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Canadiens vs. Senators – Who You Takin?
The Stanley Cup playoffs kick off tonight with a Candian-rivalry matchup between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens.
The Montreal Canadiens, who have home ice advantage, will take on the Ottawa Senators in hopes of securing their spot in the second round yet again. With Carey Price in net, and P.K. Subban on the ice along with Max Pacioretty and Brandon Prust, this should be an easy feat for the Canadian team favored by many, but what could keep it from being easy is intimidation. Ottawa’s speed is enough to come as a weakness for Montreal. The Sen’s momentum alongside third-string goaltender Andrew Hammond who came into the season with less than 30 games less, and one of their top scorers, Mark Stone, is enough to make Montreal put up a fight they could potentially lose. On paper and in terms of numbers, Hammond has proved to be a lot better than Price, but this is the playoffs and this is what separates the starters from the third string.
I have a feeling Montreal will sweep Ottawa in six games, or the other way around, either way, it doesn’t seem like it will need to take seven games.
Capitals vs. Islanders – Who You Takin?
The Washington Capitals have a home ice advantage while the New York Islanders will try to secure two wins before they take it back to Nassau Coliseum. Both of these teams just want one thing – the Cup. Alex Ovechkin, who is the NHL-leading goal scorer not just for the league as a whole, but also his team, has been trying to get himself a cup since he entered the League, ok, just kidding, maybe not. The Islanders are trying to win it for the last time at Nassau Coliseum before they make the big move to Brooklyn next season. Both teams are pretty much equal to each other in certain aspects, but when it comes to playoff experience, that is something this Islanders team just does not have, whereas the Caps can come in strong in this area, even though they have barely been able to make it past the semi-finals their last few times they secured a playoff spot. Though Ovechkin can score big and Braden Holtby can make big saves, the Isles have a bunch of fans expecting a cup. I’m not saying I’m taking sides, but sometimes when the adrenaline of making history sets in, it’s pretty hard to be unstoppable.
Just for the sole fact that I think Ovechkin is a hockey player with a unique mind and style on the ice and because I would love to watch the Capitals make it as far as they possibly can. I am going to have to go with Washington on this one. And yes, this series is definitely going to need seven games and probably the most overtimes an NHL playoff series has ever seen before it’s complete.
Will I eat my words at the end of the series, or will I have to fear the Isles potentially taking on the New York Rangers if they pass up the Penguins just like they seem to do almost every time they have a meeting?
Predators vs. Blackhawks – Who You Takin?
The Nashville Predators and the Chicago Blackhawks are two of those teams I didn’t expect to see a matchup with each other in the Stanley Cup playoffs. With Patrick Kane back on the ice for Chicago, it is really hard to tell which team will win the first game, let alone the entire series, but just because Kane is back, doesn’t mean it will do the Blackhawks any good. Kane has been off of the ice since his injury and even though he has had enough time to heal and rest, it doesn’t mean it is exactly going to benefit his team. The Nashville Predators, on the other hand, will start off the series on home ice with goalie Pekka Rinne in net, who has been a huge asset to the team this season, and with him, the Predators could potentially make it to the second round if they want it bad enough, because if you remember from last year, Chicago still has some unfinished business to sort out. After losing to the Los Angeles Kings on home ice during the Western Conference Finals last year, the Blackhawks are hoping to take it to that point again, but first, they need to get through the series.
With will and fight and the resistance to give up, this series could easily go into seven games, possibly with unnecessary overtime where Chicago will advance to the second round.
Flames vs. Canucks – Who You Takin?
This is a matchup I didn’t expect to see. Just like their friends over on the East, the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks are two more Canadian teams that will go up against each other. They both had good enough seasons to help them claim their spots in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Calgary has been mediocre all season, even with even-strength and a negative goal differential, but they wouldn’t have made it to the playoffs if it wasn’t for discipline, drawing a lot more penalties than they actually take. Vancouver however, offers great strength, and their penalty kill was the second-best in the regular season. The Canucks dominance can go a long way and neutralize Calgary, letting their even-strength advantages do the rest of the work for them.
It’s gong to have to be Vancouver on this one and it will definitely last the full seven game time frame given.
