NHL 2nd Round Playoff Predictions
Likely Winners for Conference Semifinals
The remaining 8 teams in the playoffs can make at least some claim to being legitimate contenders for Lord Stanley’s shining champagne holder.
After all, getting through the first round is often the toughest test. Once a serious contender survives the opening round jitters, they tend to settle down and play to form.
Here’s a quick look at all 4 Conference Semifinal series.
Eastern Conference
(1) Montreal Canadiens v. (6) Philadelphia Flyers
This match-up pits 2 teams coming off 7-game opening round victories. A bout of shaky goaltending from rookie Carey Price cost Montreal a 3-1 series lead. But Price regained his form in time for Game 7 and shut out Boston.
The Flyers too blew a 3-1 advantage against Washington and needed overtime in Game 7 before prevailing.
Cocky Habs’ fans will point to a regular season in which their boys handled Philly 4 straight times and outscored the Flyers 15-6.
But before Montreal shopkeepers run to the lumber yard to buy plywood for the traditional victory looting, the Canadiens will need to get their league-leading power play back in gear. Against the Bruins, Montreal mostly fired blanks with the man advantage.
This should come down to goalkeeping. After an iffy Game 1, Philly’s Marty Biron was steady. Price was alternately terrific, awful and terrific.
Prediction: Price will be more terrific than awful. Montreal in 6.
(2) Pittsburgh Penguins v. (5) New York Rangers
It’s hard to get a good read on Pittsburgh’s first round performance. Sidney Crosby and all the Pens stars had a good series in the sweep of Ottawa. Of course, the way the Senators played, they’d have been swept by the cast of Stars on Ice.
Meanwhile, the Rangers were disposing of the Devils in 5 with a great overall performance. Stars like Jaromir Jagr and Scott Gomez performed like stars. Sean Avery drove Jersey crazy with both his agitating antics and his scoring. But the biggest factor was Henrik Lundquist. His play between the pipes gives his mates the confidence they need to take the game to the opposition.
Prediction: The Penguins can’t handle a real hockey team after their Ottawa holiday. Rangers in 6.
Western Conference
(1)Detroit Red Wings v. (6) Colorado Avalanche
This one should be a no brainer, right? Detroit beat Colorado in all 4 meetings during the regular season, 3 by shutout. They’re the NHL’s top team and have a great veteran backline featuring Nik Lidstrom, Bryan Rafalski and Chris Chelios.
The Avalanche got all they could handle from Minnesota. Although they won in 6 games, all 6 were decided by 1 goal and 3 games needed overtime.
The Avs got good production from vets like Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg and great goalkeeping from Jose Theodore. The Wings had trouble scoring against Nashville and had to replace Domenik Hasek with Chris Osgoode part way through.
Prediction: Wings still have trouble scoring, but ultimately outlast the Avs. Wings in 7.
(2) San Jose Sharks v. (5) Dallas Stars
The Sharks were the NHL’s hottest team down the stretch. Then they hit the playoffs where they needed the full 7 games to douse the Calgary Flames. Vezina Trophy nominee Evgeni Nabokov played well enough, but the Sharks leading first round scorer was Ryan Clowe (Huh?). Worse, they needed Jeremy Roenick all hopped up on Geritol, to save them in Game 7.
As for the Stars, what’s not to like about a team that knocked off the defending champs in Round 1. Marty Turco stood on his head with a .912 save percentage, former Conn Smythe trophy winner Brad Richards came alive with 5 points and the Stars power play pumped 10 goals into the Ducks net.
Prediction: Stars light it up while the Sharks float to the surface belly up. Stars in 6.
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