Wednesday night signals the beginning of the NHL's second season. Sixteen teams have officially qualified to go to war for the oldest trophy in professional sports—the Stanley Cup.
These deserving teams have just completed a rigorous 82-game schedule, and are about to embark on a two-month roller coaster ride in the quest for Lord Stanley's holy grail. Many sports enthusiasts describe the chase for the cup as the most difficult and physically demanding 16-game tournament in all of pro sports.
Yes, it is that time of year when these grown men sweat, bleed, and sometimes cry for the love of the game. Several of these athletes will not shave until their team is eliminated from the tournament, all in the name of superstition and fear of losing!
Without further ado, I will now predict my winners for round one of the Eastern Conference.
Montreal Canadiens (1st Seed) vs. Boston Bruins (8th Seed)
This opening round pits the NHL's fastest skating team—the Montreal Canadiens—against a Boston team that struggled for consistency all year. The Canadiens also feature one of the most potent power plays in the league.
The Canadiens won all eight games that these two teams played this year.
With Habs captain and leader Saku Koivu injured, the leadership role has been passed onto veteran Alexi Kovalev. He had a revitalized season in Montreal, scoring 37 goals and adding 47 assists—good for an 84-point season.
Goaltending will be another battle zone. The Habs are betting on Rookie of the Year candidate Carey Price to bear the playoff load. Boston will count on an older, yet unproven, veteran in Tim Thomas to steer them in the right direction.
The Stanley Cup, in all its storied history, has been won only four times with a rookie goalie carrying the load. However, two out of the four keepers that have won the Cup are former Habs. Do the names Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy ring a bell?
The other modern age rookie to win the Cup was Cam Ward with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005.
The good news for the Bruins is that All-Star Patrice Bergeron has been given medical clearance to appear in these playoffs.
After sustaining a concussion in the preseason, a healthy Bergeron would be an asset to help alongside Marc Savard, who had a career year with Boston, amassing an impressive 78 points.
Mark Predicts: Montreal in six
Pittsburgh Penguins (2nd) vs. Ottawa Senators (7th)
Well! What a turnaround we've witnessed for these two teams this season.
Last year, in the first round of the playoffs, the Senators eliminated the young Penguins easily. This year, in a re-match, we may well witness a different scenario. The upstart Penguins squad flew into the playoffs, while the struggling Senators limped into one of the last two available postseason spots.
Regardless, this series will be exciting. You have the best young talent in the game today competing against one another. Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Marc Andre-Fleury versus the likes of Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley.
Throw in veterans like Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson and Wade Redden, as well as Penguin-turned-Senator Marian Hossa along with Gary Roberts, and excitement is guaranteed.
The goaltending match-up will feature the young Marc Andre-Fleury for the Penguins and veteran Martin Gerber for the Sens.
Fleury is coming off a severe ankle injury earlier this season, but has played some fantastic hockey of late.
Gerber was recently handed the starting job over the aloof Ray Emery, with six games to go in the season. If Gerber regains his confidence early in this series, it may well heal Ottawa's fragile psyche, and the Sens might be able to compete with and beat the still young Penguins.
If he struggles, the Senators will end early what has been a turmoil-filled season.
Mark Predicts: Penguins in six (Sorry, Senator fans!)
Washington Capitals (3rd) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (6th)
What can you say about the Washington Capitals? Up until Christmas, they were the worst team in the Eastern Conference.
They decided to fire besieged head coach and all-around nice guy Glenn Hanlon, replacing him with career minor league coach Bruce Boudreau. All of a sudden, the team chemistry kicked in and, voila, the rival Carolina Hurricanes were looking in their rearview mirror.
What the Hurricanes saw in that mirror was the oncoming freight train named Alexander Ovechkin. "Alexander the Great," as they call him in D.C., will easily win the league MVP honors after recording league-bests of 65 goals and 112 points.
The Capitals sealed their fateful playoff berth at the trade deadline by acquiring goaltender Cristobal Huet from the Canadiens. The Habs were going to be riding Carey Price for the rest of the season, and Huet was expendable.
Since he arrived in the nation's capital, Huet has proven his worth by winning 11 games and losing only two. Plus, he has an outstanding goals against average of 1.63 to go with an impressive .936 save percentage.
To the Flyers' credit, they have had an outstanding season and have brought passion back to the city of Brotherly Love.
Last year, the Flyers were the doormats of the Eastern Conference. This year they've been re-energized by their young guns, led by Mike Richards (75 pts.) and Jeff Carter (53 pts.).
Goaltender Martin Biron ended the season with back-to-back shutouts, and will be called on to battle Ovechkin and the frenzied sea of red jerseys so characteristic of Caps home games.
Mark Predicts: Washington in five
New Jersey Devils (4th) vs. New York Rangers (5th)
This will be an exciting series to pay attention to.
We have two "all-world" goalies competing against each other. Veteran multi-Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe award winner Martin Brodeur will battle the New York Rangers' Swedish sensation, Henrik Lundqvist.
This season was an anomaly for the cross-state rivals. It took the last game of the season, and overtime, for the Devils to finally beat the Rangers.
Yes, the Jaromir Jagr-led Rangers won seven games and only lost one all year—to the Devils.
Devils head coach Brian Sutter will tell you that this is a new season. But that record will surely be on the minds of the New Jersey players, especially if they lose the first game on home ice.
Brodeur will be looking to add to his Hall of Fame-caliber numbers. He already holds the record for most shutouts in a playoff year, recording seven shutouts in leading the Devils to an incredible playoff run in 2003.
For the Rangers' Scott Gomez, this playoff series will be a homecoming of sorts. The Alaskan native signed on as a free agent with the Rangers last summer, and he will be playing against his old mates and a team on which he had his most professional success.
The New Jersey Devils will be relying on their own sharpshooter, Patrick Elias, to provide some of the scoring punch. Elias has an impeccable playoff resume, with 35 goals and 104 assists in 121 games, all played in a Devil uniform.
Mark Predicts: Brodeur in seven
There it is Bleacher Reporters, my picks for the first round of the Eastern Conference 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs.
So go ahead, jump in and let me know what you think. I know that some of you will totally disagree with me, but hey, that is what makes it fun. For the love of the game, baby!
I still plan on shaving my beard though—I am not that much of a fan.
Tomorrow, the Western Conference predictions.
comments (34) write a comment »
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2 months ago
Brodeur in seven haha....classic. As far as mine, there was a little sarcasm and a little intended humor, but some of the favorites seem ready to be exposed in my eyes haha. Personally I don't like the wings, but I legitimately believe in the Preds..I dunno why they just seem dangerous.
Looking forward to the Western conference!
2 months ago
Lol at Brodeur in seven. I see the Canadiens dousing the Bruins in 4 or 5 though. Nice predictions.
from 2 months ago
Zach
You are looking good my friend!
2 months ago
I loved the Brodeur in seven line. Gave me a good chuckle.
However I believe Brodeur will actually fall in 7. The Devils boring play will only hold out for so long.
Also I think Montreal will have the only sweep of the playoffs. Boston are too slow and too weak on the PK.
Preds play good physical hockey and with spirit however the Wings I feel have a better skill set and can ride 2 quality goaltenders. I did not even bother picking Hasek for my playoff pool for that exact reason!
Minnesota is my sleeper team for this season.
2 months ago
what a surprise, another anti New York pick
from 2 months ago
Christopher,
It is nothing to do with anti New York. It just comes with a gut feeling that the Rangers' will not be there in the end! No hard feelings Bro, I asked for commentary and you gave it.
Thanks for your input, but try not to be so sensitive!
I 'heart' NY.
Mark
2 months ago
im thinking Big Blue in 6 its gonna be revenge from last year dont forget they never had Jagr of Shanahan last playoff due to injury they have alot of leadership to rub off on the other members not to mention they have gomez and drury this year and another year under Henrik the greats belt. i think they will make it out of the first round
from 2 months ago
I agree that this series will be tough and your Rangers' are well equipped to make it past the boring Devils. Your boy Henrik has to be at his best!
Good luvk! LOL
I still see the Devils.
from 2 months ago
David,
I am getting nervous on this one - bro!
from 2 months ago
i told u dude 2-0 on the road i wanna see a sweep in the playoffs in the worlds greatest arena
2 months ago
well i dont think montreal is going to get out of the first round they r goin to lose to boston in 5
from 2 months ago
Bro, are the Bruins going to win 4 in a row? After Game 1 it looks like you should think with your brain and not your heart. I respect your passion - but, the Bruins are in tough!
Montreal in 5 or 6 still!
2 months ago
go bruins
2 months ago
Go bruins i think they will will put up a good match up against the strong team montrail
2 months ago
The devils are good dont get me worng, but just look at them compared with the rangers. The rangers finished the season with a better defense (#3) than the devils (#4) along with a better offense, and in the regular season, the rangers squated on the devils faces (7-0-1). I really dont think that the rangers would let the devils beat them, especially in the first round. Also this could be jagar and shanahan's last years and I think they would want to go out with the cup! I take the rangers in 6!
from 2 months ago
Well they played well last night and your boy Shanny was a big factor and Gomez had a great homecoming!
I may just have to agree with your Rangers' in six.
The series is still young.
2 months ago
Not that bad, and I like the Brodeur line. However, the only one I have an issue with is the Washington-Philadelphia series. I think you aren't giving the Flyers enough credit. They did win their last few games and boosted their standing to 6th. Plus, there were a lot of people who thought that they were going to drop out of the top 8, but they kept it together and went up the list as opposed to down.
Now don't get me wrong, I think Washington is going to win the series, but it will most probably be in 6 games, because I'm sure that they will win one on the road in Washington. The Flyers are always one of those spoiler teams that you can never take your eye off of.
from 2 months ago
Max,
Fair points, I agree that the Flyers are underated. They well give the Caps fits.
It will depend on how well they play in game one - momentum is key.
Well put on all fronts!
Look @ Pitt and Calgary. They pretty well quieted those other two cities. (San Jose and Ottawa).
If the Flyers win game one..they will have tremendous momentum.
2 months ago
Mark,
The difference to me between Calgary's first win and Pittsburgh's first win is that nobody really expected the Flames to come out in the first game and stomp all over Brian Campbell and the SJ defense (I didn't at least). In the case of the Flyers, it seems that they are going to have to do exactly what the Flames did to the favorite and silence the crowds early in order to have a real fighting chance in this series.
2 months ago
Max,
I only saw the highlights of the Calgary/San Jose game (I played puck myself last night). The boy's at the bar told me that Nabokov was 'ordinary' last night. The Sharks can't have an ordinary Nabby!
With the Sens I had predicted that if Gerber played well and gave Ottawa their 'mojo' then they would have a chance. OOPS! I guess I thought that the rest of Ottawa would at least show up. Alfredsson sitting in the press box and eating pizza - while watching the game is not a good sign! Ottawa is toast!
Your views are well taken!
2 months ago
I gotta say Mark, I have confidence in my Sens... But I was also thinking Pens in six unless the Senators have a radical turnaround. They didn't start well on Wednesday: 26 shots on goal, 36 shots MISSED. They gotta stop squeezing the stick!
~Cody~
from 2 months ago
Cody...my man...
Your Sens need an 'act of God intervention', seeing Alfie sitting in thepress box was not a good sign for your squad, damn that Mark Bell (ouch)!
I guess it ain't over until it's over!
2 months ago
I think New York will take it for sure in 6... They have had close matchups through out the season but in the series NY took it 7-1 when the devils won the last game in a SO... It will be tough for Brodeur cause the Devils don't have a lot of offense buta strong defense... the Rangers have some clutch scorers on their team... Jagr Avery and Shanny... I think the Rangers will take it cake... just not let Brodeur get to confident with himself...
from 2 months ago
Jimmy,
I think that you may be predicting the Rangers' next series.. It looks like the Devils have nothing for them (0 and 2 @ home going into Madison Square.. not good!) Bro!
from 2 months ago
Jimmy,
I think that you may be predicting the Rangers' next series.. It looks like the Devils have nothing for them (0 and 2 @ home going into Madison Square.. not good!) Bro!
2 months ago
Yes, it surely may end up that way!
Good points!
2 months ago
Brodeur needs to retire and it shows this year. He has lost the first 2 games for them! RANGERS WILL GET THE SWEEP. King Henry is too good in NY. LOL @ all the people who think this is the same devils team as the past. Its actually the rangers who resemble the older devils teams.
from 2 months ago
Here..Here! Point Taken.. Mr. Anonymous!
2 months ago
did you say boston in 5? lols dream on!
from 2 months ago
Bro,
Go back and read what I wrote and stay off of the 'Jones'...Bro!!!
2 months ago
go bruins golf
from 2 months ago
Dude,
Go and have some smelling salts and chill out, you really should stop drinking, but then again... you love the Bruins ... bro!
2 months ago
Washington in 5 ah?? yep nice prediction........lol
2 months ago
Ya, a good friend @ work is a Flyer's fan..tell me that I have'nt heard about that one yet. I wish that I could have that one back and 'Brodeur in 7'.. Ranger fans are going to be on me on that one as well! LOL. Thanks for the reads!
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