NHL Playoff Schedule 2012: Predictions for Tonight's Elimination Games

The Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers go for the sweep tonight. Neither team was favored coming in, and that was especially the case with the Kings.

The eighth-seeded Kings have dominated the top-seeded Canucks. The Kings have out-scored the Canucks 9-4 in this series.

The most distressing thing about this series for the Canucks now, is the realization that Jonathan Quick is standing on his head in net.

His 41 saves to shut out the Canucks proves the Kings have been better in nearly every aspect of the game.

The Canucks' confidence is shot, and so are their chances to come back from this deficit.

My prediction is for the Kings to complete the eight-over-one sweep with a victory tonight.

In the other elimination game, the Penguins and that bevy of talent are in the same pickle as the Canucks. Though they weren't the top seed in their conference, they are arguably more talented than the Canucks.

Yet they are still down 0-3.

Marc-Andre Fleury, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and co. have no business being swept in a playoff series.

This is the most shocking, even though the teams' regular season records were comparable.

I expect the Penguins to salvage this game.

There have been no shortage of goals scored in this series. The teams have combined to score 32 goals.  The 20 goals the Penguins have allowed might lead one to point the finger at Fleury, but the team's collapse has been so monumental, it can't be blamed on one player.

Collectively, this team must gather some overall pride to defend better, and Fleury must answer the call in net.

All three of these games were winnable, and the Penguins have been doomed by one horrible period in each game.

They gave up two goals in the third period of Game 1 to force OT. In Game 2, they gave up four goals in the third period and in Game 3 they surrendered four goals in the first period.

This is about consistency and mental toughness. If they can get this game, I still believe they can force this series to a seventh and final game.

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