NHL: Conference Quarterfinal Predictions 2010
The NHL playoffs begin on Wednesday night. At Sports Unleashed, we love to throw out predictions for all things sports. So, here are my first round predictions.
Eastern Conference
#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens: Capitals win series 4-2. Even with the great play of Ovechkin, this will be a tough series for the Caps. Home and away, these games will be physical and close scoring. The key to the Caps winning will be the play of their goaltenders Jose Theodore and Samyon Varlamov. Last year, they struggled near the end of the postseason and Pittsburgh took the advantage. In this series, the goalies gain some extra confidence and the Caps win the series in 6 games.
#2 New Jersey vs. #7Philadelphia Flyers: Devils win series 4-1. The Devils and Flyers have a history of heated rivalry and classic postseason competition. Even with this history, the Devils skate through the first round in big time fashion. Expect the Devils to put up plenty of offense in this series against a weaker Flyers defense. The key to victory for the Devils is the power play and the penalty kill. The Devils win easily in 5 games.
#3 Buffalo Sabres vs. #6 Boston Bruins: Sabres win series 4-1. Only one man needs to be mentioned – Ryan Miller. The Sabres have him and the Bruins do not. Miller is strong, balanced, and focused entering the postseason. The Bruins lack the offensive weapons to defeat Ryan Miller and the Sabres. We have to give credit to the defenseman of Buffalo that allow Miller to play so well the past three months. The Sabres take the series in 5 games.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Ottawa Senators: Penguins win series 4-2. Pittsburgh is a very balanced team with motivation to repeat their Stanley Cup performance of last year. Last postseason makes them a more experienced team with young leadership and determination. Even as a fifth seed, Ottawa lacks the balance to compete for seven games against the Pens. The series is tightly played but the Pens win in 6 games.
Western Conference
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Colorado Avalanche: Sharks win 4-0. No need to worry this year Sharks fans, San Jose brings out the broom against the Avalanche. There will be no first round upset. The Sharks have entirely way too much offense power for the Avalanche to defend against. Expect two games to be close while the other two become blowouts by three to four goals. Sharks win easily in a 4 game sweep.
#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #7 Nashville Predators: Chicago wins 4-3. There has to be at least one seven game series in the first round and this is it. These two teams matchup very, very well. Considering all angles of the ice, these teams will have a physically and mentally tough time in this series. Expect close games and some potential overtime games as well. Chicago pulls out a late goal in Game 7 for the 4-3 series win.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 Los Angeles Kings: Canucks win 4-1. This is another series that has a strong historical context to it. These teams played well against each other in the regular season but the play of Roberto Luongo propels the Canucks into the second round. The only game the Kings win is Game 3 at home. Though the series plays rough, the Canucks win in 5 games.
#4 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #5 Detroit Redwings: Detroit wins 4-2. This is my only lower seed victory in the quarterfinal round. The Redwings look strong as a five seed and experience wins out in this series. The Redwings are playing with lots of momentum since the anxiety of potentially not making the playoffs. Phoenix plays exceptionally well but falls a few goals short. Redwings win the series in 6 games.
Well, there you have it folks…short and to the point. I’ll be back in a few weeks to hand out my second round picks. In the meantime, enjoy the games my friends.
