ben79 wrote:congrats to Detroit for their 22nd straight playoff appearence. Dinasty ? ( 4 stanley cup and 6 appearence in the finals )
Who you guys think will win 1st round of playoff in the west ?
my choices : Chicago in 5, Anaheim in 7, Vancouver in 7, LA in 6
If Chicago doesn't win their series against Minnesota.......I don't have words to describe how sick that would be. Not only is Chicago a way better team, they're also in incredible form. It would be a bigger upset than Los Angeles beating Vancouver last year. Hah, if Minnesota beats Chicago and goes on to win the Stanley cup, last years upset would pale in comparison!
I consider Anaheim vs Detroit a very open series, Detroit is a better team with a more experienced organisation but Anaheim have been on fire this season. I'm gonna go ahead and pick Detroit just because Anaheim is a very uneven team, they get red hot then they get stone cold, this season has been a red hot one, but it's not always that it carries on into the playoffs. Detroit on the other hand won their last four games and probably come into this series with a nothing to lose attitude, they're happy just to
make the playoffs and keep the streak alive, anything more now is just a bonus. I don't think Anaheim will respond well to the pressure of being favorites.
Vancouver vs San Jose, I just don't believe in Vancouver this season. What I've seen from them have been sub par. The Sedin's are not in their "zone", they can't seem to carry the team this season. As much as I'd like to see my fellow redhaired swedes make it through the first round, I don't think they will. It's not that San Jose are
that good, Vancouver have just been
that bad. Let's get this straight, Vancouver are excellent at winning low energy games, the typical mid season game, they do it with little effort and that's why they're the third seed. But high intensity games usually don't suit them as well. It might be that they beat San Jose anyway, it will most likely be a close series, but I don't see them getting far this year.
St. Louis vs Los Angeles, I don't know what to think in this one, Los Angeles are the defending champs but they haven't been playing like it, St. Louis is...probably the most anonymous, pure teamworking team in the leaugue. No ego superstars, but still a very competitive team. They were the second seed last year so they obviously got a good group there. An anonymous group, but that probably works to their advantage in some regards. I don't think Los Angeles will get their things together, and to be honest I think they almost played above their ability last year, I don't think they will be a contender the next few years either. St. Louis for the win.