hockeyshrine, Author at Hockey Shrine - Lost in Skates

3rd Round (Conference finals) NHL Playoffs

May 13, 2016 by hockeyshrine

TBL vs PIT

How about those Tampa Bay Lightning! We underestimated them, thinking they were missing a couple of key players (Stralman, Stamkos) and on the slope downwards backing away from being cup contenders. If anything they look like they are building on last year’s run. They have a great fore-checking game; can handle the physical play; roll one offensively threatening line after another; and have ‘the wall’ that is Ben Bishop. They are an up tempo team that is coached well, plays fundamentally sound positional systems, and is fun to watch. What’s not to like about them?! I had picked STL and PIT to be in the final before the playoffs began, but feel the Lightening are really rounding into their own. This series should be very entertaining with a lot of back and forth play. I think T Bay will prevail. Probably in 6, maybe 7.

STL vs SJS

These two teams deserve to be here in the final four. Hitchcock probably would have lost his job had the Blues lost the last series. He probably will survive as the head coach if (when) STL loses to the Sharks. Depending on how poorly things go. Doubt still lingers over this STL team. They are very good one minute and then capable of not showing up like early in game six of this last series against Dallas. They don’t ever seem sure of being able to put opposing teams away.

The Sharks have had a similar history of late: not apparently able to go the extra step with a core group that has been there seemingly forever. The same need to prove themselves, as with Hitchcock, also lies with the management team under Wilson. It won’t be the coach that goes this time if they, the Sharks, don’t advance, but perhaps Doug Wilson. Again, depending on how (badly) this one goes.

It seemed to me that whoever made it through the Nashville/San Jose series would be in the cup. I think that still holds true. San Jose is playing solid hockey and are going to exorcise their demons before the Blues do. Sharks in 6.

Hockeyshrine went 3 for 4 in the last round (PIT in 6, SJS in 7, STL in 6 (sorta was), and blew it with NYI in 5. Islanders just fizzled)

SJS vs TBL as a cup final prediction.

Second Round 2015-16 NHL Playoffs

April 26, 2016 by hockeyshrine

Down to eight teams now. Hockyshrine went 5.5 for 8 in the first round: thought NSH vs ANA would be too close to call(!); and didn’t see Detroit or Florida losing out. Ben Bishop might have been the difference for Tampa Bay over Detroit, and the strong physical play of the Islanders really pointed up the benefits of toughness, period, but especially in the playoffs.

TBL vs NYI

As for this round, I think the Islanders will prevail largely because of the aforementioned hard-hitting style they bring. Tampa Bay demonstrated that they were no slouches last year, but they don’t seem to be as bruising a team as does New York. Unless Bishop can steal the series–or conversely Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss reverts back to his more unexceptional self–NYI should win in 5.

WSH vs PIT

Call it the ‘President’s trophy jinx’ or just that the playoffs really are a different animal altogether, but the Washington Capitals to my mind are not poised to be drinking champagne from Lord Stanley’s mug this year. Great team for sure, but what happens in close games where the PP can’t win it for them because the refs have put away the whistles? I think they aren’t as strong at 5 on 5 as they need to be.

Pittsburgh has a very solid line up and are getting rookie goal-tending that is a reminder of the sudden arrival of one Ken Dryden on the playoff scene back in the day! Well, not quite (or yet), but still the Penguins are a well rounded force with lots of weapons. Pick Sid and the boys in 6.

STL vs DAL

The Blues have finally exorcised a big playoff demon and are marching on. I picked them to be in the final at the beginning of the playoffs. I also picked San Jose to be a dark horse. Not sure which now, but one of those two is likely to be in the big dance. Obviously then I pick St. Louis to beat Dallas. The Stars have the offense, but aren’t going to be able the out score their way through to successive rounds. STL in 6.

NSH vs SJS

If I had chosen San Jose to be a dark horse in this year’s playoffs, Nashville was also meriting a similar consideration. This series I think will be the most fun to watch of all the second round match ups. Both teams have a relentlessness to them, and a skill level throughout their respective line ups that is going to result in a close, hard fought, and evenly matched series. This tilt should produce some good hockey. SJS in 7.

NHL Playoffs Stanley Cup Final 2014

June 4, 2014 by hockeyshrine

NY vs LA

Enough cannot be said about how surprising the play of the New York Rangers has been. They do have a great goalie, which everyone knew, but that they have the size and speed, in combination, such as they have–who knew?! They fore check well and have a goodly number of offensive weapons, but are going to be hard pressed to match the well-oiled, relentless, machine-like efficiency that the Kings bring and have been bringing this playoff year. LA has started slow in all three series so far, and may well do so again in the final (given that NY is well rested), but they are looking solid. Unless some dramatic development happens (i.e., a key injury), LA should take this one in 5 games.

NHL Playoffs 2014 Predictions (Round 3)

May 21, 2014 by hockeyshrine

Lost in Skates went 3 for 4 in the second round–and we were not surprised by Montreal’s advancement. Maintaining our 75% success rate. Again, not too shabby!

NY vs Mtl, LA vs CHI

We were a little slow out of the gate for round 3, so will dispense with predictions in the two (NY/MTL, LA/CHI) series. It is amazing how quickly things fell apart for the Habs, and now down 2-0 with the series headed to NY, their goose is cooked! Going into it we would probably have said Montreal in 7. It is remarkable how strong the Rangers look. They would seem to be combining the size and strength of the Bruins along with the speed of the Canadiens. Truly difficult to gauge how teams will match up. We’ll never know, but New York probably would have taken the series, even with Carey Price in nets. They are forcing Montreal to play in their own end of the rink waaaaay more than the latter had to against Boston. Rangers are very good on the fore check and cycling down low. And a lock in goal with King Lundqvist.

As for CHI/LA, as we write Chicago is up 1-0. Another instance where gauging how these teams would match up can be deceptive. Haven’t seen any of the play yet, but would have thought LA would carry the day in 6 games. LA seems prone to slow starts, so this may in fact end up happening. But with Cory Crawford looking stronger with each series, who knows! LA is relentless and should break, through. However, it would be great to see a classic Original 6 (NY/CHI) final!

NHL Playoffs 2014 Predictions (Round 2)

May 1, 2014 by hockeyshrine

Well, here at Lost In Skates we didn’t do too badly on the first round: 6 out of 8 correct with the other two series both going to 7 games (as predicted). Not too shabby!

Now on to the second round.

BOS vs MTL

If there is one team that can give the Bruins fits it’s Montreal. This is a capital ‘c’ classic, original six, playoff match up and, the Habs being the Habs, anything could happen. I don’t think it’s outrageous to posit that the Canadiens could be the only thing that stands between Boston and another Stanley Cup.

Both teams have had some rest after round 1, but particularly significant will be how quickly Montreal can get up to speed after an especially long lay off. The Habs may lose game one due primarily to rust-or jitters. Otherwise, the question becomes whether Montreal can play a pesky, quick enough style, game after game, to throw the Bruins out of their rhythm. Both teams are defensively sound, with Montreal being perhaps the better fore checking team; Boston better at clogging up the middle. The goal tending is as even as you’ll find in any playoff series this year. Yes size will matter, but it’s just a question of whether it’ll be the big bad Bruins or the darting, diminutive Canadiens dudes, that can have their way! An upset is a very real possibility, but I’ll stick with Boston in 6.

PITTS vs NY Rangers

Hard to have resounding confidence in this current group of Penguins. And it starts with Marc Andre Fleury. Goal tending is the key factor in the playoffs, and the Pittsburgh goalie still has the some demons of inconsistency swirling around him. And they’re up against Lundqvist! Are there a bunch of players playing hurt (Crosby, Sutter, Letang), or with varying degrees of disinterest (Malkin, Neal)? Whatever is happening with the Penguins, the parts don’t seem to add up to a whole. The Rangers play a pretty tight game with a great goalie to back em up. NY has some scoring weapons, but they have to get going–better than in the series against the Flyers. I think they will, and the Rangers will win in 7.

ANA vs LA

Once again one feels compelled to decide the outcome of this series, like many of the others, based on goal tending. The Ducks are formidable, but aren’t looking all that convincing to me that their fire power and considerable depth thru their line up can overcome a less than air tight net factor. The Kings are looking like their ‘usual’, playoff ready selves again and definitely have the edge between the pipes. LA are a strong, relentless and tiring team to play against-especially in the playoffs. LA in 5.

MINN vs CHI

The Wild are a team that no one should take lightly. They, like Montreal, could surprise. The have a solid system, with a good balance between defensive and offense. But I think Chicago, who is rounding into form, presents a much more experienced and cohesive challenge than the young Avs team that Minnesota just out played in round 1. Chicago’s key guys are finally waking up after a slow playoff start (where are you Patrick Sharp?). And they are going to be way smarter in systems play, and not so wide open, back and forth, as Colorado was. The Wild are putting an impressive team together. But this is the end of the line this year. Black Hawks in 6