NHL CFC Playoffs Pool III

[JonnyB]

I'm in, although my job keeps me from watching much hockey and most of my picks are based on wishful thinking rather than careful analysis.

East
Buffalo 4 vs. NYI 0
New Jersey 4 vs. Tampa Bay 0
Atlanta 4 vs. NY Rangers 1
Ottawa 4 vs. Pittsburgh 3

West
Detroit 3 vs. Calgary 4
Anaheim 4 vs. Minnesota 1
Vancouver 4 vs. Dallas 3
Nashville 2 vs. San Jose 4

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

I updated my picks on the last page, just to let you know, pboily.

 

[The Major]

East:
BUF/NYI - BUF in 5
NJ/TB - NJ in 6
ATL/ NYR - ATL in 7
OTT/ PIT - OTT in 7

West:
DET/CAL - CAL in 7
ANA/MIN - MIN in 6
VAN/DAL - VAN in 5
NAS/SJ - SJ in 6

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Time for a playoff bracket!

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Iggy's Predictions

Western Conference

Detroit Red Wings over Calgary Flames in (6)- Flames put up a good fight, but they can't pull enough wins out of their play. Detroit does well, but not as well as it has the capacity to.

Anaheim Ducks over Minnesota Wild in (7)- A nailbiter.

Vancouver Canucks over Dallas Stars in (6)- Canucks generally outperform Stars, though they have a few slipups and somewhat inconsistent play.

San Jose Sharks over Nashville Predators in (6)- Very closely played, but the Sharks offense performs strongly and manages to pull off a series win.

Eastern Conference

Buffalo Sabres over New York Islanders in (5)- Buffalo strongly outplays their opponents, Isles start the golfing season early.

New Jersey Devils over Tampa Bay Lightning in (6)- Tampa fights a strong series, but Brodeur manages to keep the door shut, save a few moments of worrying inconsistency.

Atlanta Thrashers over New York Rangers in (7)- New York makes a few strong games, but are defeated by Atlanta in the final game.

Ottawa Senators over Pittsburgh Penguins in (7)- A tough one this, it could go either way. But I think the young stars on the Pens won't be quite enough, added to their lack of playoff history. Though I never underestimate the ability of Ottawa to blow it in the playoffs.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Just for fun, I put the bracket through a random number generator like I did last year. Here are the results:

_____                                                     ______
1.DET 0|________                                  ________|1.BUF 4
       |8.CGY 4|                                  |1.BUF 4|     
8.CGY 4|       |_______                   ________|       |8.NYI 2
______         |8.CGY 3|                  |1.BUF 4|       ______
2.ANA 4|       |       |                  |       |       |2.NJD 1
       |2.ANA 3|       |                  |       |7. TB 1|     
7.MIN 2|               |                  |               |7. TB 4
______                 |4.NAS 1    1.BUF 4|               ______
3.VAN 4|________       |       |          |       ________|3.ATL 4
       |3.VAN 1|       |     1.BUF        |       |3.ATL 0|     
6.DAL 0|       |       |                  |       |       |6.NYR 1
______         |4.NAS 4|                  |4.OTT 3|       ______
4.NAS 4|       |                                  |       |4.OTT 4
       |4.NAS 4|                                  |4.OTT 4|    
5. SJ 1|                                                  |5.PIT 2

Interestingly enough, the random number generator predicted Buffalo would win. The RNG I used last year also predicted Buffalo.

Altough the RNG was correct last year in that in predicted the Oilers going to the Finals.

 

[pboily]

Buffalo (4) - Long Island (1): Dubie can only take this team so far.

New Jersey (4) - Tampa (2): The Lightning would kill for a chance at a stud like Clemensen.

Atlanta (4) - New York (3): Somebody's got to win this series, it might as well be the little birds.

Ottawa (2) - Pittsburgh (4): Hedging my bets.

Detroit (2) - Calgary (4): I think Jarome wakes up in this one.

Anaheim (2) - Minnesota (4): Anyone can win in the West.

Vancouver (3) - Dallas (4): The Stars are under-rated. I think. But what the hell do I know? I picked the Wild to beat the Ducks.

San Jose (4) - Nashville (3): I have no idea. I actually flicked a coin for this one.

 

[pboily]

Pasi will be away from a computer for a while, so he pm'd his picks:

East
(1)Buffalo 4 vs. (8)NY Islanders 3
(2)New Jersey 4 vs. (7)Tampa Bay 3
(3)Atlanta 4 vs. (6)NY Rangers 2
(4)Ottawa 4 vs. (5)Pittsburgh 1

West
(1)Detroit 4 vs. (8)Calgary 2
(2)Anaheim 4 vs. (7)Minnesota 2
(3)Vancouver 4 vs. (6)Dallas 1
(4)Nashville 4 vs. (5)San Jose 3

 

[pboily]

Screw patience.

And I assume we are adding Maggie the Monkey into the pool like last year?

How much you wanna bet she'll pick against the Sens, again.

Maggie, don't make me hate you this year again.

 

[NKVD]

East

(1)Buffalo 4 vs. (8)NY Islanders 1
(2)New Jersey 4 vs. (7)Tampa Bay 2
(3)Atlanta 4 vs. (6)NY Rangers 3
(5)Pittsburgh 4 vs (4)Ottawa 2

West
(1)Detroit 4 vs. (8)Calgary 1
(2)Anaheim 4 vs. (7)Minnesota 3
(3)Vancouver 4 vs. (6)Dallas 3
(5)San Jose 4 vs (4)Nashville 2

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

WEST
Detroit 2
Calgary 4

Anaheim 4
Minnesota 3

Vancouver 4
Dallas 2

Nashville 4
San Jose 2

EAST
Buffalo 4
New York Islanders 0

New Jersey 4
Tampa Bay 2

Atlanta 4
New York Rangers 3

Ottawa 4
Pittsburgh 3

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Anyone who picks all 4 top seeds in the West is crazy.

All of those series could go either way.

 

[Red Door]

Finished my picks.

 

[Raisin Bran]

East
(1)Buffalo 4 vs. (8)NY Islanders 2
(2)New Jersey 4 vs. (7)Tampa Bay 3
(3)Atlanta 4 vs. (6)NY Rangers 2
(4)Ottawa 2 vs. (5)Pittsburgh 4

West
(1)Detroit 4 vs. (8)Calgary 0
(2)Anaheim 4 vs. (7)Minnesota 2
(3)Vancouver 4 vs. (6)Dallas 3
(4)Nashville 4 vs. (5)San Jose 2

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

(1)Detroit 4 vs. (8)Calgary 0

Even Pasi gives the Flames more credit than you

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Well, I'm really looking forward to the playoffs now.

I've got all of my 'nucks paraphernalia ready, and the hockey blanket is over the basement couch.

 

[De Lorimier]

Playoffs without your team is never as fun, but I'm a hockey fan first and foremost godamnit! (loser talk)

East

(1)Buffalo vs. (8)NY Islanders

The Isles are on a good run and they could win a few, but the Sabres have too much speed and depth (Afinogenov and Kotalik just came back). I mean, their third center had sixty-three points!

Sabres in 6

(2)New Jersey vs. (7)Tampa Bay

Hate the Devils, hate Devils hockey. I hope Lecavalier and St-Louis destroy Brodeur and especially Lamoriello.

Devils in 5

(3)Atlanta vs. (6)NY Rangers

Interesting matchup. Atlanta can match NY's talent. They have a few people who can take care of Avery. Hartley should own Renney.

Trashers in 6

(4)Ottawa vs. (5)Pittsburgh

I'm officially on Pittsburgh's bandwagon. It's not original and a lot of people will jump aboard, but these guys have a special place in my heart. (I have everyone but Fleury in my keeper pool) The Sens won't be an easy team to play against for ay young Penguins team. Will guys like Recchi, Gonchar and Roberts be able to compensate for the inexperience of the rest of the team? Seems far fetched.

Sens in 7

West

(1)Detroit vs. (8)Calgary

Calgary has lost in the first round last year after a great series and have been in the finals the season before that. They're playoff ready. Detroit should be in the same position, but Datsyuk and Zetterberg have to step it up this time around. Is Hasek in good shape?

Wings in 7

(2)Anaheim vs. (7)Minnesota

The Wild have been very good for a while now, but the Ducks look like a big hockey machine ready to roll on. I'm afraid the Ducks will destroy Minnesota. That's unless Backstrom plays on his head like he's been doing lately.

Ducks in 4

(3)Vancouver vs. (6)Dallas

Probably the matchup I'm the least interested in. A known playoff choker (Turco) against someone who never played playoff hockey (Luongo). Should be interesting.

Stars in 6

(4)Nashville vs. (5)San Jose

Wow! They both look like real contenders. Probably the best looking series with Ottawa-Pittsburgh. Thornton sucks in the playoffs though.

Preds in 7

 

[Drewcifer]

I'm in.

West
Calgary over Detroit in 6
Minnesota over Anaheim in 7
Vancouver over Dallas in 6
San Jose over Nashville in 5

East
Buffalo over NY Islanders in 5
New Jersey over Tampa Bay in 5
NY Rangers over Atlanta in 5
Ottawa over Pittsburgh in 7

 

[jeps]

SB - you have no idea how much I like everything up to the Semifinals of that RNG. Calgary I could like winning - beause A) Canadian B) Beat Colorado out, so if we lose to the best...

Nashville is one of my top 3

Ottawa is Canadian

And I have a lot of respect for everything about Buffalo except that neon-yellow looking toupee that they call a logo.

 

[JonnyB]

The schedule for the first round is set. The full schedule is here

Wed Apr 11, 2007
Penguins Senators 7:00 PM ET
Stars Canucks 7:00 PM ET
Sharks Predators 7:00 PM ET
Wild Ducks 7:30 PM ET

Thu Apr 12, 2007
Rangers Thrashers 7:00 PM ET
Flames Red wings 7:00 PM ET
Lightning Devils 7:30 PM ET
Islanders Sabres 8:00 PM ET

Fri Apr 13, 2007
Stars Canucks 6:00 PM ET
Sharks Predators 7:00 PM ET
Wild Ducks 7:30 PM ET

Sat Apr 14, 2007
Rangers Thrashers 3:00 PM ET
Penguins Senators 3:00 PM ET
Lightning Devils 7:00 PM ET
Islanders Sabres 7:30 PM ET

Sun Apr 15, 2007
Flames Red Wings 1:00 PM ET
Senators Penguins 6:00 PM ET
Ducks Wild 7:00 PM ET
Canucks Stars 8:30 PM ET

I wish they would stagger the start times.
And no late games means I'll only be able to watch highlights until saturday.