Forecast: Avalanche with 100 percent chance of excitement

Well folks, it’s that time of year again, my favorite time of year. It’s time for spring, April showers, short sleeves and the Stanley Cup playoffs. That’s right, the trophy that’s coveted by so many is on the line again and I can hardly contain myself in all the excitement.

We’re far enough into the first round to judge what is going on. Let’s start in the East.

Washington vs. Tampa Bay: right now Washington is up 2 -1. As much as I hate to say it, I think that the Caps will come out on top in this one. They seem to be willing to do what it takes, and although play has been close in this series, I just don’t see the Lightning pulling it together in time.

Boston vs. New Jersey: New Jersey, you have to hate or love this team, there’s no in between, but I have to admit they are consistently strong. Again, I’m calling against my own preference and giving this to the Devils. They’re up 3-1 and we all know how hard it is to come back from this kind of deficit in the playoffs. Although, if anyone could come back from this spot it would be the Bruins. They turned it on during the last game and routed the Devils. With players like McGillis stepping up for the Bruins, this series might get interesting if they can make it through another game.

Toronto vs. Philadelphia: I’m going with Toronto, simply because I think they want it more. They’re a physical team with a lot of power when they want to use it. I think once they start smelling Lord Stanley’s cup they’ll be pretty hard to slow down.

New York Islanders vs. Ottowa: I’m picking Ottowa, not that it matters. Neither of these teams can make it past the second round. They both have bad histories and lack the talent to go far.

Now, it’s time for the West. There are some interesting things going on in that side of the continent.

Edmonton vs. Dallas: Dallas – simply because they are due. I think both teams are pretty evenly matched (and the series speaks to that as well, tied at 2-2), and this one will come down to the wire.

Anaheim vs. Detroit: Detroit sucks. The defending champions have already blown it. They’re already down three games and I don’t see them coming back. They’re an old team and key players aren’t producing like they need to be. With Yzerman missing a significant chunk of the season, he just doesn’t seem to be ready for the playoffs, and it shows. Also, Anaheim has done a good job of getting under their skin. Tempers are flaring and I don’t think it’s helping the Wings.

St. Louis vs. Vancouver: This one I’m not too sure about, but I’m going to call the Blues because they performed well early in the playoffs. I don’t think they should have much trouble putting away the Canucks.

Minnesota vs. Colorado: Colorado, hands down. Granted, they got off to a shaky start, but they’ve settled down. Besides, Minnesota can’t match the talent of Colorado. Not many teams in the NHL can. The Avalanche has superior goal tending and an unstoppable offense. The tri-force of Hejduk, Sakic and Forsberg bring a big presence to the ice. If they can keep Roy from handling the puck too much, the Wild has little chance.

So, my final predictions are as follows: if Toronto pulls it together, it will be the Avalanche over the Maple Leafs in six games. If Toronto can’t do it, it will be the Avalanche over the Devils in seven, a replay of the finals two years ago. So, there you have it. You might think two predictions is a cop out, but in the fastest game on ice, anything can happen.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply