After breaking down the East we will shift gears out towards the West
#1 Vancouver v. #8 Los Angeles
Offense: The Canucks sit 5th in goals for while LA sat 29th. Not much to be said here. The Kings offense needs to find out what is going wrong and fix it if they have any hope of moving past this series. With D. Sedin out for at least game 1 the Canucks offense took a huge blow. The foot soldiers helped out during the regular season but the guys relied upon to score goals will need to make sure they are on their game too.
Advantage Vancouver
Defense: Here things are a little closer. The Kings finished with the better numbers but provide little offensively for the team. But the Canucks can ice 6 defensemen who all finished even or better in the +/- department. On paper you would take the Canucks but LA has found a way to make it work.
Advantage None
Goaltending: Two of the games elite will face off as Jonathan Quick will battle Roberto Luongo. Quick put up spectacular numbers this season and is a big reason the Kings even made the playoffs. Luongo has been stellar down the stretch and deserves to start amid the Canucks "goalie controversy". Goals might be tough to come by in this series
Advantage Los Angeles
Special Teams: The Canucks once again sit near the top in both PP and PK. Although they have had real struggles with the man-advantage lately they still finished 4th in the league. The loss of D. Sedin again plays a factor that could mean a big difference in this series. LA compares with a slightly better penalty-kill but their power-play was not as potent as had hoped.
Advantage Vancouver
X-Factor: The goaltending duel will be a major factor in this series. There is no doubt Quick can steal games for the Kings (which he will almost HAVE to do)and that is sometimes enough to steal a series. The Canucks can fall back to Schnieder if things go awry, but if it comes to that it might be too late.
Result:
Vancouver in 6
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#2 St. Louis v. #7 San Jose
Offense: When you get good goaltending you don't need to score much. Seems to have worked for the Blues. With no superstar scorers they rely on everyone chipping in when they can. San Jose counts on their superstars carrying the load with very little help from the bottom half of the roster. Neither team is known for their prolific goal scoring.
Advantage San Jose
Defense: Since Hitchcock took over the Blues and implemented his defensive style the Blues have ascended the ranks in the NHL. Shattenkirk and Pietrangelo both had breakout years not only offensively but defensively. The Sharks do a good job of blending good offensive point-men with stay-at-home staples. This series could be very tight checking and not break character.
Advantage St. Louis
Goaltending: Not very often do you have two of the top 5 goalies in the league. How that translates to the playoffs is not really known. It is likely Elliott gets the start as he had better numbers, although there is no real wrong choice here. Former Stanley Cup Champion Antti Niemi will once again be asked to carry the load for the Sharks. He knows what it takes and gives his team a chance every night.
Advantage St. Louis
Special Teams: Funny how the Sharks will have the second best PP yet the second worst PK. This can prove to be a difference maker for the Sharks. They need to capitalize on their chances and make sure they are playing disciplined hockey to not give the Blues a chance. Scoring could prove difficult against the #7 penalty-kill that the Blues possess, however St. Louis doesn't boast the most threatening power-play which is good news for SJ.
Advantage St. Louis
X-Factor: This could be the final year the Sharks core guys have a shot at a long run. After years of disappointment and mediocre playoff performances they are starting to see the window close. Just sneaking into the playoffs this year might be the awakening the veterans need to realize how short that window can be. They need to finally show some battle and heart.
Result:
St. Louis in 5
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#3 Phoenix v. #6 Chicago
Offense: Chicago has an explosive offensive core with lots of individual talents who have been here before and know what it takes to win. Not having Toews to start the series is concerning, although the Blackhawks have scored fine without him. Phoenix's coach Dave Tippet somehow in someway makes average players play above their heads. But with only three 20 goal scorers it will have to be done by committee in the offensive zone.
Advantage Chicago
Defense: Phoenix plays a tight checking real defensive game and that is what allows them to win games. They won't get much offensive production out of the top 6 D but you can bet they take care of business in their own end. The Blackhawks struggled for much of the year in their own end. Not certain individuals just as a whole. The addition of Oduya at the deadline helps stop the leaking for now.
Advantage Phoenix
Goaltending: Mike Smith went from castaway to stealing the show. The Phoenix netminder put up outstanding numbers in his first year with the club. Chicago meanwhile continues to try and find a solid number one guy. Crawford has had some shakey moments and Emery provided times of relief but did not steal the job away. This could be Chicagos real downfall.
Advantage Phoenix
Special Teams: Both teams PP ranked in the bottom 5 in the league, more of a surprise for Chicago than Phoenix. The difference comes in PK numbers. The Hawks finished again in the bottom 5 but it was the Coyotes who have the only special team not dwelling in the cellar, sitting 8th in PK. Both teams will be hoping for lots of 5-on-5 action.
Advantage Phoenix
X-Factor: Chicago needs to plug the holes in the back end that are nearly sinking the ship. Good news is they aren't facing a potent offense. If that offense starts to score more than it should the Hawks could find themselves not making it out of the first round for a second straight year. Their experience will have to make up for the poor defensive display this year.
Result:
Chicago in 6
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#4 Nashville v. #5 Detroit
Offense: Both teams put up similar numbers offensively this season. This is new territory for the Predators who are normally offensively lacking. The late season addition of Radulov adds more firepower to an already balanced attack. Detroit still has claim to two of the most gifted forwards in the league in Zetterberg and Datsyuk but the supporting cast has done more than it's share this year.
Advantage Detroit
Defense: The bread and butter for the Predators, who have the best shutdown pairing in Suter and Weber. With most of the team bought into the defense first mentality it becomes very difficult to score. Lead by the immortal Nick Lidstrom and Selke staple Datsyuk, goals have just always been difficult to score against the Red Wings.
Advantage Nashville
Goaltending: Pekke Rinne has established himself as a top 3 goaltender in this league. Night after night he gives his team the chance to win. He is a big body who can move quick, a deadly combination for a man stopping pucks. Howard has had a good year as well but he doesn't seem to steal games the same way Rinne has been known to do.
Advantage Nashville
Special Teams: Nashville is one of the few teams that can claim top 10 PP and top 10 PK. A big reason for their success is the way they win games in every department. There are very few weak spots on this Nashville squad. Detroit on the other hand struggled in both aspects of the special teams this year not finising in the top half in either. A real contrast between the two teams.
Advantage Nashville
X-Factor: Nashville has put a lot of it's eggs in one basket this year in hopes they can finally make a deep playoff run. It is just unfortunate that they have to start the run against a team that noone can remember the last time they DIDN'T make the playoffs. They need to stick to their game and their system and if they do that they shouldn't have too much trouble with a Red Wings team that is starting to show it's age.
Result:
Nashville in 7
TJ MOLLAND
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