This is part two of the 2009 Puck Podcast Playoff Preview in which Eddie and Doug breakdown the first round Western Conference playoff match-ups and give their predictions for which teams will advance to the second round. Be sure to check out part one which has a complete preview and predictions of the first round match-ups in the Eastern Conference.
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Blues in 6 baby! ‘Nucks are a good team, but the Blues are even more red-hot than them.
Jeff, couldn’t agree more, go the Blues !!!
Carolina’s tough and as usual the Devils get no respect. A 6 game skid cancelled out what they had earned all season without an NHL goaltender. The Devils will take advantage of home ice and win in 6 games.
On another note, this might be a bold statement but Alexander Ovechkin is a little overrated. Everyone talks about him going out there and just dominating any player he plays against. If I’m not mistaken Ovechkin has been in one playoff series which was lost. Ovechkin behaved ghostly at times in that series. Ovechkin has never truly faced a shutdown defenceman. Marc Staal is maturing quite well and should give him trouble. Don’t underestimate Avery’s ability to get under the skin of Ovechkin too.
Oh…….. Theodore’s a chump also.
Rangers in 6
Eddie: You’re a true fan, no doubt. Wanting to take in the excitement of game 3 in Columbus shows that but your comment about Holmstrom, Franzen or Cleary not being an issue for Mason, I don’t understand.
Those guys will present as much of a problem for Mason as any other goalie, his size means nothing. Doug makes a great point, if the BJs get stupid, as the Ducks do each night, and end up in the box, it will be over quickly. Holmstrom and the like, annoying the Mason and the BJ’s defense will likely assure the Wings of PPs and that should be that. If the Wings don’t capitalize on the PP, that’s a different story…
Mark,
I don’t believe I said traffic in front of Mason won’t be an issue. Good traffic in front of any goalie is an issue. I said it will not be AS BIG of an issue with Mason because he has good size and is 6-3. He won’t be as bothered by it as say a smaller guy like 5-10 Chris Osgood would be.
Eddie: Thanks for clarifying, guess I misheard you.
No other team has a lunatic like Holmstrom willing to stand there and take that abuse so I don’t think Osgood has that much to worry about on his end. Ozzy’s issue is in his own head and hopefully, he can flip the switch and get in gear quickly or this series will get far more interesting that I want it to be!
Love you guys and the show, it’s the best time of the year.
Heh, Osgood could go 16-0 with 9 shutouts, and then in the home opener next year let up three goals and the torches will be a-coming. Time to upgrade so I can get VS and get with this new DVR technology people are tlakin about…
I think I mentioned this in 06, but I thought I’d throw it out there again partly because I’m obviously a Detroit fan but partly because I think it’s almost eerie and I’m a nerd for research like this…
2008, Detroit wins the Cup
2007, Anaheim wins the Cup after beating Detroit in Round 3
2006, Edmonton gets to the Cup Final after being Detroit in Round 1
2004, Calgary gets to the Cup Final after beating Detroit in Round 2
2003, Anaheim gets to the Cup Final after beating Detroit in Round 1
2002, Detroit wins the Cup
Pretty amazing that even when Detroit loses early, the road to the Cup literally has gone through them in all of the past six seasons. The 2001 Avalanche is the last team to represent the West without facing the Wings in the playoffs.
Good show guys, thanks!
Dustin–
I seriously feel like you could say that for a lot of teams. I don’t have the stats in front of me or to my disposal right now, but I think that if all of those teams had actually won the Cup, that stat would be worthy. But to throw out that they beat them in the first round, second round, etc. and just went to the Finals means nothing to me. The Blues could have made that case way back when they were a good hockey team in the 90’s.
I had to stay up and watch the Ducks pull it off last night… maybe like you said, Eddie, “Here we go again.” It was no wonder Niedermayer scored after getting all that rest in the penalty box…
And Mark, Osgood made you look like a smart guy last night.
Oh, and Eddie, did Nash play last night? 😉
Dave: Ozzy did well last night, no question, but it’s one game as we all know. If not for him, it would of been 2-0 Columbus in the first period.
Nash was a non-event last night but he has scary potential to make you look stupid in any game. Along with Hitchcock, whom I think is excellent, they will make adjustments and pose a new challenge tomorrow. I like what I saw offensively but even more defensively which is everything for the Wings.
I could only handle a period of the Ducks game being in this time-zone but was surprised to see them win the first one. As long as that series goes 7 games, I don’t care who wins.
Detroit- and Osgood- played well. Wings better hold serve, however, as I think the Jackets’ building is gonna be louder than a jumbo jet come games 3 & 4. And, much like Chicago last night, the team is going to respond.
And speaking of the Hawks’ building for it’s first game, I thought Calgary played scary well. They lost, but I didn’t believe they would show up. Shoulda known Keenan wouldn’t have let that happen. Bad on me for predicting a blow out game and a blow out series…