NHL First Round Predictions
Having already submitted the Boston Bruins as my pick in Eric McErlain’s Stanley Cup prediction contest, I suppose I’ll go ahead and post my (belated) first round predictions. I am not taking Game 1 results into account.
Eastern Conference
Tampa Bay over NY Islanders — sorry, Eric.
Boston over Montreal — Montreal picked it up a bit in the last part of the season, but I just can’t take them over Raycroft and the B’s.
New Jersey over Philadelphia — Philadelphia’s goaltending was shaky before they lost Éric Desjardins on D; now it’s over.
Toronto over Ottawa — Patrick Lalime vs. Ed Belfour in the playoffs? No contest. Shoot, I’d even take Leafs backup (and former Cane) Trevor Kidd over Lalime, at least in the playoffs. (Odd media note: though we’ve been getting the St. John’s, Newfoundland CBC feed on NHL Center Ice for most of the season, tonight we appear to be getting a feed from the NWT or Nunavut, complete with what looked like an anti-smoking PSA in Inuktitut.)
Western Conference
Detroit over Nashville — please, Predators, prove me wrong.
San Jose over St. Louis — ah, the rites of spring: Opening Day in baseball, number 302 in the United Methodist Hymnal, and the Blues losing in the first round.
Calgary over Vancouver — I’ll probably be denied on this upset special, but call it a hunch.
Dallas over Colorado — everyone and his dog is piling on the Avs for their poor late-season performance. Count me in.