NHL Playoffs 2012: Predictions for First-Round Series Destined to Go Seven Games

It's time to hit the ice for the grace and grandeur that is the Stanley Cup playoffs. The marathon kicks off with some scintillating series that are guaranteed to go the distance. 

We finally get to the meat of the season, the playoffs.

Even the most solid of contenders will be put to task by hungry underdogs, making the next few weeks some of the best in sports. 

We have targeted some of the most evenly matched in the first round, making them prime candidates for seven-game wonders. 

Here is how they will go down. 

1. No. 6 New Jersey Devils vs. No. 3 Florida Panthers

Every last aspect of these two teams screams gritty battle. The Panthers have a fierce power play efficiency rate, but the Devils come in as one of the best penalty killing clubs in the league. 

This is a battle between two stout defenses that lack the offensive punch of other playoff teams. This isn't the series for prolific highlights, but the Devils do a have a slight edge up front. 

New Jersey's Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise and Patrik Elias will give the Devils enough to move them past what should be a grueling seven games. 

2. No. 5 Philadelphia Flyers vs. No. 4 Pittsburgh Penguins

This matchup is almost too good to be true. 

You have a heated rivalry and the return of Sidney Crosby to kick things off, but it will be the goalie play that will determine this series. 

Ilya Bryzgalov has been both a wonder and a mess for the Flyers, and he's coming in riding a hot streak. I still have no confidence that the enigmatic goalie can keep it up under this amount of pressure. 

Add the Penguins depth in attack and they get the edge in what will be a classic for fans. 

3. No. 5 Detroit Red Wings vs. No. 4 Nashville Predators

This is going to be seven games of terrific hockey from start to finish. There is hardly two more evenly matched teams coming in, and both tout a great balance between talent and experience. 

I give the edge to Nashville, who made key acquisitions near the end of the season and have the most talent they have had in years. 

Their undoing may be the pressure to cash in before players like Ryan Suter bolt in the summer. I say that will have them all the more concentrated on the task at hand. 

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