The commitment to absorbing as much hockey as humanly possible continues. Fortunately for me and my neighbors, there is a little less of it as each round passes by. Round 2 may not have had the drama of round 1 but it certainly had its storylines.
A look back at round 2:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
#1 WASHINGTON vs #5 TAMPA BAY
Prediction : WASHINGTON in 6 - $65
Actual : TAMPA BAY in 4 - LOSE $65
I wasn't as surprised by Tampa's victory as much as I was by sweeping. Someone who bet that result could have made a killing and should probably have their head examined. The result says just as much about Tampa Bay as it does Washington.
Yzerman has built fundamentally sound Lightning team by surrounding some superstars with players who will fight hard every night for loose pucks and stay composed while under attack (a theme for this round). Their superstars are not exempt from doing the little things that contribute to winning hockey. Yzerman's move to acquire Roloson at a relatively cheap cost when he saw a chink in the armor is almost certainly going to earn him executive of the year honors. Is he going to get a Stanley Cup to go with his GM Olympic gold?
Washington has to seriously examine themselves once again. They lacked the composure (I told you it was a theme) to deal with goal and series deficits causing one goal to lead to two and eventually to a sweep. This is as much about leadership as it is about attitude. The defense first philosophy was the right idea for this team but it went way too far. A good coach needs to develop a system that still allows gifted players to create scoring opportunities. Back to the drawing board coach Bruce.
#2 PHILADELPHIA vs #3 BOSTON
Prediction : PHILADELPHIA in 6 - $45
Actual : BOSTON in 4 - LOSE $45
Much to my surprise, Philly never found their composure in this series. They never developed any momentum and had horrible play from the defense for yet another series. Add in Boston's quick strike attack plus the stellar goaltending of Thomas and it was a disaster for the Flyers. Sure, they have their share of excuses but no matter how you look at it this is a disappointment for a team that looked so good until the All Star break. Where the go from here is a bit of a question. If Boucher comes back they might as well throw in the towel. Acquiring an experience quality backup at a low price should be the approach. Sacrificing offense to get a top-notch starter seems mighty risky. With a cheap backup they can conceivable make an adjustment at the trade deadline if that approach doesn't work. Whatever they do they cannot afford to play Bob to death so early in the process.
Boston couldn't have played much better. Their hard work paid off. However, without being seriously contested, it could hurt them in the long run. Fortunately for them, they play in the East and get to face a team who has been sitting for awhile as well.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1 VANCOUVER vs #5 NASHVILLE
Prediction : VANCOUVER in 5 - $80
Actual : VANCOUVER in 6
This series played out a lot like I expected. Although Nashville was able to keep it a bit closer game to game, Vancouver's depth and Nashville's lack of scoring punch eventually took its toll. If not for the stellar play of Pekka Rinne, Nashville would have been blown out of it. Luongo held his own but rarely face serious pressure. He'll get his test next round.
Unlike the two series in the East, there is no shame in losing this one for Nashville. They finally won a series and played their hearts out against the Canucks. As always, they'll face some difficulties keeping this team together but with Trotz in the fold (please give this man the Jack Adams award) they'll be back for another chance.
#2 SAN JOSE vs #3 DETROIT
Prediction : DETROIT in 7 - $5
Actual : SAN JOSE in 7 - LOSE $5
The result of this series should explain why I went back and forth with my prediction beforehand. This was by far the most entertaining series of the first round. With 6 of the 7 games decided by one goal and the other iced with an empty net goal, it was the closest in NHL playoff history.
A roller coaster from the first puck drop, the series saw an ebb and flow like no other in recent memory. Both teams played excellent defense, had strong goaltending and had portions where they controlled the play on offense. Unlike the slowed down play I witnessed in the other 3 series when they went defense first, this one never slowed tempo. Great defense was happening at full speed. The hits were furious and the stars of both team shined at critical times.
The Red Wings composure, one of their stongest assests, built up over a 20 year period, allowed them to comeback from a 3-0 series deficit where the Caps and Flyers failed. For that, they can go away proud and leave this Wings fan far less disappointed.
In the end it came down to the Sharks penalty kill and the Wings inability to convert on the powerplay at critical times. The Sharks got some good bounces, especially early in the series and the Wings had injuries in game 7 that really hurt their chances but niether of those should take away from the Sharks excellent performance. It certainly has me rethinking their chances moving forward.
That ends what was probably my worst round of picks since I've been doing this. I went a miserable 1 for 4 and lost $35. That's 9-3 +$420 so far.
Now to round 3 that begins tonight..
EASTERN CONFERENCE
#3 BOSTON vs #5 TAMPA BAY
Prediction : TAMPA BAY in 6 - $30
These teams have been waiting around a LONG time. At least they are both in the same boat. I honestly think this plays into the Lighning's hands since Boston has more pressure to produce early since they'll be starting the series at home. If Tampa Bay can grab just one of the first two the series will be within their grasp. Tampa Bay needs to find a way to get their superstars more involved in the scoring though because it is unlikely the role players can keep the scoring pace up.
Boston will look to play this series much like the Philly one and its hard to argue against that approach. They'll play defense first while looking to get their defense involved on the offense whenever the Lightning present the chance. Taking advantage of those opportunities is key.
Thomas won't have to face the pressure he faced against Philly but he will have to stay focussed because the Lightning will shoot from everywhere. If they can score early like they did against Philly it could be over quick. Otherwise, I expect many tight games.
I cannot wager a large amount of money on this series because I simply cannot predict who the long wait will affect most. There are also signifcant injuries to both teams that may be a factor.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1 VANCOUVER vs #2 SAN JOSE
Prediction : VANCOUVER in 6 - $30
Much like the Wings - Sharks series of the previous round, I went back and forth on this one. I thought the Canucks under performed against Nashville while the Sharks are playing some of their best hockey of the season. I was thinking that this might just be enough to carry the Sharks through the Canucks.
However, I cannot get over the number of juicy rebounds that San Jose's Niemi gave up that the Wings failed to convert. More of those and Vancouver will convert. This series is going to come down to goaltending and I give Luongo the edge simply because he plays more technically sound. That doesn't mean Luongo can't be beaten. The Sharks just need to get to him early before he establishes any momentum/confidence. Their best chance may be game 1 where the Canucks will be a tad nervous playing before the pressure packed home crowd.
This should be another fast paced but defensively sound series, a true joy to watch. Pay particular attention to the faceoffs as the team that controls them will likely win the series. Both teams are attempting to overcome a hurdle they've stumbled with in the past. For all those pundits that are claiming the Sharks passed that test by beating the Wings, keep in mind that the Sharks did that last year to only get swept by Chicago instead of reaching the final. The Canucks have pressure of their own as the weight of all Canada is on their shoulders, as well as, the expectations from a season of winning.
Only a paltry $90 bet this round. We've got what should be two close series both entertaining in their own way. 3 of these 4 teams were among my serious contenders to make it this far based on my preseason predictions. These aren't flukes.
The Canucks are still on pace to win the cup. We'll see if they can hold this pace for the next two weeks.
Finally, the Swedes will prevail against the Fins in the World Championship final. No wager on this one. I couldn't find a local bookie who even knew this game was taking place Sunday.
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