Best time of year. No playoffs are as much fun, or wide-open as the NHL playoffs. I can watch any game and get into it. Love the NHL playoffs. For the heck of it, I'll make some picks that will for sure be wrong.... Caps/Rangers - Rangers in 5 Isles/Canes - Canes in 6 Lightning/Panthers - Panthers in 7 (I think this is going to be a great close series) Leafs/Bruins - Bruins in 6 (I want to pick the Leafs, but just don't trust them in the playoffs) Canes/Rangers - Rangers in 7 (I think this will be a great series that could go either way - I may slightly lean Canes, but cannot pick against the Rangers, winner of this series goes to SCF IMO) Bruins/Panthers - Panthers in 6 Rangers/Panthers - Rangers in 6 VGK/Stars - Stars in 7 Avs/Jets - Avs in 7 (very much torn on this series - I think the winner beats the Stars) Preds/Canucks - Canucks in 5 Kings/Oilers - Oilers in 6 Avs/Stars - Avs in 7 Oilers/Canucks - Canucks in 6 Avs/Canucks - Canucks in 7 Canucks/Rangers - Rangers in 7 Putting my faith in them tightening up and playing better in their own zone, while valuing the puck and shooting more. I think the Canes/Rangers series will be the series that decides a lot.
If chytil comes back then they will have a good shot to go on a deep run. Without him, will they score enough 5 v 5? I think Igor can hold the fort and bail them out but again, can they score enough goals in a clutch situations
Once again, never said they were bad or weren't going to win, said over and over again for weeks they will be top seed in the East. Saying the team didn't play well for 10 games or so, didn't value the puck, and was very sloppy in their own zone doesn't mean they are awful or going to be out early in the playoffs. As I wrote, I am hopeful they will tighten up as we enter the playoffs. All of that goes together, despite trying to act as if I was saying the Rangers are terrible and cannot win. With that said, if they do not tighten up, they will lose to the Canes for sure, and I think that is going to be a very difficult series. Either way that is going to be a great series, with major Cup implications IMO.
I think there are two great series in each conference. Lightning/Panthers and Leafs/Bruins in the East. VGK/Stars and Avs/Jets in the West. Those should be some great series to watch and enjoy.
One of the mystery elements to these playoffs, and this Washington series in particular, is the status of Rangers center Filip Chytil. He has been out with an upper-body injury since the 10th game of the season, in November, but has been medically cleared to play. Chytil was on the ice for practice the past two days and on Friday looked particularly speedy and sharp. Laviolette has been coy about whether Chytil will be activated for Sunday’s game, declining to provide info on particular players’ status.
Canes off to a good start. I would love to see the Isles make that a series, but it will be tough. Let's see if they can get it done in game 2. Bruins up 1-0 on the Leafs after one period. When it comes to the playoffs, I just don't have a lot of faith left in the Leafs, but we'll see. Tomorrow it really gets rolling with 4 big games. I am really looking forward to the Lightning/Panthers series.
Great to see playoff Leafs in form early. That team needs to step up, or they have to break apart their 4 or 5 stars upfront and add some D and goaltending. If they get beat the by Bruins and stay virtually the same again, that would be the definition of crazy. Let's see what they do in game 2, very big game for them. 4 fun games on the slate today.
The first period between TB and Florida was typical NHL playoffs. Florida dominated the first 15 minutes, TB didn't even have a shot on goal, and yet here we are tied 1-1. It always seems that if one team dominates and doesn't score, or only scores one, it comes back to haunt them.
It's been a long 11 months since the Rangers were bounced from the playoffs but we are finally, FINALLY back to some meaningful hockey! Let's go Rangers! Step on their necks and don't let em up. Make this a quick series!
Panthers hold on to take game 1 against the Lightning. That was a fun game to watch, should be an exciting series.
Wild first period between the Avs and Jets. I don't trust Georgiev at all. He just needs to be solid for that team given their talent, but I am not sure he can be.
Vancouver with a big third period, as all of the home teams have won thus far, 6-0. Another four-pack tonight, will the Leafs and Isles bounce back, and the VGK/Stars series gets rolling, looking forward to that one.
In a complete shocker, Stone is ready for game 1 for Vegas, who would have thunk it when they put him on LTIR at the trade deadline so they could use his money to add players. Total coincidence he happens to be healthy just in time for the start of the playoffs. What great luck for them.... All kidding aside, it is ridiculous how they manipulated the cap, but the truth is the rules are the rules, and if they can get away with it and the NHL turns the other way, more power to them. Looking forward to the games tonight, the only one I am not into is the Kings/Oilers as I expect the Oilers to roll them. The other three games I will be into.
