Interesting you like the Preds over the Hawks. That is an upset despite home ice. I hope you are right, I'd like to see the Preds win that series. Kane may be back mid series though, we'll see. I actually hope the Wild win, I really like them. Hope I am wrong about them running out of gas. No doubt the West 1st round is better than the East 1st round though. Wild or Blues or Hawks against the Rangers in the SCF....
I saw a stat that the Hawks went from about 2nd in goals scored per game to 16th after Kane got hurt. They've been having huge problems on O and Vermette hasnt helped at all (good call by dump on that one). Couple that with a Preds team rocking a great blueline (Josi, Weber, Ellis, Jones, Franson) and a goalie playing at a Vezina level before he was hurt, and I think they can pull it off. Even if Kane comes back, that's a horrible injury to come back from and step into the playoffs with.
Need to be careful being the clear favorite this time against Pitt. They'll be playing with a nothing to lose attitude. I expect a win in 5/6 but i'm a little wary too.
I think w Max Pac hurt the Sens beat the Habs in 6. Hamburgler is playing out of his mind and the Habs don't have enough offense.
SERIES C - M1 vs. W2 TIME (ET) vs. NETWORKS Thursday, April 16 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at NY Rangers NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports Saturday, April 18 8 p.m. Pittsburgh at NY Rangers NBC, CBC, TVA Sports Monday, April 20 7 p.m. NY Rangers at Pittsburgh NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports Wednesday, April 22 7 p.m. NY Rangers at Pittsburgh NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports *Friday, April 24 TBD Pittsburgh at NY Rangers TBD *Sunday, April 26 TBD NY Rangers at Pittsburgh TBD *Tuesday, April 28 TBD Pittsburgh at NY Rangers TBD
I kind of feel the same way 71. No doubt we are the better team. No doubt we should win this series without having to really sweat it. But when you have a team like the Pens who are used to being the favs and having big pressure/expectations on them, and now they are big underdogs you never know how they'll react. On the fipside we are the big favs with the pressure on us. That's why I say game 1 is interesting. That is the chance for a Pens reset. If they come out and win that game we have a series. If we beat them, and it is same old Pens we saw down the stretch, I think it will be a very short series. 5 tops.
I don't buy into that stuff. The Pens have played poorly for a long stretch. The Rangers need to jump on them and exploit their weaknesses.
Agreed Mess. Bottom line is no excuses in this one. In theory this is the best matchup we could have gotten. Go out and get it done and don't have it be a long draining series.
Rangers in 4.... The Pens are playing with a nothing to lose attitude? lol What difference does it make what seed they are... they're in .. Pens have enough vets who have played in the playoffs. They;ll be playing just like the Rangers and try to win a series. With that said I think that right now they have the worst team since Crosby's rookie season. Rangers are a much better team this year.
I'd be very surprised if the Pens don't win a game. I'll stay with Rangers in 5. Game 1 is the key to me. That is the one shot the Pens have to show they are for real and have regrouped after their awful finish.
I think Rangers in five. We win first two, Pens win game three due to some favorable calls, we win four and five. Caps in five, MAYBE six. Sens in 7. TB in 6 Anaheim in 6 Nashville in 7 Canucks in 6 St. Louis in 6
I'll give the Pens an extra win and say it goes 6. And i think the Isles regroup and beat the Caps in 7. Maybe i just want a Rangers/Isles series for just out of fascination.
After really taking a look at each teams roster i think the following, As stated earlier, Rangers in 4 Ottawa is dangerous. MTL is missing Pacioretty, OTT is deep (Neil & Michalek out) but young. Its basically Price v. Hammond. I like Ottawa in 7 as an upset Capitals in 7, Tampa in 5, Flames in 6, Predators in 6, Blues in 6, Wild in 7 (this series is going to be awesome , Ducks in 6
