Why arent we talking any hockey?

[abpk2903]

I think it would also be kinda funny to see Detroit take out Chicago in a seven game series in the Western Finals.

Here are some Second Round Predictions:

Western Conference:
Vancouver/Chicago - Too many experts have just given this series to the Blackhawks but a lot of that has to do with Vancouver being a much less televised team in America. The Sedin/Sedin/Burrows is one of the best lines in hockey. There is no question who has the better netminder in this series. Chicago lines do go a little deeper and that will really help them in this series. I just don't know if Vancouver can get enough production out of its 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lines to win this series and they are going to need to because John Madden will be assigned defensively to the Sedin/Sedin/Burrows line and he will at least hold them in check.

My pick Chicago in 7.

Red Wings/Sharks - Red Wings took a tough one on the chin last evening. That is why it is important not to go a full 7 games in the opening round. It usually seems to catch up with ya later in the playoffs. The Sharks are by far the most skillful team in the west (and this may be their last crack at a cup because some huge free agents coming up this offseason). Howard has been one of the best goaltenders this season but I just not sure how he will react in his first postseason. I really see more ways the Sharks can find offense in this series than the Red Wings. At the same time though Detroit has a much more solid defense. This Shark team has to win this year and that is why I'm picking them.

Sharks in 7

Boston/Philadelphia - The Flyers are finally getting relatively healthy and it not for being plagued with injuries all year, I think this team would have been in the race for the Atlantic. If Philadelphia can stay composed and not take stupid penalties they will win this series but that is a huge if. Brian Boucher had 1.59 GAA in the first series which led the league. He also led the league in save percentage. Boston has some jump in there step all the sudden and people tend to forget how good they were last season. Replacing Tim Thomas with Rask saved their season. Boston is the better team at the blue line. I do, however, feel that the Flyers are the better team now that they are getting healthy.

Flyers in 6

Pittsburgh/Canadians - The Penguins have a roster with a lot of French-Canadian roots. If Montreal wants to win this series then they have to win game 1. I really don't see anyway of the Habs winning 4 of 7 off the Pens let alone 4 of 6. If they Habs want to be up Crosby's jock just as they were in Ovechkin's then expect about 10 goals from Kunitz and Guerin in this series. All the Capitals had to do in that situation was work behind the net and along the boards. That pulls the defense with you and opens up the slot. Hall Gill and Josh Georges can't block shots when they are playing behind the net. That is exactly what the Pens are good at so look out.

Pens in 4 or 5.

[vman]

Good stuff ak47......BTW, no way in Hades does Montreal win in the vicious pit (Mellon, formerly Civic Arena) after playing Weds nite, flying to Montreal after midnite, then boarding another flight Thurs. traveling to Pgh. , morning skate today!! I don't care if they had shut out the Caps 3 straight games they aren't beating the Pens in game one!!

[The Ancient Enemy]

Some really great posts and points. Especially about the lack of seriousness in which the American media treats the Canucks, and about Montreal's flights. Really good stuff. I also think the Pens win this, regardless of how well Montreal plays.

[abpk2903]

The path alone for Montreal is dang near impossible. President trophy winners in round 1 (7 game series) and now the defending Stanley Cup Champions about 40 hours later. Then the Sunday game is at 2 pm which is going to compound the problem even more. I understand why they only used 4 defensemen in the 3rd period of game 7 but I just can't see them being able to skate with the Pens on 6 days rest tonight at all. Let's also not act like Halak is Montreal's god send, either. He was pulled in game 4 after giving up a bunch of early goals (4 I believe).

[abpk2903]

We have a game in for each series in the Conference Semi's and here are some observations:

Pittsburgh/Montreal
-This series is already over. Jordan Staal is the biggest concern of round 2 right now. He has an injury that can require a lot of time to recover in the regular season but in the post-season he will be ready to go at some point, IMO. I think you will see him sit out the rest of this round and possibly a game or two in the Conf. Finals. I don't think the Pen's can win a cup without him. I will be interested to see how the Pens match up lines now. For those that just look at stats, Staal's importance to this team is not his offensive production but him always matching up with the top line of the opponents.

Boston/Philadelphia
-This series has 7 written all over it already. It was nice to see Marc Savard get the OT winner after missing a ton of time from the concussion Cooke gave him. It seemed to me that Philly's defense was lost in game one. Multiple times it seemed like Bruins were wide open in the slot. If the Cryer's wanna win this series they got to take the slot away.

Vancouver/Chi-Town
-Wow, what a statement the Canucks made in game one. Chicago cannot give up this many goals if they have any hope of winning this series. Luongo will steal a game in this series as well so Chicago has some work in front of them.

Detroit/San Jose
-The winner of game 2 will probably win this series. If the Sharks can go up 2-0, its going to be pretty tough beat them 4 outta 5. If the Wings win, however, the series goes to Hockeytown and Penguins fans know how tough it is to match up with them when they have the last change. It could leave Detroit 3-1 very easily. This is the biggest of the game 2's.

[vman]

WOW...gotta give Montreal credit; they played well despite Pens outshooting them nearly 2-1. Montreal looked like the Canadiens of round 1....and although not as deep as the Pens after watching them some vs Wash. I think Camalleri is a ridiculouly gifted sniper, Gionta & Gomez are excellent 2 way players, then they have Plekanec (another good 2 way player), LaPierre, Kostitsyn, Moen (who was pushing Letang around) plus a few other gritty forwards & they are finishing checks on our 'D'! Their Defense is tough in the corners and hitting consistently, as well......I was right about game one but now I don't know if the conventional thinking (Pens in 4, 5 & 6 were the popular prognostications) was accurate??

And my linup suggestions: Only change on Defense is to play McKee or one of the tough youngsters from WB & sit Leopold (didn't look ready for the physicality) for this road game...back into line-up for Thurs.

Re. the forwards: sit Fedetenko & move some fellows around; changes from Sunday emboldened:

Kunitz, Crosby, Guerin

Pony, Geno, Dupuis

Cooke, Adams, Kennedy

Conners,Talbot, Rupp

[The Ancient Enemy]

I dont think Montreal can play a game w/ Pittsburgh where they dump the puck and hope they score 2 goals on 6 shots. That is not going to work 4 times against Pittsburgh. That Sabban kid has played well, especially w/ Markov out, but at some point Pittsburgh will get the rolls they did not get last night. They should have scored 25 goals.

In this day and age, its stupid for us to think someone will get swept. 5 games, yes. But with the new rules and the fact that 1 goal can win a game in hockey, sweeps are almost impossible. I am very curious about how we attack game 3.

[WALTER4]

The only way the Pens can win game 3 is to come out hard and fast early in the game. they can't sit back and take a lazie faire attidude like they did with a 1 goal lead in game 2. If they let the habs stick with them the crowd will stay in the game and that's not something you want in montreal. Take the crowd out early and the game is in hand. Let the crowd have something to be excited about and they'll lose by at least 3.
As for the line up changes i agree Fedostinko needs to sit. But I'm not sold on taking Leopold out just yet. The pens need him in the line up because he plays a more defensive game (similar to Orpik) and can offset the erratic play that Goligoski brings. And instead of Connors I'd bring Tangradi back in. I was highly impressed with his play in the final regular season game, very physical but with great hands and the ability to score, when I see him I see a Craig Adams type of player that will score at least 15 goals a season.

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin

Tangradi-Malkin-Kennedy

Cooke-Talbot-Dupuis (you can't mess with the most consistant line from the previous game)

Ponikarovsky-Adams-Rupp (Poni is a big player with great skill, he might be able to add some scoring to the grit line, but until he proves He's ready to be a big time contributer on the 2nd line he gets a demotion in my line-up)

Orpik-Gonchar

Letang-Eaton

Goligoski-Leopold

[abpk2903]

Great stuff guys.

Walter - Leopold is classified as an offensive defensemen and McKee is classified as a defensive defense. If your looking for more defense along side Goligoski then McKee (IMO) would be the better fit.

Offensively this year Leopold scored 11 goals to McKee's 1. McKee was a +6 compared to Leopold's -2 (although much of his season was played with the Panthers who have a much worse goal differential so that really can't be held with that much weight). Jay McKee also led the league last year in blocked shots.

This is where I would go with parings:

Like they done several times in the postseason last year dress 7 defensemen. Crosby, Kennedy, Malkin, Rupp, Talbot, and Adams are natural center's. So with this over abundance of center's, go with 11 forwards and rotate what is done with the 4th line. This allows an opportunity to throw some very unpredictable lines in out throughout the game.

-Gonchar/Orpik
-Letang/Eaton
-Goligoski/Leopold
-McKee

-Kunitz/Crosby/Guerin
-Ponikarovsky/Malkin/Dupuis
-Cooke/Rupp/Kennedy
-Adams/Talbot/?

I like the way Rupp's play can resemble Staal's so have him anchor the checking line. Line 2 has a playmaker, sniper, and grinder this way.

Remember, fellas, Montreal now has last change so if they held Crosby and Malkin to 4 total shots in game 2 the Penguins need get unique with line pairing.

[abpk2903]

Great win by the Penguins last evening. Both goals coming from the defensemen and now its gonna require 2 in a row for the Habs to move on to meet presumably the Bruins. The Habs have done the best job I have seen yet by any team at keeping Crosby in check but some other timely goals by Pittsburgh and great goaltending has given them the 3-2 series lead. Malkin is playing like he did in the Carolina series last year which is scary for the Habs. I also gotta think soon enough Crosby is gonna bust out and have a huge game in terms of production. I see this one not returning to Pittsburgh but who knows the Canadians seem to refuse to roll over.