NHL Playoffs

[JonLP24]

Capitals vs Canadiens-4/15-7 ET
Devils vs Flyers-4/14-7:30 ET
Sabers vs Bruins-4/15-7 ET
Penguins vs Senators-4/14-7 ET
Sharks vs Avalanche-4/14-10:30 ET
Blackhawks vs Predators-4/16-8:30 ET
Canucks vs Kings-4/15-10 ET
Coyotes vs Red Wings-4/14-10 ET

http://espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs

Go Coyotes! :woohoo:

[Upton]

1. The Sharks just barely avoided the Red Wings..

if the Blackhawks had won the OT game against Detroit yesterday, they would have won the West....pushing the Sharks down to the #2 seed and the Wings to the 7th.

As it is, your Coyotes get to have all the fun....do everyone a favor and beat the hated Red Wings.

[Forkboy]

3. Sharks got a friendly first round with the sinking Avs.

Colorado played great for the first three quarters of the year, but their youth caught up to them down the stretch and they were lucky the Flames didn't catch them. San Jose should put them away fairly easily.

I still think whoever emerges from the West will win the Cup this year.

[Upton]

10. I was really sweatin it..

Going into the weekend the Sharks had several combinations which would have had them avoiding the Red Wings. I felt pretty safe..but after the Preds won on Saturday and the Kings beat the Avs on Sunday, it came down to the Wings/Blackhawks.. in OT no less

Right about then is when another benefit from the Joe Thornton trade kicked in. For the man who scored the Wing's OT winner, giving the Sharks the West and the Avs in the first round, was Brad Stuart...and as you're well aware, he was one of the players the Sharks originally traded for Jumbo.

[Forkboy]

12. It's great how those little things have the impact they do.

It's a small hockey world!

Good luck in the playoffs. This is when the fun really starts!

[Forkboy]

2. Man, you guys drew the long straw with Detroit.

That's a tough first round matchup to get after working so hard all year. The Wings have been as hot as anyone in the NHL over the last month (but so has Phoenix).I have to lean to the Wings only because of the vast amount of playoff experience they have, but I'm rooting for the Coyotes to beat them.

Here's my picks for all the series....

Washington in 5
New Jersey in 6
Buffalo in 6
Pittsburgh in 6
San Jose in 5
Chicago in 6
Vancouver in 7
Detroit in 6

[JonLP24]

4. ..

:cry:

J/K. Playoff experience is important so I can't discount it. However stuff like that is historical, little to nothing to do with what happens from here on out. At some point in the Red Wings lives they had no playoff experience but you make an excellent point. Especially considering you're picking against your own team.

With that said I'm rooting for a Boston-Phoenix Stanley Cup. :D

[Forkboy]

5. Phoenix has a much better chance than Boston does.

The Bruins played a pretty decent season, all things considered, and their defense and goaltending is top notch, but they have so little offense. 2nd in the NHL in defense, dead last in offense. If they were even middle of the road I'd say they could do damage, but not when your offense is 30th. It'll be a big upset if they get past Ryan Miller and the Sabres. The Bruins won't be a pushover for the simple fact that they play such solid D, but they don't have the firepower to compete over the long haul.

As for Detroit, that experience is more than just something historical, it's about having game situation awareness in clutch moments. A guy who has been there over and over will have better odds of making the right decision in the heat of the moment, as opposed to someone experiencing it all for the first time. The playoffs are a pressure cooker, and that experience helps keep it to a simmer instead of a boil. You're right that Detroit had to start somewhere to get that experience, and Phoenix could be the upstart. It's not like they suck and made it into the playoffs on a fluke. They're the real deal. I only go with Detroit because of the experience come playoff time. And I guarantee they are thrilled to be considered an underdog for a change.

The Coyotes need to take their first 2 games at home. Playing in Detroit is tough anytime, but really tough in the playoffs. If the Coyotes can go into Detroit up 2 games it would take a ton of pressure off, and maybe they could steal one. If the Wings go home with them ahead in the series or even they'll feel real confident at home. Phoenix can win this series, but they need to take advantage of their first 2 home games to do it, imo. This was the toughest first round series to predict for me.

[joeybee12]

6. You are SO wrong!

Boston will win it all!


I have not followed NHL all season, so I should know! :crazy:

[Forkboy]

7. LOL...I wish.

All the Boston teams kicked ass this decade except the one I wanted to. x(

[JonLP24]

8. Good point about the playoffs

I agree with all that which is why I said I couldn't discount it. It was probably a bad example to bring up my personal historical argument. What I mean is often times in sports you hear something like, "Patriots don't lose two in a row." so most people predict them to beat the Dolphins and they lose or Wade Phillips never wins in the playoffs so they pick the Eagles against him. I hate to use your team but it was the first thing that came to mind. You understand what I mean? I'm sure I can come up with better examples but that is the gist of what I was trying to say even though I unloaded the argument at the wrong time.

However you're completely right about how experience in the playoffs can go a long way and judging from their games at Vancouver and Chicago, those places are really loud but they can be loud at home as well. I'm excited about this whole whiteout thing and based on the hometown announcers they say it creates a very intimidating environment for other teams.

Thanks for input. My hockey IQ shoots up every time I read a post of yours relating to the topic. :)

[Forkboy]

9. The Whiteout started when they were still the Winnipeg Jets.

It's pretty cool to see. If you haven't seen it before you'll get a kick out of it. It's a great time of year for hockey fans, especially when you have a team actually in the hunt.

The most intimidating places to play are long gone now. The old Chicago Stadium and the old Boston Garden were really scary places to have to play in. They were both real small, and the fans were right on top of you, and neither city is known for it's welcoming sports fans. The Garden had one of the smaller ice surfaces in the NHL, making it even more cramped and intense (back then the NHL didn't have the standard size rinks that it does now...different cities could have different sized rinks. The old Aud in Buffalo was like playing on a stamp). All the new buildings are generic. The new Garden in Boston is blander than a Republican convention.

[Dulcinea]

24. That's one matchup I plan to watch!

I'm a Pens fan, but I'm looking forward to PHX-DET. The Coyotes have their work cut out for them. Good thing they're playing well! Hey, a lot of people thought the Pens couldn't beat the Wings last year, too. And who hoisted the Cup???

[Forkboy]

26. All the teams I picked to win lost tonight!

:rofl:

[JonLP24]

28. Hey

That was one thrilling game. The crowd got really loud with a minute left and went crazy when it was down to 30. Cameras shaking.

[Forkboy]

34. It was a great game.

Phoenix was nervous a lot in the first period (home teams usually are in Game 1) and it showed. But they totally calmed down between the first and second period and from then on played pretty well. They need to score 5 on 5 though. They won't get 3 power play goals every game, and the Wings outshot them by a 2-1 margin. What's good is that they won without playing their best game, while I feel Detriot did play as well as they can. That bodes well.

Hope Phoenix keeps it up. I don't hate the Wings, but they've won enough for awhile. :)

[JonLP24]

35. Detroit answered back

in a game I thought Phoenix was going to win when they went up. Detroit then went on to score 4 more goals. Now they have to travel to Detroit so we'll see how that goes. At least they have 1 more home game before it's all said and done.

[TZ]

31. Tell me you are picking agaisnt the Caps!

Trumad....:P

[Forkboy]

33. LOL...I picked them in 5, which means they lose tonight.

Sorry. :)

[Kingofalldems]

11. Caps--Yeah!

The Great Eight will crush you.

[Forkboy]

13. They better hope their offense out battles their defense.

With their firepower they should take the East, but I still think the Devils are the team to get past. They aren't as talented on the scoring side, but they manage to hang in there game after game. I still say Chicago is the team to beat, but never look past the Devils.

[MadBadger]

15. I really hope they can get past the Flyers, a team who has had their number all year

That said, Brodeur is playing lights out at the moment, and the team really seems to be peaking right about now

[LisaM]

19. Chicago has one big negative - the Hossa Hex!

Can he go three for three?

[Captain Hilts]

14. Did you read the NYT profile on Ovechkin?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/magazine/11Ovechkin-t.html?ref=magazine

[Kingofalldems]

16. Just did, thanks.

[Iggo]

17. Go Kings Go

[LisaM]

18. Go Wings!

Seem to have turned it around since the Olympics.......

[Redbear]

20. My guesses

Capitals in 5
Devils in 6
Bruins in 7
Penguins in 6
Sharks in 4
Blackhawks in 6
Canucks in 6
Coyotes in 7

[MadBadger]

22. Agreed on everything except id flip the coyotes.

[Onceuponalife]

21. Dammit, we Sharks fans have suffered long enough..

WE WANT THAT CUP!!!

I think The Kings will defeat the Canucks.

[TZ]

23. Caps fans have suffered for far longer than any Shark fan.

I'll tell you what, its been a long time since the DC area has had a legitimate championship contender in pro sports.

[JTG of the PRB]

25. I think your boys are gonna have to suffer a little longer...

:evilgrin:

[givemebackmycountry]

29. Love that JTG

We stole one tonight - off Blake's skate no less.
Av's up one.

[JTG of the PRB]

30. We gotta take what we can get!

This team has been full of surprises all year long, so if we can manage to steal a couple games like Game 1, then who knows what could happen?

[Upton]

32. I don't know..

after last night I've just about had it with this version of the Sharks. Come the playoffs, their heart disappears..

They don't come back and win this series, I'm going to reluctantly join the chorus calling for this team to be blown up.

[thatsrightimirish]

27. Stop the Presses!

The Sharks lost a home playoff game! I know it's shocking. You gotta love Bay Area sports.