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NHL Playoffs 2014 Predictions (Round 2)

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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

Nhl Playoffs 2010-11 (Round 2)

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First round is in the books for 2010-11 playoffs. Mostly things went without a major upset; two fifth seed teams won out over two 4th place teams, but there wasn’t much daylight between the Ducks/Preds, or the Bolts/Penguins (especially with Pittsburgh missing so many key guys). But how about Tampa Bay, nonetheless? Who’d have thought they’d have the edge in goal with Roloson playing just as he did for the Oilers back in the 2006 Cup run? The Lightning are a complete team with a great coach (and GM) and i think they’ll take the Capitals in this second round.

LA Kings put up a good fight and showed they were a better team than at first glance. Positives for them to build on.  San Jose and Detroit took care of biz more or less as predicted: the wings proving to be even more formidable than thought.  The Bruins did not look all that convincing in prevailing over Montreal. Thomas is mighty good, but can’t win the cup for them all on his own.  Philly looks just now to be coming together as a team and should go by the Bruins without much trouble. And finally the Canucks at last exorcised their big nemesis the Blackhawks. The jolt or wake up call that that series provided (basically telling them that from President’s trophy to the Stanley Cup ain’t no smooth ride) is really just what Vancouver needed.  They left their season hang in the balance on one goal, but were fortunate to prevail. They really are the better team this year.

 

East

 

Washington vs Tampa Bay

 

Can the Bolts maintain their stellar defensive play (against a decent defensive team in Washington) while still getting the offense they clearly possess? I think so. If Roloson doesn’t tire, the Lightning are a balanced team and might, in fact, hold the edge in coaching– and Boudreau ain’t no slouch behind the Caps bench. Take TB in 6.

 

Philly vs Boston

 

As mentioned above, the Bruins didn’t look that impressive in dispensing the Habs and Philly did look a lot better by the end of their series than at the beginning. With Pronger back…I think the Bruins are cooked in 5 games.

 

West

 

Canucks vs Predators

Vancouver and Nashville play tight, low scoring, wear-em-down type games and I’m not sure that if the Predators had’ve been the Canucks’ first round opponent that they wouldn’t have won. But the lift (lesson?) of getting by Chicago I think will help Vancouver immensely. Pekka Rinne: fantastic goalie. Luongo and Sneider: better, certainly with the team playing in front of them. The music stops in the ‘Music City’ this round. ‘Nucks in 5

 

San Jose vs Detroit

 

This is going to be the best of all the second round match ups. The perennially solid and well coached Redwings are capable once again of getting to the cup. They have all the pieces, are getting key players back and have pretty good (under rated) goal tending. They play so methodically and with such determination (sense of entitlement?) that it’s hard to see them failing…

The Sharks however seem superior in their explosive, opportunistic offence and creativity. San Jose has, like Vancouver, some playoff bogeymen to exorcise themselves. They seem a bit more intense this year. And they have a lot of scoring threats.  If Niemi has it together, the Sharks will take hockeytown in 6.

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