NHL Playoffs 2012: Picks and Predictions for Eastern Conference Series

The 2012 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs are winding down and the Conference Finals are already set in the West with the Phoenix Coyotes set to take on the Los Angeles Kings.

Things are a lot different out East and there are still two series left to be decided before we can even begin to think about who will emerge to challenge for the cup.

Let’s take a look at both matchups remaining in this round and pick some winners.

New Jersey Devils vs. Philadelphia Flyers – Game 5

The Devils caught a huge break when the NHL handed Flyers’ star Claude Giroux a one-game suspension for his hit on Dainius Zubrus’ head.

Now the Flyers are going to have to try and start a rally from two games down to force a Game 7 without their best player.

It simply isn’t looking likely with the way NJ has been playing as of late. They seem destined to make the Eastern Conference Finals and have all the momentum in their favor.

Prediction: Devils 3 – Flyers 2 in overtime.

New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals – Game 6

Speaking of big breaks, how about the Rangers getting a two-man advantage thanks to Joel Ward’s (deserved) four-minute high-sticking penalty with 21.3 seconds left.

With the Caps leading 2-1 when that happened, the Rangers were able to capitalize by pulling Henrik Lundqvist and getting a goal to tie it up with 6.6 seconds left from Brad Richards.

They went on to win in OT and will likely close out the series on the road on Wednesday.

When a team is getting breaks like the one the Rangers received last night, it’s almost destiny that they end up in the Stanley Cup, or at least the Conference Finals.

Prediction: Rangers 3 – Capitals 1