3 Devils v 6 Rangers
8 Tampa v 1 Ottawa
2 Carolina v 7 Montreal
4 Sabres v 5 Flyers

8 Oilers v 1 Wings
7 Colorado v 2 Dallas
6 Ducks v 3 Calgary
5 Sharks v 4 Preds

I just wanted to throw the matchups down, I'll post more later

Go Flyers.

Last night was pretty cool. Lots of hockey on tv...I was watching the Flyers finally wake up, and could flip around to see the Rangers & Devils both trying to not win the Atlantic Division.

Of course, it was great until Montreal decided to totally pack it in...but I don't think the Flyers want any part of the Devils right now. I'll take the Sabres instead.

3 Devils v 6 Rangers - Devils in 6
8 Tampa v 1 Ottawa - Senators in 5
2 Carolina v 7 Montreal - Hurricanes in 7
4 Sabres v 5 Flyers - Sabres in 6

8 Oilers v 1 Wings - Wings in 5
7 Colorado v 2 Dallas - Stars in 5
6 Ducks v 3 Calgary - Flames in 7
5 Sharks v 4 Preds - Sharks in 6

We're staring right down the barrel of an unavoidable Devils-Red Wings Stanley Cup Finals.

np: Sammy Hagar - "Three Lock Box"

Hard to say though, the Wings have a habit of biting it in the playoffs. They've been taken out early a couple of times, I remember being pretty surprised when the Ducks put the stomp on them a couple of years ago.

Believe me, I HOPE they get knocked off, as that will open the door for my beloved Stars!

np: Elvis Costello - "Crawling to the U.S.A."

I wouldn't count out the Ducks or the Sharks from the West. * And, depending on how the refs call it, the Calgary Thugs could either win it all or get swept in the first round.







* And anyone remember the big Bruins/Sharks trade and how there were a handful of Obneroids who insisted that Boston got the better deal?

You're making a mistake of you measure Thornton by regular season alone. By no means did Boston get the better of that deal. But the jury is still out on whether or not San Jose is tied to $6.66 million regular season player with a no trade clause that kicks in next year. He dodged a huge bullet by matching up vs a Vokuon-less Preds team that also has a small blueline instead of a very physical Calgary team who has Kipper, an awesome blueline & one of the leagues better checking centers in Yelle. The one I expect to explode is Marleau. His playoff career stats are great & with Thorton getting so much attention on the top line things could really open up for him on the second line. Kariya was so unimportant to the Ducks run you've got to count at least 3 guys on San Jose better than him. This should be easy for the Sharks.

Calgary v Ducks could be the best match up in the West. The Ducks are one of the leagues best teams post Olympics. And physically they are one of the few Western Conf teams that matches up with Calgary, especially if Fedoruk's back is ok. The one glarring question the Ducks must answer is can the kid forwards get it done post season vs a very frustrating opponent?

Buffalo has a huge number of key guys who's contracts are up this Summer & that seems to be the formula for the surpsrise team to advance to the finals in the last few years. I can see them, the Devils, the Canes or the Sens winning the East. The toughest 1st round matchup might be the Devils & Rangers. Which Devils team is gonna show up? And who besides Gionta & Elias can score?

Personally I want the Canes so Brind'amour can get his Cup, but the NHL fan in me wants the Rangers for the rating bonanza it would supply this side of the border

3 Devils v 6 Rangers
8 Tampa v 1 Ottawa
2 Carolina v 7 Montreal
4 Sabres v 5 Flyers

8 Oilers v 1 Wings
7 Colorado v 2 Dallas
6 Ducks v 3 Calgary
5 Sharks v 4 Preds

I'll take:
Devils in Seven
Ottawa in five
Carolina in four
Buffalo in six

Redwings in 5
Dallas in 7
Calgary in 6
Predators in 6

Ottawa over NJ in 6
Carolina over Buffalo in 5
Redwings over Dallas in 6
Predators over Calgary in 7

Ottawa over Carolina in 6
Predators over Redwings in 6

Ottawa over Predators in 5

You know what the more I think about the less I like the Devils. I just can't get over how much they lost on the blueline. As a Boston fan I've seen them finish towards the top of the standings with horrible bluelines (post Bourque) & get bounced early in the playoffs.

I believe Ottawa would play Buffalo in the second round if the first-round series go as you predict, and the Redwings would play the Preds.

I'd take exception with Carolina sweeping the Habs, I just can't see Carolina beating Montreal in 8 games straight this season, including the regular season, not without Eric Cole who is a Habs-killer.

Go Sabres!

(I'll be in section 324 tonight - how 'bout you, nacho?)

My wings are going to take it all... there is no point in resisting.

Actually, this might be the year Detroit sweeps:
Redwings WILL win.
Pistons SHOULD win,
... Um... Tigers? Lions?

OK, maybe not.

i'm jealous of anyone who gets to watch that on television

Oh yes..The best time of year are the NHL playoffs...When a team wins the cup, they really have to battle to win it..Maybe that's why my Flyers sadly don't have much of a chance this year..Oh well I'll enjoy it just the same. I think I might be more sad that my Center Ice package is gonna end soon.

The Devils annihilated the Rangers today 6-1, and Dallas looked like crap against the Av's in their 5-2 loss.

So far I am only wrong on the Carolina/Montreal series, and on the seeding error I made above.

I'm on a fair weather hocky fan, I barely watch during the regular season but when playoffs kick in, I'm hooked.

I'm a fairweather sports fan of everything but collegiate sports that involve Nebraska. but I have stayed up late many a night to watch a Stanley Cup game that goes into multiple OT's.
The last one I really remember was the Stars/Sabres Triple OT game that decided the Cup.

the only sports i watch intently whether its the playoffs or the regular season are football and soccer, mainly because, like baseball, i feel they play far too many games in almost all north american sports, where in football and soccer every game is important.

The Habs really stuck it to the Hurricanes. Maybe a Canadien franchise will actually win it for once.

I have a feeling Carolina is in trouble. They didn't finish the season very strong, despite playing mostly non-playoff teams.


The Sabres-Flyers game was intense. It seemed like the Sabres were gonna run away with it, but Esche made one huge save after another. Had no chance on the last one though.

I knew that goal was gonna happen after Kapanen hit the post. I knew they would lose, but I've been trained for that. That hit on Umberger was pretty scary, I hope the kids alright.

We've added a new word to the hockey lexicon: Umbergered

I'll post more tonite I just wanted to post that before I walked out the door