Delusion-Elle

Yes. It's that time again... It's the annual NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs!

I admit that I haven't been watching as much hockey this past year as I would've liked, but that seems to happen every year. Plus, it only really feels like that because most of the games I watched were Habs games. But, like anyone and everyone, I have opinions, and after watching plenty of Habs games and a number of Wings and Canucks games, I think that I've seen a decent amount of each Conference to be able to at least pick a side in each match-up. Anywho, let's see if I can get some predictions going...

West

Canucks vs. Kings (in 6) - the Canucks starting picking up momentum towards the end of their season so I think that that will carry on into this series. The Kings just aren't a team that seems to be able to score many goals. Also, should the Kings be able to score goals (hah!), they would have to do it at a rate that would not scare Luongo to the bench, because Schneider is very solid.

Blues vs. Sharks (in 6) - I'm not too familiar with the Blues (aside from their superstar goalies), but it was a bit of a surprise for me to see them place so high in the conference. The Sharks notoriously choke in the post-season, and I have much faith in Ken Hitchcock as well as Halak and Elliott.

Coyotes vs. Blackhawks (in 5) - the fact that the Coyotes managed to snag 3rd was a result of them being in the Pacific division, otherwise I do not think that the Coyotes would have managed to get home ice advantage (or even to place so high). The Blackhawks have been pretty good all season, from what I remember, and Coyote has never been a very strong team to me.

Predators vs. Red Wings (in 7) - I love the Red Wings. So I want them to win. Also, they're a veteran team. But without the home ice advantage, this could be a long series. Nashville has become a surprisingly good team. The one possible point of downfall for the Wings I can see is that a lot of the team was recently injured (remember the 'Broken Wings' nomer a month back?). How that plays into the Playoffs exactly is up for debate.

East

Rangers vs. Senators (in 5) - how the Senators even managed to worm their way in to the Playoffs is beyond me. Granted, Erik Karlsson is having a stellar year, but the team as a whole does not have enough depth to get them past the Rangers. Lundqvist is one of the top goalies for a reason.

Bruins vs. Capitals (in 5) - the Bruins won the Stanley Cup last year, and their core has not changed too much from last year. The Caps are also known for choking in the postseason and I do not see the trend changing this year. All in all, the Bruins should have a pretty easy go of this series.

Panthers vs. Devils (in 6) - I'm mildly surprised that the Devils made it back to decently good form so quickly, and even more surprised that the Panthers placed so high. However, despite Florida's ability to do well in the regular season, I think that the Devils have found a good rhythm in their play, so I see them taking this series.

Penguins vs. Flyers (in 7) - this should be a fun series to watch. The rivalry and general animosity between the teams is fantastic. The Flyers have had a goalie problem in the past (I remember how they switched between their 3 goalies a few times last year) so let's see if their acquisition of Bryzgalov helps any. My concern with the Pens is that their momentum has cooled somewhat, but overall I think the Pens have a deeper team.

Alright, game on!