Boston vs  Montreal

If there is one thing the  Canadiens have  done frequently throughout their long storied past it’s win at times when they weren’t supposed to. I think ’86 and ’93 would be such times to pick the most recent. With all the not exactly positive drama surrounding their 100th anniversary this year, the on ice product has been , well, precarious. The match up with the Bruins doesn’t bode well for the blue blanc et rouge. Most feel Boston will romp-maybe in 4 straight, at most 5. But I say, while Montreal won’t win, they’ll show some life.

Boston in 6

Carolina vs New Jersey

Those New Jersey Devils have some kind of impressive  playoff history over the last 15 years. They are a perennial force, built around defense and opportunistic scoring. I don’t know why I’m not picking them against the Hurrican, but it must be because those Maurice led Carolina boys have a deja vu aura about them with Ward, the immortal Brindamour, Staal, and now Cole back in the fold–and the coach.  They look like those Stanley Cup winners of just a few years back. ‘Canes are my sleeper pick to win the east.

Carolina in 7

Pittsburg vs Philly

The records of these two teams couldn’t be closer and if the Flyers hadn’t played down the stretch with such a lack of enthusiasm, they would have had home ice advantage in this series. Instead, the penguins have really turned things aroung with a new coach, some good acquisitions at the trade deadline (Guerin, Kunitz) and look ready to vanquish those slumping Broad Street Bullies. Maybe things will be a little tighter than one might think. After all the two teams have developed a bit of a hate-on over the last couple of years, especially.

Penguins in 6

Fasten your seatbelts here we go!

Ottawa vs AnaheimWill it be the “Power Play Play-offs” or the ‘Finale?’ We brace ourselves for another rendition of the National Penalty-Calling League. Either way Ottawa is going to prevail. I don’t mind the Ducks as a team and they are certainly capable of winning, but the Sens are the deep TEAM; Anaheim an assembly of specialized parts. Ottawa has 4 lines that can hurt you, and are a short handed threat, and have smart quick d. The Ducks don’t have strength evenly distributed through their line up and face it, Giguere is sometimes good at shutting down, sometimes not.
I do think highly of Anaheim. Most pundits think so, too. And most predict a 6 or 7 gamer. But I’m picking Ottawa in 5 games. They got somethin’ good goin’ on.

Well, now that I, Rumpelstiltskin have awakened from my slumber, I’m wondering if I missed the Stanley Cup finale for 2007? But no, what luck! Two thirds of the Triple Crown has been run; wedding season is well under way, not to mention golf; Barry Bonds has played enough games already this year to have  jacked himself past Hammerin’ Hank, but still the Stanley Cup playoffs are STALLED! Thanks John Daly and Gary Bettman (two of the most disingenuous spin-meisters who have ever been), you’ve just marginalized The National Hokey League even more.
Here’s to hoping for a great finale thought “if I can tear myself away from the sunny outdoors and the players can remember how to tie their skates up.”

Ok, so the dawgs got the better of me in round 2. San Jose and New York failed to pull of a little magic and Ottawa showed their meddle by dismissing rather handily a pretty good team in the Devils. Alas Jagr, Brodeur and Thornton weren’t the series breakers some of us thought they might be.
Eastern Conference

Still, despite the last round’s poor record, I’m going with the dawgs again. Buffalo is a formidable favourite, but there is something different about this Senators team. Perhaps it’s the good balance throughout their line up; the improved all -round two-way play of the players; or the way they play with very little inconsistancy game in, game out. But I especially think it’s the rise to preeminence of Emery. A playoff series is often determined by a goal tender who’s hot, on a streak and capable of instilling confidence in the guys playing in front because they eminate that quality themselves. Emery’s doing that. Sometimes he’s bordering on cocky, but if he can maintain his concentration, while showing he’s up to the challange, then this can have a huge effect.

Pick: Senators in 7 (one of the games the sens might get blown out 4 or 5 to 1).

Western Conference
Hard to look at the Ducks (#2 seed) as the underdog. They are still ramping up, so to speak, in that they still haven’t shown us their best hockey yet. And they are healthy. Detroit is exhibiting some strong play, but the Schneider injure could cost them dearly on the back end. And I still view Hasek as a bit of a liability.

Pick: Ducks in 6

Chances are that game 3 of the New Jersey/Ottawas series is now going to be summed up as having been all about the ‘interference’ Ottawa’s Fischer ran on Brodeur on the game winning goal.  Never mind that Ottawa out played the Devils, and deserved the win. And you can bet going forward the Devils will be, and have already begun, harping on it,–albeit somewhat delicately, so as not to risk looking too much like whiners, and being fined–so as to spin things with the refs for the next games.
What really happened, though, is Brodeur tried doing a little academy-award-winning acting and screwed himself up for the subsequent shot by Preissing, hoping to get a call from the refs (even before Preissing shot, and certainly to ultimately nullify the goal), which never came. And rightly so. While I’m all in favour of protecting the goalies, the reality now in the NHL is that goaltender ‘acting’ has clearly gotten out of hand. Kiprusoff somewhat, but Turco especially and now Brodeur  are a few of the worst offenders that come to mind. As with diving in general, until the refs have the guts to call it and not let goalies get away with it, the dramatics will only continue and worsen. It’s not great for the game to see these ham-sters feigning mortal injuries, especially when it is some of these same tenders dishing it out ( the slashing and jabbing) in earnest, and getting away with it.
Brodeur should be ashamed of himself. It was THE blemish on an incredible effort. And it cost him– as it should have.