Here's the TV schedule: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=422796
Eastern Conference Finals:
(4)Pittsburgh Penguins vs (6)Carolina Hurricanes
This is a hard series to analyze. Pittsburgh has played as the underdog and as the higher seed and have done both poorly and quite well at home and on the road. The Hurricanes don't understand how to put the hammer down on a series until it gets to game 7, and one has to question whether this team is emotionally and/or physically worn out yet. And just like against Washington, Pittsburgh is facing a one-and-a-half line team offensively in Carolina, while they have scoring threats on 3 of their 4 lines. Fleury and Ward tie in terms of goaltending, as both have been stellar when it mattered and lots of playoff experience. And despite what has gone on in these playoffs, I just can't bet that the Hurricanes can pull through in another hard-fought series. Pittsburgh wins in 6.
Western Conference Finals:
(2)Detroit Red Wings vs (4)Chicago Blackhawks
It's hard to argue whether the Ducks were really just that good defensively or if Detroit just played that poorly to have their semifinals series go to 7 games and a last minute finish. I'm leaning towards the first, but Anaheim pushed the Red Wings to their limits physically, while the very young Blackhawks team has been resting up and watching their opponents play with their backs pushed against the walls. It will be a series of a physical advantage versus a mental advantage. The Blackhawks have the youth and athleticism to make anyone look bad, as they proved in a loud statement against the Vancouver Canucks, and Khabibulin is the perfect veteran goaltender to backstop a young team. The Red Wings are aged all around the roster, but they have championship experience dating back to the early 1990's, something that no other team can really boast as much as Detroit can. Just like the Vancouver/Chicago series, even though it looks dead even on paper, I can't imagine the series actually being even, and one team will take out the other in less than 7, even though all the games will probably be the hardest so far in the playoffs. Chicago* wins in 6.
*I am cringing as I type this, but interesting note: out of the 4 teams in the conference finals, Chicago was the only team who actually closed out a series in the semifinals in under 7 games.
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Agree with Pitt taking the Canes, but I just don't see the Hawks topping the Wings, this is not the same aged team the Wings had in '02, this Wings team for the most part is in it's prime, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hossa, Franzen, Filpulla, Hudler, Helm, Erickson, Krownwall, Cleary, Rafalski, Stuart and Samuleson are all young or in their prime. Lidstrom, Holmstrom, Draper and Maltby round out with the age but are still playing extremely well, especially Lidstrom. To much power there, to many good lines. Chicago has not seen this in playoff's yet. I think the Wings take this possibly in a sweep, although it could go 5.
ReplyDeletelike i said, the series won't be long, i'm just taking chicago mostly on the fact that they were the one team that has played the most consistantly throughout these playoffs
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