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.
