EASTERN CONFERENCE
Rangers (1) vs. Capitals (2)
My prediction: Rangers in 6
RESULT: Rangers in 7
Post-Series Thoughts: The Rangers had a bit more trouble with the Caps than I expected, almost entirely because of the phenomenal goaltending of Holtby. Even with Holtby turning in a fantastic showing, the Rangers just barely got the edge. In game. In overtime. Few series are closer than that.
Pre-Series Thoughts: The Capitals pushed through round 1, but the Rangers are a much stronger team with more depth. The only way the Capitals win this is if Ovechkin is unbelievable, and Holtby stands on his head. Rangers in 6.
Canadiens (1) vs. Lightning (2)
My prediction: Lightning in 6
RESULT: Lightning in 7
Post-Series Thoughts: The Habs put up a darn good fight and took the Lightning the distance. In the end the Bolts took them down, but give the Habs credit for showing up far more than I expected in this series.
Pre-Series Thoughts: The Lightning dominated the Habs in the regular season, and I don't see any reason that won't continue here. The post-season is a different story, but in this case I think the Lightning take out the Habs in 6.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Ducks (1) vs. Flames (2)
My prediction: Ducks in 4
RESULT: Ducks in 5
Post-series Thoughts: The Flames actually played great in this series. I was surprised that they took a game, but even more surprised that they gave the Ducks some trouble in the series overall. But they still appeared to be overachieving and the Ducks were just too strong.
Pre-series Thoughts: I was shocked to see the Flames get out of round 1, but the Ducks just might be the strongest team in this year's playoffs (other than maybe the Rangers). I just can't see a way the Flames get through this series, and I'd be surprised if they take a game.
Blackhawks (1) vs. Wild (2)
My prediction: Wild in 7
RESULT: Blackhawks in 4
Post-Series Thoughts: Wow. Dubnyk disappeared and the Wild fell apart. They looked like a different team at times. That's not to take anything away from the Hawks, who played great hockey. But I expected this one to go longer for sure, whoever ended up winning.
Pre-Series Thoughts: The
Wild have been one of the better teams the second half of the season
(overcoming a terrible start), and stunned the Blues. Crawford has been shaky in net, and Dubnyk has been brilliant. He made me a believer in round 1, and I think goaltending makes the difference in this series. It won't be easy, and the Hawks may be a bit in the Wild's head after the last two years, but I think the Wild take it in 7.
Note: my picks above are based on who I think will win, not on who I want to win. In all series except CHI-MIN, my picks are the opposite of who I'm rooting for, based on draft pick implications for the Flyers. CHI-MIN has no impact on the Flyers pick(s).
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Sunday, April 12, 2015
2015 Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions, Round 1
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Rangers (1) vs. Penguins (4)
My prediction: Rangers in 6
RESULT: Rangers in 5
Post-Series Thoughts: Really no surprise here. Crysby was a no-show and the Rangers just took it to them in just about every aspect of the game.
Pre-Series Thoughts: The Rangers are a much stronger team than the Penguins, and they've been playing some great hockey lately. You can never count out Crysby, but given his playoffs track record, I think the most the Pens may be able to steal is 2 games. Rangers in 6.
Canadiens (1) vs. Senators (4)
My prediction: Canadiens in 5
RESULT: Canadiens in 6
Post-Series Thoughts: The Sens put up way more of a fight than I expected, and the Habs certainly didn't dominate. But in the end they sealed it up without too much trouble.
Pre-Series Thoughts: I think the Senators were the team that accidentally snuck in this year. I think the Habs dominate this series. Sens may steal 1, but this one will be all Habs.
Lightning (2) vs. Red Wings (3)
My prediction: Lightning in 7
RESULT: Lightning in 7
Post-Series Thoughts: Called this one almost exactly. Wings stepped up their game but the Lightning held them off.
Pre-Series Thoughts: I almost want to pick the Wings for this one. The Lightning have overachieved, I believe, and the Wings have underachieved. Also the Lightning seem to have trouble the last few years in closing out series, while the Wings are perennial playoff contenders. Still, I think the Lightning strike down the Wings in 7.
Capitals (2) vs. Islanders (3)
My prediction: Islanders in 6
RESULT: Capitals in 7
Post-Series Thoughts: Well my prediction here was a bust. Ovechkin was just OK, I thought...moments of brilliance and moments of nothing, and he ended up with a -4 for the series...but the Caps actually played well together and edged out the Isles. Let's see if they can make a long run or if they'll be out in two.
Pre-Series Thoughts: There is a part of me that wants to say that this is finally the year that Ovechkin gets the Caps into a deep playoff run. Certainly the team around him is more solid, with better coaching than they've had for a while. But the Islanders are playing great hockey, and I have to go with history here. I think Ovie will be great but overall the Isles play better as a team and will take it in 6.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Ducks (1) vs. Jets (4)
My prediction: Ducks in 4
RESULT: Ducks in 4
Post-Series Thoughts: The Jets made this a much closer series than I expected in terms of individual games; the scores of most of the games was close. But in the end they couldn't hang in the series with the Ducks.
Pre-series Thoughts: I don't see any way the Jets can hang with the Ducks. The Jets are the weakest team in this year's playoffs, IMO, with the potential exception of the Senators (and I still think the Jets are worse). No way the Jets take this series, and I doubt they even get a game unless the Ducks completely fall apart.
Blues (1) vs. Wild (4)
My prediction: Blues in 5
RESULT: Wild in 6
Post-Series Thoughts: This was, indeed, the series that surprised me the most. Credit this one to Dubnyk; he stood on his head in this series. Also the Wild seemed to want it more. Blues at times seemed a bit ambivalent where the Wild pushed hard almost every shift. Nicely done, Wild.
Pre-Series Thoughts: The Wild have been one of the better teams the second half of the season (overcoming a terrible start), but I give the edge to the Blues because I believe they are a deeper team and have a better coach in Hitchcock. He understands strategy and gets his team to play better in the playoffs most years. Coming from the way they've been playing of late, I don't see the Wild doing much here. However, this one may be the series that surprises me the most.
Predators (2) vs. Blackhawks (3)
My prediction: Blackhawks in 6
RESULT: Blackhawks in 6
Post-Series Thoughts: The Predators played great hockey in this series. But they sorely missed Weber, and the Hawks are just a deeper team.
Pre-Series Thoughts: This is the best the Predators have been in years, and a Blackhawks team that has underachieved. But the Hawks are a deep team with lots of talent, and I just think they'll step it up in the playoffs.
Canucks (2) vs. Flames (3)
My prediction: Canucks in 7
RESULT: Flames in 6
Post-Series Thoughts: Well, this wasn't one of the closest series. Would Miller have made a difference? Possibly. But give the Flames credit. They played beyond their abilities, in my opinion. I don't mean that as a slight; I mean that they played really well as a team. Team play always trumps individual effort, and the Flames did just that in this series. Kudos to them.
Pre-Series Thoughts: This has the potential to be the closest series this playoffs. These teams split their season series at two games a piece, and seem pretty evenly matched. I think the Canucks are a slightly deeper team that is more well built for the playoffs. It could be that a missing Miller may be the difference, but I'm still giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Rangers (1) vs. Penguins (4)
My prediction: Rangers in 6
RESULT: Rangers in 5
Post-Series Thoughts: Really no surprise here. Crysby was a no-show and the Rangers just took it to them in just about every aspect of the game.
Pre-Series Thoughts: The Rangers are a much stronger team than the Penguins, and they've been playing some great hockey lately. You can never count out Crysby, but given his playoffs track record, I think the most the Pens may be able to steal is 2 games. Rangers in 6.
Canadiens (1) vs. Senators (4)
My prediction: Canadiens in 5
RESULT: Canadiens in 6
Post-Series Thoughts: The Sens put up way more of a fight than I expected, and the Habs certainly didn't dominate. But in the end they sealed it up without too much trouble.
Pre-Series Thoughts: I think the Senators were the team that accidentally snuck in this year. I think the Habs dominate this series. Sens may steal 1, but this one will be all Habs.
Lightning (2) vs. Red Wings (3)
My prediction: Lightning in 7
RESULT: Lightning in 7
Post-Series Thoughts: Called this one almost exactly. Wings stepped up their game but the Lightning held them off.
Pre-Series Thoughts: I almost want to pick the Wings for this one. The Lightning have overachieved, I believe, and the Wings have underachieved. Also the Lightning seem to have trouble the last few years in closing out series, while the Wings are perennial playoff contenders. Still, I think the Lightning strike down the Wings in 7.
Capitals (2) vs. Islanders (3)
My prediction: Islanders in 6
RESULT: Capitals in 7
Post-Series Thoughts: Well my prediction here was a bust. Ovechkin was just OK, I thought...moments of brilliance and moments of nothing, and he ended up with a -4 for the series...but the Caps actually played well together and edged out the Isles. Let's see if they can make a long run or if they'll be out in two.
Pre-Series Thoughts: There is a part of me that wants to say that this is finally the year that Ovechkin gets the Caps into a deep playoff run. Certainly the team around him is more solid, with better coaching than they've had for a while. But the Islanders are playing great hockey, and I have to go with history here. I think Ovie will be great but overall the Isles play better as a team and will take it in 6.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Ducks (1) vs. Jets (4)
My prediction: Ducks in 4
RESULT: Ducks in 4
Post-Series Thoughts: The Jets made this a much closer series than I expected in terms of individual games; the scores of most of the games was close. But in the end they couldn't hang in the series with the Ducks.
Pre-series Thoughts: I don't see any way the Jets can hang with the Ducks. The Jets are the weakest team in this year's playoffs, IMO, with the potential exception of the Senators (and I still think the Jets are worse). No way the Jets take this series, and I doubt they even get a game unless the Ducks completely fall apart.
Blues (1) vs. Wild (4)
My prediction: Blues in 5
RESULT: Wild in 6
Post-Series Thoughts: This was, indeed, the series that surprised me the most. Credit this one to Dubnyk; he stood on his head in this series. Also the Wild seemed to want it more. Blues at times seemed a bit ambivalent where the Wild pushed hard almost every shift. Nicely done, Wild.
Pre-Series Thoughts: The Wild have been one of the better teams the second half of the season (overcoming a terrible start), but I give the edge to the Blues because I believe they are a deeper team and have a better coach in Hitchcock. He understands strategy and gets his team to play better in the playoffs most years. Coming from the way they've been playing of late, I don't see the Wild doing much here. However, this one may be the series that surprises me the most.
Predators (2) vs. Blackhawks (3)
My prediction: Blackhawks in 6
RESULT: Blackhawks in 6
Post-Series Thoughts: The Predators played great hockey in this series. But they sorely missed Weber, and the Hawks are just a deeper team.
Pre-Series Thoughts: This is the best the Predators have been in years, and a Blackhawks team that has underachieved. But the Hawks are a deep team with lots of talent, and I just think they'll step it up in the playoffs.
Canucks (2) vs. Flames (3)
My prediction: Canucks in 7
RESULT: Flames in 6
Post-Series Thoughts: Well, this wasn't one of the closest series. Would Miller have made a difference? Possibly. But give the Flames credit. They played beyond their abilities, in my opinion. I don't mean that as a slight; I mean that they played really well as a team. Team play always trumps individual effort, and the Flames did just that in this series. Kudos to them.
Pre-Series Thoughts: This has the potential to be the closest series this playoffs. These teams split their season series at two games a piece, and seem pretty evenly matched. I think the Canucks are a slightly deeper team that is more well built for the playoffs. It could be that a missing Miller may be the difference, but I'm still giving them the benefit of the doubt.
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