the dwfma blog.

I was about two minutes away from am impressive 7-for-8 showing, but the dreaded rednecks took that away.  The mourning period bled into the second round, with Vancouver dangling Game 1 in front of Chicago last night, but hell, regardless of that outcome, my pick was the Blackhawks, so why not start the second round like I ended the first: confused and ashamed?

On to the pickly excitement.

Prince of Wales Conference.

1 Boston Bruins v 6 Carolina Hurricanes.
From the bowels of Wachovia Center, we have the heir apparent to the sacred status, that is, a series from which I hope neither team advances.  Boston is the vomalicious feel-good story of the semester; if I hear one more thing about an old goaltender finally finding his game in his thirties, I may strangle the nearest intern.  Carolina, on the other hand, they dispatched the Devils in impressive if not heartbreaking fashion. Bitterness aside, I see Boston cruising early, before they realize they have nary a grizzled veteran (perpetual retread Mark Recchi does not qualify) to carry them during those few hops and blips when skill is secondary to heart, determination, and the best nose in hockey.  This prediction assumes Cam Ward skips church and starts stopping the puck again.
Carolina in seven.

2 Washington Capitals v4 Pittsburgh Penguins.
A high-seeded of two teams who advanced at least partially because of poor first-round opponentry.  Still, wins are wins, and this series will be one to watch.  That’s all I have to say.
Washington in seven.

Clarence Campbell Conference.

2 Detroit Red Wings v 8 Anaheim Ducks.
Detroit is long due for a death at the hands of an eighth seed.  Recent news has Brian Rafaski going down to be replaced by … wait for it … Chris Chelios.  Pete Campbell may be lucky the bench is deep at Sterling Cooper, but the senior citizen discount will bite Detroit squarely in the trunk.  Jonas Hiller looks like the Jean-Sébastien Giguère of old.  Strong goaltending and a kid from Cherry Hill will carry the Ducks along.  Unfortunately.
Anaheim in seven.

3 Vancouver Canucks v 4 Chicago Blackhawks.
Let’s be honest, especially since I am making this pick first, and want to start on a roll.  I pretty much hate the Canucks.  Vancouver is probably a lovely city, but the Canucks have been smeared with dirt ever since they lost the 1994 Finals.  Todd Bertuzzi, Marc Crawford, Mark Messier, and now that idiot Mats Sundin, they dig a hole deep enough that not even a gem like Roberto Luongo can pull the team into respectability.  (You’ll notice I focused only on reputation, rather than merit, because I have no idea, really, who the Canucks are nowadays.)  On the other side, you have a tested Khabby and die wunderkinden Kane and Toews.  Cooler names, cooler uniforms, and a date with destiny.  Sorry, Gino.
Blackhawks in six.

Last round: 6-2 (.750)
2009 playoffs: 6-2 (.750)

I should have a few days to review my first round picks and try to make them into nonsensical gibberish.

But instead I sit here and lament the third period, two minute warning, game seven loss of the New Jersey Devils.  I think I cried a little in the elevator this morning.  Cried, because I wanted to see this team in person against Washington during the next round, and wanted to see numbers 9 and 11 in person again … but only a little, because I am a thirty-year-old man who can no longer let sports have such a deathgrip on daily life.  (Then again, the Devils are it — the rest of these helmeted fools, be they Phillies or Ravens or Blue Jays, are simply filler between Stanley Cup sips.)

Rumors swirl about Lou Lamoriello being asked to give up business duties to center energies on scouting talent and running the product on the ice.

Brent Sutter needs to weigh life in Newark and Orange against family and the dusty Alberta plains.

Unrestricted free agents abound, including Brian Gionta, Brendan Shanahan, Niclas Havelid, Johnny Oduya, Bobby Holik, Michael Rupp, and the beloved John Madden.

Back in the realm of the 2-3-2 baseball series, the 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates faced the Atlanta Braves in the National League championship headed.  The former team was headed home for those back two games with a 3-2 lead, needing only one win to head to the World Series.  As the little wombat said on my Sports Illustrated year in review video, “It was a win that never came.”

Fast forward to 2001, when those Devils somehow commanded a 3-2 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final, needed just one win between a game in Colorado and a game in New Jersey.  Neither worked out, and the Colorado Avalanche — sporting Patrick Roy, my favorite player at the time — skated away with another Cup.

That is how last night felt.  I was momentarily happy inside Verizon Center, listening to the thundering decibels as the Washington Capitals snuck past the New York Rangers, seemingly on course to play New Jersey in round two.  Six short minutes later, that was gone.

Check out this great salute from Carey Price as he acknowledges the fans in Montreal. (Video after the jump.)

Just because you’re not as obnoxious as Toronto fans does not mean you’re guiltless.
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Before babbling about specific match-ups (spread out by weeks, a round at a time) it should be noted that my pick for the crusty chalice is New Jersey.  Big surprise.  I see them meeting Detroit and taking the Cup in six games.

Prince of Wales Conference.
1 Boston Bruins v 8 Montreal Canadiens.
Boston is one of the overly disgusting feel-good stories of the year: a loser coach brings together a journeyman goaltender, an ugly captain, and an assortment of unpronounceable has-beens, and rides them to the top spot in the conference.  I do not see Boston going too far after this series, but they will win, and probably big.  Carey Price is not yet the real deal, and if this series is beset by a collection of two-or-more-goal losses, fans in Montreal will have to wonder if he ever will be.
Boston in five.

2 Washington Capitals v 7 New York Rangers.
They say a team is only as good as its goaltender can carry it; the Rangers have a top-five stopper in Henrik Lundqvist, while the Capitals have a twice-has-been in Jose Theodore.  A new coach and the additions of Sean Avery, Nik Antropov, and other assorted bodies near the trade deadline have breathed life into the overpriced heap on Broadway.  Contrast that late scramble with the Chinatown crusade in DC, a pillage attack of the rest of the east has been steamrolling since the season opened.  Theodore will likely be outdueled but will play just well enough to drag the Caps into the second round.
Capitals in six.

3 New Jersey Devils v 6 Carolina Hurricanes.
If I had more free time I would look up exact numbers, but it seems the Hurricanes and Devils meet for a series almost annually, with Carolina winning more often.  The Devils cruised through most of the season with poignant scoring (thanks, Zach Parise) supporting a defense-by-committee and a career backup.  With wins in most of their final games, including the series finale against these same ‘Canes, an earlier Devils losing streak was essentially erased.  The readdition of Erik Cole has brought Carolina back to the vicinity of their Cup glory, but it’s too bad Cam Ward is still an empty reminder and Peter Laviolette is gone.
Devils in six.

4 Pittsburgh Penguins v 5 Philadelphia Flyers.
If the world was a just place, these two teams would collide hard enough that the resulting mixed mess could not limp into round two.  The Penguins have Sidney Crosby, but will be missing Marian Hossa (free agency) and Evgeni Malkin (playoff deserter).  East of the Appalachians, we have the Flyers, stacked with scoring (Jeff Carter, Scott Hartnell, Simon Gagne, Mike Richards, et al) but still saddled with inconsistent goaltending.  Home ice will matter.
Pittsburgh in six.

Clarence Campbell Conference.
1 San Jose Sharks v 8 Anaheim Ducks.
In a few short years, San Jose has gone from perennial playoff spoiler to Presidents’ Trophy. Evgeni Nabokov should be fresh and primed for a long playoff run, what with journeyman Brian Boucher clocking 20 starts starts as a backup goalie throughout the season. Joe Thornton continues to lead a productive offense, with Patrick Marleau, Devin Setoguchi, and a few newcomers combining to offset the disappearing act of Jonathan Cheechoo. The Ducks will try to counter with Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, and Ryan Getzlaf, but the who’s-who in goal (Giguere, or Hiller?) will keep the Ducks grounded.
San Jose in five.

2 Detroit Red Wings v 7 Columbus Blue Jackets.
It bears repeating: winning a playoff series comes down to great goaltending.  On paper, the Jackets have that goaltending, and the Wings do not. But this is also the first round, and hell, it’s the Red Wings. Sure, I picked Detroit to make the Western final, but that’s only because the west is so wide open (read: I never follow the Western Conference and have no idea who even qualified before checking online). Goaltending woes or not, with Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and the mercenary Marian Hossa up front, the Wings can strongarm at least one series relying on scoring and history alone.
Detroit in five.

3 Vancouver Canucks v 6 St Louis Blues.
St Louis is a nice story: former player (John Davidson) comes back and makes good in the front office, even without a key piece (Jack Johnson). Vancouver, on the other hand, needs to win, and needs to win now. Half the team is slated for UFA after this season, with most of the remaining half headed to the same cloud after next season. I would like to see St Louis advance, but so long as Roberto Luongo pays attention to the game (rather than the referees) he will carry the Ca’shmucks a round or two.
Vancouver in six.

4 Chicago Blackhawks v 5 Calgary Flames.
I made it to the bottom of this missive before linking to a previous post (or two). This is a hard series to pick. It has been fun watching Chicago dig themselves out of W.W.W. ownership obscurity and start walking the road back to Original Six credibility. Calgary boasts one of the true complete players (Jarome Iginla) and is one of the few Canadian teams worth rooting for. Both teams appear to be stacked in goal, if slightly inconsistent and batty the past season or two. Kiprusoff will be good, but Khabibulin has gone 8-1-1 in his last ten games, including a slightly meaningless 3-0 drubbing of Detroit to close his season. (Somewhere, as he is wont to do, George McPhee is smiling that idiot smile of his.)
Chicago in seven.

Last year’s numbers were awful, as per usual, but I will try to dig them up.