NHL Playoffs 2019 Round 2: April Madness Cometh

One for eight. 

One out of eight. 

12.5%.

Hours upon hours of (thoroughly enjoyable, but still) time and effort put into the round one preview and picks...only to embarrass myself in front of dozens and dozens of readers. 

The first round of the hockey playoffs made college basketball's March Madness look like March Meh. The highest point total (Tampa) of a generation? Gone. The remaining three division winners (Washington, Calgary, Nashville)? Vamoose. The only result that could have been "expected" were the Bruins dispatching the Maple Leafs...and of course even that one took seven games.

What's left in all of the rubble are eight teams. Tell me if this sounds familiar, but the Boston sports team has emerged as the heavy favorite. Flanking the Bruins in the is the land of misfit toys... the three C's of Columbus, Carolina, and (Con's) Islanders. A stunning development that is equally matched in the Western Conference. The quartet of Dallas, St. Louis, Colorado, and San Jose has not won a championship in 18 years. 

Long story short, save for the 2010-11 Bruins triumph and the sneaky 2005-06 Hurricanes title... there is guaranteed to be a new sheriff in town to rule the hockey universe. So how did we get here? What made the picks so horribly pitiful? Many theories are in play...but in watching the games and acquiring more background info on the teams, it appeared I put too much stock into "entire body of work" rather than "who is sizzling at the best time." Let's zoom through the eight prior matchups real quick:

Entire Season:

Tampa Bay: 128 points

Columbus: 98 points

Final 10 Regular Season Games:

Tampa Bay: 8-2

Columbus: 7-3

Entire Season:

Boston: 107 points

Toronto: 100 points

Final 10 Regular Season Games:

Boston: 6-4

Toronto: 3-7

Entire Season:

Washington: 104 points

Carolina: 99 points

Final 10 Regular Season Games:

Washington: 6-4

Carolina: 6-4

Entire Season:

NY Islanders: 103 points

Pittsburgh: 100 points

Final 10 Regular Season Games:

NY Islanders: 6-4

Pittsburgh: 6-4

So, hmmmm. Besides the Maple Leafs being a foreseeable clunker, what we see here are essentially coinflips if we went by end-of-season production. How about out west?

Entire Season:

Nashville: 100 points

Dallas: 93 points

Final 10 Regular Season Games:

Nashville: 7-3

Dallas: 6-4

Entire Season:

Winnipeg: 99 points

St. Louis: 99 points

Final 10 Regular Season Games:

Winnipeg: 4-6

St. Louis: 8-2

Entire Season:

Calgary: 107 points

Colorado: 90 points

Final 10 Regular Season Games:

Calgary: 6-4

Colorado: 7-3

Entire Season:

San Jose: 101 points

Vegas: 93 points

Final 10 Regular Season Games:

San Jose: 3-7

Vegas: 3-7

Again, seems to be a case of the final 10 games drawing the teams much closer than the original body of work. Of course, it was the "struggling-down-the-stretch" Sharks and Golden Knights that gave us a series for the ages. In any case, the April Madness that has occurred had a couple of writings on the wall that can serve a purpose for later rounds of the tournament. Which, speaking of...

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

Boston Bruins (107 points) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (98 points)

Last Round: Bruins def. Maple Leafs in 7; Blue Jackets def. Lightning in 4

Stanley Cup Odds: Bos 3:1 ; CBJ 7:1

Avengers Parallel: Captain America vs. Captain Marvel

As we will soon find out, this is probably the only Avengers "battle" that won't be laughed at. Such is life when you disrespect the underdogs a little too much. Nevertheless, this is going to be a doozie. It seems like forever ago when the Blue Jackets finished off the most shocking sweep in NHL history. They are "rewarded" with the new favorite to win it all-- and they cede home ice to Boston while doing so. 

Not unlike the college basketball tourney, there is a fine line to draw here while sizing up the series. Has Columbus already staked its legacy in knocking off the Lightning? Have they been (understandably) read too much of their own headlines the past couple weeks and will now be complacent? It's hard to believe that is the case. If the Tampa Series had been an unimaginable walk in the park (we'll get to that first-round series in a sec), I'd be dubious about the Jackets. But falling behind 3-0 on the road in game one and completing that comeback? It was their statement that this wasn't a too little, too late scenario with their pieced-together supersquad. 

For Boston, it's been there done that. Tampa revealed itself to be soft and non-resilient when things got tough. The Bruins will make no such mistakes with their playoff experience and pedigree. Even so, will it be enough? Columbus came into the tournament having the desperation of a team full of upcoming free agents, but lacking the solidarity that they could perform as a full squad. Now they have both. And though I may squirm later on looking back at it, I don't think their all-in train is done quite yet.

The Pick: Blue Jackets in 6 games 

New York Islanders (103 points) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (99 points)

Last Round: Islanders def. Penguins in 4; Hurricanes def. Capitals in 7

Stanley Cup Odds: NYI 7:1 ; CAR 7:1

Avengers Parallel: Ant Man vs. Rocket Raccoon

Well here's where the chaos ensues. The thought of Ant Man fighting Rocket Raccoon may break box office records in its own right, as it would be a trainwreck you couldn't avert your eyes from. But unreal as it may seem, one of these teams is going to the Eastern Conference final. These are the two teams that had opponents saying "man I hope we draw them at some point." No star power, no real success the last decade, hell...one doesn't even have a real home arena.

But now? The Islanders trailed less that five total minutes in their four-game evisceration of the Penguins while the Hurricanes went on the road in a game seven to dispatch the defending champions. Similar to Columbus, the Islanders have had the blessing and curse of kicking their feet up for a full week while Carolina and Washington beat the hell out of each other. But playing their best hockey, did they really want all that time off to lose their mojo? In what will be a much different feeling this round, the Islanders will have no excuses early in the series. They have exponentially more rest and home ice advantage.

They better use it to their advantage. As we saw in round one, Carolina's home fans and atmosphere are nothing to be trifled with. The defending champs looked downright shook as the Hurricanes outscored Washington 12-3 in the Raleigh matchups. The Islanders marched into Pittsburgh and pounded what looked like an uninterested, demoralized Penguin team. No matter the scenario going in, they will enjoy no such luxury in Carolina.

Count me as one that thinks that rest will prevail and that Carolina won't have quite enough in the tank for another grueling series. Additionally, when in doubt you go with the goaltending. Robin Lehner held the Penguins to six total goals in four games. The Islanders will take their first few gut punches and moments of adversity, and the Barclays Center won't quite measure up to Nassau Coliseum. If the Columbus train isn't quite finished, neither is this Long Island little engine that could.

The Pick: Islanders in 7 games

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

St. Louis Blues (99 points) vs. Dallas Stars (93 points)

Last Round: Blues def. Jets in 6; Stars def. Predators in 6

Stanley Cup Odds: STL 4:1 ; DAL: 9:1

Avengers Parallel: Vision vs. Hawkeye

With the Blue Jackets being so utterly scary in their potential, this series seems to have the "safest" favorite in St. Louis. So if the first round were any indication, the Blues should just start packing their golf clubs now. I can't speak enough of how impressive these teams were in round one, flipping the bird to "home ice advantage" and taking out two of the top contenders entering the tournament.

Now that they're facing off, keep an eye on the goaltending. Dallas' Ben Bishop and St. Louis' Jordan Binnington each give their teams belief they can win any game. With a matchup like that, give me the veteran that has more playoff scars to dwell on. With a west full of upstart teams, I might as well shoot for the moon...because even if you fall short, you still have a place in the Stars.

The Pick: Stars in 6 games

San Jose Sharks (101 points) vs. Colorado Avalanche (90 points)

Last Round: Sharks def. Golden Knights in 7; Avalanche def. Flames in 5

Stanley Cup Odds: SJ 5:1 ; COL 8:1

Avengers Parallel: Drax vs. Winter Soldier

Much like the Islanders/Hurricanes series above, do you prefer the team that's had the rest or the team that's been locked in? The Sharks' game 7 against Vegas will be remembered forever, but at what price? (Warning more disrespect coming:) but surveying the Western teams remaining, the forever-knocking-on-the-door Sharks may finally see their path opening up.

Standing in the way first are the young, "why not us?" Avalanche. Their youth and pep will have to serve them well early in the series, as stealing a game in San Jose will be key to springing the upset. I expect this one to be fun, fast, and probably treat us to multiple overtime games. But in the end, the grizzled vets of the Sharks find enough in their (hehe...) tank.

The Pick: Sharks in 5 games

Enjoy the games!

Stanley Cup Playoffs 2019... "We're in the Endgame now."

Three long years since the Islanders qualified for the playoffs.
Two long years since the blog revved its engines.
One long year since Infinity War.

Call it a coincidence; Call it timing poetry; Call it abject laziness. But for better or for worse, the blog is back in business for the greatest playoffs in all of sports. Sixteen teams are back in the show to run the marathon as long as they can. After round one, half of them will be turned to ash and disappear. (fair warning: the puns will get intolerable quickly.) From there, the teams will continue in best-of-seven series all the way to the StanLee (okay, I'll stop) Cup.

The eight first round matchups are tantalizing. In breaking down the series, we'll stay on theme with an Avengers parallel to each team involved. As always, rely on these picks at your own deep, deep risk.

All set? Crank it up to 11, cause I'm ready to Ragnarok.


EASTERN CONFERENCE: 
Tampa Bay Lightning (128 points) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (98 points)
Stanley Cup Odds: TB 2:1 ;  CBJ 40:1
Avengers Parallel: Thanos vs. Captain Marvel
That is not a typo and this is not just over-excitement about the first matchup. There is indeed an undisputed Thanos in this tournament, and of course it's a team in the hockey "hot"bed of Florida. The Stanley Cup odds listed above are utterly unheard of for the NHL playoffs, but the Tamps season has been that ridiculous. Just as Thanos stands alone to take on all comers, the Lightning will be doing the same and are favored against the entire field. Thanos of course needs his Infinity Stones...in this sense they would be goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brayden Point (92 points), Steven Stamkos (98) and walking supernova Nikita Kucherov (128!!!!!!!!) They lapped the field in losing just 16 out of 82 games in regulation. When you lose 16 out of 82, can a team really like their chances beating them 4 out of 7? Oy...

Columbus counters with one of the more fascinating storylines in the playoffs. They've had a season as batty as their head coach John Tortorella. Long story short, their two best players (Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovski) are pending free agents that have been...brutally honest that Columbus isn't their cup of tea. As tough as it is to white-flag a season, certainly they would trade these guys for future valuable assets to avoid an Islanders/Tavares situation right?

Much like Nick Fury calling (paging? beeping?) on our girl to save the day at the last second, Columbus went full maniac at the deadline and traded their assets for more upcoming free agents. It's an all-in approach that is sure to be catastrophic for their foreseeable future. 

But in the now? They've clawed their way into the playoffs and are coming plasma-beams-first into...likely a complete slaughter. Even with their new additions Matt Duchene and Alex Dzingel, things haven't come together as planned. But if everything dropped into place for a few-game stretch, the Jackets' frontline talent is drastically atypical for a "last team in" seed. 

The Pick: Lightning in 6 games

Boston Bruins (107 points) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (100 points)
Stanley Cup Odds: BOS 9:1 ;  TOR 16:1
Avengers Parallel: Captain America vs. Thor
This battle would be insane and therefore fitting for this first round bloodbath. With Tampa as the runaway first-place alphateam, the NHL playoff structure has plotted these two on a crash course for several months. Boston's Captain America connection goes back to the "Original Six" of the NHL. With traditional stalwarts Detroit, Chicago, and NY Rangers all not qualifying for the playoffs, Boston is the lone American Original Six squad. Much like Cap got frozen in ice for a few generations, it's a sneaky surprise that the Bruins don't have more than their one championship in the past 30 years. Perhaps it's just so out of ratio with their fellow Boston teams. But with their well-rounded attack of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, David Krejci, and never-going-away Brad Marchand, the Bruins are a nightmare to deal with over a long series.

Admittedly, the Maple Leafs almost got the Winter Soldier label due to the John Tavares bad-guy vibe. But there's far more to the story than that. As an often-bellyaching Jets fan, the idea of the Maple Leafs not having a championship (nor appearance) since 1967 resonates quite deeply. Not that I feel bad. Quite the opposite, actually. But there's a particular scene in Infinity War when Thor recaps to Rocket Raccoon some deep scars he's endured in his long long life and-- WHY-AM-I-TRYING-TO-SUMMARIZE-WHEN-TECHNOLOGYYYYYYYY:

Not to put hockey in the same plane as...well, all that Thor's got going on there. But Toronto wears the failures and losses over the last 50+ years much the same way. With Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and you-know-who operating in front of a ridiculous year from goalie Freddy Anderson, Toronto fans are once again sucked right back in. This series is going to be a classic.

The Pick: Maple Leafs in 6 games  

Washington Capitals (104 points) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (99 points)
Stanley Cup Odds: WAS 9:1 ;  CAR 28:1
Avengers Parallel: Ultron vs. Rocket Raccoon
Well as far as flying in under the radar, things couldn't have gone much better for the defending champion Capitals. The Lightning have all the attention, while Washington has ho-hummed their way to another division title and a playoff path far more manageable than Tampa's. It's with that in mind that they are Ultron, the once-most-feared enemy of the Avengers that has since...I, I dunno. Is Ultron dead? Is the book closed? Who knows. But in any case, he's fallen out of the spotlight and would reclaim it in a big way if he were able to return. The Caps have several of the same cast of characters that raised a banner to the rafters in the first game this season. A don't-mind-if-I-do-it-again 51 goal campaign from Alex Ovechkin has paced the squad, and Braden Holtby has the playoff pedigree you want in goal. If there ever was such a thing, this may be a defending-champion-sleeping-giant.

The Carolina Hurricanes? Well, much like Rocket, let's just say they like to have fun. I know a 10-minute embedded video is an insult this day and age, but you'll get the gist for however long you choose to enjoy it:

A professional team. Not picked to do a whole lot of anything this year. Recreating the concept of celebration and fan interaction. The season was already a victory getting to this point. And they'll get one victory celebration in their building. They'll need to make that one count...

The Pick: Capitals in 5 games

New York Islanders (103 points) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (100 points)

Stanley Cup Odds: NYI 28:1 ;  PIT 14:1
Avengers Parallel: Ant Man vs. Iron Man
My, my, my. What a long, strange trip it's been. The last 12 months for the Islanders have seen them revitalize the franchise with a new coach and team president; have the wonderful dream come reality with the Belmont arena announcement; have their innards ripped out and splattered in the John Tavares saga; and then take a season that many expected to tank for a draft pick and instead have home ice advantage in the playoffs for the first time in 30 years. It's a plot too ridiculous for even the Marvel universe. And yet, here we are.

The Islanders are Ant Man. They're a hoot. they'll give you a good time. But if you're taking on Ant Man in a fight, let's be honest...nobody is shaking in their boots. Maybe that's just what the Isles want. Ant Man looks like a guy who can be destroyed in 2-3 seconds...only to then have him shrink down and fly up your nose and start internally sabotaging you. And I'm sorry...in Endgame, there is more than meets the eye with this dude. Look at this clip from one of the trailers:

What's goin on?? Widow and Captain America are reacting like the long-awaited savior of the whole universe is at their door! There's more going on than meets the eye. As we left Ant Man, he was caught in something called the quantum realm, where presumably a lot of stuff is going to go down in Endgame. The quantum realm may has well be Nassau Coliseum, as the fans who thought hockey was done in that building are now unimaginably going back for a Game One. Don't take Any Man as a slight. Despite home advantage, the orange and blue are betting underdogs in the series. Just like they're used to. And likely, just like they want to be.

The Penguins come in having won two out of the past three Stanley Cups. Much like Iron Man has the pedigree of so many Marvel Universe movies under his belt, the Penguins roster is littered with playoff savvy and experience. The Penguins are still standing as a contender as some fellow powerhouses over the last decade (Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, etc.) all had down seasons. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Jake Guentzel, etc. completely blow away the Islanders in terms of offensive talent. Matt Murray has overcome some early season disasters and has already proven he can win in the playoffs. 

These two combatants have already "met" once. Despite some early shots, things didn't go well for Ant Man:

The bettors and public alike this series will be much of the same.

The Pick: Islanders in 7 games



WESTERN CONFERENCE: 
(Nick Fury Editor's Note: As always, West previews will be shorter and less insightful that the East. I do not like to pretend I have the familiarity with these teams as much as the East. We have matchups, we'll have fun, with more insight coming in the following rounds as I see the teams play)

Calgary Flames (107 points) vs. Colorado Avalanche (90 points)
Stanley Cup Odds: CAL 10:1 ;  COL 40:1
Avengers Parallel: Scarlet Witch vs. Winter Soldier
Much respect to the Flames. The Lightning have deservedly gotten all the attention, Calgary's +62 goal differential blows away anybody besides Tampa across the whole league. The Islanders played them twice in about a week span this season, and they looked like a complete terror to play against. Fast, pressure the puck, and a balanced attack that includes three 30-goal scorers (Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk.). They may not have sizzle, but they have plenty of steak. It's like in Infinity War where the plan was "hey stay up here and stand watch..." and then when the time comes, oh-by-the-way she can do this:

The Avalanche are an understandably hefty underdog. Their 90 points was lowest across all the playoff teams, and they're alarmingly top-heavy with MacKinnon, Rantanen, Landeskog, leading an otherwise bucket of pucks. But hey...Colorado?....Winter Soldier? Total layup. Unfortunately, so will this series.

The Pick: Flames in 5 games

San Jose Sharks (101 points) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (93 points)
Stanley Cup Odds: SJ 10:1 ;  VGK 12:1
Avengers Parallel: Drax vs. Spider-Man
Drax and the Sharks kind of share that teal color scheme, which is an added boost. But there are other parallels as well. I'm not sure if they every talked about it amongst each other, the San Jose's hockey philosophy seems to be right on par with Drax's fighting philosophy. Ask very little questions, dedicate all energy to offense with little regard to defense, and let the cards fall as they may. The offense can score with anyone, but it was a down year for goalie Martin Jones as well as (Elsa and Anna's favorite) backup Aaron Dell. Even still, with those 10:1 Stanley Cup odds, people believe in the team core's pedigree and ability to get over the hump.

Standing in their way are the darlings of last season. Much like how a young kid Spider-Man flew into Captain America Civil War and injected more life and fun into the franchise, the expansion Golden Knights captured the hockey world's imagination with a Cup final run last year. Much of that same roster returns, though they will not be sneaking up on anybody this year. Much like the Islanders, Vegas (still so fun to write that) has a balanced attack without superstar. Perhaps it's fitting they don't have an alpha dog...after all, they may not even bu sure if they're using their real or made-up names.

The Pick: Golden Knights in 7 games

Nashville Predators (100 points) vs. Dallas Stars (93 points)
Stanley Cup Odds: NAS 12:1 ;  DAL 40:1
Avengers Parallel: Star-Lord vs. Hawkeye
Despite hockey being the king of professional sports playoffs, you're going to get a clunker every now and again. Star-Lord vs. Hawkeye (despite Hawkeye having some Ant-Man more-than-meets-the-eye potential based on trailers) is not a battle the masses will particularly care for. And as the odds show, it's one of the lopsided mismatches the first round has to offer. Nashville seemed to have its best chance at the Cup two years ago, bowing out to the Penguins in the final. Many of the same crew returns, anchored by Pekka Rinne. They get the Star-Lord label due to their goofy (yet certainly) passionate home ice advantage. They earned their way to a division title. And, if Rinne decides to wreak havoc, can beat anyone in this tournament.

Dallas, nice to meet ya. If the Stars are going to have a chance in this series, it will begin and end with goalie Ben Bishop. When healthy, his stats have been eye-popping. I'm not sure what's going to happen with Hawkeye in Endgame, but he looks like something drastic has happened to him as a whole. Here's to him having more than a couple arrows to fight with this time around. And here's to  maybe Bishop as the key to taking the supremely underdog Stars on a run.

The Pick: Predators in 6 games


Winnipeg Jets (99 points) vs. St. Louis Blues (99 points)
Stanley Cup Odds: WIN 14:1 ;  STL 14:1
Avengers Parallel: Hulk vs. Vision
Our final first-round matchup brings some serious cheddar of destruction. Those are not typos written above... these two teams have an identical amount of points and identical (quite strong) Stanley Cup odds. Besides the cross-sport color scheme of the football Jets, Winnipeg and the Hulk have plenty of moxy behind them. Any franchise would love to build their team around young talents such as Laine and Scheifele, and beautifully named Connor Hellebuyck is as good as it gets when he is on. The Jets were heavy favorites coming into the season, but maybe some bloom has come off the rose as they failed to win their division. A hot start before a downfall...sound familiar?

The Blues lack the enraged firepower of their Winnipeg counterparts, but should not be taken lightly. Vision is a kind enough, well-spoken fellow once you get to know him. But he's also someone you certainly do not want to cross. He has (er,... had) an infinity stone lodged in his head. Consider that to be the "Defensive Integrity" stone, as their commitment to the backside (no Sir Mix a Lot jokes, please) keeps them afloat in each game they play. Make no mistake about it, the winner of this series is sure to make a serious dent in the playoffs as a whole.

The Pick: Jets in 6 games

Enjoy the first round!

Conor will return in Playoffs, Part II...

NHL Stanley Cup Final: Memorial Day Ice-capades

Well here we are. Fourteen grueling, overtime-loaded playoff series have been played over the last six weeks, and left standing are the Eastern Conference's Pittsburgh Penguins and the West's Nashville Predators. One team's spot in the Final is somewhat expected, while the other is one of the most surprising Conference champions in history. Let's dive in to what should be a rip roaring time over the next couple weeks...

#2M Pittsburgh Penguins vs WC Nashville Predators
Season Series: Two Games- 4-2 win for PIT; 5-1 win for NSH
Current Stanley Cup Odds: PIT 5:8; NSH 7:5
Series Ther-WOW-meter: 8/10
The Breakdown: With all of its starpower and experience, Pittsburgh has made a habit of deep playoff runs during the Crosby & Malkin era. This year's run was perhaps their most impressive, needing to go through top-5 NHL teams Columbus and Washington before even getting to the Conference Final against Ottawa. The Pens possess overwhelming offensive talent (#1 in the league in goals scored) and a lethal power play that has put highlight reel goals on tape this postseason. There is a reason they are a heavy Vegas favorite in this one.

Red flags? There are indeed a couple. Though many expected a seven game slugfest between Pittsburgh and Washington in the second round, Ottawa followed up by giving the Penguins all they could handle and more. A seven game classic that went to double overtime in the final game. There is valid concern Pittsburgh will be more drained than Nashville coming in. The goaltending picture in Pittsburgh is an eye-of-the-beholder scenario. It was Fleury in the first couple rounds, and then Murray took over midway against Ottawa. Both have proven themselves as Cup champions in the past, but still some awkwardness in making a wholesale switch mid-playoffs.

Speaking of goalies, Nashville's entire outlook on this series depends on Pekka Rinne. The underappreciated superstar of the last decade had some pedestrian regular season numbers, leaving many to worry if his prime was behind him. But a spectacular playoffs and Cup run has him in the long-awaited limelight. But don't mistake this for a complete one-man show. Nashville has crafted a defensive corps that gives opponents nightmares each and every shift. Names like Subban, Josi, Ellis, and Ekholm only get their due when contributing on key goals...but their stellar play in front of Rinne has ignited Nashville through the entire tournament. Wiley vet James Neal accompanies young stars Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and (need to throw him in there for alma mater reasons) Colin Wilson up front on the offense.

So can Nashville actually do this? At this point you'd be crazy to say "no way." But after hearing those words in round one against Chicago and to a degree in the most recent round with Anaheim, maybe "no way" is exactly what the Predators themselves want to hear. The bigger the moments get, the more the team and fan base seem to rise up instead of shying away. No NHL team has repeated as Cup champions in almost 20 years, an ode to how difficult it is to achieve. Although Pittsburgh has the pedigree, Nashville has the chutzpah and (more importantly) the goalie to make the slipper fit. The Music City crowns a champion on home ice.
The Pick: 
Predators in 6

NHL Playoffs Round Two: Clean Slate of Ice

That first round preview will be a very unseemly footnote on my tombstone. "Columbus over defending champ Pittsburgh"... "Bruins easy over the Senators"..."Chicago polishes off Nashville with little resistance"... and the coup de grace "The Wild sweep (or is it sweeps?) the just-happy-to-be-here Blues."

Batting .500 may make someone a god in fantasy baseball...but that percentage in picking playoff series just won't bring home the bacon. Welp, we're here to start anew. Eight teams remain in the hunt, giving us four matchups with varying levels of "wow appeal" The defending champs are still alive, as are the hometown Rangers...while out west one Cinderalla team in Nashville looks to keep dancing her way toward Lord Stanley. Hard to believe that teams are one one-quarter of the way toward their ultimate goal, but on we march.

Before it all started, I predicted Minnesota to win in all. Just like post-high school graduation when I predicted Kate Beckinsale would "win it all" in the context of my heart/marriage. Life gives us second chances. Let's make the very best of it....


EASTERN CONFERENCE
#1M Washington Capitals vs #2M Pittsburgh Penguins
Season Series: Four Games- Two regulation wins WAS; Two OT wins for PIT
Current Stanley Cup Odds: WAS 8:1; PIT 8:1
Series Ther-WOW-meter: 10/10
The Breakdown: Well well well...we really come out of the gates swinging here. Certainly the premier matchup of this second round quartet, Pittsburgh and Washington have built up quite a rivalry over the past decade. The Caps have watched Sidney Crosby & co. raise the Cup twice already (2009, 2016)...and both of those years beat Washington in the second round to get there. The identical Stanley Cup odds for 2017 indicate the teams are close as ever, with Washington adding necessary pieces to the teams that have continually fallen short at this point in the tourney. 
The fresher team? That's not even a question. The expected slugfest between Columbus and Pittsburgh turned into a five-game romp. The Capitals embarked on a grueling six game series against the frisky Maple Leafs, with all games decided by one goal and a ridiculous five out of six going to overtime. T.J. Oshie was a monster in that series for Washington, leading the way with seven points. Evgeni Malkin (11 points) and Phil Kessel (8) put up video game numbers in dispatching the Blue Jackets. And based one round one performance, we'll gingerly call the goalie battle between Braden Holtby and M.A. Fleury a dead-heat at this point. 
The Pick: Last year, I was beyond certain it was the Caps' turn to finally gain a significant upper hand in this rivalry. The pieces were in place, the goaltending advantage seemed significant, and Ovechkin would know his window was closing and the pressure mounted on his shoulders. This year, I'm certifiably terrified by what Pittsburgh did in eviscerating Columbus last round. Though Toronto had expectedly brilliant coaching and promising young stars, Pittsburgh has the "now" stars. I wish for the Capitals sake they were actually starting this series on the road. The Penguin potential to steal one in Washington, build the pressure and get off and running is scary. At the end, I'd be thrilled to see the Caps finally get over the hump. But unfortunately at this point I must see to believe.
Penguins in 7

#2A Ottawa Senators vs. (WC) New York Rangers
Season Series: Three games- Two wins OTT; One win NYR
Stanley Cup Odds: OTT 50:1; NYR 25:1
Series Ther-WOW-meter: 3/10
The Breakdown: Both victors of intense six-games series, Ottawa and Broadway meet in a matchup that promises plenty of speed and skill. Ottawa was technically the higher seed and held home ice advantage in round one, but many were surprised that they were able to oust the Bruins (and win game six in Boston, at that.) Leading scorer (and defenseman) Erik Karlsson finally got some help from his buds up front, as Derick Brassard (8 points) and Bobby Ryan (7) both find themselves in the top 5 playoff scoring leaders. Goalie Craig Anderson has a freakish ability to be unbeatable in spurts. Though his first round metrics were a bit pedestrian, it was enough for the most important stat of all: four wins.
While we're on the subject of netminders, there's a kinda famous one in New York. Henrik Lundqvist entered the first round against Montreal's Carey Price as the "other goalie," took some lumps as his team fell behind 2-1 in the series, and then completely dominated from there on out. On the Rangers' offensive side, things have been....balanced, to say the least. Mika Zibanejad leads the way with four points, as there seems to be a "next man up/new hero every night" philosophy brewing at the Garden. 
It's a wonky setup this round, where Ottawa will have home ice despite finishing with less points in the standings than the Rangers. Though perhaps unfair, the Blueshirts had no qualms as road warriors in the first round before winning in front of their home fans in game 6.
The Pick: It's a shame this series will likely take a backseat to the ballyhooed Ovechkin-Crosby tilt, because we look to have a fun one here. As evidenced by the not-so-subtile Vegas odds, Ottawa is not exactly seen as a powerhouse. But the moxy they showed against a Boston team with plenty of playoff experience was impressive to say the least. Lundqvist admittedly looks like a man on a mission, building his legend with some ridiculous stops in the Montreal closeout game. Nonetheless, I appreciate the Senators' underdog status along with rallying around the Karlsson "yeah I'm injured, so what?" angle. Plus I need to get in a god troll job every now and again. Senators in 5


WESTERN CONFERENCE
#3C St. Louis Blues vs. (WC) Nashville Predators
Season Series: Five games- Three wins NAS; Two wins STL
Stanley Cup Odds: STL 14:1; NAS 25:1
Series Ther-WOW-meter: 7/10
The Breakdown: These two teams did their very best in making the round one preview as embarrassing as possible. Both certainly fit the category of "a hot goalie can overrule all else." St. Louis may not possess the most firepower in the world, but Jake Allen allowing Minnesota just one goal in games one (2-1 win), two (2-1 win), and three (3-1 win) gave the Blues the commanding 3-0 series lead that they never looked back from. 
For St. Louis to win a series in five games despite getting just three points from unquestioned superstar Vladimir Tarasenko is 1) impressive in terms of their defensive abilities and 2) a little scary as far as what's possible if he catches fire.
Nashville, meanwhile, staged one of the bigger stunners in recent playoff memory. It may not have been a vintage Chicago team that was firing on all cylinders and ready to raise the Cup for the fourth time in eight years. But the Preadators, well below .500 as a road team in the regular season, blitzed into Chitown and left with two shutouts and a bewildered opponent. Young stars Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg paced the offense while Pekka Rinne put on a goaltending spectacular that will long live in Nashville hockey lore. Nashville's been on cloud nine for over two weeks now, it will be interesting to see what happens if/when they face high intense playoff adversity.
The Pick: When in comes to picking underdogs to repeat their success, there's the old saying "if you're not there for the wedding, don't be there for the funeral." Luckily, I'm the dope that missed both these round one "weddings," expecting both of these teams to be defeated easily. Jake Allen's goaltending for St. Louis was nothing less than 'sensational,' but was still nonetheless within the realm of "humanly." 
Pekka Rinne, however, seems to have crossed over to the other side of what's possible. I for one am not getting in his way. Predators in 7

#1P Anaheim Ducks vs. #2P Edmonton Oilers
Season Series: Five Games- Two wins ANA, Three wins EDM (two in OT)
Stanley Cup Odds: ANA 12:1; EDM 30:1
Series Ther-WOW-meter: 9/10
The Breakdown: Get ready for the fireworks. Both teams know a whole lot about how to find the back of the net, and the John Gibson/Cam Talbot goalie matchup won't evoke any memories of Patrick Roy/Dominik Hasek battles of yesteryear. The Oilers are led of course by scoring champion and likely league MVP Connor McDavid. San Jose actually deserves a medal or two to limiting him to "just" four points in six games. Fellow young stud Leon Draisaitl chipped in to help last round in what was mostly a low-scoring series against the Sharks. They'll need to be at their best and get additional secondary input from teammates if they're going to outslug the Ducks.
Speaking of those Ducks, they had one of the more deceiving "sweeps" on record against a game Calgary Flames squad. They squeaked by games 1 and 2 by an identical 2-1 score before winning game 3 in overtime. But their balanced (Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf,....Nate Thompson?) attack's ability to notch at least 3 goals in each of the games speaks volumes. They are the unquestioned favorite in this series, but the pressure will be on to take both Games 1 and 2 at home. Otherwise these young Oilers stars will really start to believe in their potential and just how scary they can be.
The Pick: Anaheim may be a bit more of a baseball town, but would you happen to know the last time the Ducks lost a game in regulation? That would be March 10th. Nearly a month before baseball even had its Opening Day. Early east coast bedtimes have kept both these teams under the radar (except for McDavid, understandably.) Edmonton has waited a long time to be back on this big stage-- and plenty more are to come-- but I'm going with the more complete squad. Ducks in 6

Enjoy the games, everyone!

Stanley Cup Playoffs 2017: Caps, bottles, & Calgary's Flaming Moes

Once every April, when the weather starts to break and the leaves get their groove back, there arrives another very special occurrence: I open my laptop, take anywhere from 6-8 minutes trying to remember the URL for my own once-proud sports blog, and then stare sadly at the yearly entries made to it.

2015: 1
2016: 2

This was once a proud mainstay in the bookmarked web browsers of handfuls (and handfuls!) of fans...and now is to the point where not only am I down to only writing about the playoffs, I stop writing once the Islanders get eliminated as part of my seven stages of tantrum.

So in a ridiculously disappointing Islanders season that saw them 1) fire their coach, 2) demote their starting goalie to the minors and then wait interminably too long to bring him back once he bounced back, and 3) lose their superstar player during the final weeks-- only to 4) win SIX straight in that same stretch to close out the season while still falling one point short of the postseason...

Yeah, I think it's time to enjoy some stress-reduced non-Islander ice hockey for the next couple months. And maybe, MAYBE, a tantrum free Conor will be in this until the end.

Unless the Rangers catch fire. If that's the case I'm packing up and going home.

We all know the rules by now. 16 teams got the VIP invite to this playoff party, and the first team to 16 wins gets all the bananas. Simple, right? Let's dig in.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
#1M Washington Capitals vs (WC) Toronto Maple Leafs
Season Series: Three Games- One regulation win for each; OT win for WAS
Stanley Cup Odds: WAS 3:1; TOR 40:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "You're goin' one on one wit da Undertaykah, playa!" - Teddy Long
The Breakdown: For the _________th straight season, Washington enters the playoffs as a bonafide favorite to lift the Cup. The same cast of characters (Alex Ovechkin, Nick Backstrom, Marcus Johannson, goalie Braden Holtby) have added some critical pieces (TJ Oshie & Kevin Stattenkirk) to this year's version of the tourney, hoping it will finally be enough to put them over the top. The Capitals were comfortably atop this entire NHL standings this season, which was their third straight of 100+ points. They scored the third most goals per game, allowed the fewest goals, and have top-10 units on both sides of special teams. They check every box across the board in terms of a deep playoff run.
The issue? Washington seems to have those same boxes checked every season. Caps fans seem befuddled at this point, wondering when the other shoe will inevitably drop. Fortunately, this Toronto team is a bunch of young pups who are very likely in "Happy to be Here" mode for 2017. Phenom Auston Matthews leads a group that will be terrifying for the better part of this next decade, and this year's playoff experience they gain will be vital. Coach Mike Babcock has loads of playoff moxy and Toronto may be frisky/skilled enough on the power play to make Washington sweat at times.
The Pick: But if you're drawing an NCAA tournament parallel, this one feels like a 2/15 matchup. Washington knows its window is closing with each playoff failure, and the Maple Leafs will use these playoffs are a stepping stone rather than a realistic Cup run.
Capitals in 6

#2M Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #3M Columbus Blue Jackets
Season Series: Four games- One regulation win for each; One OT win for each
Stanley Cup Odds: PIT 10:1; CBJ 15:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "What we have here is a good ol' fashioned slobberknocker!" - Jim Ross
The Breakdown: This series may result in the beginning of the end of hockey's current playoff format. I'm not even sure I completely understand all the intricacies of the current system...but this may break it. The second and third best divisional teams MUST play each other in the first round, and the Metro Division's dominance leaves us with a whole lot of awkward here. Pittsburgh (111 points, 2nd in entire NHL) and Columbus (108 points, 3rd) each draw mutual nightmare matchups against each other in the very first round. There is no rational way to argue this as being fair...so let's just go ahead and enjoy the undisputed main event matchup of round one. If you'll remember, Columbus burst onto the scene with a 16(!!) game win streak earlier this season. The Blue Jackets are one of those teams that lack any singular dominant player, but are a nightmare because of their absurd crop of solid/depth players. And it never hurts to have an otherworldly goalie this time of year-- Sergei Bobrovsky qualifies. If there's a red flag, though, it's the "did they peak at the wrong time?" pitfall. CBJ lost 8 of 11 games to close the season.
Pittsburgh, on the other hand, will never raise a whole lot of red flags. The Penguins were the sizzling prohibitive favorite entering the tournament last year, and went on to win the whole thing. Much of that same cast of characters is back, including the best-ish (we'll get to Edmonton later) player in Sidney Crosby. In a series this close, geography may play a big factor. Pittsburgh enjoys their home ice quite a bit, as they were tops in the league in their building. If this one goes seven, as many expect, it's great to be home sweet home.
The Pick: Pittsburgh has home ice, the experience, the better superstars, and are defending champs. But they're stupid and I hate them and Bobrovsky steals the show.
Blue Jackets in 6

#1A Montreal Canadiens vs. (WC) New York Rangers
Season Series: Three games- Three wins MON (one in OT)
Stanley Cup Odds: MON 15:1; NYR 10:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "Do you know what happens, hm?....Do you know what happens?.....YOU JUST MADE THE LIST!"- Chris Jericho
The Breakdown: This one is difficult. The Habs were first in their division, and the Rangers placed 4th in a remarkably superior division. Neither team will wow you with any advanced metrics, and much of the focus will understandably be the goaltending duel of Carey Price vs. Henrik Lundqvist. Though the plot twist of this year is that Lundqvist is the "other guy" in this matchup. Price is widely regarded the best in the sport, and perhaps flying in under the radar can be a nice change for Hank after so many seasons of carrying the team on his back. The Rangers have wayyyyyy more offensive capabilities than the Canadiens, and Montreal's defensive front (in front of Price) doesn't exactly scream "brick wall." Miller, Stepan, Hayes, Zuccarello & co. will need to be at their very best if they're going to get the best of Price four out of seven games.
The Pick: The public seems to slightly favor the Un-Ameircans. And looking at the other side of the bracket, a potential throwback matchup of the Habs and Bruins in round two would get a whole lot of people jumpin. The Canadiens have the historical aura, but the Rangers have by far more recent/relevant playoff pedigree. Price will do everything he can to keep Montreal alive to the end, but this one is Rangers in 7

#2A Ottawa Senators vs. #3A Boston Bruins
Season Series: Four games- OTT won all 4, one in OT
Stanley Cup Odds: OTT 30:1; BOS 25:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "You're looking at the face that runs the place." - AJ Styles
The Breakdown: This matchup is the unfortunate flip-side of the mandated divisional playoff structure. Neither Boston nor Ottawa eclipsed 100 points this season, but one is guaranteed to move on to the second round. If asked to handicap, the metrics and general pedigree skew largely toward the Bruins. Ottawa will have home ice advantage, and the Senators have a leading scorer (Erik Karlsson) that's a defenseman (kinda cool) but also has a foot injury and unlikely to be at 100% (kinda scary.) Craig Anderson is a goalie whose hot streaks can launch him out of the stratosphere, but the balanced Bruins attack led by Brad Marchand will give him all he can handle.
Boston has rotated between hot and cold streaks throughout the season, and unlike the Isles, had a coaching change that actually resulted in a playoff berth. Tuukka Rask has a Stanley Cup on his resume, and will need to be sharp due to serious health concerns on the B's blueline corps.
The Pick: This one is kind of the forgotten series of the East bunch, but also capable of bringing some thunder. Boston looks to have the edge, but Ottawa's clean sweep in the regular season certainly speaks volumes. In the end, Boston gets a decided nod in experience and I'll take Rask in goal over Anderson. Bruins in 5

WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1C Chicago Blackhawks vs. (WC) Nashville Predators
Season Series: Five games- Four wins CHI; One win NAS
Stanley Cup Odds: CHI 5:1; NAS 30:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "I am the color red....in a world of black and white. And if you value your ability to breathe, don't get too close." - Bray Wyatt
The Breakdown: As always, the Western Conference previews will be significantly less diligent than the East. The Blackhawks become a little boring to pick after such sustained success, but what's not to like? Kane, Toews, Hossa, Keith, Seabrook, Crawford...yadda yadda yadda. They are super talented and it's going to take fighting fire with fire and/or an off the charts goalie performance to stop them.
...Nashville will have issues trying to match firepower, but may just have the goalie capable to spring the upset. Pekka Rinne is quietly yet consistently one of the top netminders, and it's hard to believe he's been in the league for over a decade. He is playoff seasoned, but will need to be at his best because the Preds as a whole are middle of the pack in terms of major statistical categories.
The Pick: Chicago has the second-best Cup odds in the league for a reason. Nashville is always a live 'dog as long as Rinne is between the pipes, but this era's Blackhawks don't seem too prone to first-roudn ousters. They make a statement early. Blackhawks in 5

#2C Minnesota Wild vs. #3C St. Louis Blues
Season Series: Five games- Three wins STL (one in OT); Two wins MIN
Stanley Cup Odds: MIN 6:1; STL 35:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "DEVON!!!! GET THE TABLES!!!!!" - Bubba Ray Dudley
The Breakdown: As the odds would indicate, one of the bigger David v Goliath matchups of round one. Minnesota scored the 2nd most goals in the league with their balanced lineup of Staal, Parise, Niederreiter, Granlund, & co. And Devan "get the tables" Dubnyk has played heroically all season in a brutal division.
The Blues have had a super weird season, with a rather recent firing of their coach and a mini-firesale at the trade deadline. They are no strangers to the playoffs, but do not exactly have the aura of a team ready to catch fire. Vladamir Tarasenko tends to be a one-man offense, and quite a talent he is. But this was a rotten draw they've gotten here in the opening round.
The Pick: This is Minnesota's year. St. Louis may have surprised themselves just as much as they surprised the rest of us in making these playoffs. It's a great accomplishment but one with a short shelf life. Wild in 4

#1P Anaheim Ducks vs. (WC) Calgary Flames
Season Series: Five Games- Four wins ANA, One win CGY
Stanley Cup Odds: ANA 10:1; CGY 30:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "I am SmackTalker SkyWalker, and I got a Mic-saber for a hater. And what do you know... wudduwe got ova here? A cup'uh'hatas?" - Enzo Amore
The Breakdown: In this one, you're either going with the established veterans seeking final glory before their Cup window closes...or the young hotshots looking to crash the party. Anaheim has been like clockwork out West for much of the last decade. They won it all in 2007 and it seems they've been a top seed in every year since. Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler...the band is still all together trying to make another deep run.
Standing in their way first are the Flames, with an extremely young core led by Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk and Dougie Hamilton on defense. Calgary will really have their hands full with the experienced Ducks, and going to the pond the first two games might make this series over quick. Anaheim has earned at least a point in 14 consecutive games to close the year, and look to be peaking at the exact right time.
The Pick: The Flames go up in smoke. (proud pun side-eye emoji) Ducks in 5

#2P Edmonton Oilers vs. #3P San Jose Sharks
Season Series: Five games- Three wins EDM; Two wins SJ (one in OT)
Stanley Cup Odds: EDM 16:1; SJ 16:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "I'm not a good guy....I'm not a bad guy....I am THE guy." - Roman Reigns
The Breakdown: Take a look above at those identical Cup odds! Obviously, these teams are seen as pretty even. Additionally, there's not a whole lot of love for them after this series. But although a lot of these games will begin after the east coast bedtime of folks, it would be a shame to miss them. The WWE quote above of course applies to the asinine talent of Edmonton's Connor McDavid. A crisp, clean 100 points scored on the season (11 more than anyone else); 70 assists (only 18 players in the league had 70 points total); and the speed/creative vision to essentially set up tap-in goals for those lucky enough to play around him. He is a hockey alien sent here to haunt the 29 other teams who do not possess him.
Much like the Capitals, Blackhawks, Ducks, etc., mark down the Sharks as a team with a core that's been intact forever that is seeing its window closing. And perhaps painfully indicative of this window closing is that stalwarts Joe Thornton and Logan Couture are all kinds of banged up entering the series. Though Frozen enthusiasts like myself are always super jazzed that an "Aaron Dell" plays goalie for the Sharks, it will be Martin Jones getting the brunt of the work. Former Ranger Cam Talbot will be between the pipes for Edmonton, whose otherwise pedestrian numbers are capped by an eye-popping seven shutouts on the season. They'll need him to be great throughout this (presumably long) series.
The Pick: In a series this even, go with the healthier team and go with the best player. Edmonton wins a classic. Oilers in 7

The action all gets started tonight, with five(!) games on the docket. Enjoy it all, and will see you next round to assess the carnage of those above picks.

NHL Eastern Playoffs Round 2: These Waters Seem Unchartered

Welcome back to the blog, and welcome to hockey's second round! It's almost mind-boggling that teams that have come this far are only one-quarter of the way towards earning their ultimate goal. Tonight's Game 7 between the Ducks and Predators will be the final added piece to the NHL's "Elite Eight," and this bunch indeed includes some local flare. The Islanders advanced to the second round for the first time since 1993, sparking a Brooklyn party following Game 6's overtime clincher by captain John Tavares. While the Rangers ran into a buzzsaw Penguins team and did not have the same luck, there is still plenty of intrigue to get to. With the Western Conference first round is still (weirdly) going on as the second round starts in the East, let's roll through what to expect on just one side of the bracket in Round 2. Starting with the main event:

EASTERN CONFERENCE
#1M Washington Capitals vs #2M Pittsburgh Penguins


Season Series: Five games- Three wins for PIT (one in OT); Two wins for WAS


Moxy Measurable: WAS 9/10; PIT 10/10


Sentimentality Scale: WAS 9/10; PIT 7/10


Stanley Cup Odds: WAS 27:10; PIT 19:5


Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "To be the Man...you gotta beat the Man!" - Ric Flair 

Relevant 1993 Anthem: "Two Princes" - Spin Doctors

Lessons from Round One: This one has all the makings of insanity. And a whole lot of fun. It's the undisputed champions of the NHL's regular season going skate-to-skate with the undisputed hottest team in the league. The Stanley Cup odds above admittedly look a little wonky (rough math: WAS 2.7:1 and PIT 4:1), but these also represents the two best odds of the nine teams remaining (Nine will become eight once Anaheim and Nashville settle their Game 7 tonight out west). Which almost seems impossible- two teams facing off in the quarterfinals having the two best odds. But that is the feeling in this one: these are the cream of the crop. Washington certainly (and expectedly) got the better of Philadelphia in the opening round. But with the recent playoff history of black eyes for the Caps, fans couldn't help but worry when their 3-0 series lead suddenly became 3-2. With the stunning play of goalie Braden Holtby (5 goals allowed in six games, two shutouts), the Capitals had enough to dispatch the Flyers. Alex Ovechkin got his production, usually on the power play, while less talked about Nicklas Backstrom put on an absolute show across the entire series. The Caps are loaded, and become even scarier if rising star Evgeny Kuznetsov (just one point in Round One) can find his groove.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, steamrolled the Rangers in a five-game series that didn't even seem that close. Evgeni Malkin returned and had a monster series, as did the usual suspects of Crosby, Letang, and (gasp!!) often-maligned Phil Kessel. The question with the Pens this playoff season, though, has never been the 5-on-5 talent...it's been that all-important sixth guy standing in the crease. Marc Andre Fleury still has concussion issues, meaning it will be the unheralded Matt Murray likely to shoulder the load. Murray played great in closing out the Rangers after taking over for Jeff Zatkoff in Game 3, but to say these Capitals will bring a new level of firepower would be a real understatement. 


The Pick: Pundits from coast to coast are envisioning a seven-game classic in this one. Personally? I think that surprise test from Philly was exactly what the Capitals needed. After over six months of running roughshod through the league and arguably not playing much of a "meaningful game" in weeks, I think the alarm clock hath been rung D.C. In all the years of playoff shortcomings during the Ovechkin era, Pittsburgh has often been the grim reaper in their biggest heartaches. I think the Capitals have known for a long time that Crosby & co. would be their biggest test in their quest for the Cup, and they are ready for this. And, uh, playing a backup goalie doesn't hurt either. Don't adjust your computer screen...this one ends shockingly quick.
CAPITALS IN 5




#2A Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (WC) New York Islanders


Season Series: Three games- Two wins for NYI; One win TB


Moxy Measurable: TB 8/10; NYI 6/10


Sentimentality Scale: TB 8/10; NYI 9/10


Stanley Cup Odds: TB 12:1; NYI 14:1

Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "I will give you a show that you've never seen before. Why? Because I can" - 
Shawn Michaels

Relevant 1993 Anthem: "Reason to Believe" - Rod Stewart

Lessons from Round One: It feels a bit like the "ugly stepchild" series in the East, as the Crosby/Ovechkin showdown is sure to soak up all the national attention. But surely neither of these teams have a problem with continuing to fly under the radar. Though it may get less attention, it's the same odds at stake with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Your feelings on long layoffs during the playoffs (rest vs. rust) may sway how this series turns out. Tampa hasn't played in forever- eliminating the Red Wings last Thursday in the five-game series. They are missing their superstar forward Steven Stamkos, but you could hardly notice it against Detroit. Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, and even Jonathan Drouin provided all the firepower needed against an overwhelmed Red Wings squad. While the offense held its own, the defending Eastern Conference champs will once again hitch their wagon to goaltender Ben Bishop. He was sharp as a tack against Detroit and--as the Rangers saw last year-- can wreck a series with his stellar play. Tampa will also have the home ice advantage to go along with their considerable "experience" edge in the series. 
While the Lightning were able to kick their feet up and relax all week, the Islanders were engaged in double-overtime slugfests against the Panthers in Round One. The six game series felt like 20 games, as each was decided by one goal and three of the Isles' four wins needed one overtime or more. Nevertheless, New York finally got the monkey off their back and have advanced to this point. While Islanders fans have known the name and true value of John Tavares for many seasons, his eye popping performance in the first round- particularly the clincher- has put him on the mainstream map of superstardom. He put together nine points in the six games, while helping linemate Kyle Okposo notch six points. Though the top line asserted their will on the feisty yet inexperienced Panthers, the Lightning defensive prowess is bound to give them far more resistance. The Islanders can no longer afford to escape without secondary scoring from the likes of Brock Nelson, Josh Bailey, Nikolay Kulemin & co. Goaltender Thomas Greiss put on a first round performance that was every bit as good as Bishop, Holtby, you name it. But without any kind of playoff experience prior to this season, it's fair to worry about whether the grind of his first postseason as starter will take its toll against the scary Tampa attack. The Islanders are thrilled to have gotten to this point, as the celebration of Game 6 in Brooklyn had clearly indicated. Though they are hungry for more, they cannot afford to keep the status quo of their performance against Florida. 

The Pick: Don't be fooled into thinking the Isles are a bigtime underdog in this series. New York finished three points higher in the standings than the Lightning, even with the perceived two-game "tanking" at the end. Stamkos is a tremendous loss for Tampa, no doubt. But the Lightning have the defensive prowess and proven goaltender that can withstand such a loss. But this year's version of the Islanders can consider themselves the best team to put on the jersey in over two decades. With a fanbase that now has New York all to itself (in the hockey sense). Greiss will need to continue holding up his end of the bargain, which will be easier said than done. And with the young forwards knowing they can be benched at any time and miss out on the excitement (see: Ryan Strome last round), perhaps that lights the fire for supplementary scoring. But with teams this closely matched, this pick gets filed under "one team has John Tavares...and the other team doesn't." 
ISLANDERS IN 7

Thank you for reading and enjoy the action!

NHL Playoffs 2016: Time to Ring the Bell!

It's time.
It's here.
It's...sadly the only thing that gets me to dust off the typewriter once a year.

Hockey. Playoffs. 2k16.

The sun has shined brightly on the new baseball season and the Masters Tournament, but the sports world now zeroes in on chilly arenas throughout the USA (not this year, Canada...) for the NHL playoffs.

Sixteen teams remain standing after the rigorous regular season schedule. And though there are some clear favorites, everyone currently sits tied at the top at 0-0. Climbing the 16-win mountain over the next two months will earn the glory of all glories. Ready to get started with the round one matchups? I thought you'd never ask, darlin.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
#1M Washington Capitals vs (WC) Philadelphia Flyers
Season Series: Four games- Two regulation wins for WAS; Two OT wins for PHI
Moxy Measurable: WAS 9/10; PHI 2/10
Sentimentality Scale: WAS 7/10; PHI 9/10
Stanley Cup Odds: WAS 7:2; PHI 50:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "Brock Lesnar is a conquerer who is not here to put smiles on people's faces...Brock Lesnar is here to shock the WWE universe and put tears in the eyes of children!" - Paul Heyman
The Breakdown: The Flyers have plenty reason to hold their heads way up high. Not a whole lot was expected this season from the squad, and they got to this point with little more than grit and just-enough defense. But as good an accomplishment as it was...they look to be running into a real buzzsaw in this Capitals team. Washington's 120 points this season blew away the competition (nobody was within 10 points of them.) They are in the league's top 2 in both goals scored and goals against, with both special teams units in the NHL's top 5. They have the best scorer in the league in Alex Ovechkin and an ironman goalie that it playoff tested (Braden Holtby). Despite it being "taboo talk" in the hockey world, this has the makings of one team being thrilled to have made it, thrilled to give its home fans two juiced playoff games...yet ultimately overmatched in every conceivable way out on the ice. The notion of playing with house money and nothing to lose certainly means something, but in this case it will likely mean just one home win.
The Pick: Can't be detailed enough in how much the Capitals are superior to the Flyers. But they've been here before and horrifically come up short. For at least this round, they're safe.
Capitals in 5

#2M Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #3M New York Rangers
Season Series: Four games- Three wins (one in OT) for PIT; One win NYR
Moxy Measurable: PIT 10/10; NYR 7/10
Sentimentality Scale: PIT 1/10; NYR 8/10
Stanley Cup Odds: PIT 15:2; NYR 15:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "I didn't sell out...I bought in." - Seth Rollins
The Breakdown: Those who may have watched or followed along with the last two Islanders games of the season were treated with extreme awkwardness and rather obvious "tanking." The Isles had full control over their ability to leapfrog the Rangers in the standings and escape the wild card spot. But, uh, that would have meant a matchup against the hottest team in the league and the Islanders, uh, declined. The Penguins have been borderline terrifying of late, as the official Moxy Measurable scale indicates above. It's all quite confusing, seeing how the surge seemed to coincide with the injury of superstar forward Evgeni Malkin. Since a March 8th 2-1 loss to the Islanders, the Penguins have won 14 games and lost 2 (one of which was the season finale that had zero importance to them.) Crosby & co are primed for a deep playoff run. But now significant questions arise as to the health of their goalie Marc Andre Fleury. The Rangers, meanwhile, added forward Eric Staal at the deadline to join the usual cast of characters- anchored of course by Henrik Lundqvist in goal. The sneaky little secret, though, is the Rangers goals against is rather middle of the pack this season. The Mats Zuccarello led offense helped bail out some of the slippage on the back side (that sounds so wrong but it's not going anywhere.) The Penguins' scorching finish to the season should not overshadow the fact that these teams were just three points apart in the standings, and division rivals who are plenty familiar with each other. All the makings of a great opening series.
The Pick: Neither team is going to fear the other, and the goaltending advantage appears to be lopsided in the Rangers' direction. The Blueshirts' high grade on the patented Sentimentality Scale comes from the "Lundqvist Effect". His window appears to be starting to close, and his teammates know it may be now or never to get their King his Cup. It should be the best series of the opening round, but God help my soul I'm going Rangers in 7.

#1A Florida Panthers vs. (WC) New York Islanders
Season Series: Three games- Two wins FLA (one in OT); One win NYI
Moxy Measurable: FLA 3/10; NYI 7/10
Sentimentality Scale: FLA 10/10; NYI 9/10
Stanley Cup Odds: FLA 20:1; NYI 20:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "Woo Woo Woo, you know it!" - Zack Ryder
The Breakdown: Well at least we're guaranteed one fan base it's gonna party like it's the mid-1990s. The two longest droughts in terms of playoff series wins (FLA 1996; NYI 1993) face off in this one. Florida shocked the hockey world with its Atlantic Division title. But despite not being flashy or spectacular in any one area, the Panthers quietly nestled themselves into the league's top 10 in both goals scored and allowed. The combination of the ageless Jaromir Jagr and prodigal son Roberto Luongo has spiked the Cats to a blistering 10 on the S.S. above. But behind those old folks are a young core that is built to last but also ready to get a taste of playoff success now. The Islanders feel they're more than poised to build on recent playoff shortfalls and finally do some real damage. The problem is the plan got sidetracked when Jaro Halak went out to a freak injury last month. He will miss the first round, leaving Thomas Greiss with the enormous burden of his first playoff series as a starter. Greiss has been more than capable in a reduced role this season, and this series will hinge on his ability to take the reigns and stand tall against the potent Florida attack. John Tavares & co will need to withstand another huge loss in forward Anders Lee, who broke his leg earlier this month. The young talent up front (Ryan Strome, Brock Nelson) has been disappointingly inconsistent this entire season, but can right a lot of wrongs with a strong showing here.
The Pick: Speaking completely biased, I need to think neutral folks are upset these two teams need to play each other so early. On their own, both are rather root-able if only because it's been so impossibly long since they've enjoyed success. But I think the brutal 7-game series loss to the Capitals last year gave the Islanders an experience that the young Panthers still need to feel. Greiss will be the key, but in the first year of the Barclays Center the Isles give the fans reason to go crazy at home when the result is Islanders in 6.

#2A Tampa Bay Lightning vs. #3A Detroit Red Wings
Season Series: Four games- Two wins TB; Two wins DET
Moxy Measurable: TB 5/10; DET 5/10
Sentimentality Scale: TB 4/10; DET 9/10
Stanley Cup Odds: TB 18:1; DET 40:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "You are watching the longest running weekly episodic show in history!" - Michael Cole
The Breakdown: Tampa Bay is fresh off a Stanley Cup Final appearance, and were humming along just fine...until a freak injury to a player they just cannot afford to lose. Steven Stamkos is one of the best goal scorers in the league and the straw that stirs the drink offensively for the Bolts. But with a blood clot likely to sideline him for the entire playoffs, it will be star goalie Ben Bishop and the role players trying to make do. Their first test is not an enormous one, as the Red Wings are not particularly strong in any area. Jimmy Howard has somewhat picked up his play of late in goal, but besides superstar in the making rookie Dylan Larkin having his breakthrough season, it's not much. The proud Red Wings have extended their insane streak of postseason appearances, and they will need to hang their hat on that because it will be a short stay.
The Pick: Hopefully the series is better on the ice than the ho-hum matchup it appears to be on paper. Lightning in 6.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1C Dallas Stars vs. (WC) Minnesota Wild
Season Series: Five games- Four wins DAL (3 in OT); One win MIN
Moxy Measurable: DAL 8/10; MIN 3/10
Sentimentality Scale: DAL 4/10; MIN 9/10
Stanley Cup Odds: DAL 8:1; MIN 30:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "This is MY house!" - Paige
The Breakdown: The old Minnesota North Stars take on the now-Minnesota Wild. A great matchup for the storybooks, but it may not be pretty out on the ice. Minnesota's 87 points were far and away the lowest total for any playoff team, and they lost 5 straight to close the season. On an even darker note, star forward Zach Parise is dealing with back issues. The only place Minnesota is trending upwards is on a map of the USA. (was that a good one? I don't think it was bad.)
Dallas, meanwhile, conquered the "division of death," as a very impressive 3 teams from the Central finished with more than 103 points. Jamie Benn and the (perhaps banged up?) Tyler Seguin lead the NHL's #1 scoring attack. While goaltending will be an issue as the Stars face the cream of the crop later on in the tourney, they will overwhelm the Wild.
The Pick: At least Minnesota made it in. If they were in the East they wouldn't have qualified. So, ya know, there's that... Stars in 4.

#2C St. Louis Blues vs. #3C Chicago Blackhawks
Season Series: Five games- Three wins STL (all in OT); Two wins CHI
Moxy Measurable: STL 8/10; CHI 10/10
Sentimentality Scale: STL 9/10; CHI 2/10
Stanley Cup Odds: STL 9:1; CHI 13:2
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "The Champ is here." - John Cena
The Breakdown: As we said before, the Central division was diabolical. The Stars' true reward for winning the division was not having to face wither of these behemoths in round one. It's very unique to see two round one opponents both in the top 7 as far as Stanley Cup odds, but that's the case here. The Blues are very, very good- particularly on special teams. And Vlad Tarasenko could steal a couple games on his own. But you just get the feeling that at this point, the regular season is just a dress rehearsal for Chicago. They know exactly what to do come playoff time, and have proven it with three titles in the last six years. Patrick Kane has taken his game to Level 11 this season, and all the familiar faces are around him for another deep run.
The Pick: Taking nothing away from St. Louis and their tremendous season, but can't pick against Chicago this early. Blackhawks in 7

#1P Anaheim Ducks vs. (WC) Nashville Predators
Season Series: Three games- Two wins NSH; One win ANA
Moxy Measurable: ANA 7/10; NSH 5/10
Sentimentality Scale: ANA 6/10; NSH 9/10
Stanley Cup Odds: ANA 8:1; NSH 25:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "It's a New Day, yes it is." - The New Day
The Breakdown: It's hard to get a read on these Predators. While formidable, they seem to have taken a noticeable step back from the team that couldn't quite get over the hump the last five years. They are not in the league's top 10 in goals scored, against, or any special teams. The Ducks, meanwhile, have been a defensive supernova with ace special teams this season. They have been stubborn in keeping their core together, with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry once again leading the way. It may not be enough to take on the true beats of the conference, but Nashville does not look to be that much of an obstacle.
The Pick: Quack Quack Quack. Ducks in 6

#2P Los Angeles Kings vs. #3P San Jose Sharks
Season Series: Five games- Three wins SJ; Two wins LA (one in OT)
Moxy Measurable: LA 9/10; SJ 2/10
Sentimentality Scale: LA 3/10; SJ 9/10
Stanley Cup Odds: LA 8:1; SJ 15:1
Applicable WWE Catchphrase: "You stupid idiot! You stupid man!" - Chris Jericho
The Breakdown: The Sharks...what can you say? If Anaheim is "stubborn," then what the heck is San Jose?? We're humbly entering year #72 of the Joe Thornton/Joe Pavelski/Patrick Marleau regime, and once again they're here for what many expect to be the latest chapter of playoff shortcoming. San Jose may have PTSD seeing the Kings in round one. It was two short years ago the Sharks were up 3-0 on Los Angeles before joining the historical list of chokejobs. Stop me if you've heard this before- but the Kings will go as far as goalie Jonathan Quick takes them. Make no mistake, this can definitely be a very long way. But after some pretty vanilla picks in the rest of the matchups, need to make the Chris Jericho quote applicable.
The Pick: San Jose erases oh so many demons. And does so in shockingly impressive style. Sharks in 5.

Could you tell I often can't stay up late and/or get television feeds of Western Conference games? Maybe shuffle those picks out of sight when you call into Vegas.

But who cares- the playoffs are here!! DING-DING-DING!

Enjoy it.