The best seven to eight weeks of professional sports starts tonight with the opening games of the NHL Conference Quarterfinals of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This year figures to be full of exciting close games and good hard hitting action with lots of dazzling play. The defending Eastern Conference champion Ottawa Senators squeaked back into the playoffs despite a poor finish; and the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks overcame a mediocre start with a strong finish to return to defend their championship. Detroit is back in the playoffs for a 17th straight season and playoff stalwarts Colorado and Philadelphia return after a years absence.
Here are the picks for the opening round.
EAST
#1 Montreal v #8 Boston - The Habs swept all eight games during the regular season against the Bruins and Boston looks overmatched in virtually every aspect of the game against the Canadiens. The Bruins are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a two year absence. A sweep is possible here, but I will go with the.... CANADIENS, 4-1
#2 Pittsburgh v #7 Ottawa - The teams are in reverse positions this season in a rematch of an opening round series in 2007. Last year a superior Senators team routed the Pens in five. Look for a totally different result this year as young Pittsburgh with all its offense appears to be poised to win the East and will start toward that goal rather easily against fading and injury riddled Ottawa..... PENGUINS, 4-1
#3 Washington v #6 Philadelphia - Both clubs return to the playoffs after missing out in '07. Washington roared back from an awful start and a coaching change to win the Southeast Division on the final weekend with a powerful offense. The Flyers got off to a good start and held steady down the stretch. This will be a close tight hard hitting series and not much defense; I am going with the.....CAPITALS, 4-2
#4 New Jersey v #4 New York Rangers - This promises to be among the best of the opening series matchups. These two clubs are evenly matched across the board although the Rangers took seven of eight from the Devils during the regular season. New Jersey may seem a little better on paper, but I am going with the..... RANGERS, 4-3
WEST
#1 Detroit v #8 Nashville - The powerful Red Wings rolled to the NHL's best record this season and, if it was for not a rash of injuries in February and March, might have set a new record for points in a season. Nashville rallied from far back to make the playoffs after offseason ownership issues resulted in a weakening of the roster and the threat of a relocation was thwarted. Detroit won five of eight against the Predators, but Detroit struggles in the Stanley Cup playoffs and it says here there will be an upset....PREDATORS, 4-3
#2 San Jose v #7 Calgary - San Jose played lights out the last ten weeks of the season and is clicking on all cylinders. San Jose has the best offense in the league and a suffociating physical defense. Calgary was inconsistent all season and never got into any kind of groove. This series could be a sweep, but I will say.....SHARKS, 4-1
#3 Minnesota v #6 Colorado - This will be the best series in the opening round as these are two evenly matched clubs. The Wild has the edge in team speed, but Colorado has the edge in experience and depth and they have the amazing Joe Sakik still doing the impossible. Do not look for any routs in this one, but perhaps more than a few overtime games; and I say in a very close one.....AVALANCHE, 4-3
#4 Anaheim v #5 Dallas - These two clubs were headed in opposite directions as the season wound down. The defending champs seem to be improving and gelling while the Stars faded badly in the last six weeks and very easily could have missed the playoffs. Anaheim is the league's most talented, deepest, and most physical club which means.....DUCKS, 4-2
The conference semifinals will commence on Thursday 24 April; the conference finals on Thursday, 7 May, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday 23 May.
*****
Like everyone, I have teams that I am devoted to and root for no matter what. There are also a fair number of teams and clubs I am largely ambivalent about. I may root for them in certain cirucumstances, but more often I do not care how they do. Then there are the teams I absolutely abhor and detest. The overwhelming dislike of these teams often goes back to my youth and they are clubs that I have never rooted for ever except when they are playing other clubs on the list of hated teams. Anytime these teams lose or suffer a losing season makes for a positive moment in this and many other fans' lives. May multitudes of misfortunes occur to ownership, players, and fans of these clubs !
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