Its that time of the year again, when the snow starts to melt and the ice rinks get hot with playoff fire. After a grueling regular season, 16 teams have made it into one of sport's hardest tournaments to find the best of them all. Beginning Wednesday, teams will finally have a chance to play for the most honored and prized trophy in all of sports, Lord's Stanley Cup. However, before they lift this prize, they must make it past the first round, which has proven difficult for any seed, whether it be the 8th or 1st.
Eastern Conference
1) Boston Bruins vs. 8) Montreal Canadiens
This may seem like a train wreck waiting to happen, featuring one of the best and most consistent teams in the league versus a spiraling team in the midst of turmoil, but it could turn out better than expected. While the Canadiens started off hot, they struggled terribly after the All-Star game and only made it into the playoffs due to a tie breaker with the Florida Panthers, as each finished the season with 93 points. Firing Head Coach Guy Carbonneau was supposed to set a fire under these uninspired Canadiens but only resulted in more losing as players fought and young all-star goalie Carey Price lost all confidence and flash he has previously shown. Meanwhile, the Bruins are coming off the second best season this year, finishing with 116 points and leading the Eastern Conference in both goals scored and fewest goals allowed. However, the X-factor in this series is the historical rivalry between these two teams. The Bruins and the Canadiens have met in the playoffs more times than any other two teams in history and just about every series is a good one. Still, the Bruins are too good and the series will be over quick.
Bruins in 5
2) Washington Capitals vs. 7) New York Rangers
This series will be decided by how many of Washington's Conference leading shots can Rangers' goalie Henrik Lundqvist stop. The Rangers have one of the worst offenses in the league and unfortunately, their defense isn't that much better. They will have to completely rely on their young Swedish goalie just as they have the whole season. The Caps are a different story. Their offense is amazing, lead by reigning MVP Alexander Ovechkin, their defense is solid, featuring the dangerous Mike Green, but their goalie is mediocre. If Lundqvist can hold the Capitals to one or two goals a game, the Rangers may be able to force a few lucky goals to take the series. However, that is much to optimistic, and while the Rangers can claim some games, four may be too many to ask.
Capitals in 6
3) New Jersey Devils vs. 6) Carolina Hurricanes
While the seeds may favor the Devils in this one, momentum clearly goes the other way. For much of the season, the Devils seemed like an unstoppable force, even threatening to grab the number one seed only a month ago. However, a miserable second half of March, which saw them lose seven of eight games, has put a damper on the parade planning. Still, they were able to save some face in April, including a season ending victory over Carolina, and they still have Martin Brodeur, a winner of three Stanley Cups. The Hurricanes came out of the All-Star game out of the playoffs and like a team with no direction. However, bringing back ex-Head Coach Paul Maurice seemed to have struck a chord with the players and they lost only three games in March, two of which were overtime losses. These two teams have a little bit of a history, so expect some sparks and a good series.
Devils in 7
4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers
This rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Finals features some of the best young players engaged in a hot Pennsylvania rivalry. While the Flyers have been in the playoff picture basically all year, due to great play from captain Mike Richards and league's second leading goal scorer Jeff Carter, the Penguins have arisen from what seemed like a lost season. After suffering through what seemed like never ending injuries to the defensive corps and ineffective coaching from Michel Therrien, the Penguins found themselves unable to crack the playoff bubble and get into fighting position. However, standing five points out of the 8th spot, the Penguins finally fired Therrien and have never looked back. New Coach Dan Blysma led the team to an 18-3-4 record to secure the 4th seed and home ice advantage in the first round. The Flyers hope they can stop the Penguins' strong surge with good defensive play and the league's most dangerous penalty kill.
Penguins in 6
-A.S.
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