2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs thread

[Derek21 49]

Here are your match-ups.

 

EAST

 

Bruins vs Red Wings

Penguins vs Blue Jackets

Lightning vs Canadiens

Rangers vs Flyers

 

Obviously, I'm not making a pick for my team's series. I honestly don't know what to expect. So, I will not even be making a series prediction on the blog.

 

Bruins over Wings in 5

Pens over Jackets in 5

Lightning vs Canadiens (Pick 'Em) Another series I have no clue on. Bishop injury.

Rangers vs Flyers (Pick 'Em) Will probably go at least 6.

 

WEST

 

Ducks vs Stars

Avalanche vs Wild

Blues vs Blackhawks

Sharks vs Kings

 

Two potential classic series here. One team with more pressure than anyone else (St. Louis).

 

Ducks over Stars in 6

Avalanche over Wild in 5

Blues vs Blackhawks (Pick 'Em) Oshie injury. Miller vs Crawford. I can't decide.

Sharks over Kings in 7

 

The San Jose pick is based on their scorers performing. Quick could wreck it. This postseason is a toss up. Outside of the Bruins, there are no other overwhelming favorites. The Avs are without Matt Duchene. Pick at your own risk.

[PWW 43]

I will be rooting for the Flyers hard in the first round. I want the Rangers out and want them to have no chance to get any momentum. I'd rather the Flyers won 10 straight Cups before the Rangers won 1.

 

...Then I'll immediately be rooting for the Flyers to lose in the 2nd round of course.

 

The best thing about this series is that one of those teams is guaranteed to be out in the first round. The worst thing about it is that the other is guaranteed to make it to the second round haha.

[MadDog2020 7,366]

I'm looking forward to the LA-SJ series most. That is gonna be a GREAT series.

[Devils Pride 26 256]

St. Louis - Chicago is going to be awesome. Youth/hunger vs. experience. Looks awesome.

Weird to see Detroit vs. Boston though

[thecoffeecake 390]

I have a few friends who have recently become Devils fans (and are as die-hard as I am). We were talking about the Philadelphia new York series, my friends pondering over who to pull for. They wondered why without hesitation, most Devils fans would immediately say Philly. One moment I'll never forget was the last day of the regular season in 2010, I was at the Rock for the game against Buffalo. After the Devils won in ot, a lot of us stuck around to watch the shootout between Philly and the rangers. The winner got the seven seed, and was going to face us in the first round, and the loser was going to be eliminated. It was certainly the only time I've seen a large number of devils fans inside the prudential center wildly cheer for the flyers. One realist Devils fan was pretty aggravated, and was yelling about how the flyers had killed us all season, and how dumb could we all be to root for them. I guess the rest is history, and watching flyers fans huddle up in a circle and jump around and celebrate after game five that year at the rock did create another level of hatred in me for those people, I still need to go with Philly.

On a personal level, I go to school in Philly, and spend a lot of time there. I love it outside of any sports context. New York, on the contrary, I hate. I think that's rooted in hating the Rangers so God damn much, and I can't understand how so many of you are fanatical about new York teams in other sports. I grew up a Mets fan, and find it more and more difficult every season to even casually support them. I know plenty of people in Jersey are Mets fans, but the majority are sack of sh!t new Yorkers. Although I've got plenty of Flyers fans friends I seriously consider punching square in the face every time hockey comes up, I could never hope for anything but the worst for the Rangers, their fans, and that city.

[BlueSkirt 64]

Bruins / Blues would be my preferred Final.

 

I always want the Rags to lose in the firs round (or the 3rd like we did to them in 2012 !!!)

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman 25]

I'm rooting for Tampa in the East and San Jose in the West to win it all.

 

 

Hopefully one of the Sharks, Stars or Jackets wins

 

 

Go Sharks

 

 

Sharks are a great team but they (or LA) arguably have the toughest draw.  It sucks.  The race to win the Pacific this year was so intense for exactly this reason.  I think the new NHL playoff system actually is pretty smart except for the wild card confusion.

 

My prediction is Boston over Chi in a finals rematch, but the Sharks certainly have a good enough team to win it all.

Edited April 15, 2014 by halfsharkalligatorhalfman

[AEWHistory 55]

Let's go Blues!!

 

No, no, no... I'll never root for the Blues to be successful.  They're ineptitude has helped us so much over the years and their recent years of smart moves has really cost us.  A Cup win would just solidify their move away from stupidity and make like harder on Lou.  I say let the Blues fall flat on their faces, fire the FO, and bring in a team of monkeys.  Then let's get back to them getting caught doing stuff like tampering with our players and giving us first round picks!

[AEWHistory 55]

I have a few friends who have recently become Devils fans (and are as die-hard as I am). We were talking about the Philadelphia new York series, my friends pondering over who to pull for. They wondered why without hesitation, most Devils fans would immediately say Philly. One moment I'll never forget was the last day of the regular season in 2010, I was at the Rock for the game against Buffalo. After the Devils won in ot, a lot of us stuck around to watch the shootout between Philly and the rangers. The winner got the seven seed, and was going to face us in the first round, and the loser was going to be eliminated. It was certainly the only time I've seen a large number of devils fans inside the prudential center wildly cheer for the flyers. One realist Devils fan was pretty aggravated, and was yelling about how the flyers had killed us all season, and how dumb could we all be to root for them. I guess the rest is history, and watching flyers fans huddle up in a circle and jump around and celebrate after game five that year at the rock did create another level of hatred in me for those people, I still need to go with Philly.

On a personal level, I go to school in Philly, and spend a lot of time there. I love it outside of any sports context. New York, on the contrary, I hate. I think that's rooted in hating the Rangers so God damn much, and I can't understand how so many of you are fanatical about new York teams in other sports. I grew up a Mets fan, and find it more and more difficult every season to even casually support them. I know plenty of people in Jersey are Mets fans, but the majority are sack of sh!t new Yorkers. Although I've got plenty of Flyers fans friends I seriously consider punching square in the face every time hockey comes up, I could never hope for anything but the worst for the Rangers, their fans, and that city.

 

For me the Devils have two diehard rivalries: The Rangers and Flyers.  They are 1a and 1b.  Of course I'm more towards Flyer country myself, so it is easy to feel that way and to hate them since I'm largely surrounded by the enemy.

 

So who to root for?  That's easy: root for a long, nasty series that exhausts both teams and then pull for the more beat up team to win and then get swept away in the next round.  See?  That's as close as having your cake and eating it to as we can get at this point.

Edited April 15, 2014 by AEWHistory

[CarterforPresident 80]

Dallas as the underdog over Anaheim.

Blues over Chicago.

SJ over LA in seven

Colorado over Minnesota.

Boston over Detroit.

Yeah,CBJ over Pitt! ( underdog )

Flyers over NY

Tampa over Montreal

[Chimaira_Devil_#9 527]

I want Columbus to win.

[DevsMan84 2,067]

For the Rangers-Flyers series I will be rooting for the arena roof collapsing.

[Neb00rs 2,871]

 

Sharks are a great team but they (or LA) arguably have the toughest draw.  It sucks.  The race to win the Pacific this year was so intense for exactly this reason.  I think the new NHL playoff system actually is pretty smart except for the wild card confusion.

 

My prediction is Boston over Chi in a finals rematch, but the Sharks certainly have a good enough team to win it all.

 

Miss being a Devils fan yet?  . You'd have so much more free time right now.

[Namelesz 3]

The main good thing I am taking away from this year's playoff is the fact the one of either the Rags or Phailures will not be in the second round. 

That fact alone puts a smile on my face. But nonetheless I have picked Philly in my bracket as I would rather have them over NY. 

I also picked Pitt over CBJ as I would like to see another Philly vs Pitt playoff bloodbath like in 2012. That was brutal and only helps out the team they gotta play next. 

So here's to hoping that Philly gets into 2 long and bloody rounds and end it there. 

 

Also for the west I can't predict as well but I do see the Avs making it past the first round and I believe the Sharks/Kings matchup could go to 7 games. Shame one of those teams won't make it to round 2.

In my NHL bracket though I have the Stanley Cup Final to be the Ducks vs the Bruins with Boston winning it all.

[thecoffeecake 390]

For me the Devils have two diehard rivalries: The Rangers and Flyers.  They are 1a and 1b.  Of course I'm more towards Flyer country myself, so it is easy to feel that way and to hate them since I'm largely surrounded by the enemy.

 

So who to root for?  That's easy: root for a long, nasty series that exhausts both teams and then pull for the more beat up team to win and then get swept away in the next round.  See?  That's as close as having your cake and eating it to as we can get at this point.

Yes, but I still want Philly to pull out that game seven, only to be viciously mauled by the Pens.

[Neb00rs 2,871]

In my NHL bracket though I have the Stanley Cup Final to be the Ducks vs the Bruins with Boston winning it all.

 

Seems to be everyone's predicted final, including mine. Boston is just too dominant to pass over. In the West, the Blues' slump has made the Ducks the clear cut favorite.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Neb00rs

[MadDog2020 7,366]

I have Boston-LA as my Final pick. Boston in 7.

[thecoffeecake 390]

Lets do an njdevs bracket challenge. I have Colorado over Pittsburgh

[2ELIAS6 249]

just realized that the playoffs start tonight.. atleast i now have something to watch

[mort4345 7]

Ok, I'll bite:

 

Round 1

 

East

 

Boston defeats Detroit (4-2)

Montreal defeats Tampa (4-2)

Philly defeats Rangers (4-3)

Pitt defeats Columbus (4-2)

 

West

 

Ducks defeat Dallas (4-1)

Kings defeat San Jose (4-3)

Chicago defeats St. Louis (4-2)

Avs defeat Wild (4-3)

 

Round 2

 

Boston defeats Montreal (4-1)

Philly defeats Pitt (4-3)

Ducks defeat Kings (4-3)

Chicago defeats Avs (4-2)

 

Round 3

 

Boston defeats Philly (4-2)

Ducks defeat Chicago (4-2)

 

Boston wins Stanley Cup (4-3)

[2ELIAS6 249]

sure hope youre right with philly beating the rangers in the first round..not sure if the odds are in that favor though i guess well see.. but for the second round if it ends up being the flyers and pens i hope the pens can take them out i would hate to see them go any further then just far enough to get the rags out

Edited April 16, 2014 by 2ELIAS6

[Devil Dan 56 1,639]

I'll throw in some useless predictions:

 

Aves in 5

Blues in 7

Ducks in 6

Kings in 7

Boston in 5

Habs in 6

Jackets in 7

Philly in 7

 

I have Boston winning it all, ending a fun Cinderella run by the Jackets in the ECF and beating Anaheim in the finals to get over that collapse from last year in Game 6.

[CarterforPresident 80]

Dallas and Columbus... Just watch!

[PWW 43]

My picks for the first round:

 

Boston in 5

Montreal in 7

Philly in 7

Pittsburgh in 6

Ducks in 6

San Jose in 7

Chicago in 6

Avs in 5

 

I ultimately have in coming down to Boston/Avs with Boston winning it all.

[Devils Pride 26 256]

Habs with a big fan presence in Tampa.