Hockey Thoughts: Quarterfinal Picks

As the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs open tonight, I’m going out on a limb and making my predictions and picking my teams.  “Aren’t those the same thing?” you ask.  No, they are not.  The teams I think are going to win are not necessarily the teams I want to win.  So, there’s my prediction and desire for each series.  Picking who I want to win the first round series is trickier than later rounds because I have to consider each potential team meeting my ultimate choice in the next round, since teams are reseeded after the first round.  Here’s where the heart and head fight—I may really want to see one team advance, but intellectually I know that IF my team had to play them it wouldn’t be good.

Of course my ultimate DESIRE picks are the Caps and the Preds.  However, I don’t think I’d like them meeting in the Finals.  That would be a tough one, of course, but I’d have to root for the Preds (and then watch them fall helplessly to the Caps).  That’s about as unlikely a scenario as Bin Laden showing up to present the Cup to the winning team, so I’m not going to fret over it.

Drum roll please…….

San Jose (1) vs. Colorado (8)

Pick: San Jose

Desire: Colorado

San Jose is clearly superior to Colorado in almost every aspect, and San Jose has something to prove this year.  Colorado barely squeezed in to 8^th place and had a rough go of it late in the season.  Colorado is a good team, for sure, but their limited power will pose no challenge whatsoever for the virtually unending talent of the San Jose Sharks.  I wouldn’t be surprised if this series is a sweep, or if not, wrapped up in five games.  Of course I hate San Jose because they are San Jose, so I’d love to see Colorado pull an upset.  If the Preds advanced, I’d also prefer to meet Colorado as opposed to San Jose.  Wanting Colorado to win is just about as obvious an answer as knowing San Jose will win.

Chicago (2) vs. Nashville (7)

Pick: Nashville

Desire: Nashville

As to why I desire Nashville to win, well duh.  As to why I’ve picked them?  If any team is going to pull an upset in the first round it’s going to be Nashville.  And I just have a feeling this year may be the year we go to Round Two.  I know, I know……but that’s my answer and I’m sticking to it!

Vancouver (3) vs. Los Angeles (6) 

Pick: Los Angeles

Desire: Los Angeles

I just don’t like Vancouver.  I don’t like Roberto Luongo.  He already got a gold medal this year, he can go home happy.  I also don’t like the Sedin brothers.  I also have a big issue with what a major asshole Darcy Hordichuck has become since he went to Vancouver.  And who can forget the Dumont-Burrows-Arnott incident from last season?  Yeah…Vancouver blows.  I also think that if any other team besides Nashville is poised for an upset it’s L.A.  They’ve been weak going into the post-season but they have a team of Playoff virgins and I think the pressure is less for them to start with, and then add on their inexperience and you might just be surprised.  I’d also prefer to face L.A. to Vancouver in the Second Round.  Their goalie needs to get his shit together, though.  Big time.

Phoenix (4) vs. Detroit (5)

Pick: Detroit

Desire: Phoenix

Unfortunately, I think the Red Wings are going to end Phoenix’s miracle season in short order.  I’m afraid they will mop the floor with them in a very embarrassing way.  Regardless of how the season went, Detroit is back and healthy and went flying into the postseason hotter than anyone.  Add in their insane amount of playoff experience and the fact that Detroit ALWAYS seems to crank it up in the postseason, I think Phoenix will be sent home howling like that sound clip they play after they score a goal at Jobing.com Arena.  Of course I want Phoenix to win.  Part of me wants to think they have a snowball’s chance.  Then I remember the Evil Empire that is the Dead Things and I give up all hope.  I want Phoenix to win for three reasons.  (1) I’d rather play them in the Second Round than Detroit; (2) They aren’t Detroit and (3) Out of all the options in the Western Conference I’d like Phoenix to go all the way, if Nashville isn’t.  Phoenix had a shitty year off the ice, kind of like the Preds last year.  That jackass from Blackberry tried to steal their team, too.  I feel a kinship with them due to that situation and what a Cinderella Story that would be.

Washington (1) vs. Montreal (8)

Pick: Washington

Desire: Washington

Kind of like the Preds, it’s a duh and duh situation here.  I’ve already explained why I think the Caps will knock out the Habs, so I’ll keep this section short and sweet. 

New Jersey (2) vs. Philadelphia (7)

Pick: New Jersey

Desire: Philadelphia

Kind of like the Caps, I think the Devils have had a milestone year and are riding a wave of good feelings into the First Round.  I’d like to see Philadelphia win because I call them the “Used to be Preds” since they have so many of our good players from a few years ago and it wasn't the players' fault that they went there (unlike that ungrateful piece of shit Karyia leaving us for St. Louis--good luck in the Playoffs this year Paul!).  But, intellectually, I don’t like them as a match-up against the Caps in the Second Round, but I don’t feel comfortable with the Devils in that regard either.  At least Philly has terrible goal tending, so the Caps would be able to execute their standard offensive onslaught without much interruption.  No such luck against Brodeur.  So, heart and head disagree but heart wins out and I’m going with Philly.

Buffalo (3) vs. Boston (6)

Pick: Buffalo

Desire: Boston

Despite the Caps disturbingly shitty performance against Boston last Sunday, I think they would be a better match-up for the Caps than Buffalo.  Again, I’m picking based on the confidence of the goaltender, and if Boston goes with Rask, he’s gonna crack.  Tim Thomas is done anyway.  Boston’s toast.  Besides, I just generally like the city of Boston.  New Jersey has sucky roads that are expensive to drive on and it stinks.  Miller, on the other hand, is going to have something to prove like San Jose and I expect him to pull Buffalo through the First Round.  I don’t like the idea of the Caps facing a red-hot Ryan Miller, though, so I hope he has Olympic flashbacks and breaks down hard core.  Plus Buffalo fans are so damned rude.

Pittsburgh (4) vs. Ottawa (5)

Pick: Ottawa

Desire: Ottawa

DUH DUH DUH.  I’m not even going to waste time explaining why I desire Ottawa.  As to why I pick them, I think they are going in with purpose and confidence, and I think the Pens are going in with a cocky swagger despite coming in 4^th.  They have all the pressure to defend the Cup, so heap that shit on and let it break their backs.  Goal tending situation isn't strong.  Cryby scores 20% of the team’s goals and you better believe Ottawa knows that.  As the old adage goes, “Defense wins Stanley Cups,” so I think Ottawa will shut Cindy down and the Pens will be SOL, or SOG as it may be (shit out of goals).  Malkin isn’t 100% healthy, so he has no one to help him out.  Man, I would love to see them taken out in the First Round but I’d also love a Caps vs. Pens match-up in a later round.  Except maybe not.  The opportunity to vindicate directly is appealing, but the best vindication would be to just win the Cup, period.  I think there may be too much of a mental block playing the Pens in the Playoffs, despite sweeping the regular season series.  So, Ottawa, have at ‘em!