Stanley Cup Playoffs

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Forget about Easter–most of the world doesn’t care. Forget about taxes–pay your fine and put it out of your mind. Forget about elections–you can figure out which one’s the lesser evil later. The true significance of this time of year is the quest for Lord Stanley’s cup.

Can Dallas repeat? Can Buffalo upset the Eastern Conference again? Can I win the Cup for the Penguins by keeping an Eskimo Pie wrapper in my pocket, the way I did in 1992? These and other questions of cosmic importance will be answered over the coming weeks.

Or…I can just tell you what’s gonna happen. It takes the suspense out of the process, but it’ll give the losers time to heal. No, don’t thank me–I live to help people.

CONFERENCE QUARTER-FINALS

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia (1) v. Buffalo (8). The Flyers played well down the stretch, overtaking New Jersey for the division title on the last day of the regular season. But Philly has yet another installment of “As Lindros Turns” for the playoffs, and serious questions at goaltender. And their reward for finishing first in the East is Dominic Haseck and the Sabres–life just ain’t fair. Prediction: Buffalo.

Washington (2) v Pittsburgh (7). The Capitals had the best record in the NHL over the last few months of the regular season…but went 1-3 against the Penguins, who have a history of capping the Caps in the playoffs. History repeats itself. Prediction: Pittsburgh.

Toronto (3) v. Ottawa (6). The Maple Leafs sputtered at the end of the season, and didn’t do well against the Senators. The new kids win the Battle of Ontario. Prediction: Ottawa.

New Jersey (4) v. Florida (5). The Devils had a 15-point lead on the Flyers in January, and blew it. On the other hand, the Panthers strike me as the weakest team in the East, despite finishing 5th, and despite Pavel Bure. This one’s a toss-up, but I’ll go with the Devils. Prediction: New Jersey.

Western Conference

St Louis (1) v. San Jose (8). The Blues didn’t play great at the end, but then they didn’t have to–as long as it doesn’t become a habit. The Sharks can be pesky, but pesky isn’t gonna cut it. Prediction: St Louis.

Dallas (2) v. Edmonton (7). The Stars have some injury problems, and Edmonton isn’t a bad team. But, as with the Blues and Sharks, not being a bad team isn’t enough against the defending champs. Prediction: Dallas.

Colorado (3) v. Phoenix (6). The Avs have been playing well, and the Coyotes always seem to turn into dogs in the postseason. Prediction: Quebec Nordiques defeat Winnipeg Jets.

Detroit (4) v. Los Angeles (5). The Red Wings weren’t all that impressive at the end of the season, but they tend to turn it up several notches in the playoffs. The Kings are a decent team, but…well, you know. Prediction: Detroit.

CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS

Eastern Conference

New Jersey v. Buffalo. Satan plays for the Sabres–talk about a sign! Prediction: Buffalo.

Ottawa v. Pittsburgh. Tom Barraso and Patrick Lalime in goal for the Sens, Ron Tugnut in goal for the Pens. Say what? Jagr beats Barraso like a rented goaltender. Prediction: Pittsburgh.

Western Conference

St Louis v. Detroit. This should be a hell of a series, and I think the outcome will rest on goaltender’s playoff experience. As always, one team ends up with the Blues… Prediction: Detroit.

Dallas v. Colorado. Another potentially great series, a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals. The Avs won a couple against the Stars in overtime recently, but then the Avs needed the points a lot more. It wouldn’t surprise me to see this one go seven games, but I gotta go with the champs. Prediction: Dallas.

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Pittsburgh v. Buffalo. The Pens are better offensively and have Jagr; the Sabres are better defensively and have Hasek. Both played well at the end of the season, when they needed to turn it up to make the playoffs. The Sabres are the defending Eastern Conference champions; the Pens haven’t been past the second round since 1996. Overall, the Sabres would seem to have the edge.

But the Pens improved their defense with some trades, and won a crucial game in Buffalo at the end of the season–the Sabres, on the other hand, can’t seem to win in Pittsburgh. Home ice–and my Eskimo Pie wrapper–gets the Pens through. Prediction: Pittsburgh.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Dallas v. Detroit. The matchup everybody expected last year. There are Wings’ fans who claim the Stars’ Cup was tainted because they didn’t have to go through Detroit to get it. The answer to this, of course, is that the Stars never had the opportunity to go through Detroit–the Stars played Colorado, and the Wings played golf. Dallas won the Stanley Cup, the President’s Trophy, and everything else that came up. 'Nuff said.

Nevertheless, I would contend that the Red Wings were the best team overall in the NHL last year, and still are. As shown last year, they can blow it…but that doesn’t change the fact. I don’t think they’ll blow it this time. Prediction: Detroit.

STANLEY CUP FINALS.

Detroit v. Pittsburgh. The two teams who won two Stanley Cups during the '90s–the Pens in 1991 and 1992, the Wings in 1997 and 1998. The teams with the best records in the '90s. The Pens have played well against the Wings in recent seasons…and, of course, have Jaromir Jagr.

But…it ain’t gonna be enough. Predicted 2000 Stanley Cup Champions: Detroit Rewd Wings. MysterEcks cries in his beer, curses, and throws that stupid Eskimo Pie wrapper away. Swears off hockey forever…or until October, anyway.

Go Pens!!!

“You’re going into labor? Now? Well, just hold it for awhile–it’s overtime, for God’s sake!”

2

I have only two words for this thread.

GO CAPS!!!

ahem Thank you.

3

Finally someone mentions the hockey…I was starting to think all you guys were a bunch of heathens.

GO LEAFS!!!

4

Ghost knows what he’s talking about.

Yay! Go Leafs go!

That was a well-plotted piece of non-claptrap that never made me want to retch.

5

My money’s on the Wings. Had the opportunity to see them play Denver a few weeks ago - amazing experience. This was the game that they actually played, not the most recent Red Wings/Avs game where both teams sorta slept through the game.

Go Red Wings!

6

Last year I said this same thing. I don’t think that there is any team that can beat the Stars in a seven game series. Detroit was not the best team in the NHL last season, that was the Stars. The Wings weren’t the best team in the league this season, that was the Blues. The Wings have an ancient defence and arguably the weakest goalie of any playoff team. If both the Stars and the Wings make it to the Western Conference finals, the Stars will take them in 5 maybe 6 games.

The Stanley Cup: A repeat is in the STARS!

7

Wings over Capitals in 6 or 7 games.

The Wings seem to have St. Louis’ number come playoff time, and I think the Avalanche are playing damn good hockey right now and will surprise Dallas.

I also predict Buffalo will upset the No. 1 seeded Flyers in the first round.

“We are here for this – to make mistakes and to correct ourselves, to withstand the blows and to hand them out.” Primo Levi

8

I’ll be cheering for the Sabres, of course, even though I don’t think they’ll do nearly as well as you seem to think they will.

Of course, I didn’t think they’d do well last year, either…

9

Well, I’ll root for the Blues, since no one else here seems to be doing so, and St. Louis is sorta my adopted city. But whoever said the Wings seem to be able to dial the Blues in come Stanley time…grrrr…you’re right. Here’s hoping they pull it off this year.

“What do you look for in a woman you date?”
“Well, I know everyone always says sense of humor,
but I’d really have to go with breast size.”

10

Umm… if you have to guess who I’m cheering for, get glasses :wink:

I think they’ll make it to the conference final, anyway.

Go Sens Go!
-Alex

11

>>>adam yax wrote: “Detroit was not the best team in the NHL last season, that was the Stars. The Wings weren’t the best team in the league this season, that was the Blues.”<<<

This is kind of like arguing the difference between “Best Of” and “Greatest Hits” in music–they aren’t the same thing. Yes, the Blues had the best record in the NHL this year. Yes, the Stars had the best record last year, and won the Cup to boot. The Stars also had the best record the year before…and got bounced out of the playoffs by Detroit.

The best team does not necessarily win the championship–granted the latter is more important than the former, but that doesn’t change the facts. In 1993 I was all set–the Penguins were far and away the best team in the NHL. They were going to beat Boston a third straight time in the then-Wales Conference Finals, and take out Chicago a second straight time in the Cup Finals. Those were the three best teams in the NHL–the Pens, the Bruins, and the Blackhawks. But…the Bruins got swept in the first round by Buffalo, the Hawks were swept in the first round by St Louis, and the Pens lost the second round in seven games to the Islanders. The three best teams in the league managed to win one series and seven games between them. Montreal ended up beating LA for the Cup that year…but I don’t think anybody would claim the Habs were the best team in the NHL.

>>>The Wings have an ancient defence and arguably the weakest goalie of any playoff team.<<<

That “ancient defence” (sic) propelled the Wings to the second-best record in the league this year…and Dallas wasn’t exactly full of spring chickens last year, you know. (Some of 'em were older than ME, and I’d be getting up there for a hockey player.) The “[w]eakest goalie of any playoff team” has the same number of Finals wins as Belfour…and no losses. I’d take 'em…and I stand by my statement. The Red Wings are the best team in the NHL.

Given my druthers, the Pens would win the Cup; the Sabres would be my second choice. (Yeah, my picks for the Eastern Conference contain a fair amount of wishful thinking.) But I think the Cup will end up in Detroit again.

“Jagr breaks away! He skates in–oh no! The Caps’ coach hits him with a folding chair!”
(After the NHL is taken over by the WWF.)

12

as I posted in a different post,
you guys need to put the crack pipe down and realise that the Av’s will take the cup this year. :slight_smile:

…for more silky smooth segways, write to “silky smooth segways” 610 n 10th street, Albuquerque NM 87109.

13

No team from the east is going to take the Cup. It’s that simple. Personally, I think that Colorado has the best chance in the Playoffs this year simply because, 1) they have the best and deepest bench (even their fourth liners are capable of lighting the lamp multiple times in a game), and 2) they have Patrick Roy. The east is full of pretenders. I mean, every year since the strike, the number 1 seed (for the east) hasn’t made it to the finals; they keep throwing inferior teams to the fray, and a number 1,2 or 3 seed (from the West) eats them alive.

After the first round, the West will go like clock-work, with St. Louis, Dallas, Colorado, and Detroit all advancing. In the east, the only top seeded team to advance will be the Caps; with Buffalo, Washington, Ottawa, and Florida making it to the second round. Eventually, it’ll just be Ottawa and Buffalo in the Conference Finals, with Ottawa advancing to the Cup Finals, and right into a four game sweep from Colorado. As stated in posts above, they might not have been the best team overall, but they were the hottest team going into the playoffs, and Roy LIVES for the playoffs (man, that deal for Rolston is looking better and better everyday…).

Hey, if it ain’t broke, give ME a shot at it.

14

I have to agree with Drain. I would love for the Sabres to do it but I’m not holding my breath. I wouldn’t mind Jersey either but I’d rather have Buffalo.

“You don’t have insurance? Well, just have a seat and someone will be with you after you die.” --Yes, another quality sig custom created by Wally!

A Jesusfied sig: Next time I covet thine opinion, I’ll ask for it!

15

Sob, the Rangers aren’t in the playoffs once again, but yeah I have to go with the Avalanche. Roy is amazing and Bourque is on a mission. The only problem is that Forseberg will be out a few games.

This is the most exciting thing I’ve seen since Halley’s Comet collided with the moon.

16

I have a feeling the Blues have it together better than the Red Wings this year. (Maybe that little trophy they picked up has something to do with that feeling.) Pavol Demitra will be over his injury for the second round. Three of the 4 leading plus/minus players are on the Blues. Turek has the lowest goals against average in the league and he tied for first place in wins.

The Wings are probably going to try to play dirty like that did in the last game with the Blues with the knee check to Pronger :mad: and if they succeed with crap like that then they might take the second round.

My husband says, “Well, they do have a bad record with Detroit in the play-offs.” Then he adds hopefully, “But the Wings could be taken out in the first round.”

:frowning: You’ll see! You’ll all see! This year they’ll at least make it past the second round. No, I mean, all the way! They’re going all the way!

17

Go Wings!!!
They need to gain the title back real bad, so I think they will go all the way!

Hand me that wrench. No, the one that looks like a hammer.
Sig Courtesy of Walley

18

Mark my words, Detroit will not take the cup this year. Too many other better teams (Stars and Avs)

…for more silky smooth segues, write to “silky smooth segues” 610 n 10th street, Albuquerque NM 87109.

19

Oh poor kinoons. The Red Wings will make it. For they have the man known as Steve Yzerman. Where as he doesn’t have the best stats, he’s a kick boot player. Scotty will have these boys in shape to rip some heads off. Wooo hooo go WINGS!

20

Dont make me come across this connection and beat some sense into you cumberbunk! :o) All joking aside, yes, Steve Y is amazing, but no, its not going to happen.

…for more silky smooth segues, write to “silky smooth segues” 610 n 10th street, Albuquerque NM 87109.