#1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #8 New York Islanders:
Bik: Wait - what are we supposed to do now? If the Islanders are making the playoffs, who do we make fun of?
Oh right... THERE'S STILL CALGARY!
But really, wow, congrats to the Islanders for making the playoffs and nice to see John Tavares taking that next step and making a place for himself amongst the games best players. And now here's your reward... The Pittsburgh Penguins!
I really don't know if this could be a worse matchup for the Islanders. Maybe the best matchup for them to learn from, but as far as this year goes - you have a focused and determined Penguins team that is just all-in for this season.
NYI's defensive abilities are suspect at best so they are going to need to score goals, but if you get into a track meet with this team it is going to be utterly devastating because the Pens are the leagues highest scoring team by a wide margin.
TJ! Will anything more than 4 games in this series surprise you? How does it happen?
TJ: .....Hold on Bik....lets step aside for a moment. ("Do we really have to do this?" "Don't we out of obligation to the Isles fans?" "Will one of the three of them read this? I guess you are right")
Wow, those Islanders sure are a great team *enthusiastic thumbs up* Really though this is a big step for them. I said at the beginning of the year there will be one team that gets hot at the right time and win enough games to make it to the playoffs. This is that team. They can't let the Penguins aura of invincibility intimidate them though. If they work hard enough they might catch the penguins off guard and win one ga......sorry I can't finish that sentence.
Bik: Really?!? Even despite my best attempts and throw you under the "Make a Case for the Islanders" bus, you still managed to evade it and throw it back at me.
Ok so I'm going to side-step that bullet as well. Penguins in 4. Move on?
TJ: Pens in 4 but John Tavares has a real good series almost single handedly winning them one game.....almost (This entire prediction could have been condensed into one single tweet mind you)
#2 Montreal Canadiens vs. #7 Ottawa Senators:
TJ: The all Canadian matchup of the first round. To be honest I did not have high expectations of either team making the playoffs. But they are both here and deservedly so, which means we gotta break it down.
Wait, am I actually giving Toronto a chance in this series?! What kool-aid am I drinking.
This series could very well be defined by the play of two of the best young defenders in the game, Montreal's PK Subban and Ottawa's Erik Karlsson. Slick puck movers who are the straw that stirs the offensive drink. These two guys define the new breed of defencemen we are seeing. And man are they going to be fun to watch. Both teams faltered down the stretch and don't have a lot of confidence from the critics. So Bik if you were a betting man (quit throwing odds and money at me, this was said figuratively) who would you take?
Bik: Before we look and try to predict the future, let's rewind to our 30 for 30 in 30 at the end of last season when a young, charismatic, genius of a man predicted big things for Le Bleu Blanc et Rouge while somebody else didn't......
Ok back to the future.... I previously said that maybe the Canucks - Sharks series might be the lowest scoring. I think I'd like to retract that statement now. Between LA-StL, Van-SJ, and this series, will the combined goals in all 3 match the Pens-Isles series alone? This has low-scoring, few chances, nail-biting finishes written all over it.
Big props out of the gate to the Ottawa Senators. How are they even here after all those injuries?!?! Amazing. And actually that's where they have the edge. It's because of coaching that got them here, and I like the edge MacLean has over Michel Therrien. Not to say that Therrien is a bad coach, but in my opinion, MacLean is right on the edge of entering the coaching elite. A series win or 2 will bring him to that group. Now does he get that win in this series remains to be the question. I said it in the pre-season and I'll say it again: I like the way this Habs team is built.
TJ: If I can find one real X factor I think it has to be goaltending. Both Carey Price and Craig Anderson have been outstanding at times for their team. At other times just dreadful. And when it's a best of 7 there is no time to recover from a bad outing. This series will be defined by either one goalie losing it, or one goalie winning it. Neither team has the greatest fire power up front, but get it done by committee. Montreal lead the league this year with 8 double digit goal scorers, while Ottawa had 11 different players score 5 or more (I know not that impressive but they only had 13 players play more than 40 games this year).
I really have a tough time picking one over the other but I still think Montreals success was a bit of a mirage. Ottawa was playing hurt literally all year. Now that they are pseudo healthy I think they have the edge. I don't know what it is but I just feel a Carey Price meltdown coupled with an Anderson super human performance coming up. Having Karlsson back has amped this team up.
Bik: I see where you're coming from especially since Montreal really did trend downwards as the season came to a close. But I really really like the makeup of this team. They've done little subtle moves to enhance what was already on the team (bringing in Halpern, Prust, Ryder) and they've given themselves flexibility with their lines as well.
At the beginning of the season, and through most of it, my confidence was high in Carey Price. Then BAM! The last 10 days has really shaken it. If this run of games happened say in February and then he rebounded, I'd say the Habs should feel fine about heading into the playoffs with Price. But boy oh boy, this is not the time you wanna hit a skid. But DESPITE all that, when you buy into the guy, you have to do it all the way so I think Price will be fine and this is the type of series that might help him shore up and retain his form. Ottawa isn't necessarily a scoring juggernaut with their injuries and when the Habs get past them in Round 1, it might provide the fine tuning that Price needs to propel them on a run. Habs in 6.
TJ: Ottawa grinds this one out. It won't be pretty and it won't be very exciting but that is how Ottawa will win this. They will keep checking tight, not give up many chances, and capitalize when Montreal gambles. I really want to say Montreal wins this but for some reason I just lean towards Ottawa. They just get things done. Will either team get past the next round? I don't think so. But Ottawa holds the best chance here. Karlsson bump FTW. Ottawa in 6.
#3 Washington Capitals vs. #6 New York Rangers:
TJ: Fans in Washington must be so angry that after such a turn-around season, winning the division, getting home ice for the first round....they have to face the team many had pegged as Stanley Cup champions at the beginning of the season. Not exactly what you want. But Washington has been playing so well lately that you have to imagine confidence is at a high. And you will need that against a Rangers team that can be absolutely stifling on defence.
There will be one player at the center of this series from the moment the puck drops on game one, til the moment the two teams shake hands. That player is Alexander Ovechkin. The Caps need him on his A game from game one, and he has to stay on his A game. No more of this getting frustrated and the disappearing. He is the leader of this team and NEEDS to be that man
Bik: Imagine if this was an 82 game season. Could Washington have challenged for the East title? What a turnaround. We could see it coming but the start of the season was just such an abomination, credit to everyone on that team and coaching staff for righting the ship.
I know we've said it before about Ovechkin when the changed to Boudreau happened, but he REALLY looks like he enjoys playing under Adam Oates. He's bought in and the biggest evidence for that is his back-checking. Oates has done a really good job of holding Ovi accountable, and not doing it through the media (like Boudreau would) or by benching him (like Hunter did). He's got him to adjust to playing the right wing, something he got Kovalchuk to do also. No more lolly-gagging around the blue line looking to be the first guy up ice and receive a stretch pass to start a rush. AO is actually leading like a leader should. And he also returns to a stage that has treated him well in the past.
The problem is always going to be the same for the Capitals though. Is there defence sturdy enough to deal warrant catering to an offensive gameplan?
TJ: There's the question mark. The Capitals gave up an abundance of goals, despite Braden Holtby standing on his head most nights. This Rangers offence is potent too. It struggled to start the season but it appears the acquisitions of Ryan Clowe and Derek Brassard have given life to an offence thought to be dead in the water. Having three lines that can score is always scary. We have said again and again about teams that can just shutdown the opposition and score only whats necessary, and this Rangers team fits that description so perfectly. Ovechkin will be in tough against a shutdown pairing of Dan Girardi and Ryan Mcdonagh. For the Caps the key will be to keep a flow in the game. Make sure your defence moves the puck out quickly and crisply and never stop skating. Rangers want to turn this into a grinding affair and just wear down the Caps. Who has the better luck of achieving that?
Bik: That's what I do like about this matchup for the Caps. While the Rangers do have Girardi and McDonagh - I don't have a lot of faith in what's behind them defensively. Ribeiro has enjoyed a nice season and the combination of Mathieu Perrault - Eric Fehr has been a nice surprise and bonus for the Capitals.
After Girardi and McDonagh its just a collection of randomness with Michael Del Zotto, Anton Stralman, John Moore, Steve Eminger, Matt Gilroy. I'm sorry but even Henrik Lundqvist isn't going to cover the holes that group of d-men are going to create. Gimme the Capitals in 7.
TJ: Same story every year. The Caps look poised to compete and when the going gets tough the Washington Capitals fail. They don't play playoff hockey. Rangers do. I mean, do you want to be on John Tortarella's bad side? That's fear enough to not lose. Richards at the helm, Nash excited to play meaningful hockey for a change, Lundqvist looking as handsome as ever (seriously I think he stops pucks with just his looks sometimes)....yeah, give me the Rangers in 6
#4 Boston Bruins vs. #5 Toronto Maple Leafs:
Bik: Here's how I want the CBC intro to play out on Wednesday:
"TOOOONNNIIIIIGHT! After nearly a decade the Toronto Maple Leafs return to the NHL's second season.
*cut to montage of Kessel, Kadri, Phaneuf*
And in a twist of fate - they play...... players that would have gotten them in the playoffs years ago since they should be on the Toronto Maple Leafs!
*cut to montage of Seguin, Rask, Hamilton*
LEAFS - SHOULD BE LEAFS! NEXT ON CBC!!!"
TJ: LLLOOOOLLL classic. As a vocal Hate-the-Leafs fan I am so glad they drew Boston in the first round. Against Montreal I think they had a chance at winning, but not against the SBL (from here on out we call Boston the Should-Be-Leafs because it's too good not to).Toronto plays a real physical type of hockey which is great for playoffs....except the team that executed it to a T to earn themselves a Stanley Cup 2 years ago.
Next to LA and ST. Louis this should be the most grueling series. It is going to get rough, it's going to get nasty and as much as I hate to say this, it will probably be REALLY entertaining. Or maybe it's just me entertained by watching Phil Kessel fail over and over. He needs to be kinda not Phil Kessely this series. You know he will see 20 minutes a night of Zdeno Chara and Brad Marchand, and those guys are good enough to get the Sedins well off their rocker, Let alone an enigmatic goal scorer who is prone to disappear when things get tough. He absolutely CANNOT do that this series if the Leafs have any chance.
Bik: There is an interesting wrinkle in this series. Bergeron and Marchand might not totally be healthy and missed games while not playing well down the stretch. The Bruins also don't have the most mobile group of players on the blue line. With a potential reprieve on a forecheck with Bergeron and Marchand being less than 100% and an ability to get the puck in deep + play the boards effectively in the opponents zone, Toronto might actually have a punchers chance.
Wait, am I actually giving Toronto a chance in this series?! What kool-aid am I drinking.
TJ: Apparently the good stuff. I still think a non 100% Bruins team can win. Toronto gives up a lot of shots, and their goaltending doesn't inspire the most confidence. In playoffs that is a disaster waiting to happen. I am not by any means calling this a cake walk for Boston but Toronto doesn't have the best puck moving defencemen. So your whole forecheck theory can play out here too. You have to know that Boston's first shifts are going to be getting that puck deep and then introducing the Leafs players to the playoffs with some hard body checks. Force turnovers, and from there the plethora of offence goes to work. Yeah, yeah they struggled a bit this year but Bostons top 6 is far superior to Toronto's.
Bik: Woah.... I had a moment of weakness there. Thank you for being here and correcting the situation.
Where things get tricky for me is line matching. What pairings do they put against who, and the reverse way to think of it is how does Boston exploit their forward depth to exploit Toronto's defensive woes. It's those quick moments that matter in a series, and I see Julien being able to manufacture more opportunities for his team with matchups to win. Boston in 5.
TJ: Julien is the better coach so he won't have troubles getting the matchups he wants. But I don't think Toronto has what it takes to play the matching game. Sure Phaneuf and Gunnarsson will get the tough assignment of the Seguin line, but they just don't have the depth to play tit-for-tat. It's not going to be a walk in the park for the Bruins but I can't think of any way that Toronto pulls this one off. I say the scores are close 'til game 5 and the roof just caves in. Boston in 5.
No comments:
Post a Comment