Round Dos – Here We Go
April 29th, 2010, 11:01 am
Game 1 at the Tank tonight. The city of San Jose doesn’t take kindly to people arriving late to an early 6pm start, so I hope the Red Wings plan it better than their Tuesday night arrival. Here’s the Dudes thoughts on the four conference semis. Chime in with your predictions as well.
Montreal (8) vs. Pittsburgh (4)
Doug: The buck has to stop somewhere and it would be mission impossible for the Canadiens to knock off both the Eastern Conference titans, right? Pittsburgh has the experience, talent and heart to overcome a little Jacques Martin mojo. Penguins in five.
Mike: Pittsburgh got a huge gift in the 6-8 seeds winning, and them not going to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third straight year would be a choke job on their part. Pens in six, and it only goes that long because Josh Gorges PWNS.
Philadelphia (7) vs. Boston (6)
Doug: This series might have more grinding than a weekend with Wilt Chamberlin. It has the potential to be the most entertaining, if you like old school, blood and teeth cocktail hockey. I’ll be watching and as usual, Chris Pronger will still be standing at the end. Flyers in seven.
Mike: Marc Savard is back, and this emotional high will last until he skates through the middle with his head down (or up) and Pronger sticks him in the nuts. Then cross-checks him in the head. Then stomps on him. Flyers in six.
Vancouver (3) vs. Chicago (2)
Doug: The dislike between these two teams is delicious. The Hawks were criticized in Round 1 for not playing with much heart, but they showed me a lot at the end of Game 5 when they refused to go down. I would love to pick Vancouver, but when have they ever made the Conf. Finals? Not since their Stanley Cup run in 1994 behind Bure and Linden. Hawks in six.
Mike: It’s disappointing to see Doug abandon his prescient observation that Chicago’s goaltending is a ticking time bomb. I now take the reins of that bandwagon. Canucks in seven. Steve Bernier has 27 points in the series.
San Jose (1) vs. Detroit (5)
Doug: The path to glory has been determined and the Sharks are going to have to earn it. If ever there was a year for our boys to oust the mighty Wings, this is their best chance. We have the talent, depth and a goalie who knows he could be looking for a new team if he doesn’t make this happen. Daniel-san kicks Mr. Miyagi in the nuts. Sharks in six.
Mike: Past DOH guests Craig Custance (DOH 94) and Mark Purdy (DOH 88 and 51) have written about this series already. It appears that both have picked the Wings to win, so now I’m questioning my decision to link to the them. No matter. As Custance said, this could change the reputation of the entire franchise. This is the best team the Sharks have ever had in the playoffs, and you can’t say that for the Wings. Sharks in seven.
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Tonight might be the most important for SJ. They have an opportunity to jump on the Wings cause of their long series and quick travel. I don’t think SJ can win a game seven though. Unless the Sharks take the lead quick and not let up in this series, Detroit will find a way.
I think the Sharks need to do two things to win this series; play Mike Singleterry hockey, “go out and punch people in the mouth!”. And second get to Howard… I think he looked shakey vs. Phoenix and he could have his hands full with the Sharks forwards. Again, if they can get out to a great start in this series I think they’ll win.
Sharks in 6…
No fights in the Avs series, though Clowe would’ve gotten into one had the period not ended before he could get back on the ice. This series is obviously going to be more intense than the last one (though maybe not to the same degree as Van-Chi or Philly-Boston). I’m positive we’re going to see a couple fights. So my question is if you’re McLellan, do you let Clowe or Murray drop the gloves and go to the sin bin for 5 mins? Do you really want guys who have been as productive as them in the last series to be off the ice for 5, especially a top-pairing d-man? Or do you sacrifice a guy like Ortmeyer or Helminen for Staubitz?
Can’t imagine Detroit dropping the gloves, that’s not their style at all. If we couldn’t get into an actual fight against Tucker or McLeod, I don’t see it happening against Draper or Cleary. Detroit was last in the league in major penalties this year with 19. Sharks had 57.
I went an awesome 50% in the first round lets see if I can do better, although most of my series lengths were off.
Montreal (8) vs. Pittsburgh (4)
The penguins have the one thing that Washington didn’t a goalie They are not going to light up Fleury like they did Theodor for early momentum. Pens in 5.
Philadelphia (7) vs. Boston (6)
I’m going to go Boston but to be honest I just have no real reason why, its just a guess.
and while I am guessing Bruins in 7
Vancouver (3) vs. Chicago (2)
This is the one series that I will be looking most forward too that does not include San Jose. I am pumped for this series. I don’t particularly care for the Canucks I actually picked them to lose against LA but they just seem to have everything clicking. These are pretty evenly matched teams and I have to give to Vancouver the edge in goal.
Canucks in 6
San Jose (1) vs. Detroit (5)
I’m not overly impressed with how the Red Wings played the ‘yotes. I don’t want to take anything away from the ‘Yotes I just didn’t find anything facinating about a veteran playoff team showing up with poise over a team that hadn’t seen the playoffs in a billion years. Our first line has to show up, Nabby has to be sharp but this is it, the road to the cup goes through Detroit and its time to put this final playoff demon to rest. No Excuses, No Surrender, Go Sharks Go!
Sharks in 6
Going to game 1, so if the Sharks lose you know why (I am 0-2 in the playoffs)!
MON-PIT
I want to pick Montreal. They have that Edmonton/Dwayne Roloson thing going on. But I can’t. Sidney Crosby is Derek Jeter on skates. PIT in 6
BOS-PHI
I dunno, Boucher usually maxes out at 5 games for runs of awesomeness. Tuuka Rask is tuu good, BOS in 7.
VAN-CHI
I’ve thought all year that VAN was better than CHI. Better goaltending, better star players, and now their role guys (Bernier) are chipping in. CHI is beat up, and Keith has met his match as he can only cover one Sedin at a time. I think this series actually is the shortest of the round, which is bad for the Sharks. VAN in 5.
SJ-DET
If the best Sharks playoff team in history can’t beat the worst Detroit playoff team in recent memory, friends, there are series problems. Sharks in 6, exercising all last vestiges of Detroit mental superiority with a blowout 5-1 win in the Joe.
Go Ruben! Go to every game!
Montreal (8) vs. Pittsburgh (4)
As much as I can’t stand Crosby because of his whiny ways and the fact that he has had so much good fortune in the last year and (barf) got to raise the Stanley Cup at The Joe (barf again), I just don’t see them losing to the Canadiens. He’s playing great hockey right now. I think Halak will steal a game though. Pens in 6.
Philadelphia (7) vs. Boston (6)
I can’t wait for this series! I love blue collar hockey. I think getting Savard back will be a big boost to the Bruins, but Chris Pronger will again make a difference. Boston in 7.
Vancouver (3) vs. Chicago (2)
So much offense in this series. Too much maybe? The goaltending is weak. I’m taking shotgun on Mike’s bandwagon. Over/under for number of goals in this series: 175. Luongo lays a giant turd in games 5 and 6. Chicago in 6.
–WFISL
Man, you Dudes really did a number with that exorcism. If even I can go to a game and they win, the curse must be lifted!
Damn, and I had a free ticket for you to game 2.
Joe Thornton ice shower on Howard…. Best moment evar’…
Dear Patty Marleau,
Please stay ill.
Sincerely,
A Sharks Fan
Harsh…
I’d rather have him than Ortemeyer or Helminen, even just for the defense and PK. That 4th line was awful tonight, the only sore spot on the Sharks tonight. TMac had no trust in them, and I don’t blame him.
Murray… sheesh. Datsyuk can pwn fast guys like Pavs and Couture, and he makes Murray just look silly. He did step up in the last minute, his board work (like Clowe) is his forte.
All in all, though, an amazing night. Thornton looked good, Pav’s line was great (they need a nickname), Vlasic was solid, and Demers had 2 assists. Looking forward to Game 2!
Oh I’m only kidding about Patty, I would never actually wish for anyone to be “ill”. The Beastie Boys, maybe, but… Anyway, you’re totally right, the fourth line took a night off, so when Patty returns I think it would actually be fair to stick his no-show, recovering ass on the bottom line. He’s been the worst player on the team up to this point and doesn’t deserve to be on the “top” line. Maybe I’m just a not-broke-don’t-fix-it guy but… well, there it is.
And Datsyuk has a tendency to make most defensemen look silly, it’s probably not fair to be too harsh on Murray for being among his latest victims. Vlasic seemed to play well against him though. But yeah, amazing game by the Sharks! One down, three to go.
“Daniel-san kicks Mr. Miyagi in the nuts” … You guys are a friggin riot!