The 2nd Annual Playoff Prediction Game - Make Your Picks

The official rules:

Prior to the commencement of the first round of the playoffs, pick a winner for each series AND the number of games the series will go.

You receive one point for predicting the series winner and a bonus point if you predict the correct number of games it took the conquerer (i.e. a maximum of 2 points awarded per series). For shear entertainment value (and mockery for being wrong) please add 1 or 2 sentences after each series explaining your pick. Please do not write "War and Peace", 1 or 2 sentences will do.

The game will continue through each round of the playoffs and a winner will be crowned after either:

1) The Stanley Cup Final

or

2) whenever the leader is mathematically unable to be caught.

The winner will receive.......well..... bragging rights I suppose.

Entries must be timestamped by Wednesday, April 15th @ 19:29 ET to be valid.

I will lead it off below with my predictions as an example.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens

Boston in 6. Too much trap, too much defense, Habs still in semi-disarray

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers

Caps in 6, This is a decent matchup for the Rangers in that you can actually score on Washington. In the end, I think there will be too much offense for the Rangers. Does everyone know that goalie equipment will be reduced in size next year? :sarcasm:

#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

Devils in 7. This is a 50:50 series IMO. Ward is the only series threat that bothers me, because he wins games by himself. If Brodeur matches him, I think the Devils advance in a nail-biter.

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5Philadelphia Flyers

Penguins in 6. At some point, at a key moment in the series, the "Crosby Forcefield" will rear it's ugly head and hurt the Floppers.


WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks

San Jose in 5. I'm not sold on the Ducks and I'm not sold on Giggy, and I think this is an awful matchup for the not-so Mighty Ducks.

#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets

Wings in 6. The BJ's are my Western adopt-a-team, and I'm sad to see they slipped out of #6 and drew this nightmare. Can Mason and Nash win a series? IMO, the BJ's have too many young kids with very little Stanley Cup experience.

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues

Blues in 6. My upset special. Just a feeling on this one. Dont make me look bad, Backes, I'm counting on you.

#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames

Calgary in 6. I think they'll pull it together at the right time and the deadline acquisitions will be the deciding factor.

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 5
(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 5
(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in 7
(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Philadelphia in 7

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 6
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in 6
(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 6
(5) Calgary over (4) Chicago in 6

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 4
(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 5
(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in 6
(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Philadelphia in 7

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 5
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in 7
(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 6
(4) Chicago over (5) Vancouver in 6

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens
Boston in 6. This series is going to be awesome to watch. The game the other day was bonkers, and it's only going to get bloodier in the playoffs. Muahahahaha.

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers

Caps in 5, Rangers take the second game at the Garden.

#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

Devils in 6. Each team wins two at home to start, then we take the final two.

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5
Philadelphia Flyers

Penguins in 7. Brutal series for both teams.


WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks

San Jose in 7. I think the Ducks will give the Sharks a nice moustache ride before bowing out.

#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets

Wings in 4. This is a slaughterfest waiting to happen.

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues

Blues in 6. I agree with BG that the Blues are going to take this one.

#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames

Calgary in 7. I'm rooting for the Hawks, but I think the Flames take this one.

East

Boston over Montreal in 5
Washington over NY in 6
NJ over Carolina in 6
Pitt over Philly in 7

West

SJ over Anaheim in 6
Detroit over CBJ in 5
St Louis over Van in 7
Chicago over Calgary in 6

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 6
Bastin is just a deeper team..

(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 6
Rangers are playing a lot better, could go 7.

(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in 7
50:50 - will be won on the special teams.

(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Philadelphia in 7
Battle of PA. Philly is much more physical, but Bettman will prevail! MAF will outplay Beer-on.

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 7
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in 5
(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 5
(5) Calgary over (4) Chicago in 7

I don't know much about the West..

East

Boston over Montreal in 4
Washington over NY in 6
NJ over Carolina in 7
Pitt over Philly in 7

West

SJ over Anaheim in 5
Detroit over CBJ in 7
St Louis over Van in 7
Chicago over Calgary in 6

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens

Boston in 5. The Bruins are just too deep. The Habs are banged up on the back end. Carey Price has to be heroic in order for Montreal to have a chance. The Bruins finally end the "Curse of Les Habitant."

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers

Washington in 7. The Rangers are very confident, taking 2 straight against the Flyers. This series will be tight with the Caps offense coming through in Game 7 of an epic series.

#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

New Jersey in 6. 2 of the 3 Hurricanes wins against the Devils this season were "gifts", so to speak. They got the Devils one night after Marty's historic win...then got them one night after an OT game in Chicago. The season series is not as lopsided as it looks on paper.

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers

Pittsburgh in 6. A team in the Flyers that can be very undisciplined. Philadelphia will be in the box too much and will pay for it. Home ice advantage to Pittsburgh doesn't help, either.

#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim in 6. My upset special. Solely a gut feeling. Perry's antics in their last regular season matchup will have the Sharks blood boiling. Their focus will be off. Pronger and Niedermayer are spectacular in containing San Jose's top 2 lines.

#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets

Detroit in 4. Columbus has given Detroit fits this season. However, the playoffs are a much different game. Osgood does what he has to do...Mason plays spectacular but it's not enough. Detroit's team defense will shut down Rick Nash.

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues

Vancouver in 5. The Blues only hope is if their powerplay scores 2+ goals a game. The Canucks have a good penalty kill unit. If it falters, Luongo will be there. I feel Vancouver is set to make a deep run this year. They won't have any problems with St. Louis.

#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames

Chicago in 7. A dandy series. Both Khabibulin and Kiprusoff will make this one of the best goaltending duals in quite some time. Chicago is a very confident team and playing well. I don't like the vibe coming from Calgary. Regardless, this will be a great series.

East:
Boston over Montreal in 6 - Boston much better than Habs, but emotion keeps this one close
Washington over New York in 5 - Too much Washington firepower.
Pittsburgh over Philadelphia in 6 - Pitt is rising, Philly is falling, has shaky goaltending
*refuse to pick NJ/CAR

West:
San Jose over Anaheim in 7 - San Jose almost chokes it away against very capable 8 seed.
Detroit over Columbus in 5 - Jackets have slumped. Wings are too talented.
St. Louis over Vancouver in 7 - St. Loo on a roll. Nice mix of grit and skill. Luongo yecch.
Chicago over Calgary in 6 - Calgary too banged up to take advantage of inexperienced Hawks squad

EAST

Boston (1) vs. (8) Montreal - Boston in 6 - Whoever wins this will have a chunk taken out of them for their troubles. I expect Montreal to play "above" themselves, but in the end the blend of depth, physicality, experience, and the Chara-factor will be too much for a Markov-less Habs team to handle.


Washington (2) vs. (7) NY Rangers - Washington in 6 - The Caps went 3-0-1 against the Rags this year, but I do think that they face a tough task. The Blueshirts penalty kill will need to be stellar. A certain Mexican needs to have a good series against a defense that is far from excellent, and more importantly, his linemates need to capitalize (no pun intended) on their chances. A lot hinges on which version of Theodore shows up - the world class one or the journeyman goalie one.


New Jersey (3) vs. (6) Carolina - New Jersey in 6 - Just f'ing win.


Pittsburgh (4) vs. (5) Philadelphia - Philadelphia in 7 - This should be a tremendous series. The Pens are no longer the helicopters (as in, they now have wings). Not much travel involved for the teams, so it will be interesting to see what the crowds are like in the two buildings.





WEST

San Jose (1) vs. (8) Anaheim - Anaheim in 6 - Big Joe has been better in the playoffs recently, and he has the supporting cast to take some of the pressure off of him. However, I think the Ducks will take this, with Pronger and Niedermayer playing a huge part.


Detroit (2) vs. (7) Columbus - Columbus in 6 - Neither team has been particularly good lately. Manny Malhotra and Antoine Vermette will be overlooked heroes in this series, winning 60% of the faceoffs they take. The goaltending situations couldn't be more different - the Wings with two lackluster goalies benefiting from their great team, and the BJ's with a star goalie often keeping his team alive. That said, it will be Mason's first playoff run. If the pressure gets to him, it may be a very very short series.


Vancouver (3) vs. (6) St. Louis - St. Louis in 5 - St. Louis has been playing with playoff intensity and effort for most of the season, even if the results weren't always there. 8-1-1 going into the playoffs, with a 1-0 shutout win to end the season... They're rolling and I would absolutely not want to play them right now. If there's one team of the 8 in the West that I think can get really rattled and hit a major funk, it is the Canucks.

Calgary (4) vs. (5) Chicago - Calgary in 6 - This is the hardest one for me to pick. When Calgary is on (which means that Kipper is on) they are a deadly team. When they're not, they look pretty awful. I don't know how well Chicago is built for the playoffs though.

East

Boston over Montreal in 5
Washington over NY in 5
NJ over Carolina in 6
Pitt over Philly in 7

West

SJ over Anaheim in 5
Detroit over CBJ in 7
St Louis over Van in 7
Chicago over Calgary in 6

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 4
(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 7
(3) New Jersey and (6) Carolina - No comment :p:
(5) Philadelphia over (4) Pittsburgh in 6

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 4
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in 6
(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 6
(5) Calgary over (4) Chicago in 5

EAST

(1/8) Bahston over Montreal in 5 - Montreal lacks cohesive defense and consistency, Price sucks, Boston's is well-rounded and can smother the **** out of their scoring.

(2/7) Raggots over Washington in 6 - It's not that NY is the better team, but for some reason I see them pulling it together for this one. Also, I think it's the best potential upset in the East. Factor: Jose Theodore.

(3/6) Carolina over New Jersey in 6 - We lack speed, intensity, our PP is our best PK and our PK is the other teams best PP, it throws off the balance. We'll split the first two and it's all down hill from there.

(4/5) Pittsburgh over Filthy in 6 - I think Philly could extend it to 7 but they're been really up and down lately while Pitt has rolled, I'm going with sheer momentum here.

WEST

(1/8) San Jose over Anaheim in 5 - San Jose is just too well-rounded and too good, Anaheim is pretty lucky to have even made the playoffs.

(2/7) Detroit over Columbus in 5 - I really wanted to pick Columbus, but they've been inconsistent lately and Detroit doesn't really need to rely on goaltending to win a series, they're experienced, high-powered and know how to crush a teams scoring in the playoffs. 5 Wings in front of their own net at all times.

(3/6) St. Louis over Vancouver in 7 - I have a feeling this is going to be a really tough series on both teams, but I feel like the speed, grit and hard work of StL will wear down Vancouver and let them squeak out with the win in a 7th game.

(4/5) Chicago over Calgary in 5 - Chicago absolutely steamrolled the Flames during the regular season in 3 out of 4 games and it looks like the long-season and workload has really worn on Kipper. Chicago's building will probably register on the Richter scale when they score.

EAST

(1) Boston vs. (8) Montreal
Broons in 5. Habs will probably pick up a dub at home.

(2) Washington vs. (7) NY Rangers
Warshington in 6. Caps have pwned the Rags this season, but they haven't faced the post deadline Raggots yet.

(3) New Jersey vs. (6) Carolina
Devils in 6. The series of peaks and valleys. Carolina has peaked and is on their way down, Devils are climbing out the valley. Ward will be Brodeured this series after playing 512 of his last 511 games.

(4) Pittsburgh vs. (5) Philadelphia
****tsburgh in 5. It doesn't matter how tough Philly plays, all the Pens have to do is exploit their biggest weakness...Biron. I think they can do it.

WEST

(1) San Jose vs. (8) Anaheim
San Jose in 7. Anaheim's D gives me a raging clue...throw in the fact that Beauchemin could be back and I'm in a very sticky situation. They're lacking in the forward department though.

(2) Detroit vs. (7) Columbus
Columbus in 6. Mason will be hot, Osgood will not, Conklin is meh. Brassard is having his shoulder examined by a doctor on Wednesday. Columbus will trap the Wings to death.

(3) Vancouver vs. (6) St. Louis
Vancouver in 5. Burrows - Sedin - Sedin.

(5) Calgary vs. (4) Chicago
Chicago in 5. The Hawks have been quietly tearing it up toward the end. Calgary has just been too inconsistent.

(1) Boston vs. (8) Montreal
Boston in 6 - Montreal can't compete with Boston's talent.

(2) Washington vs. (7) NY Rangers
Washington in 5 - See above.

(3) New Jersey vs. (6) Carolina
New Jersey in 5 - Call it a hunch.

(4) Philadelphia vs. (5) Pittsburgh
Philadelphia in 7 - Pittsburgh has played well, but the Flyers are the better hockey team.


(1) San Jose vs. (8) Anaheim
San Jose in 5 - See Boston/Montreal and Washington/Rangers.

(2) Detroit vs. (7) Columbus
Columbus in 6 - Call it a hunch.

(3) Vancouver vs. (6) St. Louis
St. Louis in 7 - St. Louis is going to surprise teams with how solid of a hockey club they are.

(4) Chicago vs. (5) Calgary
Chicago in 6 - See Boston/Montreal, Washington/Rangers, and San Jose/Anaheim.

(1) Boston vs. (8) Montreal | Boston in 6
(2) Washington vs. (7) NY Rangers | Washington in 5
(3) New Jersey vs. (6) Carolina | New Jersey in 5
(4) Philadelphia vs. (5) Pittsburgh | Philadelphia in 7


(1) San Jose vs. (8) Anaheim | San Jose in 5
(2) Detroit vs. (7) Columbus | Columbus in 6
(3) Vancouver vs. (6) St. Louis | St. Louis in 7
(4) Chicago vs. (5) Calgary | Chicago in 6


Is a limit of one post per week a condition of your parole?

Is a limit of one post per week a condition of your parole?
Parole, hah. Actually, you people were stressing me out and I needed a break, so I took one. My actual life (you know, the one that doesn't take place inside of a non-dimensional electronic space) has been rather interesting of late too, so I've been distracted.

Parole, hah. Actually, you people were stressing me out and I needed a break, so I took one. My actual life (you know, the one that doesn't take place inside of a non-dimensional electronic space) has been rather interesting of late too, so I've been distracted.

No...I don't know.

(1) Boston vs. (8) Montreal
Boston In 5

(2) Washington vs. (7) NY Rangers
Washington in 6

(3) New Jersey vs. (6) Carolina
New Jersey in 5

(4) Philadelphia vs. (5) Pittsburgh
Pitt in 6


(1) San Jose vs. (8) Anaheim
San Jose in 6

(2) Detroit vs. (7) Columbus
Det in 6

(3) Vancouver vs. (6) St. Louis
St. Louis in 7

(4) Chicago vs. (5) Calgary
Chicago in 6

East

Boston vs. Montreal - Boston in 6
The rivalry will extend this series to 6 games.
Washington vs. New York - Washington in 6
New York should be able to snatch two wins at home before being eliminated.
New Jersey vs. Carolina - New Jersey in 6
The experience of the Devils' players will help them eliminate Carolina in 6 games.
Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia - Philadelphia in 7
Tight series. Philadelphia will prevail because of their depth at forward.

West

San Jose vs. Anaheim - San Jose in 6
The California rivalry will prolong Anaheim's life in this series, but they will fall ultimately.
Detroit vs. Columbus' - Detroit in 7
Columbus good defense will send the series to 7 games but Detroit will win in the end.
Vancouver vs. St. Louis - Vancouver in 5
Luongo will help his team shut down St. Louis in 5 games.
Chicago vs. Calgary - Chicago in 6
Chicago will benefit from home-ice advantage. Flames will not last 7 games.

EAST:

- 1. Boston vs 8. Montreal: Bruins in 5
Game 1: Bruins win 6-4
Game 2: Bruins win 3-2 F/OT
Game 3: Canadiens win 4-1
Game 4: Bruins win 5-1
Game 5: Bruins win 3-0

- 2. Washington vs 7. NY Rangers: Capitals in 6
Game 1: Capitals win 5-3
Game 2: Capitals win 4-1
Game 3: Rangers win 2-1 F/OT
Game 4: Rangers win 3-2
Game 5: Capitals win 4-2
Game 6: Capitals win 3-1

- 3. New Jersey vs 6. Carolina: Devils in 6
Game 1: Devils win 3-1
Game 2: Hurricanes win 4-3
Game 3: Hurricanes win 3-2 F/2OT
Game 4: Devils win 5-4 F/OT
Game 5. Devils win 3-0
Game 6: Devils win 4-2

- 4. Pittsburgh vs 5. Philadelphia: Flyers in 7
Game 1: Penguins wins 4-3
Game 2: Flyers win 4-3
Game 3: Flyers win 5-2
Game 4: Penguins win 6-1
Game 5: Penguins win 4-2
Game 6: Flyers win 5-2
Game 7: Flyers win 3-2 F/OT

WEST:

- 1. San Jose vs 8. Anaheim: Sharks in 7
Game 1: Ducks wins 3-1
Game 2: Sharks win 4-0
Game 3: Sharks win 3-0
Game 4: Ducks win 6-4
Game 5: Sharks win 6-2
Game 6: Ducks win 2-1
Game 7: Sharks win 4-1

- 2. Detroit vs 7. Columbus: Red Wings in 5
Game 1: Red Wings win 4-1
Game 2: Red Wings win 5-4
Game 3: Red Wings win 4-2
Game 4: Blue Jackets win 4-0
Game 5: Red Wings win 5-3

- 3. Vancouver vs 6. St. Louis: Canucks in 5
Game 1: Blues win 4-3
Game 2: Canucks win 2-1
Game 3: Canucks win 3-0
Game 4: Canucks win 4-1
Game 5: Canucks win 6-4

- 4. Chicago vs 5. Calgary: Blackhawks in 7
Game 1: Blackhawks win 3-2 F/OT
Game 2: Flames win 2-1
Game 3: Flames win 3-1
Game 4: Blackhawks win 5-4 F/3OT
Game 5: Blackhawks win 3-2
Game 6: Flames win 7-1
Game 7: Blackhawks win 5-2

Do I get extra point for predicting the game right?:D

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 6

Boston should crush them, but I think the Habs can pull a couple of games out. I'd feel more comfortable starting Halak if I were Montreal though.

(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 6

Rangers will still release a 2 disk DVD commemorating their pair of 2009 Stanley Cup Playoff wins.

(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in 5

Games will be close, but I they Devils take two at home, lose game 3 but bounce back to finish them off in 5.

(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Philadelphia in 7

Probably would've picked Philly if they had home ice.

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 5

I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a SJ-Det Western Conference Final.

(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in 5

Mason might be able to steal a game or two, but I still think the BJ's will be overmatched.

(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 7

I'll be rooting hard for the Blues, but I see them falling a bit short.

(5) Calgary over (4) Chicago 6

Just felt the need to finally pick an upset.

**** HFBoards. I just typed up a long, detailed post, then got a database error and it lost the whole thing. So screw that, here's the short version.

Boston in 5.
Washington in 6.
I don't predict Devils series.
Pittsburgh in 7.

San Jose in 6.
Columbus in 6.
St. Louis in 6.
Chicago in 7.

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 4
(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 6
(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in 6
(5) Philadelphia over (4) Pittsburgh in 6

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 6
(7) Columbus over (2) Detroit in 7
(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 6
(4) Chicago over (5) Calgary in 6

Boston is a very strong team, and they've maintained their level of play despite having nothing to play for.
Washington is much stronger than the Rangers but they have a shaky goalie.
The Devils completely outclass Carolina despite being in a bit of a funk right now.
I think Philly is better than Pitts, and I don't think the Crosby Halo makes up the difference.

Anaheim has a chance at an upset, but I think the Sharks prevail.
Columbus over Detroit is my big upset. I just don't like how Detroit is playing right now, and it's Mason vs. Osgood.
Don't really know Vancouver or St. Louis that well...
I think Chicago has an excellent team and will absolutely dispose of Calgary.

1. Boston in 6
2. Washington in 5
3. Devils in 5
4. Pens in 5

1. SJ in 4
2. Detroit in 5
3. Blues in 7
4. Blackhawks in 5
______________________

1. Boston over Montreal in 6. Montreal is a pretty bad team and has really shown nothing impressive. Boston doesn't seem like the great #1 team just like Montreal last year but they'll get it done. It'll take 6 games because Montreal will do well at home and because its a rivalry these things seem to last more then 4-5 games.

2. Pretty simple. Washington's offense will just purely destroy the Rangers. The rangers have a terrible offense, and exploiting WAS's goal tending wont do anything when the most they can probably pot in is 2-3 goals. Just like montreal, the rangers are not a impressive team at all.

3. The reason behind this choice was because I think the Devils will find themselves in the playoffs. They've been anticipating the playoffs for a while and although the canes have been a pain to the Devils this year they will pull it through quite easily. Brodeur will play great, and our offense will light them up which is why I said we'd do it in 5 games.

4. Seems a little shocking to say Pens in 5 but I think the Penguins will do the same thing they did to the Flyers last year. Also, the Pens are great on home ice and it was terrible for the Flyers to lose that last regular season game.
_______________________-
1. SJ in 4 just because I really am not impressed by the Ducks at all. People are saying that this series can go either way but I don't feel this at all. Yeah, SJ chokes but not in the first round and especially not with this team.

2. People love Columbus but Detroit will prove superior. All Columbus really has is goaltending, which really is not enough against the Red Wings.

3. This was a hard pick because I believe this series could really go either way. I think it will go to 7 games because both teams are very similar. Don't really have much of a reason to pick out the Blues, but I just had a better feeling that they would win in a game 7 situation.

4. The Blackhawks are amazing and will simply dominate the slumping flames. After losing the divison title I think Calgary has just gone totally down the drain recently and won't have much of a chance.

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 5
(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 6
(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in 6
(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Philadelphia in 6

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 6
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in 5
(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 6
(4) Chicago over (5) Calgary in 7

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 6
(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 4
(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in 7
(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Philadelphia in 7

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 5
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in 6
(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 5
(4) Chicago over (5) Calgary in 5

East:

Boston over Montreal 5 games
Washington over NY 6 games
Devils over Carolina 7 games
Philadelphia over Pitt 6 games

West:

San Jose over Anaheim 7 games
Columbus over Detroit 6 games
Vancouver over St. Louis 6 games
Calgary over Chicago 5 games

EAST

Boston Bruins in 5 games
Washington Capitals in 6 games
New Jersey Devils in 6 games
Pittsburgh Penguins in 7 games

WEST

San Jose in 6 games
Detroit in 7 games
Vancouver in 6 games
Chicago in 5 games

East:

Boston over Montreal 5 games
Washington over NY 6 games
Devils over Carolina 7 games
Philadelphia over Pitt 6 games

West:

San Jose over Anaheim 7 games
Columbus over Detroit 6 games
Vancouver over St. Louis 6 games
Calgary over Chicago 5 games

Why don't you go ahead and precict the score from each game of each series :laugh:

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 5
(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 6
(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in 6
(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Philadelphia in 7

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 6
(2) Detroit loses to (7) Columbus in 7
(3) Vancouver loses to (6) St. Louis in 6
(4) Chicago over (5) Calgary in 5

(1) MTL @ BOS - Bruins in 6.
(2) NYR @ WSH - Capitals in 5.
(3) CAR @ NJD - Devils in 6.
(4) PHI @ PIT - Flyers in 7.

(5) ANA @ SJ - Sharks in 6.
(6) CBJ @ DET - Red Wings in 5.
(7) STL @ VAN - Blues in 6.
(8) CGY @ CHI - Blackhawks in 5.

Why don't you go ahead and precict the score from each game of each series :laugh:

let me just say highest scoring first round of all time.:nod:

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 6
Montreal wins a couple due to 100th Season hoopla. But the Bruins D is just too much for them to win the series.
(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 5
Washington is a fast, aggressive team and makes quick work of the Rangers. Washington will convert a lot of power plays.
(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in 5
Repressed anger against Carolina builds. Devils and especially Brodeur get streaky right off the bat.
(5) Philadelphia over (4) Pittsburgh in 6
The ref's will be accused of trying to swing the game to Pittsburgh, but Philly is just too physical and will take a lot of bad penalties. A shorty or two will swing this series to Philly anyway.

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 6
Anaheim has experience here, but the Sharks are just too good a team to lose the series.
(7) Columbus over (2) Detroit in 7
The only first round 7-game series, Columbus will be carried by their fans to win the series. They're already played well against the Red Wings this year.
(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 4
Vancouver looks good in this short series, largely in part to timely goaltending and the fact that Sundin finally has playoff hopes.
(5) Calgary over (4) Chicago in 6
Chicago is a little too young I think to make this team dangerous just yet. Another year or three and this team can become a force.

East
(1) Boston vs. (8) Montreal --> Bruins in 6
(2) Washington vs. (7) NY Rangers --> Capitals in 5
(3) New Jersey vs. (6) Carolina --> Devils in 6
(4) Pittsburgh vs. (5) Philadelphia --> Penguins in 7

West
(1) San Jose vs. (8) Anaheim --> Sharks in 6
(2) Detroit vs. (7) Columbus --> Jackets in 6
(3) Vancouver vs. (6) St. Louis --> Blues in 7
(4) Chicago vs. (5) Calgary --> Hawks in 6

EAST
(1,8) MTL-BOS -> Bruins in 5.
(2,7) NYR-WSH -> Capitals in 6.
(3,6) CAR-NJD -> Devils in 5.
(4,5) PHI-PIT -> Flyers in 7.

WEST
(1,8) ANA-SJ -> Ducks in 7.
(2,7) CBJ-DET -> Columbus in 6.
(3,6) STL-VAN -> Vancouver in 4.
(4,5) CGY-CHI -> Calgary in 5.

East

Boston (1) over Montreal (8) in 4

It is hard to imagine the Habs getting anything from the Bruins without their franchise player Markov in their lineup. Also they are lacking secondary scoring, while the Bruins can fire with all barrels.

NY Rangers (7) over Washington (2) in 6

Swimming upstream here. With all the firepower and finesse the Caps have, they don´t have the experience that the Rangers have. It might be a series with the tiniest margins, if the Rangers achieve their shutdown game. Lundqvist alone, as much as we hate him, is able to steal a couple of games. And therefore the Rangers do have their shot if they can keep the score low and frustrate the talented, but yet inexperienced Capitals. But I´d be more than glad to be wrong on this one...

Devils (3) over Carolina (6) in 6

The key is that can the Devils shut down the Canes´ powerplay. It is the watershed of this series. The Devils have their experience and depth in advantage. The Canes have their pp plus their blueline that equalises the handicap in scoring department.

Philadelphia (4) over Pittsburgh (5) in 7

Malkin and Crosby will win games for the Penguins. But will their effort be enough? The Flyers have more firepower and their style is better suited for playoff battles. However this prediction to come true doesn´t allow a meltdown on behalf of Flyers´ goalies.

West

San Jose (1) over Anaheim (8) in 5

The Ducks are nowhere near the team they were the past few seasons. And no more Choke Snowthon.

Detroit (2) over (7) Columbus in 6

It is hard to see the Blue Jackets advancing from this pair. The Wings just have too much of a quality team. Yet, the Columbus will not sell their scalp easily. They will win one or two matchups.

St. Louis (6) over Vancouver (3) in 7

St. Louis is playing with a lot of confidence right now. However, they will meet the tight-defending Canucks and Luongo. I had to toss a coin to make up my mind.

Chicago (5) over Calgary (4) in 6

Chicago is pretty much like the Caps in the East. Their prime is not just yet. However, they will advance to the second round, but the Flames´ playoff experience and better goaltending will neutralise the difference. The Hawks can take the driver´s seat right away, since the Flames´ blueline is suffering of injuries. Kipper alone won´t be able to win the series.

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in six.
(2) Washington over (7) New York in six.
(3) New Jersey over (6) Carolina in six.
(5) Philadelphia over (4) Pittsburgh in seven.

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in five.
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in six.
(6) St. Louis over (3) Vancouver in six.
(4) Chicago over (5) Calgary in seven.

Go Devils!

EAST

(1) Boston over (8) Montreal in 5
(2) Washington over (7) NY Rangers in 6
(3) New Jersey/(6) Carolina - This board's confident, eh? :) I can't pick this.
(5)Philadelphia over (4)Pittsburgh in 7

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 5
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in 6
(3) Vancouver over (6) St. Louis in 6
(5) Calgary over (4) Chicago in 5

1) Boston vs. (8) Montreal
Boston In 5..Just the better team

(2) Washington vs. (7) NY Rangers
Washington in 6..boston would have been better for the Rags...can't score enough to keep up

(3) New Jersey vs. (6) Carolina
New Jersey in 7...I actually like the cane to win the east if they get thru this series

(4) Philadelphia vs. (5) Pittsburgh
Pitt in 6....too much speed but which ever crappy Goalie plays better wins the Series

(1) San Jose vs. (8) Anaheim
San Jose in 5..Too much speed and talent

(2) Detroit vs. (7) Columbus
Columbus is 6...Mason steals the series

(3) Vancouver vs. (6) St. Louis
St. Louis in 6...See above

(4) Chicago vs. (5) Calgary
Chicago in 6

Um, wouldnt this be easier:

NHL.com Playoff Bracket (http://playoffchallenge.nhl.com/#?intcmpid=nhl.com-challengerr&navid=DL|NHL|Home)

Um, wouldnt this be easier:

NHL.com Playoff Bracket (http://playoffchallenge.nhl.com/#?intcmpid=nhl.com-challengerr&navid=DL|NHL|Home)

You have to be 18 for that :cry:

Um, wouldnt this be easier:

NHL.com Playoff Bracket (http://playoffchallenge.nhl.com/#?intcmpid=nhl.com-challengerr&navid=DL|NHL|Home)

its more fun like this.

*BUMP*

Seven hours left to get our predictions in if you're playing

I'll do my explanations later

EAST
(1) Boston in 5 over (8) Montreal
(2) Washington in 6 over (7) NY Rangers
(3) New Jersey in 6 over (6) Carolina
(4) Philly over (5) Pitt in 7

WEST

(1) San Jose over (8) Anaheim in 5
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus in 4
(3) St.Louis over (6) Van in 7
(5) Chicago over (4) Calgary in 6

San Jose over Anaheim in 7
Detroit over Columbus in 6
Vancouver over St. Louis in 4
Chicago over Calgary in 5

Boston over Montreal in 5
Washington over Rangers in 6
New Jersey over Carolina in 5
Philadelphia over Pittsburgh in 7

----------------- Round 1 Entries Locked ----------------


Where's our scoring update? :sarcasm:

----------------- Round 1 Entries Locked ----------------


Where's our scoring update? :sarcasm:

Very funny.

Actually, it wouldnt be difficult to do an intraround update, because I'm such a dork I'm keeping it in excel.

Well, did anyone else predict the first round sweep the Canucks had over the Blues?

It doesn't look like I will have the right number of games played in any other series, but oh well.

Looks like 3 points for me. :)

Oh I totally botched the west...
:facepalm:

I'm a sucker for underdogs... St. Louis, Columbus.... what was I thinking...

Oh I totally botched the west...
:facepalm:

I'm a sucker for underdogs... St. Louis, Columbus.... what was I thinking...

I went with Columbus too. Not looking like the best choice right now, lol.

Oh I totally botched the west...
:facepalm:

I'm a sucker for underdogs... St. Louis, Columbus.... what was I thinking...
That sounds exactly like my picks.

EAST:

- 1. Boston vs 8. Montreal: Bruins in 5
Game 1: Bruins win 6-4
Game 2: Bruins win 3-2 F/OT
Game 3: Canadiens win 4-1
Game 4: Bruins win 5-1
Game 5: Bruins win 3-0

- 2. Washington vs 7. NY Rangers: Capitals in 6
Game 1: Capitals win 5-3
Game 2: Capitals win 4-1
Game 3: Rangers win 2-1 F/OT
Game 4: Rangers win 3-2
Game 5: Capitals win 4-2
Game 6: Capitals win 3-1

- 3. New Jersey vs 6. Carolina: Devils in 6
Game 1: Devils win 3-1
Game 2: Hurricanes win 4-3
Game 3: Hurricanes win 3-2 F/2OT
Game 4: Devils win 5-4 F/OT
Game 5. Devils win 3-0
Game 6: Devils win 4-2

- 4. Pittsburgh vs 5. Philadelphia: Flyers in 7
Game 1: Penguins wins 4-3
Game 2: Flyers win 4-3
Game 3: Flyers win 5-2
Game 4: Penguins win 6-1
Game 5: Penguins win 4-2
Game 6: Flyers win 5-2
Game 7: Flyers win 3-2 F/OT

WEST:

- 1. San Jose vs 8. Anaheim: Sharks in 7
Game 1: Ducks wins 3-1
Game 2: Sharks win 4-0
Game 3: Sharks win 3-0
Game 4: Ducks win 6-4
Game 5: Sharks win 6-2
Game 6: Ducks win 2-1
Game 7: Sharks win 4-1

- 2. Detroit vs 7. Columbus: Red Wings in 5
Game 1: Red Wings win 4-1
Game 2: Red Wings win 5-4
Game 3: Red Wings win 4-2
Game 4: Blue Jackets win 4-0
Game 5: Red Wings win 5-3

- 3. Vancouver vs 6. St. Louis: Canucks in 5
Game 1: Blues win 4-3
Game 2: Canucks win 2-1
Game 3: Canucks win 3-0
Game 4: Canucks win 4-1
Game 5: Canucks win 6-4

- 4. Chicago vs 5. Calgary: Blackhawks in 7
Game 1: Blackhawks win 3-2 F/OT
Game 2: Flames win 2-1
Game 3: Flames win 3-1
Game 4: Blackhawks win 5-4 F/3OT
Game 5: Blackhawks win 3-2
Game 6: Flames win 7-1
Game 7: Blackhawks win 5-2

Do I get extra point for predicting the game right?:D
So far, not too bad. Got really close with the Bruins, Canucks and Wings series. If the devils win tommorow and the Flyers win in game 7, thats 2 ill have right, and if Chicago takes it in 7, thats 3.

#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

New Jersey in 6. 2 of the 3 Hurricanes wins against the Devils this season were "gifts", so to speak. They got the Devils one night after Marty's historic win...then got them one night after an OT game in Chicago. The season series is not as lopsided as it looks on paper.

**** my life. Of course, this is the only series I get wrong. DAMMIT!

FIRST ROUND SCORING (37 players)

DerekDevils30 11
DirtyJerseyDubz 7
Harrison Ford 7
Clarkson Falls Down 7
njdevil3027 7
I Hate Tie DOMI 7
Team Boring 6
devsfan4life 6
fortheloveof666 6
The Cuban 6
Blackjack 6
Jared Ramsden 6
Hirnalon 6
Devils86 6
Superfly 6
BenedictGomez 5
Colin Whites Eyes 5
Darius Dangleaitis 5
Scottie Stevens 5
Easton 5
Das Uber 5
DevilsNJ4 5
HBK27 5
awesome1612 5
Devilsfan92 5
jrsyDevil13 5
dali 5
Jiri Bicek 5
yakitate304 4
Classic Devil 4
DevilsFan38 4
Richer's Ghost 4
MBrodeur30 4
Cowbell232 4
WozzyBearRU 4
Blitz113 4
devilzrule27 3

DerekDevils30 opens a big lead by picking 7/8 series correctly and nailing 4 of those 7 in the correct games. Would have made a small fortune if he'd bet these in Vegas :amazed: It's a tight grouping once you get past the leader with 2nd through 37th place separated by just 4 points.

Get your 2nd round picks in prior to face off of the first game. Same format for the 2nd round.

#1 Boston vs. #6 Carolina Divers
#2 Caps vs. #5 Flightless Birds

#2 Red Wings vs. #8 "Mighty" Ducks
#3 Canucks vs. Duh BlackHawks

My picks are:

Boston in 6 - Should be five, but Ward will steal a game, plus the fact Carolina is the luckiest team I've seen in my life

Pens in 7 - The NHL busts a nut and the "Crosby Forcefield" is just too strong for Washington. Versus and NBC sue each other over the rights to broadcast Game 8.

Red Wings in 5 - Cinderella gets molested

Chicago in 6 - I'm not a believer of this Vancouver team, Luongo will need to be superior, IMO

Boston in 5
Pens in 7 (in OT no less)
Red Wings in 5
Hawks in 6

EAST

(1/8) Bahston over Montreal in 5 - Montreal lacks cohesive defense and consistency, Price sucks, Boston's is well-rounded and can smother the **** out of their scoring. Not surprising here, but pretty amazing the Habs couldn't steal one game at home on passion alone.

(2/7) Raggots over Washington in 6 - It's not that NY is the better team, but for some reason I see them pulling it together for this one. Also, I think it's the best potential upset in the East. Factor: Jose Theodore. Fail factor: Henrik Lundqvist aka FAILqvist, pretty sad that they had the 'upset' and couldn't finish it off with 3 potential games to do so.

(3/6) Carolina over New Jersey in 6 - We lack speed, intensity, our PP is our best PK and our PK is the other teams best PP, it throws off the balance. We'll split the first two and it's all down hill from there. Honestly thought we had this one, but this series was a complete heart breaker. .02 second losses and then blowing a sure-thing in 80 seconds. The team that wanted to win, did.

(4/5) Pittsburgh over Filthy in 6 - I think Philly could extend it to 7 but they're been really up and down lately while Pitt has rolled, I'm going with sheer momentum here. Nailed it. :amazed:

WEST

(1/8) San Jose over Anaheim in 5 - San Jose is just too well-rounded and too good, Anaheim is pretty lucky to have even made the playoffs. Gotta give it to the Ducks, even after all the changes and squeaking in, they pretty much dominated the Sharks and don't look far from the cup team, honestly. That was on-par for their 07 performance.

(2/7) Detroit over Columbus in 5 - I really wanted to pick Columbus, but they've been inconsistent lately and Detroit doesn't really need to rely on goaltending to win a series, they're experienced, high-powered and know how to crush a teams scoring in the playoffs. 5 Wings in front of their own net at all times. I really hoped the Jackets would steal one, but looks like they're going to join Atlanta with a completely fruitless playoff appearance.

(3/6) St. Louis over Vancouver in 7 - I have a feeling this is going to be a really tough series on both teams, but I feel like the speed, grit and hard work of StL will wear down Vancouver and let them squeak out with the win in a 7th game. Poor Blues. Even after all the bull **** with them in the past, I always had a soft spot for them, gotta tip your hat to Vancouver though.

(4/5) Chicago over Calgary in 5 - Chicago absolutely steamrolled the Flames during the regular season in 3 out of 4 games and it looks like the long-season and workload has really worn on Kipper. Chicago's building will probably register on the Richter scale when they score. Besides stealing 2 wins, this pretty much played out like their regular season "series." The Hawks are the real deal this year.

EAST

(1/6) Bahston over Carolina in 7 - If this were a first round match up I'd probably pick them in a shorter series, but after sitting for this long and Carolina stealing a series and coming in with that behind them I have a feeling they'll jump out early in this one and Boston will fight back over the long-haul for the win. Maybe a little to the satisfaction of us heartbroken Devils fans.

(2/4) Pittsburgh over Washington in 6 - It took a lot for the Caps to get past a very weak offensive Raggots team and although Varlamov was pretty incredible, I think Pittsburgh will expose him sooner than later.

WEST

(2/8) Anaheim over Detroit in 6 - I honestly couldn't decide on this series, so I'm just going with the 'upset.' Ducks play good two-way hockey and Osgood hasn't been great. The real question here is, did the Sharks just play awful or is Hiller really that good?

(3/4) Vancouver over Chicago in 5 - It's going to be really hard to score goals on those super-massive pads. I think goaltending and defense makes the difference in this one.

West

Detroit vs. Anaheim - Detroit in 6
Vancouver vs. Chicago - Chicago in 6


East

Boston vs. Carolina - Boston in 5
Washington vs. Pittsburgh - Washington in 6

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

Boston in 7. Head-to-head, I think Boston is the better team by a good margin. However, I feel Cam Ward is going to play lights out in this series. Boston will look rusty to start, allowing Carolina to take advantage early. However, the Bruins should bounce back as the series moves along. It won't be easy but Boston gets it done on home ice.

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #4 Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh in 5. As epic as the NHL wants this series to be, it won't live up to the hype. Pittsburgh is the better team in all facets of the game. Varlamov will be sent back down to Earth. Crosby+Malkin are a much more dangerous tandem to face than Gomez and Drury. "Flower:rant:" will have a great series for the Pens. They move on with relative ease against an overrated Washington team.

#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks

Detroit in 6. Anaheim's top line had no problems against the Sharks. This series will be much different for Ryan, Getzlaf, and Perry. They'll face a healthy dose of either Datsyuk or Zetterberg.....and Lidstrom. They will get a few points but should be contained. I don't see any depth on the Ducks that leads me to believe they'll take this series. Selanne's linemates don't cut it. Detroit's top two lines will have problems with Niedermayer and Pronger. The Wings "third line" of Hudler, Filppula, and Samuelsson will have a big series and prove that depth matters.

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #4 Chicago Blackhawks

Vancouver in 7. This will be a very physical series. Add on top of that a great goaltending battle...and, you've got yourself a dandy of a series. The Hawks were able to take advantage of a banged up Calgary defense but this round will be much tougher against a healthy group that the Canucks will ice...The Sedins had a great first round against St. Louis. They will be contained by one of the top pairings in the league...Keith and Seabrook. It's going to be a great series that will be back and forth. Luongo edges out The Bulin Wall in this one..

Carolina over Boston in 6

Pens over Washington in 6


Detroit over Ducks in 5

Blackhawks over Canucks in 6

Bruins in 6
Capitals in 7

Hawks in 6
Wings in 7

**** HFBoards. I just typed up a long, detailed post, then got a database error and it lost the whole thing. So screw that, here's the short version.

Boston in 5.
Washington in 6.
I don't predict Devils series.
Pittsburgh in 7.

San Jose in 6.
Columbus in 6.
St. Louis in 6.
Chicago in 7.
Wow, I really failed at the first round. At least I can't get much worse.

Bruins vs. Hurricanes
Bruins in 5. Yes Carolina is a good team and Ward is a good goalie. But I think they got somewhat lucky in their first round matchup against us (since, for some reason, Carolina series just don't turn out well for us). Boston has a better defense then we did, and they'll be rested and waiting. They weren't the clear #1 seed in the east for nothing.

Capitals vs. Penguins
Penguins in 7. I want Washington to win, but after their great comeback last round I think they'll fall just short here. Varlamov was barely tested by the Rangers, and now he has to face Crosby and Malkin.

Red Wings vs. Ducks
Red Wings in 6. I'll be honest, I don't know what to think of this series. But while the Ducks were good in the first round, the Wings aren't the defending champs for nothing.

Canucks vs. Blackhawks
Blackhawks in 6. I really like Chicago. Either they (or Washington) are the teams I'd like to see win the Cup. They've got a great young team and have gotten good goaltending so far, and I think they'll continue rolling.

ONE HOUR LEFT

To get your 2nd round picks in

Boston vs. Carolina - Boston in 6 - layoff should hurt BOS early, but they are the best team in the East.

Washington vs. Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh in 5 - Washington is overrated. The barely beat a team that couldn't score. The lack the defensive and offensive depth to make a deep run and Varlamov will be seeing much more quality chances. Carolina is the better team out of the Southeast.

Detroit vs. Anaheim - Detroit in 7 - Anaheim is a live 8th seed, and has the star top line, the defensive depth, and the goaltending to make a run. Detroit has depth coming out of its ass and makes up for Anaheim's edge in nets.

Vancouver vs. Chicago - Vancouver in 5 - quite possibly might be the only series I will be watching. Two physical teams, two good goaltenders. This time, Chicago runs into a healthier, better goaltended, and deeper team from Canada.

Boston wins in 6 Games
Washington wins in 7 Games

Chicago wins in 6 Games
Detroit wins in 7 Games

Boston in 5 - I think Boston is going to over match Carolina in every way.. Carolina will steal a game, but I don't see them putting up a strong fight

Caps in 6 - Ovechkin is a man of a mission.. He looks like someone possessed in the playoffs.. I think Fluery will struggle in this series

Red Wings in 5- Not much to say.. Wings are just better than the Ducks

Chicago in 6 - I think Luongo will keep them in games, but Canucks struggle to score in the series

Boston in 6
Pens in 6
Wings in 6
Hawks in 6

ZOMG hurry up ppl, timez almost up!

Boston wins in 6 Games
Washington wins in 7 Games

Chicago wins in 6 Games
Detroit wins in 7 Games

2 out of 4 ain't bad. If only the Caps didn't ****ing suck in the 7th game.

Boston in 5
Pens in 7 (in OT no less)
Red Wings in 5
Hawks in 6

3 out of 4, 2 in exact games

EAST

(1/6) Bahston over Carolina in 7 - If this were a first round match up I'd probably pick them in a shorter series, but after sitting for this long and Carolina stealing a series and coming in with that behind them I have a feeling they'll jump out early in this one and Boston will fight back over the long-haul for the win. Maybe a little to the satisfaction of us heartbroken Devils fans. So close, but not quite the outcome.

(2/4) Pittsburgh over Washington in 6 - It took a lot for the Caps to get past a very weak offensive Raggots team and although Varlamov was pretty incredible, I think Pittsburgh will expose him sooner than later. Oh Varlamov...Game 7 epic failure

WEST

(2/8) Anaheim over Detroit in 6 - I honestly couldn't decide on this series, so I'm just going with the 'upset.' Ducks play good two-way hockey and Osgood hasn't been great. The real question here is, did the Sharks just play awful or is Hiller really that good? Not surprised, but it's always fun to pick an upset.

(3/4) Vancouver over Chicago in 5 - It's going to be really hard to score goals on those super-massive pads. I think goaltending and defense makes the difference in this one. The Hawks surely impressed, especially when it started to look like they were down and out. LOLungo is a ****ing baby for how he acted during the hand shakes. Being mad about sucking is one thing, being a disrespectful ****ing whiner and just charging through the line is another. You're a ****ing hack and thats why you won't win ****, ******.

EAST

(4/6) Carolina over Pittsburgh in 6 - Ah **** it, I'm just going with the NJ/CAR consistency in the SCF appearance.

WEST

(2/4) Detroit over Chicago in 5 - Gonna go with the experience and tenacity over the semi-storybook season Chicago is having. But they've also proven me wrong before.

Pittsburgh Over Carolina in 6 (Hope Im Wrong)

Detroit over Chicago in 5

Pittsburgh over Carolina in 6

Chicago over Detroit in 7

Pittsburgh in 7
Chicago in 6

Wings in 6
Canes in 7

Wow, I really failed at the first round. At least I can't get much worse.

Bruins vs. Hurricanes
Bruins in 5. Yes Carolina is a good team and Ward is a good goalie. But I think they got somewhat lucky in their first round matchup against us (since, for some reason, Carolina series just don't turn out well for us). Boston has a better defense then we did, and they'll be rested and waiting. They weren't the clear #1 seed in the east for nothing.

Capitals vs. Penguins
Penguins in 7. I want Washington to win, but after their great comeback last round I think they'll fall just short here. Varlamov was barely tested by the Rangers, and now he has to face Crosby and Malkin.

Red Wings vs. Ducks
Red Wings in 6. I'll be honest, I don't know what to think of this series. But while the Ducks were good in the first round, the Wings aren't the defending champs for nothing.

Canucks vs. Blackhawks
Blackhawks in 6. I really like Chicago. Either they (or Washington) are the teams I'd like to see win the Cup. They've got a great young team and have gotten good goaltending so far, and I think they'll continue rolling.
Bounceback round by me. Three correct winners, two in the right number of games. Boston let me down big time.

Penguins vs. Hurricanes
Penguins in 7. I really just don't think Carolina is that talented of a team. I think Crosby will continue on his tear and the Hurricanes run will finally come to an end here.

Red Wings vs. Blackhawks
Blackhawks in 6. I think they just keep on going - no one seems to have told all their young guys that they're not supposed to be this good this soon.

Wings in 5
Canes in 6

Wings in 6
Pens in 6

After appearing like Nostradamus in Round 1, DerekDevils30 faltered a bit in Round 2, though he still has an edge for the Gold. Silver and Bronze are still a horse race. Get your ECF and WCF picks in if you havent done so.

APRES-SECOND ROUND SCORING
SCORE
DerekDevils30 13
Clarkson Falls Down 10
I Hate Tie DOMI 10
BenedictGomez 10
awesome1612 10
Colin Whites Eyes 9
DevilsNJ4 9
DevilsFan38 9
Richer's Ghost 9
Jiri Bicek 8
DirtyJerseyDubz 7
Harrison Ford 7
njdevil3027 7
fortheloveof666 7
Team Boring 6
devsfan4life 6
The Cuban 6
Blackjack 6
Jared Ramsden 6
Hirnalon 6
Devils86 6
Superfly 6
Darius Dangleaitis 5
Scottie Stevens 5
Easton 5
Das Uber 5
HBK27 5
Devilsfan92 5
jrsyDevil13 5
dali 5
yakitate304 4
Classic Devil 4
MBrodeur30 4
Cowbell232 4
WozzyBearRU 4
Blitz113 4
devilzrule27 3

Pens in 6

Wings in 5

woohooo 9 points, i still have a shot at this

conference finals-

Penguins over Hurricanes in 6
Hawks over Wings in 7

1 hour to get your picks in

Canes in 6
Wings in 6

Canes in 7, Wings in 6

Wings in 7
Pens in 6

Well, the Conference Finals wiped out half the field, leaving only 11 left with a chance for Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

CFD, DevilsNJ4, and njdevil3027 each got 3 out of 4 points that round. Well done :yo:

Get your Finals picks in by 20:10 tonight! For the final round, please also guess the total number of PP goals scored in the series as a tiebreaker.

APRES-THIRD ROUND SCORING
SCORE
APRES-SECOND ROUND SCORING
SCORE
DerekDevils30 13
Clarkson Falls Down 13
BenedictGomez 12
awesome1612 12
DevilsNJ4 12
I Hate Tie DOMI 11
Colin Whites Eyes 11
DevilsFan38 11
Richer's Ghost 10
njdevil3027 10
fortheloveof666 9

Pens in 7.

14 PP goals.

Wings in 5.

13 PP Goals

Wings in 6

10 Powerplay goals in series

Pens in 6.

12 PP goals in the series.