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!
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
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.
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.
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