Conference Finals Predictions: Detroit, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia

Wow, the second round was lackluster compared to the first round. I expected some serious Hockey from those who'd advanced. We almost saw three teams sweep their series but I guess seeing the Redwings run all over the avalanche is always good to see, though i did want to see it go to a game 7 just for the intense excitement.

My predictions weren't too bad, I was 3 for 4 on the teams that advanced but only 1 for 4 on games played. I expected the Canadiens to make it to the conference finals but what can you do?

Although I'm so happy that the Sharks are out of the playoffs again in the second round three straight years in a row, I really wanted to see Roenick lift the cup up. Hopefully after the display of clutch he provided in this years playoffs at his age, and the ten game winning goals he knotted in the regular season, a serious cup contending team will pick him up, at his age and desire to win a cup, he should come cheap. Some teams like the Rangers, who are flirting with the cap line with those huge contracts to Gomez, Drury, and Lundqvist, could use a player with his passion and desire, something the Rangers seemed to lack a little of. Excluding Jagr, who was re-energized and showed passion and heart against the Penguins and earlier the Devils.

A side note before I get into the real article, last nights game between Dallas and San Jose, was one of the most exciting, passionate, intense game, I've seen during this whole playoffs and probably in a long time. I guess really a high scoring game isn't whats so exciting as a game tied 1-1 going to 4 O.T periods.

 Conference Final Predictions:

East

2) Pittsburgh Penguins

7) Philadelphia Flyers

Winner: Pittsburgh in 5

The Flyers dispatched the Eastern Conference regular season winners in just 5 games, but the Penguins aren't as weak as the Canadiens are. As weird as that is since the Penguins finished behind them, but again they didn't have Fluery or Crosby in the line up for most of the season. The Flyers did well at neutralizing Ovechkin in the first round, but can the Flyers stop Malkin, Crosby, and Hossa at the same time, and if they can they still have to worry about Sykora, Malone, Offensive minded Gonchar? Stopping both Crosby and Malkin alone will be hard enough as they don't usually play together on a line unless they're on the power play or behind. Philadelphia's best bet to upset the Penguins is Daniel Briere. He is currently tied for points in the playoffs among players still in it, but two players he's tied against is Malkin and Crosby. The penguins are a playoff juggernaut destined to make it to the Stanley Cup finals, if not win the Cup. Their team is stacked as a team can be in the new NHL. Fluery is playing to his potential that landed him the number 1 draft pick in 2003, Crosby and Malkin are unstoppable, Letang and Whitney have matured greatly at such young ages, Staal is one the best shut down forwards, and he's only 19. Pittsburgh has finally developed a killer penalty kill that it's lacked for so long and has one of the most deadly power play units in the league. Special teams is in there favor. Offense is in their favor, as well as defense, and goaltending hands down goes to them. Biron has played great in this playoffs but how will he do under the Penguins? He's had cusion's in his first two series by being up 3-1 by game 4. The Flyers need the surprising Umberger to continue his goal scoring assault. The Flyers best weapon is their hitting ability but as that showed in the Rangers series, the Pens aren't going to be pushed around and they can play that game too.

West

1) Detroit

5) Dallas

Winner: Detroit in 6

I'm looking forward to this series. After the 8-2 win by Detroit to advance, and the 4 O.T period win last night by Dallas, this should be an Intense series. This series goes strictly to Goaltending. Marty Turco stopped 63 shots last night, can he still have enough to go on to play a very gifted offensive team in Detroit? Can Osgood keep up his stellar play he's displayed since game 5 in the first round? Dallas is stacked on Offense, But Riberio and Morrow both played over 50 minutes last night, will they be rested in time for this series? Detroit has had it easy in so far. They aren't banged up, they've played 10 games, 4 of them being easy against Colorado. The Red Wing's Johan Franzen seems unstoppable and Conn Symth worthy if Detroit wins the cup. He broke a club record in goals in a playoff season with 11 goals in 10 games. Brett Hull tied the record with 10 in 23 games in 2002. Pavel Datsyuk and Zetterberg have 13 points and Hudler has 9. Dallas has one player with more than a point per game in Riberio but he only has 3 goals. Morrow has 11 points in 12 games with 7 goals. After letting San Jose get back into the series with a 3-0 lead, and the Sharks coming close numerous times to force a game seven, its a question if Dallas has the discipline to keep a lead if they gain one over Detroit. Detroit's core veterans in Lidstrom, Chelios, Draper, McCarty, Osgood, and Maltby if he can play for the first time this Playoff season, have been in a situation where they've been down and come back to win a series. Detroit is very patient, disciplined, and have much composure in their game. Dallas needs to stay focused to have a chance against a Redwings team that's back in the western Conference finals for the second year straight, and a team looking for another cup since 2002. I like Dallas, these playoffs, they've been great, but I love Detroit even more, and I believe they can bring the Cup back to Hockeytown this year and they have the best chance of beating the Penguins.