The Washington Capitals outplayed the New York Rangers for a majority of the game. Out shooting them in the first period 14 - 4. A majority of the ice was tilted to the visitor's side. And it took a non-call for the Rangers to get the response goal to the Capitals power play.
There are numerous positives to take from game one for the Caps. Their physical play set the tone for how they wanted to treat this team. If the Rangers' heads are constantly on a swivel, they would be concentrating on who coming at them rather than someone who is open.
The Caps also were good on the power play. Even though they were not able to score in the third to take the lead, the Caps took away two goals out of a tough penalty kill team. They were able to move the puck well, set up plays and find the open passing lanes. But they need to get the puck to the net.
The face off dot was also an area where the Caps excelled. Four players were over 70% on their draws. That is important to establish for offensive chances in the offensive zone or quelling a chance in the defensive zone. Boyd Gordon's return helped in that regard, in five draws he won 4.
Believe it or not, the Caps have cut down on their penalties. The Rangers did take advantage of two of the penalties, but take away Mike Green and Sergei Fedorov's delay of game penalties and the Caps were only called for two infractions. The Rangers, however, took seven penalties.
The game one loss hurts home ice advantage. But the Capitals have been a tough road team of late. They had a 6-3-1 in their last ten games of the season. And the Caps have also felt pretty comfortable at MSG forcing overtime in their last two games there where they came out with a win and a shootout loss.
Last note, the Capitals won their opening game against Philadelphia last year. A lot of good it did them. The Rangers still have to win another 3 games against a team that usually answers a loss with a win.
The San Jose Sharks are favored to win the Cup this year by many experts and they also lost their first home game in their series against Anaheim. Meaning series are never won after just one game.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Some Thoughts On Last Night's Action
The Washington Capitals were the only home team to lose their game last night. So much for home ice advantage. Bruce Boudreau now faces a tough decision, stick with Jose Theodore or go with rookie Simeon Varlamov. It may seem like a rash move, but that is how much Boudreau disliked Theo's performance last night.
"There’s times when you sit there, you need the save, and he didn’t make the save when we needed it," Boudreau said.
The Cap's power play was good, but not good when they wanted it to be. The power play chance in the third period to get the go ahead goal fell short when the Caps looked to make the perfect play. Instead of looking for that home run play, the Caps needed to keep the play simple and get the puck to the net. Their second power play goal by Alex Semin was scored in that very fashion, getting to the net broke down the Ranger coverage.
Another disappointing factor of game 1 was the officiating. I do not like to pick on the officials, but there were some blatant missed calls on the play following the Caps' opening goal in the second. Nik Antropov's interference with Tomas Fleischmann in the zone was missed and just seconds later Sean Avery's interference on Mike Green lead to a unassisted goal by Scott Gomez. It also prompted a long conversation between Boudreau and Referee Tim Peel at the start of the third period.
The Capitals were clearly ready for a fight, the Rangers came out nervous leading to a first period mismatch that resulted in a 14 - 4 shot count. But the Caps didn't score during that stretch. Even with two power plays, they failed to generate a single goal which could have lead to further frustration.
Nick Backstrom was at times brilliant. He made a couple behind the net passes to a wide open players in front of the net. He had an assist but some of his passes were mishandled. In fact, many passes made by Capitals seemed to miss their mark. Alex Ovechkin himself took a number of passes in his feet, especially when he was wide open and had a perfect shooting lane. The passes have to be more precise.
The good news, the Caps have a couple of days to fix the problems. Even if that means making a change in net.
"There’s a chance anything could happen," Boudreau said. "When you lose, you make changes."
"There’s times when you sit there, you need the save, and he didn’t make the save when we needed it," Boudreau said.
The Cap's power play was good, but not good when they wanted it to be. The power play chance in the third period to get the go ahead goal fell short when the Caps looked to make the perfect play. Instead of looking for that home run play, the Caps needed to keep the play simple and get the puck to the net. Their second power play goal by Alex Semin was scored in that very fashion, getting to the net broke down the Ranger coverage.
Another disappointing factor of game 1 was the officiating. I do not like to pick on the officials, but there were some blatant missed calls on the play following the Caps' opening goal in the second. Nik Antropov's interference with Tomas Fleischmann in the zone was missed and just seconds later Sean Avery's interference on Mike Green lead to a unassisted goal by Scott Gomez. It also prompted a long conversation between Boudreau and Referee Tim Peel at the start of the third period.
The Capitals were clearly ready for a fight, the Rangers came out nervous leading to a first period mismatch that resulted in a 14 - 4 shot count. But the Caps didn't score during that stretch. Even with two power plays, they failed to generate a single goal which could have lead to further frustration.
Nick Backstrom was at times brilliant. He made a couple behind the net passes to a wide open players in front of the net. He had an assist but some of his passes were mishandled. In fact, many passes made by Capitals seemed to miss their mark. Alex Ovechkin himself took a number of passes in his feet, especially when he was wide open and had a perfect shooting lane. The passes have to be more precise.
The good news, the Caps have a couple of days to fix the problems. Even if that means making a change in net.
"There’s a chance anything could happen," Boudreau said. "When you lose, you make changes."
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Caps Drop Game 1
Capitals 3, Rangers 4
Scoresheet - Times - Post
The Capitals could not have asked for a better start, except for a goal. The Caps out shot the Rangers 14 to 4 and kept the pressure on. But the Rangers survived the barrage of hits and shots and took advantage of their opportunities. The Capitals faltered to crack the Ranger defense late. The New York Rangers shock the Verizon faithful and take a one game lead in the series with a 4-3 win over the Capitals.
The Caps didn't get playoff performance from Jose Theodore. Of the four goals that beat him, all of them beat him top shelf. Theo seemed tentative and too far back in his crease. He didn't play aggressive out on top of the crease. Instead of playing in the playoffs, Theodore seemed like he was still in regular season mode.
"I'm not happy with my game," Theodore said. "I wasn't good enough. But in the playoffs, you bounce back and that's it. You have to turn the page."
Alex Ovechkin did come to play. Not only did help open the scoring with a power play assist in the second, he was just a force in the first half of the game. He had 6 shots and 6 hits in the first period alone. He finished the night with two assists. Tomas Fleischmann was credited with the first goal for the Caps.
The Rangers responded soon after. There were actually two blown penalty calls that allowed New York to tie it up. Nik Antripov interfered with Fleischmann allowing the puck to clear the zone and Sean Avery tripped up Mike Green allowing Scott Gomez an open path to the goal and the Rangers were on the board. From there, the Caps took two bad penalties and the Rangers capitalized on both chances stretching their lead to 3-1.
Viktor Kozlov saved face for the Caps in the second with a late tally. Nick Backstrom cut down the left wing side and Kozlov made a b-line to the net to score with under a minute left. Alex Semin tied it in the third Ovechkin threw the puck in front of the net and the rebound coming right to an open Semin. It seemed the Caps had won the momentum back, but the Rangers responded with the game winning goal.
The game winner was not all Theo's his fault. Jeff Schultz had a game he would love to forget. After mishandling the puck a few times he was deked out of next week by Brandon Dubinsky who undressed Schultz and scored the game winner. Just when it seemed the momentum shifted, it only took a few mistakes for the Rangers to unravel it all.
Avery had a target tonight and it wasn't Ovechkin. Avery seemed concentrated on Green who seemed to have brought his physical game to this opening game. Green was prepared for every hit and doled a few out himself. But Avery did catch Green along the boards near the Ranger bench. Avery hit him and tried to dump him into the bench. The hit was a good second after Green had released the puck.
The game took a physical tone early thanks to Matt Bradley and Shaone Morrisonn who both played their most physical games of late. Bradley opened the game with a huge hit that set the tone early and Morrisonn played his best defensive game I have witness in a while.
The Caps have a couple of days to right the ship. They need to be more precise with their passes as well as keep dumb penalties to a minimum. This is a much more aggresive forecheck team than what the Caps may have expected, and it seemed to cause problems for them down the stretch.
On special teams the Caps were 2 for seven, but the Rangers were better with 2 of 4 chances. The Caps had an opportunity in the third to go up 4-3 after they tied, but it looked as if they were trying to hit the home run play rather than just getting the puck to the net. The penalty kill was okay, but not great.
A funny moment in the third period, Ovechkin lost his helmet on a hit with Marc Staal. But play kept going until it was Ovi's turn to go back on the ice. Since a player cannot take the ice with out a helmet he had to borrow Bradley's. With no visor, Ovechkin may have looked a little weird as he made a hit and had a missed shot on net with the visor-less helmet.
Scoresheet - Times - Post
The Capitals could not have asked for a better start, except for a goal. The Caps out shot the Rangers 14 to 4 and kept the pressure on. But the Rangers survived the barrage of hits and shots and took advantage of their opportunities. The Capitals faltered to crack the Ranger defense late. The New York Rangers shock the Verizon faithful and take a one game lead in the series with a 4-3 win over the Capitals.
The Caps didn't get playoff performance from Jose Theodore. Of the four goals that beat him, all of them beat him top shelf. Theo seemed tentative and too far back in his crease. He didn't play aggressive out on top of the crease. Instead of playing in the playoffs, Theodore seemed like he was still in regular season mode.
"I'm not happy with my game," Theodore said. "I wasn't good enough. But in the playoffs, you bounce back and that's it. You have to turn the page."
Alex Ovechkin did come to play. Not only did help open the scoring with a power play assist in the second, he was just a force in the first half of the game. He had 6 shots and 6 hits in the first period alone. He finished the night with two assists. Tomas Fleischmann was credited with the first goal for the Caps.
The Rangers responded soon after. There were actually two blown penalty calls that allowed New York to tie it up. Nik Antripov interfered with Fleischmann allowing the puck to clear the zone and Sean Avery tripped up Mike Green allowing Scott Gomez an open path to the goal and the Rangers were on the board. From there, the Caps took two bad penalties and the Rangers capitalized on both chances stretching their lead to 3-1.
Viktor Kozlov saved face for the Caps in the second with a late tally. Nick Backstrom cut down the left wing side and Kozlov made a b-line to the net to score with under a minute left. Alex Semin tied it in the third Ovechkin threw the puck in front of the net and the rebound coming right to an open Semin. It seemed the Caps had won the momentum back, but the Rangers responded with the game winning goal.
The game winner was not all Theo's his fault. Jeff Schultz had a game he would love to forget. After mishandling the puck a few times he was deked out of next week by Brandon Dubinsky who undressed Schultz and scored the game winner. Just when it seemed the momentum shifted, it only took a few mistakes for the Rangers to unravel it all.
Avery had a target tonight and it wasn't Ovechkin. Avery seemed concentrated on Green who seemed to have brought his physical game to this opening game. Green was prepared for every hit and doled a few out himself. But Avery did catch Green along the boards near the Ranger bench. Avery hit him and tried to dump him into the bench. The hit was a good second after Green had released the puck.
The game took a physical tone early thanks to Matt Bradley and Shaone Morrisonn who both played their most physical games of late. Bradley opened the game with a huge hit that set the tone early and Morrisonn played his best defensive game I have witness in a while.
The Caps have a couple of days to right the ship. They need to be more precise with their passes as well as keep dumb penalties to a minimum. This is a much more aggresive forecheck team than what the Caps may have expected, and it seemed to cause problems for them down the stretch.
On special teams the Caps were 2 for seven, but the Rangers were better with 2 of 4 chances. The Caps had an opportunity in the third to go up 4-3 after they tied, but it looked as if they were trying to hit the home run play rather than just getting the puck to the net. The penalty kill was okay, but not great.
A funny moment in the third period, Ovechkin lost his helmet on a hit with Marc Staal. But play kept going until it was Ovi's turn to go back on the ice. Since a player cannot take the ice with out a helmet he had to borrow Bradley's. With no visor, Ovechkin may have looked a little weird as he made a hit and had a missed shot on net with the visor-less helmet.
It Begins - Capitals vs. Rangers
Alex Ovechkin is not too concerned about his goaltender. In the locker room after practice he couldn't say enough about how much confidence he had in the 32 year old net minder. So did all of the other Capitals.
"We are confident in our goalie," Ovechkin told reporters following practice. "We are confident in our team."
Jose Theodore has a good history in the playoffs and a little bit of luck. He is a perfect 4-0 in the first round of the playoffs. A stat that plays in the favor against a Ranger team that has been struggling to score. Don't talk about Theodore's inconsistencies to the Capitals, they are not hearing a word of it.
What they will be hearing a lot of is Ranger Sean Avery. Avery has returned to New York and already he has made a difference. While he has the power to get under one's skin, he is also a scoring threat on the power play and the checking line. While the talking gets him noticed, the Caps will have to deal with his antics through out the series.
The Capitals are facing a different New York Ranger team from what they saw during the season. With a new coach and some new players, Bruce Boudreau was quick to throw out the 3-1 regular season series lead they had against them.
"It's not the system that's changed, it's the mentality," Boudreau said, addressing the media. "You can see a different hunger in their eyes. That may be strange to hear, but you can watch two tapes at the end of Tom's run and John's run now. That usually happens with a coaching change. I don't know either man, how they coach, but reputation-wise it looks like John's a little more fiery and gets 'em going."
The Rangers are looking for a big upset despite their lack of scoring. Which means they will be relying heavily on goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. He has killed penalties on his own, played tough in big games and even addressing his pad size when called out on having over sized gear.
"It's funny, I've heard that before," Lundqvist retorted. "There's no way you can cheat because they measure it all the time. Sometimes, it's the way you stand... I guess I look big."
While the Capitals have had no trouble in the scoring department, it has been defense they have struggled with down the stretch. They have allowed nearly 30 shots per game in their last six games. It is a number that the Caps aren't overly excited about. The blue liners would like to keep that number in the low to mid 20's to give themselves a chance.
Tom Poti, Donald Brashear and Brian Potheir are all questionable to start in game one. Karl Alzner may be a late call up from Hershey. Alzner did not practice with the team in the past two days. Boyd Gordon has practice fully with the team, but is still listed as injured.
Home ice should be a factor as well, as the Verizon Center should be very loud and very into it. It has been a bright spot for the Caps all season. All of the Capitals numbers improve at the phone booth; power plays, penalty kills, even shots on goal. The Capitals are looking forward to taking advantage of that fact all series long.
Game 1, Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers, 7:00 pm et, CSN (HD), MSG (HD), TSN (HD).
"We are confident in our goalie," Ovechkin told reporters following practice. "We are confident in our team."
Jose Theodore has a good history in the playoffs and a little bit of luck. He is a perfect 4-0 in the first round of the playoffs. A stat that plays in the favor against a Ranger team that has been struggling to score. Don't talk about Theodore's inconsistencies to the Capitals, they are not hearing a word of it.
What they will be hearing a lot of is Ranger Sean Avery. Avery has returned to New York and already he has made a difference. While he has the power to get under one's skin, he is also a scoring threat on the power play and the checking line. While the talking gets him noticed, the Caps will have to deal with his antics through out the series.
The Capitals are facing a different New York Ranger team from what they saw during the season. With a new coach and some new players, Bruce Boudreau was quick to throw out the 3-1 regular season series lead they had against them.
"It's not the system that's changed, it's the mentality," Boudreau said, addressing the media. "You can see a different hunger in their eyes. That may be strange to hear, but you can watch two tapes at the end of Tom's run and John's run now. That usually happens with a coaching change. I don't know either man, how they coach, but reputation-wise it looks like John's a little more fiery and gets 'em going."
The Rangers are looking for a big upset despite their lack of scoring. Which means they will be relying heavily on goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. He has killed penalties on his own, played tough in big games and even addressing his pad size when called out on having over sized gear.
"It's funny, I've heard that before," Lundqvist retorted. "There's no way you can cheat because they measure it all the time. Sometimes, it's the way you stand... I guess I look big."
While the Capitals have had no trouble in the scoring department, it has been defense they have struggled with down the stretch. They have allowed nearly 30 shots per game in their last six games. It is a number that the Caps aren't overly excited about. The blue liners would like to keep that number in the low to mid 20's to give themselves a chance.
Tom Poti, Donald Brashear and Brian Potheir are all questionable to start in game one. Karl Alzner may be a late call up from Hershey. Alzner did not practice with the team in the past two days. Boyd Gordon has practice fully with the team, but is still listed as injured.
Home ice should be a factor as well, as the Verizon Center should be very loud and very into it. It has been a bright spot for the Caps all season. All of the Capitals numbers improve at the phone booth; power plays, penalty kills, even shots on goal. The Capitals are looking forward to taking advantage of that fact all series long.
Game 1, Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers, 7:00 pm et, CSN (HD), MSG (HD), TSN (HD).
Bring On The Cup '09 - Fearless Predictions Pt. 2
San Jose looks pretty good coming out of the Western Conference, but what about the East. With the playoffs just hours away now, it's time to see who I predict will come out of the East to play with the Sharks.
The Eastern Conference could have been a toss this year, much like last season. But there are a few teams that have some momentum going and I doubt it is as wide open as some may think. There are some very good teams like Boston and Carolina that seem poised for a good run. While other teams seemed to flounder down the stretch. The East's teams were set early on, nearly a week before the end of the season. But I smell upsets up and down the Eastern seaboard.
Round 1
#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens - These two teams seem destined to play each other in the post season. Although this year the roles have been reversed from last year. The Canadiens were atop of Eastern standings and the Bruins just squeaked in. Boston has been a monster all season long, playing staunch defense and finally their scoring is up. The Canadiens struggled, fired their coach and fluctuated in the standings only to wind up at the lowly 8th spot. But don't count them out, if Alexei Kovalev gets inspired and Boston goalie Tim Thomas plays inconsistent it could be a disappointing end to a whirlwind Boston season.
Briuns limps out in 7 games.
#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers - A lot of "experts" are calling this the upset of all upsets. Really? The Capitals did not look like a playoff bound team in their last few games of the season. They have allowed 20 goals in their last six games. However, the Caps will be facing a Ranger team that has struggled scoring. If the Rangers can not get the puck in the net, it should be a very short series for them. They will make it interesting though, with the tough play of Henrik Lundqvist in net and pest Sean Avery mixing it up. Plus, the Capitals have a bit of history and luck on their side, their goaltender Jose Theodore is a perfect 4-0 in the first round in his career. It is just the second round you need to be careful of.
Capitals win in 6 games.
#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes - It's been a story book year for Martin Brodeur. His injury sidelined him for much of the season, but when he returned the Devils helped him secure his spot in the history books as the winningest goaltender of all time. It could end there for NJ, because they struggled to finish the season. Suddenly they had a lack of scoring and Brodeur didn't look like Brodeur. On the other bench, the 'Canes finished the season with flair. Cam Ward has been playing like he did when they won the Cup years ago and the team seems to be rallying around him. This is a series where both teams seems to be traveling in opposite directions. Upset alert.
Hurricanes win in 5 games.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers - Rematch of last year's Eastern Conference final. Only this time the Flyers will be better rested. The could pose a problem for the flightless fowl who have had trouble finding their identity this season. The Penguins however made a few smart acquisitions at the trade deadline and a coaching changes seemed to spark them. The Flyers, when healthy and on top of their game are a pretty scary team when they want to be. This will be a hard fought, battle of Pennsylvania. I like the Flyers this time, they are holding a grudge.
Flyers win in 7 games.
Round 2 (probable matchups based on Round 1 predictions)
Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes - Interesting matchup. If Boston can stay healthy through their first round against a passionate Montreal squad, I don't see any reason why Boston can't dominate this series. Oh yes I do, Ward. When the 'Canes get the momentum and if they can quickly dispatch of New Jersey, the Bruins will have their hands full. Boston must score early and often if they wish to make it to the conference final. I will flip a coin on this one.
Bruins win in 6 games.
Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers - After an emotional series with Pittsburgh, the Flyers could ride the momentum through the next round, much like they did a year ago when they met Montreal. The Capitals will be shocked to see a grittier team than the Rangers were. If the Capitals' defense shores up in the first round, they should be tougher on the Flyers scoring barrage. But Theodore will have to be sharp. Maybe because it's bias, but I think the Caps can pull it out.
Capitals win in 6 games.
Eastern Conference Final
Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals - When the Caps faced the Bruins in the regular season, they were tight one goal affairs. A chess match that the Capitals seemed to have an edge on. But if the Bruins break out the scoring, it is going to be tough on a Capital squad that is in new territory, deep in the playoffs. It will all depend on which team is more tired and more injured going into the conference final. I like the Capitals depth, but I think Boston will pull it out.
Bruins win in 6 games.
Stanley Cup Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Boston Bruins - We are going to extremes here. Just about as east coast as you get against just about as west coast as you could get. Travel will be a key and I expect home ice will come into play in a big way. Time fluctuations and long plane rides will kill momentum in a heartbeat. The Bruins are not used to that kind of travel on a regular basis, so it is an edge for the Sharks. But the Sharks have to be weary of Boston's attack. In the end, Bruins give it a valiant effort but the Cup stays out west.
Sharks win the Cup in 7 games.
NBC will get their money's worth on that series. The Sharks just look good this year, and if they don't pull out of the west it will be a disappointment for them this season. The one thing that can trip them up is overlooking their first round opponent. It is a hurdle for every team once they get a one or two game lead then blow it down the stretch.
I like Boston coming out of the east just because of their play all season (although being a homer, I would like the Capitals better). But it should be an interesting and winding road for any team out of the east.
About noon today I should be coming out with a game preview of the game tonight with the Caps and Rangers. Don't forget I will be updating on twitter through the whole series. You are happy to follow along at twitter.com/pckhdsthghts.
The Eastern Conference could have been a toss this year, much like last season. But there are a few teams that have some momentum going and I doubt it is as wide open as some may think. There are some very good teams like Boston and Carolina that seem poised for a good run. While other teams seemed to flounder down the stretch. The East's teams were set early on, nearly a week before the end of the season. But I smell upsets up and down the Eastern seaboard.
Round 1
#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens - These two teams seem destined to play each other in the post season. Although this year the roles have been reversed from last year. The Canadiens were atop of Eastern standings and the Bruins just squeaked in. Boston has been a monster all season long, playing staunch defense and finally their scoring is up. The Canadiens struggled, fired their coach and fluctuated in the standings only to wind up at the lowly 8th spot. But don't count them out, if Alexei Kovalev gets inspired and Boston goalie Tim Thomas plays inconsistent it could be a disappointing end to a whirlwind Boston season.
Briuns limps out in 7 games.
#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers - A lot of "experts" are calling this the upset of all upsets. Really? The Capitals did not look like a playoff bound team in their last few games of the season. They have allowed 20 goals in their last six games. However, the Caps will be facing a Ranger team that has struggled scoring. If the Rangers can not get the puck in the net, it should be a very short series for them. They will make it interesting though, with the tough play of Henrik Lundqvist in net and pest Sean Avery mixing it up. Plus, the Capitals have a bit of history and luck on their side, their goaltender Jose Theodore is a perfect 4-0 in the first round in his career. It is just the second round you need to be careful of.
Capitals win in 6 games.
#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes - It's been a story book year for Martin Brodeur. His injury sidelined him for much of the season, but when he returned the Devils helped him secure his spot in the history books as the winningest goaltender of all time. It could end there for NJ, because they struggled to finish the season. Suddenly they had a lack of scoring and Brodeur didn't look like Brodeur. On the other bench, the 'Canes finished the season with flair. Cam Ward has been playing like he did when they won the Cup years ago and the team seems to be rallying around him. This is a series where both teams seems to be traveling in opposite directions. Upset alert.
Hurricanes win in 5 games.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers - Rematch of last year's Eastern Conference final. Only this time the Flyers will be better rested. The could pose a problem for the flightless fowl who have had trouble finding their identity this season. The Penguins however made a few smart acquisitions at the trade deadline and a coaching changes seemed to spark them. The Flyers, when healthy and on top of their game are a pretty scary team when they want to be. This will be a hard fought, battle of Pennsylvania. I like the Flyers this time, they are holding a grudge.
Flyers win in 7 games.
Round 2 (probable matchups based on Round 1 predictions)
Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes - Interesting matchup. If Boston can stay healthy through their first round against a passionate Montreal squad, I don't see any reason why Boston can't dominate this series. Oh yes I do, Ward. When the 'Canes get the momentum and if they can quickly dispatch of New Jersey, the Bruins will have their hands full. Boston must score early and often if they wish to make it to the conference final. I will flip a coin on this one.
Bruins win in 6 games.
Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers - After an emotional series with Pittsburgh, the Flyers could ride the momentum through the next round, much like they did a year ago when they met Montreal. The Capitals will be shocked to see a grittier team than the Rangers were. If the Capitals' defense shores up in the first round, they should be tougher on the Flyers scoring barrage. But Theodore will have to be sharp. Maybe because it's bias, but I think the Caps can pull it out.
Capitals win in 6 games.
Eastern Conference Final
Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals - When the Caps faced the Bruins in the regular season, they were tight one goal affairs. A chess match that the Capitals seemed to have an edge on. But if the Bruins break out the scoring, it is going to be tough on a Capital squad that is in new territory, deep in the playoffs. It will all depend on which team is more tired and more injured going into the conference final. I like the Capitals depth, but I think Boston will pull it out.
Bruins win in 6 games.
Stanley Cup Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Boston Bruins - We are going to extremes here. Just about as east coast as you get against just about as west coast as you could get. Travel will be a key and I expect home ice will come into play in a big way. Time fluctuations and long plane rides will kill momentum in a heartbeat. The Bruins are not used to that kind of travel on a regular basis, so it is an edge for the Sharks. But the Sharks have to be weary of Boston's attack. In the end, Bruins give it a valiant effort but the Cup stays out west.
Sharks win the Cup in 7 games.
NBC will get their money's worth on that series. The Sharks just look good this year, and if they don't pull out of the west it will be a disappointment for them this season. The one thing that can trip them up is overlooking their first round opponent. It is a hurdle for every team once they get a one or two game lead then blow it down the stretch.
I like Boston coming out of the east just because of their play all season (although being a homer, I would like the Capitals better). But it should be an interesting and winding road for any team out of the east.
About noon today I should be coming out with a game preview of the game tonight with the Caps and Rangers. Don't forget I will be updating on twitter through the whole series. You are happy to follow along at twitter.com/pckhdsthghts.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Bring On The Cup '09 - Fearless Predictions Pt. 1
Can you believe it? It's playoff time, which means it is time to make some predictions. This will be the fourth straight year for PHT's fearless predictions and it's the most exciting due to the Capitals ranked second in the East and they wrapped up a playoff position two weeks before the end of the season.
There are a few newbies to the Playoffs from a year ago which makes this an exciting playoff season. Two Southeast Division teams find their way to the post season, the Blue Jackets get to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Blues not only sneak in but get get a good ranking on their last game and the Blackhawks look tough to beat. So much going on!
Let's start in the West where it was a wild finish. Eastern predictions to follow tomorrow morning.
Round 1
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks - It is an interesting matchup to say the least. The Ducks and Sharks do not really like each other, and going into playoff series with one another is not going to help the situation much. The Sharks however might be a tad too powerful for the Ducks this year, considering goaltending has been the Ducks weak point this season. J.S. Giguere could be the back up. The Ducks will play some tough defense and it should be a good test for the number one team in the league. But the Shark's solid goaltending should win out the day in Evgeni Nabokov.
Sharks win in 7 games.
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets - Central Division rivals meet up for the first time in the playoffs. Actually every thing the Blue Jackets do will be for the first time, since this is their first trip to the post season in franchise history. The BJ's have a tough hill to climb if they are thinking of surpassing the Red Wings who hold the season series over them. The Red Wings are at the top, if not the first, in every category in the league. The Jackets are just trying to do well and they will behind phenom rookie goaltender Steve Mason. If Chris Osgood can keep it together that is.
Red Wings win in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues - Look who just crashed the playoff party, the St. Louis Blues. Hard work and determination do pay off. But it is going to be a short playoff series if the Blues can't stop the offensive juggernaut of the Vancouver Canucks while at the same time solving the arguably the league's best goaltender in Roberto Luongo. No easy task. I am afraid that the Blues venture into the post season might be short lived, Vancouver is just on too much of a roll these days to be stopped by a Blues team that has to keep up their intensity and strong forecheck if they want to be successful.
Canucks take it in 6 games.
#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames - Proven leadership. That is what this series is going to be about. Jerome Iginla is the poster boy for leadership and he has lead this team to a finals already. Calgary's first test however will start on the road against a young and budding team that is not short on talent. The Blackhawks will have to depend on their goaltending here, Nikolai Khabibulin gets the edge in that department. His experience and tenacious play of late will help the Blackhawks do well. But I just think Calgary's leadership will help them through. Experience over youth.
Flames win in 7 games.
Round 2 (probable matchups based on Round 1 predictions)
San Jose Sharks vs. Calagary Flames - The Sharks offense will be just too much for Calgary unless Miikka Kiprusoff can put together a consistent effort. The Flames will need much more than leadership if they want to continue on. But these two are not strangers in the post season. It should be a dirty, down out fight. But with solid goaltending and an offense that is confident in themselves, San Jose just has an edge.
Sharks win in 6 games.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Vancouver Canucks - This should be a good match up. I imagine Luongo will be at his best against the best. The Red Wings must rely heavily on Osgood in this one and I am just not sure if he is up for that challenge. The Canucks' offense has found a groove. If they keep it up, the Red Wings will have their hands full.
Canucks squeak by in 7 close games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Vancouver Canucks - Ooo, a Pacific Division final. Who would have thunk it? Two of the best offensive teams in the west gear up for a show down. Travel shouldn't be an issue with both teams in the Pacific time zone. Goaltending will be the big show down, Luongo and Nabokov will go head to head for their teams. What will be the factor is how fresh the Canucks will be after their tangle with the Red Wings. Both teams seem to be evenly matched in offense, defense and of course in net, but I don't think the Canucks have the experience to take it the distance. Should be one heck of a series.
Sharks win in 6 games.
I really like San Jose coming out of the west. I have predicted it now two years in a row. The Sharks seem to have things going for them as well as the Canucks, but every time I count out the Red Wings, they end up in the finals, again. I don't think the newcomers are in a position to overtake the top teams, but how I have been wrong before.
Eastern Conference predictions and my prediction of the Stanley Cup winner will come tomorrow morning. Then it is game on, bring on the playoffs and bring on the Stanley Cup. We are more than ready.
There are a few newbies to the Playoffs from a year ago which makes this an exciting playoff season. Two Southeast Division teams find their way to the post season, the Blue Jackets get to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Blues not only sneak in but get get a good ranking on their last game and the Blackhawks look tough to beat. So much going on!
Let's start in the West where it was a wild finish. Eastern predictions to follow tomorrow morning.
Round 1
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks - It is an interesting matchup to say the least. The Ducks and Sharks do not really like each other, and going into playoff series with one another is not going to help the situation much. The Sharks however might be a tad too powerful for the Ducks this year, considering goaltending has been the Ducks weak point this season. J.S. Giguere could be the back up. The Ducks will play some tough defense and it should be a good test for the number one team in the league. But the Shark's solid goaltending should win out the day in Evgeni Nabokov.
Sharks win in 7 games.
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets - Central Division rivals meet up for the first time in the playoffs. Actually every thing the Blue Jackets do will be for the first time, since this is their first trip to the post season in franchise history. The BJ's have a tough hill to climb if they are thinking of surpassing the Red Wings who hold the season series over them. The Red Wings are at the top, if not the first, in every category in the league. The Jackets are just trying to do well and they will behind phenom rookie goaltender Steve Mason. If Chris Osgood can keep it together that is.
Red Wings win in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues - Look who just crashed the playoff party, the St. Louis Blues. Hard work and determination do pay off. But it is going to be a short playoff series if the Blues can't stop the offensive juggernaut of the Vancouver Canucks while at the same time solving the arguably the league's best goaltender in Roberto Luongo. No easy task. I am afraid that the Blues venture into the post season might be short lived, Vancouver is just on too much of a roll these days to be stopped by a Blues team that has to keep up their intensity and strong forecheck if they want to be successful.
Canucks take it in 6 games.
#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames - Proven leadership. That is what this series is going to be about. Jerome Iginla is the poster boy for leadership and he has lead this team to a finals already. Calgary's first test however will start on the road against a young and budding team that is not short on talent. The Blackhawks will have to depend on their goaltending here, Nikolai Khabibulin gets the edge in that department. His experience and tenacious play of late will help the Blackhawks do well. But I just think Calgary's leadership will help them through. Experience over youth.
Flames win in 7 games.
Round 2 (probable matchups based on Round 1 predictions)
San Jose Sharks vs. Calagary Flames - The Sharks offense will be just too much for Calgary unless Miikka Kiprusoff can put together a consistent effort. The Flames will need much more than leadership if they want to continue on. But these two are not strangers in the post season. It should be a dirty, down out fight. But with solid goaltending and an offense that is confident in themselves, San Jose just has an edge.
Sharks win in 6 games.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Vancouver Canucks - This should be a good match up. I imagine Luongo will be at his best against the best. The Red Wings must rely heavily on Osgood in this one and I am just not sure if he is up for that challenge. The Canucks' offense has found a groove. If they keep it up, the Red Wings will have their hands full.
Canucks squeak by in 7 close games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Vancouver Canucks - Ooo, a Pacific Division final. Who would have thunk it? Two of the best offensive teams in the west gear up for a show down. Travel shouldn't be an issue with both teams in the Pacific time zone. Goaltending will be the big show down, Luongo and Nabokov will go head to head for their teams. What will be the factor is how fresh the Canucks will be after their tangle with the Red Wings. Both teams seem to be evenly matched in offense, defense and of course in net, but I don't think the Canucks have the experience to take it the distance. Should be one heck of a series.
Sharks win in 6 games.
I really like San Jose coming out of the west. I have predicted it now two years in a row. The Sharks seem to have things going for them as well as the Canucks, but every time I count out the Red Wings, they end up in the finals, again. I don't think the newcomers are in a position to overtake the top teams, but how I have been wrong before.
Eastern Conference predictions and my prediction of the Stanley Cup winner will come tomorrow morning. Then it is game on, bring on the playoffs and bring on the Stanley Cup. We are more than ready.
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