First Round Fever

by Jesse Liebman

Editorial. Photos by AP News

It’s that time of year again: the skates are getting sharpened, the sticks are getting taped and the organist is once again getting ready to get the crowd pumped.

Playoff hockey is in the air, and the quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup is about to begin.

In the east, half of the eight spots for the NHL’s second season have already been locked up. In the west, there are still seven spots available. Nothing is as it seems; however. Some teams only need two or three more points before they’re in. And with roughly seven games left in the season for every team, the race to secure those final playoff sports is going to get even tighter.

In the Eastern Conference, the two teams that look to relax their grip on a playoff spot are the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers have struggled as of late (3-5-2 in their last 10), and the Bruins have struggled with consistency all year. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Thrashers appear poised to return to the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history, and the first since they won the Southeast Division in 2007. The Rangers have a shot, but it will take a phenomenal surge from New York and a monumental collapse from Boston and/or Philly.

Out west, it’s more of a struggle to determine seeding for the current eight teams already in position. Calgary appears to be the only bubble team that even has a chance of sneaking in; when you consider that they were Stanley Cup favorites at the start of the season, it’s hard to justify giving it to them based on their play as of late. They’re still alive, but these Flames will probably be snuffed out.

So, let’s get right to it: if the playoffs ended today, how would the first round look for each conference? Here at Last Call, we’ll try to break down each match-up for the Stanley Cup Quarterfinals. Here's hoping we pick these better than our NCAA brackets.




Eastern Conference

Washington (1) vs. Boston (8)

Let’s face it: heading into this season, the Bruins were the paper tiger of the East. Sure, they were coming off an Eastern Conference title, but the fact of the matter is that Claude Julien’s defensive system doesn’t lend itself to offensive wizardry. And when your top scorer (Marc Savard) gets sidelined for the rest of the season with a devastating concussion, your best bet is to hope that one of your goalies can string together a win or two. Unfortunately for Boston, Washington's dynamic duo of Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom will make quick work of Tim Thomas and/or Tuukka Rask.

Prediction: Capitals in 5.

Pittsburgh (2) vs. Montreal (7)

Sidney Crosby discovered his scoring touch during last year’s playoffs; he hasn’t lost it yet. The Habs’ chances just don’t look good in this series, even with the return of left wing Mike Cammalleri. Prediction: Penguins in 6.

Buffalo (3) vs. Philadelphia (6)

Two words: Ryan Miller. Other than Pittsburgh, Buffalo may be the hottest team in the East heading into the playoffs. Forward Tomas Vanek is a major question mark after remaining invisible for much of the regular season, but he may saving his best for the playoffs.

Prediction: Sabres in 4.

New Jersey (4) vs. Ottawa (5)

Ottawa appears to be poised for an upset. Despite losing bruising defender Anton Volchenkov, the Senators’ defensive scheme should still hold up, given the strong play of Goalie Brian Elliot. Since his return from a torn MCL, Jason Spezza has been red-hot. The Devils have a perfectly legitimate chance to run away this series as well -- when your goalie is Martin Brodeur, you always have a chance to win -- but I’ve liked their play against Montreal and Buffalo this past week.

Prediction: Senators in 7.

Western Conference

San Jose (1) vs. Colorado (8)

Although the Sharks have lost all-star center Joe Thornton, the Sharks still boast one of the most potent offenses in the league. The big question in this series is Patrick Marleau. He’s had arguably the best season of his career after relinquishing the captaincy to Rob Blake this year. And with Thornton out, there’s no better time for Marleau to cement himself as the undisputed leader of this team, “C” or no. The Avalanche meanwhile have been one of the strongest surprises this year, and this series will no doubt have its share of excitement.

Prediction: Sharks in 7.

Chicago (2) vs. Los Angeles (7)

The Blackhawkshave suffered from a semi-slump lately, but that’s no reason to discount them. There’s a reason that they are currently the Central Division leaders, and with Joel Quenneville at the helm, the Hawks are still strong contenders. Although their goalie situation is shaky, and they have lost Brian Campbell, Chicago still remains a formidable opponent. Los Angeles has been much cooler lately; their chances improve if they can string together a few wins as the season draws to a close.

Prediction: Blackhawks in 6.

Vancouver (3) vs. Detroit (6)

The current generation of the Detroit Red Wings excels in the playoffs. As good as the Canucks have been this year, Detroit has battled through adversity all season long and still has managed to remain a force to be reckoned with. Despite the obstacles that the Wings have faced, they still are a premier organization. Goalie Jimmy Howard is making a strong case for the Calder Trophy, and his play has helped carry Detroit back into the playoff picture.

Prediction: Red Wings in 5.

Phoenix (4) vs. Nashville (5)

Playoff hockey will be played for the first time at Jobing.com Arena this spring. It’s been several seasons since the Desert Dogs were in the playoffs, and many around the league are looking forward to the return of the traditional “White Out” that the Phoenix organization carried over from their days as the Winnipeg Jets. Give credit where credit is due: head coach Dave Tippett has given his team a sense of purpose and a style that fits them. Nashville is no slouch either, though.

Prediction: Coyotes in 6.

There you have it. Obviously the seeding -- and even some teams -- may change. In any event, we here at Last Call look forward to your comments and opinions.