Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Round 2

Iggles (in Flyers orange):
I know I will regret saying this but making the picks in round 2 seems a whole lot easier than making the picks for the first round. Wound up going 3-1 but I was extremely fortunate to get there….needed the ‘Canes and the Ovechkins to come back from being down 2-3 (1-3 in the case of the Ovechkins) to win both of there series. So lets get right to the picks……



No. 1 Boston Bruins vs. No. 6 Carolina Hurricanes

My gut tells me this is over in 6 with the Bruins controlling the series the whole way. Maybe up 3-1 and the ‘Canes steal game 5 here and then the Bruins wrap it up in Carolina. But the Bruins have been waiting around for almost a week and it is never a good thing to be doing nothing while the other teams are playing….yes you get your rest but you can also lose your timing and rhythm. The Bruins are the better team but they may need a game to get their legs back under them so lets say Carolina pulls off a shocker in game 1 which makes this a nailbiter the rest of the way. Bruins in 7.



No. 2 Washington Oveckins vs. No. 4 Pittsburgh Crosbys

OV-1 you are exciting to watch on the highlight reel but can I please remind you that you have to play defense sometimes. Too many shots by Ovechkin and lazy play in the defensive end will give Pittsburgh another chance to play in the Eastern Conference finals. I just can’t see how Washington can keep up with Penguins…..they are too deep and too talented. And then add on top of it their goaltending is better this one is really a no brainer. Penguins in 6.


Now onto my picks(Bruins Black):

I know that I reached on the St. Louis pick but damn A SWEEP?? Ain't that a bitch!! By the way how do the Flyers lose game 7 up by 3 goals?? I went 2-2 for the 1st round and I am currently down to effing Iggles. What a way to start MY work week. The Ducks are riding high. The Blackhawks are showing grit and determination. Are they on a collision course for the Western Conference finals?? Not if Vancouver and Detroit have anything to say about it.

No. 2 Detroit Red Wings vs No. 8 Anaheim Ducks

Last round I knew the Ducks were on a roll but to take out the team with the best record in the NHL? I didn't know that's how they were rolling. I highly doubt that lightning can strike twice so I am taking the Red Wings in 6. The Wings are just to deep and too fast.

No. 3 Vancouver Canucks vs No. 4 Chicago Black Hawks

The Black Hawks are a feel good story, original 6 team, lots of young talent...wait a cotton-picking-minute they sound like the Bruins of the West. Except the B's have more depth, more veteran leadership and best of all a better goalie. But this isn't about the Black Hawks versus the Bruins just yet. Roberto Luongo and the Canucks look to battle but if I took the Blues in round one so you know I am taking the Hawks in round 2. Black Hawks in 7 games


Second-Round Predictions(Experts picks)

Boston-Carolina
The pressure is off Boston, who had to win a playoff round in order to escape the fate of San Jose and Calgary. They have progressed, and aren't too far away from challenging for the Stanley Cup.
But this is the end of the line. Like Anaheim, Carolina has won it before and knows what it takes to win the big one. Cam Ward knows what it takes to win and has already met the major challenge of Martin Brodeur.
At one time Carolina looked like it would not make the playoffs, but since then has been the hottest team in the NHL, beating teams in pressure situations that had more talent than they had.
I don't care that Boston has won all four regular-season games this season, this is not the same Carolina team they faced before. The Hurricanes will win four games to two.

Washington-Pittsburgh
Washington escaped from the last round thanks to superior talent—and the unexpected blessing of having Jose Theodore play so poorly in the first game that he was replaced by Simeon Varlamov, who provided big-league playoff goaltending.
A position that was supposed to be a weakness turned into a strength and a Washington goaltender actually won the final game for the team after they were being outplayed in the first 30 minutes.
This series could go either way, and common sense tells me to take Pittsburgh—especially because Washington plays like San Jose at times. But now that they are getting good goaltending, I'm going to take Washington. Ovechkin won't want to be outplayed by Crosby and Malkin in a direct confrontation, and somehow Washington will win four games to three.

Vancouver-Chicago
I like how Vancouver went for the jugular and put away St. Louis, a team that played very well, despite its untried, low-talent roster, and could have been a real problem if allowed to hang around.
I was also impressed by the way the untried, young Blackhawks beat Calgary, refusing to quit even when they were behind in the score. They also got great goaltending from Nikolai Khabibulin, one of the few goaltenders like Cam Ward who has won the big one and knows what it takes to do it again.
Roberto Luongo wants to join him in that status. Vancouver is a much better team defensively and played at a higher level during the stretch run, while Chicago alternated between good and bad. Chicago has a better offense, but Vancouver has a better defense and has home ice.
It would not be an upset if Chicago won, but Vancouver will win a tough series four games to three.

Detroit-Anaheim
The Red Wings weren't tested by Columbus, and are still the team to beat in the NHL. They will have a tougher time against Anaheim, a team that, like themselves, has won the big one and showed in the first round that they are a force to be reckoned with—especially if they hit the way they did against the San Jose Sharks.
The Ducks' goaltending and defense are as good as Detroit's, but the Red Wings have more top forwards than Anaheim who won't disappear like Joe and Patrick. Anaheim can win this series, but Detroit will do it four games to two.

2 comments:

Katie_K said...

I agree w/ Iggles about it not being good for the B's to have been waiting for so long before round 2. I hope they get back into the groove quickly!!

Anonymous said...

I NEVER AGREE WITH IGGLES ON ANYTHING, A RULE IN LIFE