I think these match-ups all around will be some fabulous hockey – the Avs and Deadwings hate each other (this will come down to goaltending I think – do the Wings have a controversy?) – and the Sharks and Stars are not exactly friendly either. For my friend Jess the Sharks Odyssey writer – go with Thorton, Cheech and Nabby.

The kids in Pittsburgh against the Broadway stars including Sister Christian – gotta root for the kids.

Montreal keeps surprising me so it will be interesting to see them go up against the always physical Flyers.

My picks for next round – Sharks vs Avs and Habs vs Pens. Let’s see how much more mayhem happens if the Habs go to another round – there may not be much left for All-Star next year! :)

I changed my pick from San Jose to Calgary last round. I’m enjoying a nice Crow Sandwich right now.

My Darkhorse in the East is still the Rangers. I will say Rangers advance to the finals vs. San Jose. From there I will take The Rangers to win it.

I have a boner for the Avs vs. Wings series. I beleive we will see lots of blood. That isn’t always a good thing, especially on a first, second or third date.

Lastly, my theme for Round 2 shall be “Fuck Dallas”!

St. Louis Game Time apologizes for the picture at the top of this post.

I was correct in the winner but stunned that Pittsburgh swept. I know Ottawa is inconsistant but I expected them to win 2 or 3 games.

I’m disappointed that Anaheim didn’t meet my expectation to repeat as conference champs.

but as I predicted at the beginning of the season, I’m sticking with the Rangers to win the cup. I’ll be rooting for Philadelphia though (sorry Four Habs Fans, I’ve liked Philly for years).

either way, I’m calling it, the Cup is going to an Eastern team this year.

the repeatablity of both the winner and the loser of the cup is dreadfull. i don’t have the stats in front of me, but alot of conference champs don’t make the playoffs the next year. i believe of those who do, in the last 30 years or so on 5 teams made it to the second round, and 4 of them won 1 or fewer games in that second round. early exits have become the expected norm for the cup final pairing.

people are suggesting the long season, the lack of offtime, and perhaps other factors consipre to make the stanley cup finals a place you get to, and then need a year (or more) off, to return

in other news, Erik Johnson and Carey Price were snubbed from this year’s Calder ballot. the nominees are Kane, Toews, and Backstrom.

odds are 66% in my favor as I predicted one of those two Blackhawks would win it.

Kane will win the Calder. I expect him to get his ass kicked next year by one of our players.

I honestly don’t see the big deal with Toews; he’s a nice player, but people talk him up like he’s Jesus on skates…

EJ and Price got robbed; defense and goal are the two hardest positions for a young player to excel at, and they both played well enough to get consideration.

I won’t speak of my Devils-Ducks Cup Final prediction, except to say that crow is best baked and served with fava beans and a nice Chianti…

I’m pulling for an Avs-Habs Final now, with the Habs to skate the Cup for the 30th time (or thereabouts). Anyone but the assbag Red Wings.

B.

Just as long as HockeySlum, BroadStreetCheapShots, Dallas Stars(I couldn’t think of a good name for them…) and New York Ranger$ all lose. I would love nothing more than to see Mike Modano fade into retirement. I truly detest all of those teams and hope that they rot. I would like to root aginst the Colorado Nordiques, but alas, as fate would have it, they are playing HockeySlum.

Burn HockeySlum Burn.

GTPD: You generally won’t put up great numbers at D as a rookie, so you have low visibility, and Price didn’t play enough to get that in goal splitting most of the time with Huet. S’OK, though, somebody’s gonna start winning the Norris trophy other than Lidstrom at some point, and I think EJ’s gonaa get his share.

As long as Nabokov holds up, SJ should beat Dallas in 6. It’s going to be a brutal series, though.

Avs and Detroit (what, it’s not Roy vs. Hasek?) pick ‘em. Let’s see how well the Octopus magnets do in the thin air. Detroit’s success relies on Osgood’s luck. He’s a very average goaltender with a penchant for making the occasional great save. How often is occasional, and how many chances will the Avs get to test him?

Pittsburgh vs NY: Lundqvist vs Sid the Kid, Malkin, Hossa, etc.. Steve Avery vs… well, everybody. Pittsburgh oughta give up the first game to have someone take him out for the rest of the playoffs. Odds on Avery going after Crosby? 1:4

Philly vs. Montreal: I don’t see how the Flyers can win this; they’re not exactly strangers to the penalty box and Montreal is dangerous on the advantage. Unless Carey Price melts down like he did in the Boston series, Montreal’s the better team. The number of games the Flyers win will be equal to the number of bad games Price has.

Brian said: “I honestly don’t see the big deal with Toews; he’s a nice player, but people talk him up like he’s Jesus on skates…”

well, he was basically the shoo-in to win it before he got injured. when that happened, his consistency dropped off. he’s probably still in contention because of the PPG average.

I thought Mike Ricci was going for the Jesus on skates look.

The Mrs. and I have decided on The Dallas NorthStars in the west. It makes the bile come up to my throat,but out of:
HockeySlum
Denver Nordiques
San Jose(by God they really gave us Joe Thorton!) Sharks

Besides…if the transplanted NorthStars do good, it makes (interm) co-GM Hullie look good. And that’s alright with me.