Pittsburgh SportsNation's 1st Round NHL Playoff Predictions
by Mike Drakulich
The 2014 NHL Playoffs have arrived, and this year the brackets are completely different than what we've all grown accustomed to.
Instead of the highest remaining seed facing the lowest, this year the brackets are completely set.
The Boston-Detroit winner will face the Tampa Bay-Montreal winner. The Pittsburgh-Columbus winner will face the NY Rangers-Philadelphia winner. In the West, the Anaheim-Dallas winner will face the San Jose-LA winner and the St. Louis-Chicago winner will take on the Colorado-Minnesota winner.
Boston vs Detroit
Boston clinched the President's Trophy, and their reward was a date with the pesky Red Wings, who last missed the playoffs back in 1990. The Wings won the season series 3-1, but Boston is clearly the better team. Led by Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, and the league's best goalie in Tuukka Rask, the Bruins are the favorites to win it all. Detroit will rely on Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, and an ailing Pavel Datsyuk. It won't be easy, but...Boston in 6.
Tampa Bay vs Montreal
Tampa won the season series 3-0-1, but expect a much closer match-up in this series. Steven Stamkos is a goal scoring stud for the Lightning and can take over a game. Lightning goalie Ben Bishop is a question mark with a wrist injury, and that could spell major trouble for Tampa. The Hab's netminder, Carey Price, coming off a Gold Medal performance in the Olympics, will be a huge factor in how far Montreal goes. Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban need to step up. Sorry, Canada, but...Tampa in 7.
Pittsburgh vs Columbus
The Penguins have owned Columbus like a pet monkey, and the Blue Jacket's Nationwide Arena has served as a 2nd home to Pens fans. The Pens won the season series 5-0. After seeing 500+ man games lost to injury in the Regular Season, Pittsburgh is finally healthy. Unfortunately for Columbus, Nathan Horton is out. Led by Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, and a now healthy Kris Letang, the Penguins are out to prove the doubters wrong. Unless a melt down happens...Pittsburgh in 4.
New York Rangers vs Philadelphia
This series will be a war between two old rivals. Both teams split the season series 2-2. Philadelphia and Claude Giroux both had a rough start to the season, but both persevered and turned their seasons around. The Ranger's Henrik Lundqvist should be the difference in this series. As long as the Rangers avoid stupid penalties they should advance...New York in 7.
The 2014 NHL Playoffs have arrived, and this year the brackets are completely different than what we've all grown accustomed to.
Instead of the highest remaining seed facing the lowest, this year the brackets are completely set.
The Boston-Detroit winner will face the Tampa Bay-Montreal winner. The Pittsburgh-Columbus winner will face the NY Rangers-Philadelphia winner. In the West, the Anaheim-Dallas winner will face the San Jose-LA winner and the St. Louis-Chicago winner will take on the Colorado-Minnesota winner.
Eastern Conference
Boston vs Detroit
Boston clinched the President's Trophy, and their reward was a date with the pesky Red Wings, who last missed the playoffs back in 1990. The Wings won the season series 3-1, but Boston is clearly the better team. Led by Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, and the league's best goalie in Tuukka Rask, the Bruins are the favorites to win it all. Detroit will rely on Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, and an ailing Pavel Datsyuk. It won't be easy, but...Boston in 6.
Tampa Bay vs Montreal
Tampa won the season series 3-0-1, but expect a much closer match-up in this series. Steven Stamkos is a goal scoring stud for the Lightning and can take over a game. Lightning goalie Ben Bishop is a question mark with a wrist injury, and that could spell major trouble for Tampa. The Hab's netminder, Carey Price, coming off a Gold Medal performance in the Olympics, will be a huge factor in how far Montreal goes. Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban need to step up. Sorry, Canada, but...Tampa in 7.
Pittsburgh vs Columbus
The Penguins have owned Columbus like a pet monkey, and the Blue Jacket's Nationwide Arena has served as a 2nd home to Pens fans. The Pens won the season series 5-0. After seeing 500+ man games lost to injury in the Regular Season, Pittsburgh is finally healthy. Unfortunately for Columbus, Nathan Horton is out. Led by Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, and a now healthy Kris Letang, the Penguins are out to prove the doubters wrong. Unless a melt down happens...Pittsburgh in 4.
New York Rangers vs Philadelphia
This series will be a war between two old rivals. Both teams split the season series 2-2. Philadelphia and Claude Giroux both had a rough start to the season, but both persevered and turned their seasons around. The Ranger's Henrik Lundqvist should be the difference in this series. As long as the Rangers avoid stupid penalties they should advance...New York in 7.
Western Conference
Anaheim vs Dallas
Dallas won the season series 2-1. Anaheim isn't an overwhelming team, but they do the little things that win games consistently. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry lead their attack. Tyler Seguin is a special player for Dallas, and he can be a difference maker in crunch time. Kari Lehtonen can steal a game or two, but...Anaheim in 6.
San Jose vs Los Angeles
Joe Pavelski is the main weapon for the Sharks, and he will look to carry his team past a solid defensive team led by Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. The Kings took the season series 3-1-1. This should be one of the most entertaining match-up's of the 1st Round. Another fine year will be wasted by the Sharks as...Kings in 7.
St. Louis vs Chicago
The defending Stanley Cup Champions face off against a powerful Blue's team that stumbled towards the finish. The major factor in this series will be the health of Chicago's Jonathan Toews. With T.J. Oshie and David Backes, the Blues can hang with anybody, but the experience of a champion will be the key difference in what will be the best series in the 1st Round...Chicago in 7.
Colorado vs Minnesota
Led by goalie Semyon Varlamov,Colorado went from the one of the worst teams last season, to 2nd place in the West. Rookie Nathan Mackinnon and Ryan O'Reilly lead the Av's offensive attack. Colorado won the season series 4-0-1. Ryan Suter and Zach Parise were signed to make the Wild a Cup contender, but that hasn't exactly come to fruition yet...Colorado in 6.
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