Originally posted by: classy
I really like an upset of the Rangers over the Sabres. If Lunquist continues to play strong, I believe the Sabres will get beat.
Rangers simply can't keep up with Buffalo. The biggest indication is Buffalo's fourth line domination of the rangers. Buffalo put their fourth line out there a lot and they always created chances and played hard. Rangers have no counter for Buffalo's depth.
Their trash talking and insistance on trying to hit Buffalo into oblivion did nothing but get them penalities and frustration from a more diciplined Buffalo team. It was obvious before the first game that the Rangers were going into this series talking big but arn't backing up their words. Lundqvist is a good goalie, but in the end he won't be the savior for their team. Rangers rolled over an Atlanta team that shouldn't even have showed up for the series. Now their egos are huge and their play can't back them. Buffalo brought their B++ to A- game, and dominated the blue shirts. Buffalo in 5, mabey 6.
Vancouver isn't going to win their series. Their stellar goaltending isn't going to make up for their lackluster offense. New Jersey is a team that has been backing up their goalie with great goals, Vancouver is not that team. Ducks in 5.
The sharks v. Wings series should be fantabulous! Sharks play a hard press offense and wings play a stifling defense. Both teams can generate endless offense and the goalies will most likely determine the outcome. Hasek is great as I and everyone else knows, but anyone on that ice paying attention for the past 10 years knows that with one extra second of patience beats Hasek upstairs everytime. Sharks in 7.
Ottawa v New Jersey should be a decent series if the sens can break through the trap. Sens are vastly superior offensively but Devils have Brodeur. Sens in 7.
God love hockey.