for the Canucks has not been as spectacular as he was in the regular season. He can be beat, especially if the Sharks can get in his head. In San Jose, the Sharks have the goaltender who backstopped the Chicago Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup just one year ago. His experience alone helps. That said, I think Vancouver has the slight edge just on paper. If we're talking intangibles, give it to Antti Niemi of the Hawks. I think Niemi is the more beatable goalie, but he does provide brilliance when needed. Defensively and offensively, both of these teams are chocked full. The Canucks bring outstanding forwards Ryan Kesler and the Sedin twins. Overall (and this is just an opinion), I think the Sharks have the greater quantity of players while the Canucks have the better quality players. The Sharks have guys like Setoguchi, Couture, and Clowe. This is after mentioning Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatley, and Joe Thorton. I think the Canucks are a bit better on defense, but the Sharks aren't far away.This should be an outstanding series regardless of how you break it down. I had initially gone with the Canucks at the beginning of the playoffs, but I think it's going to change. I'm prepared to be wrong because the Canucks could get their shit together quickly, but I just don't like Luongo's potential (after seeing him lose his cool in Chicago, I feel like he has to earn trust back) to break down when the going gets tough.
My Prediction : Sharks in 6.
So...........
Bruins vs Lightning ==> Bruins
Canucks vs Sharks ==> Sharks
Night!
* Conference Semifinal Playoff Results & Thoughts *
As you might imagine, I'm very deflated by the effort my Flyers put up. That said, I'm not stupid and can easily the admit the Bruins were the better team. They were far more physical and the goaltending was solid for Boston. Philadelphia showed that going cheap in net has it's rewards (2010's Stanley Cup runner-up team) and it's risks (2011's exit). Philadelphia is in a world of salary cap hurt, but I can't imagine them not adding a proven goaltender. Sergei Bobrovsky should be the future of this team, but the future is not now. He needs to be groomed for the North American brand of hockey. If there was another indication Philadelphia must act with haste in fixing it's issues, it's guys like Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen. Both players are aged and though they can make up for that with hockey smarts, their effectiveness on the ice is waning. The window for Philadelphia's current roster is shut within a year or two (though we'll see who they add to prop the window open for longer down the road). I give kudos to Boston for not letting the 3-0 series lead get away from them this year. There was only one game where Philadelphia was even close and they weren't able to close the deal. I'd continue with thoughts, but I'll just add my thoughts as I cover each series of the round.
==== NHL Conference Semifinal Results ====
<== Eastern Conference ==>
=1. Washington Capitals versus 5. Tampa Bay Lightning=
My Prediction : Capitals in 6 ==> Actual Result : Lightning in 4
Easily the upset of the entire round. Washington was a heavy favorite to win the Eastern Conference this year and failed. The Lightning have Dwayne Roloson to thank. Roloson was outstanding stopping heavy barrages of shots. Tampa Bay can also thank Sean Bergenheim who was clutch as hell. Tampa Bay's offensive power was able to finish the deal where Washington just couldn't figure out Roloson. Washington running with Michal Neuvirth in net reminds me of the Flyers situation. So much offensive depth, a decent defensive core, but an unaccomplished netminder. This isn't to rag on Neuvirth, but I wonder what happens if you put Tim Thomas or Roloson on the Capitals instead. It is a fair surprise that Lightning won the series, but that they swept the Capitals? That's the real amazing part. Tampa Bay enters the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since they last won the Stanley Cup in 2004. For Washington, it's another disappointing year where most saw them as an easy choice to represent the East, but they failed to do so.
=2. Philadelphia Flyers versus 3. Boston Bruins=
My Prediction : Flyers in 6 ==> Actual Result : Bruins in 4
Philadelphia seemed to be lucky just to escape the first round against the Sabres. They landed next to a team most would figure Philadelphia could match up with. This was not the case. The goaltending issues from the first round continued as Brian Boucher and Sergei Bobrovsky continued the carousel that made the Flyers the butt of many jokes. Boston was able to expose the Flyers not just in net, but also physically. Game two was the only game that appeared to be competitive, after that it was all Bruins. Philadelphia seemed tired and out of energy. Tim Thomas was absolutely stellar in net despite not needing to be considering how lethargic the Flyers were. There was no way the Bruins were going to let the Flyers relive their 2010 miracle four game winning streak to overcome a 3-0 deficit. Boston easily ends the Flyers season but lose Patrice Bergeron to a concussion. Bergeron is their leading scorer in the playoffs thus far and has a terrible history when it comes to concussions. It's reported he'll miss a game or two.
<== Western Conference ==>
=1. Vancouver Canucks versus 5. Nashville Predators=
My Prediction : Canucks in 6 ==> Actual Result : Canucks in 6
Where I was terrible in picking the Eastern Conference, I was dead on in the Western. Right team in the right amount of games. This series was odd. There were games where Pekka Rinne was busy....and games where he wasn't. I figured that Rinne was going to be busy the entire series. Rinne certainly played a big part in Nashville winning two games, but the Predators show resiliency in how they showed up against the Canucks. The series probably also provided Roberto Luongo with a break and confidence after the previous Chicago series nearly ruined him. As expected, Vancouver took care of business against Nashville, but not as easily as I had expected. Kudos to both teams. If not for the Sharks/Wings series, this would have been the most entertaining series of them all. Plenty to look forward to in Nashville. For the Canucks, they're just meeting expectations as they continue toward to the Stanley Cup.
=2. San Jose Sharks versus 3. Detroit Red Wings=
My Prediction : Sharks in 7 ==> Actual Result : Sharks in 7
As with the last series, I had the right team in the right amount of games. However, this one could have easily been finished in four games. San Jose dominated Detroit and exposed Jimmy Howard for most of the series. After the Red Wings won their first game of the series, I actually started to think that the Sharks could be the type of team to repeat what the Bruins did against the Flyers last year by letting a team win four straight. I was almost right. When I made this prediction, I didn't see either team taking a 3-0 lead on the other. I saw a back and forth series. I can't take too much credit for picking it to go seven games. It was nice to see the series go the distance because both of these teams looked so good. Detroit also showed how resilient they are by winning three straight games. They almost won game seven, but San Jose was able to close the deal. Easily the best series of the this round. San Jose, much like the Canucks, move on as expected. Kudos to Detroit. I was actually rooting for them in the end.
NHL Conference Semifinals Round
Capitals vs Lightning : Pick - Capitals : Result - Lightning : Wrong : 7-2
Flyers vs Bruins : Pick - Flyers : Result - Bruins : Wrong : 7-3
Canucks vs Predators : Pick - Canucks : Result - Canucks : Correct : 8-3
Sharks vs Red Wings : Pick - Sharks : Result - Sharks : Correct : 9-3
-Results Format-
Series : Pick : Result : Pick Result : My Playoff Record
=Dumbest Pick of the Round=
Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins : Banking on terrible goaltending against a team with a Vezina Trophy finalist? Not a good idea. Philadelphia barely escaped Buffalo. Boston did barely escape Montreal, but they had all the motivation in the world to win this series. The Flyers, aside from a few players, never looked good. Their play from the final few months of the season continued to plague them as well as injuries to Chris Pronger. All of that was in view and I chose to pick Philly regardless.
=Hardest Pick of the Round=
San Jose Sharks vs Detroit Red Wings : I had a feeling it would be San Jose based only on their forward talent. That said, it's so hard to rule out the Red Wings. They play so well together, even if every player isn't a star. You can't count the Red Wings out, especially because I feel San Jose's better players can disappear at certain times.
=Easiest Pick of the Round=
Vancouver Canucks vs Nashville Predators : I was a little off in thinking the Predators would easily be pushed over, but the Canucks were easily the more talented team. I knew that it would take a miracle for Nashville to win this series. Pekka Rinne was nearly that miracle.
=Most Impressive Pick of the Round=
None. Really don't think any of the picks apply. I am impressed that I landed the correct amount of games in the Western Conference sets, but that was mere luck.
=Got Owned Series of the Round=
Take your pick in the Eastern Conference. Both Philadelphia and Washington were thoroughly embarrassed and neither would win a single game in the round.
=Shoulda, Coulda, Didn't Series of the Round=
I won't pick any teams for this. You could say Detroit, but they were playing a pretty good San Jose team...and they did win three straight to make the series interesting. I might get rid of this award for the playoffs. I think every team could say they should have won.
* Mass Playoff Prediction Update *
Well, I was absolutely correct in the Western Conference. Both the Canucks and Sharks are in. I was absolutely wrong in the Eastern Conference as I chose the Capitals and Flyers to make it. It'll be the Bruins and Lightning instead. I'm still alive as I have the Canucks winning it all. Unfortunately, I think I'm having a change of heart. You'll see in my picks section.
* NHL Conference Finals Predictions/Picks *
<== Eastern Conference ==>
=3. Boston Bruins versus 5. Tampa Bay Lightning=
Tricky series ahead here. We first must acknowledge that the Bruins will be missing Patrice Bergeron who has been their leading scorer. Tyler Seguin, a former first-round draft pick, will likely start for Bergeron. He's solid but unproven as far as the playoffs go. It's being reported that Patrice will only miss a game or two, but I'm a little concerned that it will be longer than that with his history. With that out of the way, I think the Bruins are stronger in net. Tim Thomas was fantastic in the Philadelphia series. Dwayne Roloson of the Lightning was great too against the Capitals, but Thomas had a better season. Defensively, the Bruins are also the better team. Between Zdeno Chara and Tomas Kaberle, the Bruins are far more solid than the Lightning. Now for where the Lightning are more dynamic: forwards. I like the forwards the Lightning bring. St. Louis, Lecavalier, Stamkos, Gagne, Purcell, and even Sean Bergenheim who chipped in with huge goals against the Capitals. The Bruins aren't slouching, but I can't really name a guy who brings excitement to their team other than David Krejci. With Bergeron out and Marc Savard out for the season (possibly for his career), the Bruins can't match the Lightning in terms of scoring. They do have big physical forwards like Milan Lucic who can score with hard work. I think that's basically the summary of this series. You have one team who is more physical, better defensively, and comes with a better goaltender against the other team who can score goals and is very dangerous on the power play. This truly is a hard series, but I think I know which team to go with.
My Prediction : Bruins in 6.
<== Western Conference ==>
=1. Vancouver Canucks versus 2. San Jose Sharks=
The top two seeds in the Western Conference meet for the Conference Finals. Both teams have taken difficult routes to get to where they are. Vancouver had to keep the Chicago Blackhawks from knocking them out in the first round while San Jose had to stave off the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night. I would dare to say that both these teams were expected to get as far as they have without all the drama. The Canucks were picked by many to win the Cup this year and they're very close. Goaltending is a little even. Roberto Loungo for the Canucks has not been as spectacular as he was in the regular season. He can be beat, especially if the Sharks can get in his head. In San Jose, the Sharks have the goaltender who backstopped the Chicago Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup just one year ago. His experience alone helps. That said, I think Vancouver has the slight edge just on paper. If we're talking intangibles, give it to Antti Niemi of the Hawks. I think Niemi is the more beatable goalie, but he does provide brilliance when needed. Defensively and offensively, both of these teams are chocked full. The Canucks bring outstanding forwards Ryan Kesler and the Sedin twins. Overall (and this is just an opinion), I think the Sharks have the greater quantity of players while the Canucks have the better quality players. The Sharks have guys like Setoguchi, Couture, and Clowe. This is after mentioning Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatley, and Joe Thorton. I think the Canucks are a bit better on defense, but the Sharks aren't far away.This should be an outstanding series regardless of how you break it down. I had initially gone with the Canucks at the beginning of the playoffs, but I think it's going to change. I'm prepared to be wrong because the Canucks could get their shit together quickly, but I just don't like Luongo's potential (after seeing him lose his cool in Chicago, I feel like he has to earn trust back) to break down when the going gets tough.
My Prediction : Sharks in 6.
So...........
Bruins vs Lightning ==> Bruins
Canucks vs Sharks ==> Sharks
Night!
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