Playoff Predictions

[RangersFan]

And that's that. Ton of OT games, but no game 7's. These OT's were weird man, dominated by one team in many cases. The Caps dominated OT tonight, was just a matter of time.

I wonder when round 2 will start. Now I kind of think we may play Wednesday at Ottawa, but hoping for Thursday. I would think we'll find out tonight.

The Leafs are going to be scary good in a year or two. Similar to the Oilers.

Have to favor the Pens over the Caps.

 

[cagedlion]

With Caps all over the Leafs in Game 6 OT, they finally scored the game winner against a feisty Leaf team.
These Leafs will be playoff bound for many years and they will only get better. Just have to improve the D.
Leafs are on the rise.

Round two should begin Wed or Thurs of this week.

 

[RangersFan]

My round 2 picks:

NYR over the Sens in 6
Pens over the Caps in 6
Preds over the Blues in 6
Ducks over the Oilers in 7 (I REALLY want to pick the Oilers and see this as a tossup)

So all lower seeds outside of the Ducks. Should be a fun round 2 led by the Pens/Caps series. Two best teams in the regular season. Defending champs playing OV and the Caps again.

 

[Messiah717]

Austin Matthews and McDavid have shown they're certainly the future for many years to come.

 

[Messiah717]

My round 2 picks:

NYR over the Sens in 6
Pens over the Caps in 6
Preds over the Blues in 6
Ducks over the Oilers in 7 (I REALLY want to pick the Oilers and see this as a tossup)

So all lower seeds outside of the Ducks. Should be a fun round 2 led by the Pens/Caps series. Two best teams in the regular season. Defending champs playing OV and the Caps again.

That Preds and Blues series should be a real defensive struggle. With the Pens and Caps meeting in round two it really makes things wide open this year.

 

[RangersFan]

What I like is you know Emrick and his crew will be all over the Pens/Caps series, so we should get Albert and maybe Joe for some games. Keep Emrick and Pierre and Eddie O with the Pens/Caps every game.

The # 2 series might be the Preds/Blues. Usually they don't love Canadian teams in the featured games. So hate that it is all NBC now, but we should be the # 3 series I'd guess. Give me Kenny and Joe.

 

[RangersFan]

Look at that final 8. Preds? Blues? Oilers? Sens? Even the Rangers are somewhat unexpected. Interesting mix.

 

[Ranger71]

That's too bad, i would've liked to have seen how game 7 played out. Bad job by Andersen on the tying goal. Pulling for the Blues out West.

 

[Ranger71]

I just saw our series starts Thursday

 

[cagedlion]

Thu. Rangers at Ottawa 7PM April 27th
Sat. Rangers at Ottawa 3PM
Tues. Ottawa. at Rangers 7PM
Thu. Ottawa. at Rangers 7:30PM
Sat. Rangers. at Ottawa. TBA
Tues. Ottawa. at Rangers. TBA
Thu. Rangers. at Ottawa. TBA

Western division series begin on Wednesday, April 26.

Pitt-Wash series will be in Prime time......all night games.

 

[cagedlion]

Lack of depth reared its ugly head in both Western games. Preds' speed caught Blues off guard on several late game shifts. Oilers got outhit
but not outsmarted. Standout players tonight were P.K. Subban for the Preds, Adam Larsson & Leon Draisatl for the Oilers, Ryan Getzlaf
for the Ducks and Joel Edmundson for the Blues.

Predators 4 Blues 3
Oilers 5 Ducks 3

 

[cagedlion]

Seems the Pens want a second consecutive Stanley Cup. When they get past Washington, it looks
like clear sailing. NHL board of directors should rename their league.......The National Penguins
League! Boring!

 

[Disturbed]

Pens look very very tough but that series isn't over

 

[kreidertime]

I find myself less and less interested in the Rangers every year. I basically go into the playoffs with the same mentality. The forwards won't score and they will lose games 2-1, 2-0, 3-2 like they do every fucking year.

At some point Stepan, Hayes and possibly Kreider who has turned into a playoff dud need to be moved and the team up front needs to be changed.

 

[NYR2009]

Me too dump. Maybe I am just getting older. Too many games without passion. Not a SC team. I just feel for Lundqvist. He is amazing and deserves a cup. Unfortunately most likely he will not get it here.

 

[theProdigy223]

Not a SC team.

Right. Just like there was "no chance" the Rangers would win in round one.

Nobody would knock you for being less interested. You are far from the only one. And nobody would knock you for an incorrect prediction as several people here picked the Habs. But coming on here and again making a declarative statement that this isn't a cup team when we're sitting here in the second round, a round which you said there was "no chance" we'd get to, is just absolutely infuriating to read.

They're in the second round. They have a very good chance to reach the ECF. Who knows what shape the Pens or Caps are in at that point. And if we get past them, does Nashville really scare you? Does St. Louis? Hell no they dont scare me.

I feel like I'm arguing with fucking Devils fans on this board sometimes and you know what...I probably am.

 

[NYR2009]

Prodigy, you right. I did predict MTL would beat Rangers in 6. I was wrong and I admit it. Rangers pleasantly surprised me.

After yesterday's game, any confidence I had is thrown out of the window. Just like many of you said, it is not the loss that bothers me, it is the way they played. It was like a regular season game where noone cared except Lundqvist and McD. I know McD made mistakes but at least he projected care. The rest did not. This is not a SC team spirit. I hate fucking Pens, but look at their passion.

And to answer your question, no I am not scared of any West coast team. I think Rangers can beat anyone one of those teams. I believed they could have beaten Chicago too at the beginning of playoffs. I don't think they can beat Pens unless both Malkin and Crosby are hurt. I honestly not sure if they can beat Ottawa. I feel like Ottawa wants it more. Rangers are better than Ottawa in my opinion and should have swept them but this lack of passion may get them into trouble.

I think Ottawa beats Rangers in 6 or 7. I know I am the only one here and I hope I am wrong.

Hayes, Stepan, Miller, Krider, Holden and Stall are horrible. I cannot stand watching neither one of them these playoffs.

 

[cagedlion]

Cam Talbot wins 2 games in Anaheim with the much improved defense. Ironic that he could get
Lord Stanley's cup before the beleaguered Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers. This scenario will
drive Ranger faithful into total depression and I'll be right there just shaking my head.

I initially picked the Rangers to go to the SCF. I saw Game 1 Pitt-Wash and Pens look
unstoppable. I do not think Rangers can beat either one of those two teams; not with
their continued inept offense and terrible PP. Yes, I am hedging my pick. Players that
need to produce just are not able to come through. The negatives outweigh the positives.......
A core majority of this team has been to a finals. You would think they know what it takes
to get back there. I'm not so sure.

 

[RangersFan]

They need to close out this 3rd period, but right now it is pretty darn hard to not see the Pens winning their 2nd straight Cup.

And at least we aren't Caps fans. We have been to multiple ECF's and an SCF. The Caps haven't been out of the 2nd round with this core. That team will be way different next season. Many UFA's, and a team that didn't get out of round 2 despite back to back Pres trophies equals major changes in DC. Plus side for us is I cannot see anyway Shatty resigns there if they lose to the Pens.

Hate the Pens, but if they win again have to give them big time props.

 

[Disturbed]

Caps are worse off then us. Lose 2 at home. Trotz pulls Holtby and Grubauer gives up 2 goals on 4 shots.

Sometimes coaching doesn't help.

At least we have 2 at MSG

 

[Messiah717]

Offensively the Pens just look like too much. They throw two overwhelming lines at you.

 

[RangersFan]

The Rangers need to come out like the Ducks did tonight. Up 3-0 early in Edmonton trailing the series 2-0 like us.

We'll see if they hold on and get the W.

 

[cagedlion]

I do not think there is one team to beat those damn f'king penguins!!!!!!

 

[Messiah717]

Holtby has really been terrible.

 

[RangersFan]

Another early exit on the brink for the Caps now. Not sure which team I am rooting for, but I will say it is difficult to beat the Pens when the refs are on their side as well. That high stick penalty on Oshie with under 2 minutes to play was a joke of a call. Took Pierre about 5 minutes to say you know what Doc...watch that again...it may not have been a high stick. REALLY Pierre...there is no may about it, it wasn't a high stick. That pretty much ended any hope for the Caps. Crazy.

Never say never if Crosby is still out, the Caps controlled the game tonight and still have better talent man for man, but very difficult to see the Pens blowing a 3-1 lead, and maybe even more difficult to see the Caps coming back from down 3-1. I would think we'll see a game 6 in that series though.

We will see major changes in DC if the Caps lose this series though, that's a given I think.

 

[RangersFan]

And Holtby is overrated. Great D in front of him inflates his #'s. And Holtby, along with all the other Caps, have never been past the 2nd round for a reason. Choke every season. And yes the ridiculous NHL playoff system had them against the Pens in round 2 the past two seasons, but the years prior to that (years they also won Pres trophies) when they choked there were no Pens, so I don't buy that reason. Something is missing from that team inside I think.

 

[Messiah717]

Another early exit on the brink for the Caps now. Not sure which team I am rooting for, but I will say it is difficult to beat the Pens when the refs are on their side as well. That high stick penalty on Oshie with under 2 minutes to play was a joke of a call. Took Pierre about 5 minutes to say you know what Doc...watch that again...it may not have been a high stick. REALLY Pierre...there is no may about it, it wasn't a high stick. That pretty much ended any hope for the Caps. Crazy.

Never say never if Crosby is still out, the Caps controlled the game tonight and still have better talent man for man, but very difficult to see the Pens blowing a 3-1 lead, and maybe even more difficult to see the Caps coming back from down 3-1. I would think we'll see a game 6 in that series though.

We will see major changes in DC if the Caps lose this series though, that's a given I think.

I think they're done. MAF is simple playing much better than Holtby in the series.

 

[Messiah717]

And Holtby is overrated. Great D in front of him inflates his #'s. And Holtby, along with all the other Caps, have never been past the 2nd round for a reason. Choke every season. And yes the ridiculous NHL playoff system had them against the Pens in round 2 the past two seasons, but the years prior to that (years they also won Pres trophies) when they choked there were no Pens, so I don't buy that reason. Something is missing from that team inside I think.

Toronto gave them all they could handle as well.

 

[mrmel29]

If rangers get by ottawa and no crosby we can beat the pens. Doubtful with his concussion history and vicious hit he took if crosby comes back this season.

 

[RangersFan]

BTW...I think the thing missing inside is inside of OV. Great player, not sure about him as a leader and as a Captain.