NHL Very Quick Picks
Having improved all the way to .500 in the last round,I’ll try to at least match that last time. In the West, it’s the Kings (a pick I tweeted last night so you won’t think I’m cheating!) I continue to think that LA’s performance in the playoffs is more indicative of the talent of their roster than their regular season record, so I think they’ll beat the game but overmatched-in-talent Coyotes in, let’s say, 5. One argument I made in comments last time I’ll reiterate is that while his reputation seems to suffer from the more dubious coaching performances of his brothers, Darryl Sutter is an excellent coach. His first Chicago team improved by 16 points; his San Jose teams defied the Plexiglass Principle 4 years in a row, rare in any pro sport; and he took a Calgary team that was basically 2 elite players (one of whom Sutter acquired for a 2nd round draft pick) fronting a real good AHL team to within a goal of the Stanley Cup, 103 points the next year. Like a lot of defensive hardass types he doesn’t necessarily have a long shelf life but he was a great hire for an underachieving Kings team.
In the East, I’ll stick with the Rangers on the threadbare reasoning that in a series that figures to have a lot of close games I’ll take the team with the superior goaltending, and being in the camp that thinks he was a little overrated at his peak I don’t believe in the 40-year-old Brodeur. Plus, I think Berube will be able to will the spirit of Stephane Matteau in a Game 7. But I was impressed and evidently surprised by how easily Jersey handled the Flyers, so I won’t be surprised if they win.
I always thought Lundqvist was a bit overrated, but I agree he’s the better (and much younger) of the two.
Also, Torts has been there. DeBoer, who was pretty much a complete dud in Florida, hasn’t. Bench management can make a significant difference in close games, especially overtime games, and I have to give Torts the edge here.
One thing is certain: NBC Sports has made me hate the Rangers. And I already hated the Devils, so… go Kings.
I’ve been a die hard Kings fan since at least the early ’80s (the Miracle on Manchester is probably my oldest hockey memory) and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a Kings team play this well over this long of a stretch.
Daryl Sutter was exactly what this team needed. Before getting behind the bench, but after being named coach,he took a trip to Manchester to watch the AHL Monarchs. Shortly thereafter Dwight King and Jordan Nolan were called up, and Slava Voynov was inserted into the everyday lineup after the trade of Jack Johnson. Sometimes you need that fresh set of eyes. They’re playing the forty feet at each end of the ice really well. Their forechecking and break outs have been excellent. And it helps that Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown are playing the best hockey of their careers.
Phoenix scares me, so I’m not counting any chickens yet, but the Kings have been really fun to watch.
I was surprised by the Kings work in the semis (guess I can claim East Coast bias or something about not having seen them play before, or Brent Sutter bias even). Didn’t think that St. Louis would fold so easily, and though I thought that NJ could deal with Philadelphia, I also didn’t think the Flyers would fall apart so easily.
Going into the 3rd period, NJ is definitely controlling the play better, but Lundqvist is clearly being the better goalie. Even from last round, it seems like something is up with Brodeur: his puckhandling is not very good (two very bad turnovers already), and I don’t think it’s just because he’s 40. While I thought NJ would have a good chance to beat Philly if they played their game, I’m not so confident about this series.
And let me just say that the trapezoid sucks.
Brodeur didn’t really have much to do against Phily, especially with the Space Monkey in goal. Facing an actual goalie instead of Bryzgalov, Clemmensen and Thedore will be a big challenge for them.
It’s taken 50 years, but hockey seems to have arrived in LA. The Kings look like they know what they’re doing. But, since in those 50 years they have made it to exactly one Cup final, and lost it, I’m not betting the farm just yet. You know The Powers don’t want them to win – if somebody were to drop-kick the Cup into the LA River it would break.
If you were cheating, I’d recommend that you stop.
I have to agree with both of your picks, based on how the playoffs have progressed and my observations of all four teams on the TeeVee.
I think the Rangers (and thought this yesterday, so last night’s not a cheat) will have an easier time with the Devils than LA will have with Phoenix. Jonathan Quick looked all too mortal to me the other night, despite the win. Lundquist is having a Billy Smith-type playoff series and when you consider that less than half the shots taken are even getting to him, he stands a really good chance of garnering a few shutouts en route to a Cup win in six in the Finals.
What surprised me in last night’s game was the shaky play of the Devils, particularly in transition. The way they handled the Flyers down low was scary good, so the fact that the Rangers haven’t made too many mistakes in their own end speaks to their familiarity with the Devils scheme, but Devils defensive zone play was really spotty.
Quick’s mistakes in the first game were atypical. He’ll bounce back tonight and the Kings will win. Then it will be a walk to the Stanley Cup series.
That Anonymous was me. Kings fan since 92-93 when my son introduced me to the sport. My son is the ultimate Kings fan – has the Kings crown logo tattooed on his back. I’m hoping very hard, mostly for him, that we take the Cup this year
Did you watch the third period? Not too many mistakes by Quick there, and at least three brilliant, took-three-looks-on-replay-to-figure-out-how-he-did-it, saves.
You never know when a goalie might drop from giving literally unbelieveable play in goal to only being extraordinary, but I wouldn’t bet against Quick in this playoffs.