NHL 2nd Round. Who are your picks?

[Bassic]

I say Buffalo in 5 against the Rangers, Ottawa in 6 against Jersey, Anaheim in 5 against Vancouver (although I wish Vancouver wins), and San Jose in 6 against Detroit.

[LisaM]

1. The Rangers looked pretty good in the first round

I think they will win in 5. I think Ottawa will win. Vancouver is pretty played out. No way they will win the first game - if they come back and win, it will most likely be in 6 or 7, though I agree that they won't make it out of round 2. I am going to defer picking a team in the Detroit series since they are my team, though they showed me a LOT in games 5 and 6 against Calgary, causing Calgary to lose their cool. It reminded me of the good old days with the Vladinator.

[Bassic]

2. The Rangers looked good

But I don't think they are a match for the Sabers. It's going to be a good series, though.

[Dulcinea]

26. The Rangers won't get past the Sabres.

I think this is Buffalo's year to finally take it all!

San Jose over Detroit (sorry, Wings fans)

Anaheim over Vancouver

Ottawa/NJ...tough call, but I like Ottawa in 7.

Sabres beat Anaheim to take the Cup in 7 games!

[BOSSHOG]

3. How are the Flyers doing in the playoffs?

Just a little nonsense from an old fan. Mark my word, the Flyers will rise to kick ass again. Long Live the Bullys.

[Bassic]

4. Some day, I'm sure they will.

Meanwhile the famed Erik Lindross, object of the worst trade in the history of the world, was eliminated last night.

[LisaM]

5. Vancouver cheated a little at the end

It was 2-1 Canucks with about 1:13 to go, and Vancouver got called for icing, meaning they shouldn't have been able to have a line change, and their line was exhausted. BUT -- all the Vancouver players jumped on to the bench, and the officials had to go to video to see who should be out there, giving the Vancouver players a much-needed rest. The announcers said the Canucks were "daring the officials" to call them on it. The officials didn't (I don't know what you'd call - a bench minor, I guess), the line got a couple of minutes rest, went out, and were able to score two empty-netters. It wasn't mentioned afterwards by Ron McLean and Don Cherry - I normally like Ron McLean, but wasn't too impressed after the Detroit/Calgary games, how he was pooh-poohing Calgary's dirty play. I KNOW he is supposed to be a cheerleader for the Canadian teams, but still.

[Bassic]

6. Wasn't that when Dallas called a time-out?

I was zapping between the game and something else, but I don't recall any extended delays, except for that time-out. I'll have to check it out.

[LisaM]

8. No, at least not according to the announcers

though it may have looked like one.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

12. Well, they have nowhere to go but up!

55 regular season points is just brutal.

[Bassic]

16. I agree.

Hopefully they can rebuild the team.

[rep the dems]

7. Buffalo in 6, New Jersey in 7, Anaheim in 5, and San Jose in 7. nt

[LisaM]

9. I have to laugh at your picks (not because they might not be right)

but because that's the LEAST desirable final four I could possibly have come up with of the teams who are left (not by talent, but by whom I like the most). I would like Ottawa, Detroit, Vancouver, and the Rangers. I could root for any one of them to win it all. The only team of yours I could possibly root for would be Buffalo!!!

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

11. Its not like last year's

conference finals were dream matchups either. Anaheim/Edmonton, Buffalo/Carolina. It's the new NHL for ya.

While I have you, what is your opinion of Versus? I like the playoff coverage better than ESPN because they simulcast the CBC's coverage. I could listen to Jim Hughston read a phone book!

[LisaM]

13. Well we actually get CBC, so I watch that when I can

unless I need to switch for luck (to NBC). Apparently for two of the Wings' games, Versus will be the only way to get the games, and I'm not sure who the announcers will be, since apparently CBC has not scheduled one Wings' broadcast for this round (I'm sure this is because of the fact that both Vancouver and Ottawa are still in it. Still, it's weird, because there are a lot of Wings' fans in Ontario). No ESPN broadcasts this year. Aside from the Wings' own broadcasts, I prefer CBC, though there were real homers in the Calgary/Wings series this year - somewhat unusual for them.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

14. Really?

CBC only seems to root for the Leafs and Canucks, Bob Cole being the obvious Leaf homer. Is the CBC HD feed available to you over the air?

[LisaM]

17. It's on basic cable in Seattle - they tried to take it away but people had a fit

It's always been either on basic cable or available over regular airwaves when I lived in Michigan, too. And when we go up north in Washington, we can get more than one Canadian station.

They've been really gung ho for Calgary and Vancouver this year. There's been a HUGE push to rev up hockey in Canada the last few years - they're beefing up the youth programs in the public schools, they have a contest sponsored by Kraft for "Hockeyville" (choose a small town to give $50K for rink repairs and host an NHL pre-season game), and have had an extravaganza called "Hockey Day in Canada" for five or six years now (all the Canadian teams play each other, and CBC goes to a bunch of small towns). So I'm not surprised that they are being a little more homers for the Canadian teams, but it was annoying for the Calgary/Wings series!!!!!

[rep the dems]

22. I'm not big on the Rangers, so I'm hoping they will lose.

I probably like the Red Wings a little better than the Sharks, and I don't have much preference with the other teams.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

10. Okay here goes.

I like the Sharks over the Red Wings in six games, I think San Jose is the best team in the league right now. I like the Ducks over the Canucks in seven games, Luongo will carry Vancouver to game seven. In the East I see the Sabres beating the Rangers in six, and the Devils over the Sens in five.

Hope I'm wrong about the Sharks, as a Kings fan I can't stand them.

[Bassic]

15. The Devils in 5?

The Devils may very well win this because of Brodeur, but I don't think they have the firepower needed to beat Ottawa in 5 games. As long as Ottawa plays like they mean it, like they did in the firts round. If they don't, then yeah you're right.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

24. Whoops.

I haven't kept track of the thread. When I first typed it I meant to say Sabres in 5, Devils in 6.

Just noticed that and your reply.

[UrbScotty]

18. Sabres, Devils, Ducks, and Red Wings - an All-American Final Four!

;-)

[LisaM]

21. Wings and Rangers - an all Original Six final!

Now that would be sweet!

[nyrnyr1994]

29. I'm with you on that one LisaM :)

Hopefully, the Rangers can pull off winning two in a row, just need to play 60 mins of hockey and not 59:52.3 :argh:

[Forkboy]

19. New Jersey is my 2nd favorite team so I'm biased on that one

Rangers in 6
Anaheim in 6
Detroit in 7
Devils in 6

One of these days I'd love to be able to predict a series with the Bruins actually in it. :(

[Bassic]

20. Yes that would indeed be nice.

I've always liked Boston.

[MrSlayer]

23. Devils, Sabres, Ducks, Sharks.

Those are my picks.

[LisaM]

27. Damn. Damn damn damn damn

Calgary roughs up Holmstrom and we have no one to go in front of the net. Oh well, it's just Game 1.

[Bassic]

25. Game 1 goes to Ottawa

GO SENS GO! :D

[Bassic]

28. GO SENS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

:D