KoC Playoff Predictions, Round 2

Results of ...

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Round 1:

NYR in 7 vs. OTT – Rangers got it done behind Lunqvist in a game of missed chances on each side.

WSH in 7 vs. BOS  – Holtby out dueled Thomas and Joel Ward recaptures last year’s playoff magic.

NJD in 7 vs. FLA – Back and forth with a close finish as expected, especially double O.T. in game 7.

PHI in 6 vs. PIT – Cheap shots, dirty plays and thuggery.  And that was the Penguins game!

Western Conference Playoffs, Round 1:

LAK in 5 vs VAN – Vancouver sets the bar in underachievement.

STL in 5 vs. SJS – What idiot said SJS’s experience would overcome STL’s excitement?

PHX in 6 vs. CHI – PHX rode Smith and outworked a crumbling CHI squad.

NSH in 5 vs. DET – Rinne had a measly .944 Sv% vs. DET’s offense.

Thoughts ...

Ok, so I went 4 for 8 on who would win and was 0 for 8 on the length of every series.  I enjoyed watching the first round and it was full of surprises and some of the same. Braden Holtby was huge for Washington.  I really wanted the Caps to crash this season because of what’s his name, their Head Coach, but they rallied. I knew the Los Angeles and St. Louis were good, but they really brought it in just 5 games.

I expected Nashville to take a step this year and the Rangers to ride their goaltender, and they did.  Pittsburgh showed their true colors once again and “gooned” it up when things weren’t going so well as expected.  Ken Hitchcock has really made a difference with a young and talented St. Louis team.  The one constant was that the officiating was as terrible as it has been all season long.

How about Dale Talon and his Florida Panthers and Paul MacLean’s Ottawa squad really made a statement in both their respective rebuild and early season coaching change.  As an Islander fan, its interesting to see what can happen with the right moves in management and philosophy to get the most out of what you have.

What more can happen in round 2?  Heres what I think.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Round 2:

NYR in 6 vs. WAS  Lunqvist gets better, Holtby comes back to earth.

PHI in 6 vs. NJD  Physicality will make up for shakey goaltending with some close games.

Western Conference Playoffs, Round 2:

LAK in 7 vs STL  A war between two improving teams with the advantage, Quick.

NSH in 5 vs, PHX  Rinne is the difference and again in this series, Smith is solved in net.

Cartoon by Drew Litton

Playoff Notes:

Per NHL, 16 of the 48 opening-round games (33.3%) required overtime, breaking the mark of 15 set in 2001.

The New Jersey Devils have gone 28 consecutive Playoff games without back-to-back wins, the longest active streak in terms of postseason games.

Per Eric Hornick, Road teams now 29-17 in this year's playoffs. Record for one year is 46 in 1987 and road teams won only 22 in 1st round.

Per Greg Brady, Brian “Trottier's Islanders were 60-18 in playoff games from 1980 thru 1984. Just a staggering statistic.”

*** Look for my perspective on the last year of my KoC blog coming May 4th***