Dave's Playoff Predictions: East

The East.

Whole new puckgame here folks! ANY team who thinks they are going to lose and just wants to give a losing performance in which they don't look too bad can play defence. That "careful" hockey I talked about in the West is what teams do when they think they're gonna lose. They just hope if they keep it close they'll get a lucky bounce and win it. If not they'll only lose by one or two goals. PPPttthhhhbbbbtttt! I think you'll see a lot less of that here in the East.

Pittsburgh/Philly

If Vancouver doesn't meet Detroit I think this will be the series of the playoffs. Even if Van/Det match up there's no guarantee it'll be as good as, (in my opinion), the two best games in the NHL this season they played. Maybe because there were so many Swedes on the ice, I dunno, but THAT was real hockey! This series will be too. More scoring than any of the western series and maybe more scoring than any TWO of the western series! And if you want star power, THIS is the series to watch! Malkin, Crosby, Neal, Staal, Letang, Giroux, Jagr, Briere, Hartnell, Timonen, Kunitz, Dupuis, I could keep on going. I saw Brayden Schenn dominate the World Jrs. He could do some damage too. As an offensive hockey lover I'm really disappointed one of these clubs will be knocked out so early. I think they are the two best teams in the East. Rangers and Bruins would have their hands full with either of them. I think the Rangers and Bruins might have their hands full anyway. Even though Pitt. scored more in the regular season I would say Philly has the better offense of the two teams. AND, (thank GOD), they JUST MIGHT USE IT!

Giroux was one of only 6 guys in an 82-game season to get more than 82 points. He got 93 in only 77 games to rank third in scoring. Briere is absolute MONEY in the playoffs. And Jagr has a little bit of game. Only 169 playoff games in which he's score 181 pts. That should come in handy. Hartnell had a career year and a guy whose team colours are noticed a bit less than his skin colour, Wayne Simmonds will be an impact player too. Timonen is an underrated defenceman who can score a bunch and Read is a rookie I think will produce in the playoffs. Even the third line of Talbot, Schenn and Voracek has an offensive slant to it. Their defence is not as good as Pittsburgh's but if their goalie is "Cool Brize" and not the sieve Philly always seems to ice this time of year, folks we have a series!

If you have a weak heart, don't read this: Malkin, Crosby, Neal, Staal, Letang. THAT is the power play Pittsburgh ices. If I were to pick a power play from all the players in the league 3 or even 4 of these guys might be on it. If I didn't know that Daniel and Henrik have about a billion times the chemistry Crosby and Malkin have, that is... But anyway, pretty scary! Number one priority for Philly: stay out of the penalty box. But the Pens defence is also better than Philadelphia's. And goalies change like the wind but after playing like 8 hundred games in a row there is NO goalie steadier than the Flower. So I give Pittsburgh the nod in goaltending too. If Philly sees what I see they will run and gun and I don't think Pittsburgh will mind that at all. THIS is going to be a BEAUTY to watch!

NYR/Ottawa

Okay now back down to Earth. I think the Rangers block more shots and THINK they have a better goalie than any team in the UNIVERSE, so guess what kind of game they'll be playing. Plus I think Ottawa thinks they are outmatched here so guess what kind of game THEY'LL be playing. All the offensive stars on these clubs, except Gaborik, and possibly Karlsson, (even though he's a defenceman), pride themselves on having a strong defensive side. The defence of the Rangers DOES have a good defensive side. Ottawa? meh. Goaltending you have to give to the Rangers. But this is ALWAYS a major variable. ANY goalie can suddenly star out and steal a series. Never know... Anderson could do that. If I'm the Sens I go all out offense. But I have a feeling they don't have the confidence to do that so they'll keep it close and play defensively. The Rangers will LOVE that and both teams will be counting on one or two lucky breaks or power plays to win them the games. Ugly to watch but the Rangers will GET all those lucky bounces and power plays. There goes another Canadian team.

Boston/Washington

I know you think I hate the Bruins for that fiasco in the playoffs against my Canucks last season so I can't be unbiased in my description of this series. Well you are RIGHT! Washington in 4! Injuries to Lucic, Marchand, Chara, Horton, Seguin... AND Larry Bird! I hate Boston! BUT I seriously think this is a series to watch if you like the underdog. This is my pick for the shocking upset of the first round. Would this be more shocking than SJ beating St.L? I think so. Look at the Washington Capitals. They lost their number one offensive guy and number one offensive defenseman for most of the year. I know Ovechkin is sometimes considered their offensive heart and soul but he's a goal scorer. The guy who is the skill player on this team is Backstrom. I bet even OV would say that. And there aren't many FORWARDS in the league with the offensive abilities of a healthy Mike Green. They made it into the playoffs pretty much without these guys. Think of Detroit without Datsyuk and Lidstrom. Think of Ottawa without Spezza and Karlsson. Think of how crappy Pittsburgh would do if they lost Crosby and Letang for most of the season... ohhh yeah, they DID. And they were STILL not crappy. But anyhoo, Washington now has these two guys and they are gonna make a severely underperforming Alex Ovechkin into the superstar he WASN'T this season. Just like the All Star Game, the playoffs have a HUGE audience and we all know the Great 8's ego thrives in a situation like that. Semin can be as good as anyone, or as bad as anyone depending upon if he's interested. They have size, speed, solid D, (I think Wideman is probably the most underrated Dman I can think of). I wouldn't want to be Boston I'll tell you THAT.

However, they beat a better team, (the Canucks), by intimidating, cheating, well you all SAW what they did. And they could do that again. We'll have to see. I am cheering for a Washington win only slightly less than a Vancouver win in the first round.

Florida/New Jersey

Oh yeah, these guys are playing too. Florida knows they can't outscore them, because they can't score. So they'll do the old shut down thing and it won't work for them. New Jersey will play better offensively. If you are in a pool, pick Brodeur because there should be some shut-outs here. I just don't CARE about this series.