NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket: A Preview of the Conference Semifinals

Now that the first round is over, my expertise has been brought to light...

I know the Western Conference, where I was right on all four winners. In fact, I was only off on the number of games San Jose and Detroit would need by one, and had even suggested the Sharks might need six.

However, I clearly do not know the Eastern Conference, where I was wrong on three of the four winners.

Because many people do not read past the first couple paragraphs before making their comment, I will do my best to look smart and start with the West.

Detroit over San Jose in six

For more information about this series, see my preview on Shark-Infested Blogger.

Chicago over Vancouver in six

Chicago had two weaknesses coming into the playoffs: injuries and goaltending. They were vulnerable, playing an opponent who knew them well with these question marks. They were one short-handed goal or one power play goal yielded in a five-minute major from going down 3-2 in the series.

But then they scored two absolute clutch goals and never looked back.

Now they have gotten healthy, even seeing the return of defenseman Brian Campbell, and are getting stellar goaltending out of Antti Niemi (2.15 GAA, .921 save pct) thanks in large part to a great defense.

Meanwhile, Vancouver has not gotten out of the second round of the playoffs since 1994. They are not yet healthy and struggled mightily against the Los Angeles power play because they could not shut down the Kings' power play quarterbacks, Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson. They will face an even better power play with Campbell, Keith Duncan, and Brent Seabrook.

Roberto Luongo has also been pedestrian in this and last year's playoffs (2.92 GAA, .893 save pct), and has carried a heavy load between the regular and postseason as well as the Olympics.

Plus, the Canucks best defenseman is not as good as any of Chicago's top three—the Sedins have not been consistent producers in the playoffs and the Canucks lack the forward depth and savvy of the Hawks.

They also lost to this team last year.

The only reason I am giving Vancouver six games is because I believe Luongo will outplay Niemi since by all accounts he is a better goalie.

Pittsburgh over Montreal in seven.

The Habs may have shut down the Ovechkin line, but that is not the first time this high-powered offense took a dive.

Eventually, Jaroslav Halak will reach a breaking point (one every goalie who stands on his head does if he is not getting enough help), and the Pens are deeper than the Caps—you cannot focus on one line and win.

Pittsburgh has had some trouble in its own end, but the savvy of a team that has won its conference two years in a row will enable them to dig deep and get this done. Their expectations are also higher than the Habs', who have to be pretty happy to just be in the second round. That plus the rest and the home ice advantage should carry them to victory.

Boston over Philadelphia in six.

One team looked like it had great scoring and no goaltending, the other like it had great goaltending and no scoring. Neither was supposed to make it out of the first round without that balance.

Then somewhere, without their best offensive player, Boston found the way to get pucks past the Olympic MVP Ryan Miller. Brian Boucher turned the clock back a decade too when he carried the Flyers deep into the playoffs, out-dueling legendary netminder Martin Brodeur en route to a 4-1 thrashing of the team I had penciled in to win the Cup.

Now, Boston has the defense to stop Philly.

They have the goalie to stop most everything else, and in case he gets hurt or falters, they have last year's Vezina Trophy winner as a backup. And their best offensive player has returned.

Combine that with home ice advantage over a team that had too much rest considering their momentum and the likelihood their goalie will come back to earth, and this series should not go the distance.