Here we are once again in the month of April and it means
only one thing: it’s time for the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. It also means
that it’s time to tell the world who I think will make it through the first
round.
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins vs.
Detroit Red Wings
To me this will be the series to watch in the first round, and whomever wins this series will be the team to beat in the East going
forward. Boston is definitely the bigger team in this matchup, so the key for them is to be very physical right from the opening faceoff. Detroit has a lot
of young players to complement the veterans on the team and if they can score
early. They can put Boston on their heels and throw off their game. Detroit won
the season series against the Bruins and that is saying something against the
President’s Trophy winner. This will be a hard-fought series and there will not
be any easy victories. I predict a seven-game series with Detroit winning 4-3.
Pittsburgh Penguins
vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Based on regular season games this season between these two
teams, it’s fair to say that Pittsburgh is the better team (5-0 in the season
series). The Penguins have one of the best players in the world on their team
and Columbus is going to have the unenviable task of restricting Sidney Crosby’s
movements on the ice. To me this comes
down to goaltending and could very well be the Sergei Bobrovsky show (if
Columbus stands a chance against Pittsburgh then it will have to be). I think
Columbus has the better goaltender, but not enough in front of him to get
Columbus more than one win. I expect close games, but Pittsburgh has a more
talented roster and that will be the difference in the series and spell the end
to the Blue Jackets. Pittsburgh wins the series 4-1.
Tampa Bay Lightning
vs. Montreal Canadiens
This series features the only Canadian team to make the
playoffs this year, and sadly (for the country) I don’t think they will get
past the Lightning. The Lightning won the season series and although they were
close games, I think Tampa has the better team. Montreal has the better
goaltender in Carey Price, but he can’t score for the team and the Lightning
have more firepower. If Tampa gets an early lead, I’m not sure Montreal has
enough scoring power to keep up. Tampa Bay wins the series 4-2.
New York Rangers vs.
Philadelphia Flyers
Both of these teams have pretty awesome crowds, and in all
four meetings between these two teams this season, the home team won the game.
This series comes down to who plays better on the road. Both teams have solid
goaltenders behind them and both teams are capable of scoring. Some of the
veteran players on the Rangers haven’t been near as productive this season as
expected and they are going to have to step up in order to secure the Rangers a
series win. I think the Flyers are ready to go now and that will give them a
slight advantage. In a seven game series, that could make the difference.
Philadelphia wins the series 4-3.
Western Conference
Anaheim Ducks vs.
Dallas Stars
The Ducks are the top of the Western Conference and
basically dominated the league in the first half of the season with a record of
36-8-5 at one point. Yes, they did slow down after that, but they looked back to
usual form by the end of the season. Dallas has a better goaltender in Kari
Lehtonen and that should get Dallas a couple wins in the series, but overall I
feel the Ducks are the better team and their record during the season is proof of
that. Anaheim wins the series 4-2.
Colorado Avalanche
vs. Minnesota Wild
This is another series that comes down to goaltending.
Colorado has a battle tested Semyon Varlamov and Minnesota has Ilya Bryzgalov, who went 7-0-3 in the last 11 games for the Wild. He’s a big reason they
made the post season. I think Varlamov is the better and more reliable of the
two and, combined with the young talent and ability to score for Colorado, I think
the Wild won’t have enough to win the series. Colorado wins the series 4-2.
San Jose vs. Los
Angeles Sharks
This will be another nail-biting series that will be
low-scoring and filled with tension. I don’t envy die-hard fans of either of
these teams, who will need nerves of steel while watching their teams. During
the season, home ice played a big role in determining the winner and I see no
reason why this series will be any different. I think the difference in this
series will be Jonathan Quick and the overall health of the Kings. Add to that
the fact the Sharks always seem to underperform in the post-season regardless
of how good they look during the season and I think the Kings will emerge
victorious. Los Angeles wins the series 4-3.
Chicago Blackhawks
vs. St. Louis Blues
The defending Champions start their playoff run against the
Blues and these teams currently look like polar opposites. Chicago has a much
healthier team and many players from last year’s Cup winning team have returned
this year. St. Louis on the other hand, picked a terrible time of the year for
a six-game losing streak and has several injured players on the roster that may
not be healthy enough to make the team for the playoffs or to make a difference
for their team. St. Louis has the opportunity here to step up and play like they
did earlier in the season, but if they can’t do that, then it will be a quick
exit for them. Chicago wins the series 4-1.
Future Round Picks
East
Detroit defeats Tampa Bay
Pittsburgh defeats Philadelphia
Detroit defeats Pittsburgh.
West
Chicago defeats Colorado
Anaheim defeats Los Angeles
Chicago defeats Anaheim
Cup Final
Detroit defeats Chicago
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