Round Two predictions coming tomorrow

I don't have time to get my picks up before the Canucks face off in just under two hours, so I will post them tomorrow. But you can probably guess who I am picking to win the 'Nucks-Hawks series. I will generously give the Blackhawks one on home ice, and call the Canucks in five games.

Also coming soon: a post-mortum of my first round picks, as well as some more thoughts about the last round.

GO CANUCKS!!!

Random thoughts on Round One

• What is up with the San Jose Sharks? I'm not saying this series is over 'til it's over, but still it does not look good for the boys in teal against a tough Ducks squad. If they cannot win three straight they will go down as bigger teases than the Canucks. This is a team that has never made it to the Stanley Cup Finals despite some great teams, and despite this year seeming like the year they change that trend. It now looks like it will be another disappointing spring for Sharks fans.

• If you have not yet seen this goal by Alex Ovechkin from last night's game, well, just watch:

• Rough end to the season for the Montreal Canadiens. I feel badly for Carey Price, who is only 21 but already getting blamed for the Habs' problems. I appreciate the passion of Habs fans, but booing your team and your goalie as they get swept does not show a lot of class in my opinion.
  

• Columbus Blue Jackets, fans on the other hand, were apparently amazing even as their team got swept by the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings. I was really hoping for a strong showing from the Jackets (let's ignore, for a moment, that I picked them to win this series) because their fans have waited a long time for the team's first post-season berth and have been apparently very rabid all year. Still, they gave the team a classy send off last night and the players returned the favour with a salute to the fans:
  

• Right now I am very impressed by the Boston Bruins, who outmuscled and outscored the Habs to totally dominate the series. And man, do I wish that Milan Lucic was on the Canucks! I'm thinking that right now the Bruins look like a very good bet to come out of the East.
  

• What are your thoughts on the playoffs thus far? Feel free to chip in under the comments section.
  

How sweep it is!

"WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

That was the sound of hundreds of thousands of Canucks fans around the globe cheering as Alex Burrows buried the game winner with just 19 seconds left in overtime.

The Canucks, for the first time in their franchise history, have swept a 7-game series. And they did it with an amazingly solid series against what was, a week ago, a red-hot Blues team. Four things particularly impressed me about the Canucks' performance against St. Louis:

1. Luongo. Obviously. 5 goals allowed on 131 shots, for a ridiculous .962 save percentage just about says it all. For those of you keeping track, that's 1.25 goals on roughly 33 per game. Bobby Lou was spectacular, even though solid team play in front of him meant that he didn't always need to be.

2. Throughout the series, even on the rare occasion that St. Louis grabbed the momentum (see Period 1, Game 3 and Period 2/OT, Game 4) the Canucks displayed incredible poise to settle themselves down and keep playing their game. Rather than get frazzled, the 'Nucks rode out the Blues momentum and then went for the jugular to shut 'em down.

3. Depth. Give GM Mike Gillis kudos, because this squad showed that it is solid from Sedin to Johnson, Ohlund to Vaananen. Obviously the top line of Burrows (3G, 0A) and the Sedins (2G, 3A for Daniel and 1G, 3A for Henrik) was awesome. But how about the fourth line, who brought energy all game every game? And playoff rookie Kyle Wellwood, who showed resiliance and brought an as-yet-unseen toughness to the rink? And what about Mason Raymond, who drew into the lineup only because Taylor Pyatt was unable to play due to personal tragedy - Raymond didn't hit the scoresheet, but he brought intensity, speed and a signature moment when he flattened noted pest/trash-talker B.J. Crombeen in Game 3? Then there is the defence. The D was excellent at taking away shooting and passing lanes, thus shutting down the Blues skilled forwards, as well as mostly keeping the St. Louis forwards from crashing the crease.

4. The Canucks special teams were amazing in the series. The powerplay went a solid 4/18 (22%), and scored all three goals in a key Game 3 road win. The penalty killers, meanwhile... well, WOW. What else can you say? The Blues had 22 chances on the PP, and only scored one goal the entire series! Those 22 chances included three lengthy two-man advantages, as well as three powerplays in the OT period of Game 4. Three cheers to the Canucks PK for its yeoman's work in the series - thank goodness they'll have a lengthy rest to ice bruises from all those blocked shots.

So, to celebrate, enjoy this clip of the winning goal, post-game celebration, post-game interviews and, of course, the end-of-series handshake:

Game One at the Garage

I had the pleasure of attending Game One of the Canucks/Blues series with my friend Dan on Wednesday night. The atmosphere was amazing, and the result - obviously - outstanding.

I had only been to two playoff games in my life before this year, both of them losses. My older brother took me to one of the early home losses to the Calgary Flames in 1994, and Dan and I watched the Canucks get swept by the Avalanche in Game Four of their 2001 series. On both occasions I had a blast regardless of the score, but obviously I was hoping for a better result this time around!

The pregame atmosphere was electric, with 18,000 fans vigorously waving their towels that the Canucks kindly, provided to us - thus saving me the trouble of digging up my chocolate-frosted-malt-stained towel from 1994.


The fourth line got started the game, and they brought a great level of intensity all night. Johnson was a beast on the penalty kill, and Rypien and Hordichuk hammered the Blues throughout the game. But the kid in the McDonalds jersey did nothing all night, and I think that Alan Vigneault should think long and hard about letting him back on the ice.

St. Louis' patented "Olympic Rings formation" failed to penetrate the Canucks defense.


Naturally, everyone went crazy out on the street after the big win. I have absolutely no idea who the guys on either side of me are. But I got the distinct impression that they are fans of the local sports team.


And, of course, the night ended with some good, ol' fashioned running down the middle of the street and high-fiving people in cars. Good times!

2009 Playoffs: First Round Predictions

Ah, mid-April. Spring is in the air, the Boys of Summer have started playing even though it's still springtime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are holding their first team golf tournament of the year - which, of course, means that the NHL playoffs are starting.

This year's first round series features some doozies. A second straight Battle of Pennsylvania. The finally-back-in-the-playoffs Chicago Blackhawks against some bunch of underachieving bums. The latest instalment of the Original 6 Boston-Montreal rivalry (and this time Boston's the favourite!). The defending champion Detroit Red Wings against playoff virgins Columbus Blue Jackets. The second ever Battle of California.

* Bonus points if you knew that the first was between the LA Kings and the Oakland Seals (later the California Golden Seals) back in 1969 - 'cause that's what everyone in SoCal and the Bay Area was really caring about in 1969.

So, without further ado, here are the official 'Nucks and Pucks predictions for the First Round:

Eastern Conference

Boston Bruins (1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (8) - Bruins in 5

Boston was the class of the East this year. The only class the Habs looked like they belonged in was Kindergarten - despite their fine finger-painting skills, the Canadiens were a total gong show this year. This is the year the Bruins finally beat their bitter rivals in the playoffs.

Washington Capitals (2) vs. New York Rangers (7) - Capitals in 6

The Rangers have way better goaltending and the always intriguing wild-card that is Sean Avery. The Caps have the most talented player in the game, and a not half-bad supporting cast. If Jose Theodore can do a reasonable job of stopping pucks the Caps should take it.

New Jersey Devils (3) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (6) - Hurricanes in 6

Not as much of a mismatch as it appears. Carolina has been on fire in the past few months, and Martin Brodeur has been spotty since returning from injury. A lot of people are calling this upset, and I am jumping on that bandwagon.

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (5) - Penguins in 7

This rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Final should be a dandy. It's probably the closest thing to a toss-up in the East - hey, whaddya know? The teams tied for points with 99.

Western Conference

San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks (8) - Sharks in 6

You can't underestimate the Ducks, given their recent Cup win and solid blend of veteran and young stars. And, of course, the likelihood that they will break out the Flying-V or the Triple Deke. Still, the Sharks have been the best team in the NHL this season and it is difficult to imagine them folding to the amateur game plan that Randy Carlyle will inevitably steal from Emilio Estevez. Still, the Sharks will have to bring their A-game to overcome this:



Detroit Red Wings (2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (7) - Blue Jackets in 7

Yep, that's right. Not sure why, but the Red Wings feel primed for a first round exit. They're a hell of a team, and it's hard to pick against Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg et al. But the combination of wear and tear from playing last season into June, the excitement around CBJ because of its first playoff birth, and a plain old-fashioned gut feeling causes me to pick the upset.

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. St. Louis Blues (6) - Canucks in 4

Duh.

Chicago Blackhawks (4) vs. Calgary Flames (5) - Blackhawks in 6

I don't have a good feeling about either of these teams, but one of them has to win. The Hawks are young and talented, but like most young and talented teams they need a good, solid first-round playoff loss to teach them how to lose (see Capitals 2008, Penguins 2007, Oilers 1979-80). However their first round opponent has spent the better part of the last two months frittering away the Northwest Division crown, and seems all set to trade their hockey sticks for golf clubs. It's okay, the Hawks can wait until their second round match-up against the Canucks to receive their requisite humiliating defeat.