Why Vancouver will win: Roberto Luongo is a candidate for the Hart Trophy, and he was arguably stronger yet in the first round against Dallas. There may be no tougher goalie to face in a best-of-seven series right now. Vancouver’s defense seems to know exactly when to pinch and when to retreat, and they receive decent offensive punch from the blueline.
Why Vancouver will struggle: Beyond Markus Naslund and the Sedin twins – who were quiet for the middle five games of the opening round -- the Canucks lack scoring depth up front. Against Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer, this could be a fatal flaw.
Why Anaheim will win: Niederpronger – also known as Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger – plays nearly 60 minutes a game. If the Canucks get past the rearguards, there’s always J.S Giguere or Ilya Bryzgalov as the last line of defense.
Why Anaheim will struggle: Luongo. It seems cliché, but Luongo can win a series on his own.
Conclusion: Look for a very low scoring series, as Anaheim’s blueline and Vancouver’s Luongo will make sure that is the case. In the end, the Ducks should be able to pound Vancouver at both ends of the ice, and that can be the difference in a long series.
Prediction: Ducks in six.
#1 Detroit vs #5 San Jose
Why San Jose will win: The Sharks have the West’s best depth at forward with Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Jonathan Cheechoo, Joe Pavelski, Bill Guerin…. you get the idea. The two-headed goaltending tandem known as Naboskala – Evgeni Nabokov and Vesa Toskala – ensure San Jose will have solid netminding, even in the case of an injury.
Why San Jose will struggle: Bill Guerin is the only Shark with his name on the Stanley Cup. On the other hand, Detroit features a plethora of past champions.
Why Detroit will win: The Red Wings were the league’s best regular season team and they dominated Calgary in the first round. The Wings have great depth up front and on the blueline, while Dominik Hasek has turned back the clock between the pipes.
Why Detroit will struggle: San Jose is a much younger, bigger, and more physical team. There is always a chance the Wings will start to show their age – but do not bet on it.
Conclusion: Perhaps the most intriguing series of the second round, this one could go either way. Detroit must find a way to shut down San Jose’s top two lines in order to advance to the conference finals.
Prediction: Sharks in seven.
Eastern Conference
#1 Buffalo vs #6 New York Rangers
Why the Rangers will win: Since acquiring Sean Avery before the trade deadline, the Rangers have been the NHL’s hottest team. Brendan Shanahan provides playoff grit and experience, while Jaromir Jagr is still one of the game’s elite players. Henrik Lundqvist has regained his rookie season form in goal, and the rearguards in front of him have turned around their mediocre early season performance.
Why the Rangers will struggle: Compared to the Sabres, the Rangers have a notable lack of depth. If Jagr or Shanahan struggles, who will pick up the slack?
Why Buffalo will win: No team rolls four lines better than the Sabres, yet they still have impressive top-end talent with the likes of Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, and Thomas Vanek. Ryan Miller has emerged as one of the league’s best netminders the past two seasons.
Why Buffalo will struggle: The Sabres might not have an answer for the ever-annoying Sean Avery, although they can limit Avery’s effectiveness by taking early leads.
Conclusion: Unlike last year, the Rangers peaked at the right time this season. Many observers are writing them off against the mighty Sabres, but that is a little premature. Look for a close, entertaining series between these two teams.
Prediction: Sabres in seven.
#2 New Jersey vs #4 Ottawa
Why Ottawa will win: From the start of the season, this Senators squad looked more like a playoff team than years past. The top line of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson is as good as any in the league, while players like Mike Fisher, Chris Neil, and Anton Volchenkov provide depth and grit.
Why Ottawa will struggle: The Senators must overcome a history of falling short in spring. The image may have been true in the past, but it is likely overblown this season considering the makeup of this squad.
Why New Jersey will win: Martin Brodeur. The legendary goalie continues his remarkable career, and he can single-handedly win a series.
Why New Jersey will struggle: The Devils looked sluggish at times in the first round against a schizophrenic Tampa Bay squad. They will need a more consistent effort to knock off the Sens.
Conclusion: Ottawa’s offensive attack against New Jersey’s air-tight defensive system provides an interesting clash in styles, but the Senators have too many offensive weapons for the Devils to shut them down completely.
If you are a fan of wide-open, high-scoring hockey, this could be your series.
The Senators are led by the potent trio of Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson, and Jason Spezza. The Lightning counter with Martin St. Louis, Brad Richards, and Vincent Lecavalier.
Just as importantly, the goaltending issue is a question mark for each team. Dominik Hasek's status has been a question mark since he was injured in the Olympics, putting the starting job in the hands of Ray Emery. Emery has posted a respectable 2.82 goals against and .902 save percentage, but the Sens certainly hope Hasek returns at some point in this series.
On the other hand, Tampa Bay counters with two goaltenders who have struggled much of the year. Veteran Sean Burke posted a 2.80 goals against and a .895 save percentage, while John Grahame finished with a sub par 3.06 goals against and a .889 save percentage.
Tampa Bay has the advantage of playoff experience, as they are the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Lightning had a tougher time than expected in adapting to the new rule enforcements, a bit of a surprise for a high-scoring, up-tempo team. When the Lightning are on, however, they can play with anyone in the league.
Prediction: This could be one of the first round's most intriguing series. If either team comes up with standout goaltending, that could be the difference. Senators in seven.
#2 Carolina vs #7 Montreal
Twenty years ago, a rookie goaltender named Patrick Roy came out of nowhere to lead the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup.
This year, Habs fans hope surprising Cristobal Huet, who led the NHL with a .929 save percentage, can make history repeat itself.
To do that, Montreal will have to shut down young superstar Eric Staal, who tallied 45 goals and 100 points in the regular season. Staal is joined by late season acquisitions Mark Recchi and Doug Weight, two players who will provide veteran leadership for the Hurricanes.
Montreal's top scorer, Alex Kovalev, posted just 65 regular season points. With Martin Gerber excelling between the pipes for the Hurricanes, offense could be hard to come by for the Habs.
Prediction: An energetic Bell Centre crowd will help Montreal get a couple of wins, but Carolina is too strong for the Canadiens. Hurricanes in six.
#3 New Jersey vs #6 New York Rangers
Through most of the regular season, the Rangers were one of the NHL's feel-good stories. A happy Jaromir Jagr led the Rangers' revival, and the world's media center caught hockey fever once again.
Less than ten miles from Madison Square Garden, however, another story was taking place. New Jersey won their final 11 games to pass the Rangers on the season's final day, capturing yet another division title for the team from the Meadowlands.
Jagr finished second in the league with 123 points, but New Jersey has their own scoring sensation. Little big man Brian Gionta set a Devils record with 48 goals, and he has formed a potent first line with Scott Gomez and Zach Parise.
Henrik Lundqvist has posted great numbers in his rookie season, but anytime Martin Brodeur appears in a playoff series, the goaltending edge has to go to the Devils.
Prediction: The Devils technically have home ice advantage, but look for many Ranger fans to find their way to Continental Airlines Arena. The energy in Madison Square Garden should get the Rangers a win or two, but New Jersey is the East's hottest team right now. Devils in six.
#4 Buffalo vs #5 Philadelphia
Maxim Afinogenov is their leading scorer with 73 points. Chris Drury is their only 30 goal scorer. Yet the Buffalo Sabres ranked fifth in goal scoring in the regular season.
An odd stat to be sure, but the Sabres are all about a team concept. Eleven players have at least 40 points, and the same number have double-digit goals.
Philadelphia, on the other hand, relies largely on the duo of Peter Forsberg and Simon Gagne for their offense. When healthy, they can be unstoppable, but health is always an issue with Forsberg. He has been nursing a groin injury in recent weeks, and he will likely be at less than 100%.
Emerging star Ryan Miller gives the Sabres an edge between the pipes. Philadelphia will counter with Robert Esche, but if he falters, look for the Flyers to turn to Olympic standout Antero Nittymaki.
Prediction: If Forsberg is healthy, the Flyers could be a force in these playoffs. Anything less than 100% from Forsberg, however, and the Sabres' balance could be too much for Philadelphia to overcome. Sabres in seven.
As a life-long hockey fan and sports fan in general, sports has always been a big part of my life. I have combined that with my interest in writing to create a long-term interest in sportswriting , something that has manifested itself in various sportswriting opportunities over the years.
