“Step Back! Gonna come at you fast I’m driving out of control and getting ready to crash, Won’t stop shaking up what I can, I serve it up in a shot, So suck it down like a man, Hold on, Keeps getting better, Hold on, Keeps getting better” are the lyrics to Christina Aguilera‘s hit song Keeps Getting Better which is a great way to describe the NHL’s post season to this point. Just when you think it can’t get any better afer a fantastic first round of the playoffs, it was even more intense in the 2nd round (especially in the Western Conference) where the games were close and the overtimes were abundant. In the Detroit / Sharks series alone, six out of the 7-game series were decided by a single goal; one of the closest series in NHL history.
However one aspect of my coverage was not better. My ability to predict the winner. After going 8 for 8 in the quarterfinals I went 1 for 4 in the semi’s. I will give it a shot again and if I’m wrong I will still likely enjoy the outcome either way. I just want to enjoy the games and not that the earlier predictions got in the way I guess I don’t really care enough to make them this time around. I don’t want to be depressing but I just got word that former Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment by members of his family. Boogaard was the much-loved enforcer on the team, and a quick scan of the Xcel Energy Center on any Wild game night its abundantly obvious he was perhaps one of the most well-liked players in franchise history. He was 28 years old. He certainly will be greatly missed by Wild fans like myself and the State of Hockey News wishes to send its most sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family, Boogaard’s current team the New York Rangers and anyone else whose lives he’s touched. He may have been one of the most feared enforcers in the league, but he was a gentle soul. With that, here is my preview of the Western and Eastern Conference Finals.
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All Times listed are in Central Standard Time…
Eastern Conference Final
#3 Boston Bruins Vs. #5 Tampa Bay Lightning ~ In some ways this series has eerie feel as a match up between the “shouldn’t be here” against the “should always be here” club. The Lightning, who were once on the ropes in a series against the Pittsburgh Penguins where they managed an improbable comeback and with that momentum behind them they dominated the Washington Capitals in just 5 games. Meanwhile the Boston Bruins were focused and determined as they exercised some demons as they tore apart the Philadelphia Flyers in just 5 games. So two teams who breezed through the semi-finals; what should people expect to see in the Conference Finals? The Bruins won 3 of four meetings with the Lightning during the regular season. I think this is a classic battle between finesse and power. The Lightning have great team speed and that could cause problems for the slower Boston Bruins who will look to put its big bodies in front of Dwayne Roloson’s crease and try to score goals through this traffic. Tampa Bay has the ability to strike quickly by creating turnovers in the neutral zone and then turning the tables on their opponents in transition. Martin St. Louis and unlikely playoff scoring ace Sean Bergenheim and plucky former Wild forward Dominic Moore have been thriving in Guy Boucher‘s 1-3-1 system. The question will be whether Tampa Bay’s defense can keep Boston at bey. Boston does not have any one player that really stands out; but they are showing signs of heating up as David Krecji and Milan Lucic carried the offensive load against Philadelphia. Claude Julien‘s squad also likes to clog up the neutral zone and looks to create scoring chances off of turnovers but the Bruins’ collection of big bodies are more at home battling along the boards then free wheeling through open ice like the Lightning. Defensively, the Bruins will lean on the 6’9″ frame of Zdeno Chara to log the big minutes in all situations but will they be able to keep up with Tampa’s speedy forwards? The Lightning’s ‘no name defense’ has had great work from veterans Mattias Ohlund, Eric Brewer and Brett Clark who will not provide a lot of offense but their experience has been invaluable for a still pretty young blueline. Between the pipes, its a battle of two aged goaltenders in 41-year old Dwayne Roloson who is playing better and better with each game and 37-year old Tim Thomas who is continuing from a rock-solid regular season to being the workhorse in the playoffs. PREDICTION: I think Tampa Bay prevails in 6 games; their team speed will expose the Bruins’ limitations in quickness.
Game Schedule:
Sat. May 14th at Boston @ 7:00PM ~ Versus, CBC, RDS
Tue. May 17th at Boston @ 7:00PM ~ Versus, TSN, RDS
Thur. May 19th at Tampa Bay @ 7:00PM ~ Versus, TSN, RDS
Sat. May 21st at Tampa Bay @ 12:30PM ~ NBC, TSN, RDS
*Mon. May 23rd at Boston @ 7:00PM ~ Versus, TSN, RDS
*Wed. May 25th at Tampa Bay @ 7:00PM ~ Versus, TSN, RDS
*Fri. May 27th at Boston @ 7:00PM ~ 7:00PM ~ Versus, TSN, RDS
Western Conference Final
#1 Vancouver Canucks Vs. #2 San Jose Sharks ~ Before I say anything else, welcome to the late night series. The NHL has attempted to make the start times a bit more palatable for its Eastern timezone by forcing these teams to play their games an hour earlier than normal. The Cancucks won 3 of 4 meetings with the Sharks during the regular season. Either way, this series is going to be awfully good. Can Vancouver continue its suffocating style of play to roll by the Sharks or is this the year San Jose finally makes the finals? The Canucks have been the pre-season favorite to win it all and look to be in good shape going into the Western Conference Finals, while San Jose has traditionally dominated in the regular season only to disappoint in the playoffs but they managed to show some remarkable resilience in their ability to hold off a dramatic comeback by the Detroit Red Wings. Vancouver is led by Ryan Kesler who was absolutely lights out in the semi-finals against the Nashville Predators; who almost by himself willed the Canucks who did not get all that many contributions from Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin in that series. Alexandre Burrows was an unsung hero and his ability to provide secondary scoring will be huge against San Jose. The Sharks are leaning on the work of youngster Logan Couture but San Jose also needs Ryane Clowe to have another strong series. Longtime playoff pariah Joe Thornton was used in more of a shutdown role and he must find ways to contribute at both ends of the ice. Sniper Devin Setoguchi was the unsung hero for the Sharks, and he too will be asked to step up his game to chip in more offensively. Defensively the Canucks and Sharks feature a nice mix of offensive punch, physicality and shut down play. The Canucks will hope Alexander Edler, Kevin Bieksa, Christian Ehrhoff, and Dan Hamhuis can chip in at both ends as well as sweep away the dangerous rebounds near the Vancouver crease. Between the pipes, it pits Roberto Luongo who has been very good so far this post-season and the Sharks’ Antti Niemi who is playing like the goaltender who helped his team win a Stanley Cup last season with Chicago. PREDICTION: I really want to see San Jose finally make it; but Vancouver is so complete and their ability to make team’s pay for their mistakes is what I think will be the difference in this series. The Canucks prevail in 6 games.
Game Schedule:
Sun. May 15th at Vancouver @ 7:00PM ~ Versus, CBC, RDS
Wed. May 18th at Vancouver @ 8:00PM ~ Versus, CBC, RDS
Fri. May 20th at San Jose @ 8:00PM ~ Versus, CBC, RDS
Sun. May 22nd at San Jose @ 2:00PM ~ NBC, CBC, RDS
*Tue. May 24th at Vancouver @ 8:00M ~ Versus, CBC, RDS
*Thur. May 26th at San Jose @ 8:00PM ~ Versus, CBC, RDS
*Sat. May 28th at Vancouver @ 7:00PM ~ Versus, CBC, RDS
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