With only one day until the NHL playoffs, I have the Western Conference all set. Now it's time for the East. Here's what I'm expecting:
EASTERN CONFERENCE (QUARTER-FINALS)
No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 8 New York Islanders
Predicted Winner: Penguins
Reasoning: It's actually nice to see the Islanders in playoffs this year. They have had consecutive rough seasons of sitting at the bottom of the NHL. It's just a shame they have to compete against the top team in the East for their first appearance in such a long time The Islanders created a scare early in the season when they beat the Pens in the two teams' first matchup. It didn't give Pens fans much high hopes. Unfortunately for the Islanders, they couldn't carry through with their threat. They went on to lose four consecutive meets against the Pens and haven't showed much intimidation since. It looks as though the Islanders may face a similar fate this week. The Pens have all the numbers on their side -- 165 goals, 36 wins and only 12 loses during the regular season. The Pens scored more than any other team in the NHL, and they just recently added firepower with former Carolina Hurricanes forward Jussi Jokinen and former Calgary Flames forward Jarome Iginla. Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was tied for second for wins at 23. I can go on about Pens stats, but there is more to write. I'm going to say the Pens win it in five games.
No. 2 Montreal Canadiens vs. No. 7 Ottawa Senators
Predicted Winner: Canadiens
Reasoning: This is going to be a lackluster matchup. Both teams had decent records but nothing that really stuck out. Neither team has outstanding scorers, though the Canadiens have more firepower on their side (149 goals to Ottawa's 116). Ottawa has the better goaltending, if not the best goaltending (on paper). Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson had the best goals against average (1.69) and the best save percentage (.941) in the league. The problem is Anderson didn't even break the top five in wins. The other problem is Anderson can make all the saves he wants, but he has no power in front of him. Ottawa's low scoring will be their biggest issue because a team needs to score goals to win games, and they are the worst team in the playoffs in that respect (ranked 16 out of 16). Montreal will need to step up its goaltending efforts, but they're scoring should be enough to rip apart the Senators. Due to the inequality on both sides, this series will likely go six or seven games.
No. 3 Washington Capitals vs. No. 6 New York Rangers
Predicted Winner: Capitals
Reasoning: The Capitals were the biggest joke in the NHL at the beginning of the regular season. Alex Ovechkin couldn't shoot a puck into a soccer net. The team's goaltending was sloppy. The defense was non-existent. Then, for whatever reason, everybody in Washington woke up and decided they had enough of being ridiculed. The Capitals pulled off one of the biggest turnarounds all season. They clinched their division and are now sitting third in the East. Ovechkin finished off the season scoring more goals than any other player at 32. He also tied for third in points at 56. On the other hand, the Rangers had consistency throughout the season, but it was average. They would win a game, lose a game, and the pattern repeated. Playoffs are all about who has momentum at the end of the season, and the Caps are surging right now. They went 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. Their home-ice advantage will play a huge role, since the Rangers suffered in this respect (10-12-2), and the Caps have one of the fiercest crowds in the league. I feel as though the Caps can really deliver a kicking and win this series in five games.
No. 4 Boston Bruins vs. No. 5 Toronto Maple Leafs
Predicted Winner: Bruins
Reasoning: There was some doubt concerning the success of the Bruins after former goalie Tim Thomas took a season hiatus for personal reasons. Boston has always been about defense, and Thomas played a huge role in that. Despite Thomas' leave, the Bruins have held on to their defensive prowess. They allowed only 109 goals this season. Thomas' former backup, Tuukka Rask, successfully picked up the slack and finished the season with the third-highest save percentage (.929) and five shutouts. Boston and Toronto are about equal with away records, but the Bruins have a slight advantage playing at home, in addition to home-ice advantage in the first round. Toronto was better at scoring goals this season (145 to Boston's 131), but the Bruins are known for knocking players flat and having some of the best spectacles in goaltending. The Bruins should be able to hold their own in about six games.
EASTERN CONFERENCE (SEMI-FINALS)
No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 4 Boston Bruins
Predicted Winner: Penguins
Reasoning: Boston has the better goaltending in this matchup, but Tuukka Rask is only one man. The Pens had little trouble beating Boston during the regular season, and this will likely be the case in the semi-finals. The Pens have enough talent in offense to punch holes through the Bruins' defense. The Bruins will also be facing a packed Console Energy Center where a 12-9-3 away record won't mean much to Pens fans. Pittsburgh has been great at home (18-6) and away (also 18-6). They also went 8-2 in their last 10 games compared to Boston's meager 3-5-2. Unlike previous years where the Pens were beaten up by the Philadelphia Flyers, the Islanders won't provide much physical threat to the Pens, which means the team should be much healthier when they play a very physical Bruins. Boston might be more fatigued trying to fight their way in the first round, however. A more energized Pens squad should take this series in about five games.
No. 2 Montreal Canadiens vs. No. 3 Washington Capitals
Predicted Winner: Capitals
Reasoning: Both teams are almost identical in stats. They have the same amount of goals (149), and only four goals against separate the two. Both teams are impressive at home, but the Capitals aren't as good playing away compared to the Canadiens. What will set the two teams apart is Washington's momentum. Montreal has been sluggish as of late (4-6 in their past 10 games). The Canadiens will also play a dragged-out series against the Senators, while the Caps should be more energized going into the second round. Even though the two offenses are close, Ovechkin might be the difference maker since he improved so much in such a short amount of time. Overall, this will be one of the longer series in the East, going at least six or seven games to decide the winner.
EASTERN CONFERENCE (EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS)
No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 3 Washington Capitals
Predicted Winner: Penguins
Reasoning: This would be a phenomenal matchup to see in the Eastern Conference finals. A few seasons ago, these two teams really hated each other. The scoring always went back and forth, and the infamous Crosby/Ovechkin rivalry separated fans across the NHL. The Pens handled the Caps well during the regular season, but a surging Washington team might change that. If Ovechkin can stay on his game, and the Caps can put a confident goalie between the pipes, they might tire out the Pens for the first time in the playoffs. This is going to be the classic "most goals wins" series. Goaltending will mean very little. Egos will be high. Fans will be pumped. What will likely give the Pens the advantage is its toughened defense of former San Jose Sharks defender Doug Murray, Stanley Cup-winning Brooks Orpik, and the return of Paul Martin off the injured list. In the goal-scoring department, the Pens have a few more stars than the Caps, especially with Jussi Jokinen being a former division rival in Carolina. This would be the most exciting matchup in the playoffs, and it should be a long one at six or seven games.
I realize I played it safe in the East, but each team deserves to be in their respected ranks. The East had a much better season than the West (other than Chicago), and it has been a season of ups-and-downs for many of these teams. I have confidence in the predictions I made for the Eastern Conference, but anything can go down. Last year was filled with upsets. It's going to be great to see what's to come in the next few weeks.
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