NHL Playoffs 2012: Picking Winners for Every 1st-Round Matchup

The 2012 NHL playoffs are upon us, and it's time to pick winners.

Like all sports, hockey during the regular season is boring compared to what we find in the playoffs. The big difference between hockey and all other sports is that the men are out for blood when they're on the ice in April.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Hartnell states this as clearly as possible, via the Washington Post: "It’s going to be a bloodbath."

Here are my picks for each first-round matchup.

Eastern Conference

New York Rangers (1) vs. Ottawa Senators (8)

This one might end in four games. The Rangers are clearly the superior team in this matchup. Look for Henrik Lundqvist to dominate the ice and shut down the Senators' offensive attack.

Prediction: Rangers in five

Boston Bruins (2) vs. Washington Capitals (7)

The Bruins are going to crush the Capitals. They are in the top five in both goals for and goals against, and they are on a roll, having won seven out of their last 10 games.

Prediction: Bruins in four

Florida Panthers (3) vs. New Jersey Devils (6)

The Panthers finished the season with the worst 10-game stretch out of anyone in the league. The Devils are going to make their lives miserable in this one, pulling off a major upset.

Prediction: Devils in six

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (5) 

This will be the most exciting matchup to watch in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins and Flyers are the two top-scoring teams in the league, and I don't expect that to change in the playoffs.

Prediction: Penguins in seven

Western Conference

Vancouver Canucks (1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (8)

I'm confident that the Canucks will easily handle the Kings. No upset brewing here. The Canucks are the most complete team in the league, and they will romp.

Prediction: Canucks in five

St. Louis Blues (2) vs. San Jose Sharks (7)

The Blues are trending downward and the Sharks are on a hot streak. Antti Niemi has been on fire lately keeping for the Sharks, posting three shutouts in his last 10 games, and I expect him to carry them over the heavy favorites for a huge upset.

Prediction: Sharks in six

Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (6)

The Coyotes are the clear favorites in this matchup, and for good reason. They rank fourth in the league in goals against, and hot goaltending is the key to winning in the postseason.

Prediction: Coyotes in six

Nashville Predators (4) vs. Detroit Red Wings (5)

The Red Wings haven't been the same since losing Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Jimmy Howard. Thankfully, all three men are back and healthy, though they have yet to play well together as a group. 

They will have had extra time to practice before their series with the Predators, and I fully expect the Red Wings to pull of an upset.

Prediction: Red Wings in seven

Thank you for choosing Bleacher Report as your source for NHL news, reaction and analysis. Stay tuned for the playoffs, as we'll be covering every game from every conceivable angle.

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