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Predicting the West....Two Toss-Ups...But Someone Has to Move On.. |
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Ok....you can tell how excited I am to get back on the horse ofter going 3 for 8 in round 1, but here goes nothing!
On Nashville vs. St Louis...
This matchup is so perfect in every way. This is a case of two teams who are on a serious roll right now with two goalies who proved almost unbeatable in round 1. The defenses for both teams are also among the best in the NHL right now. The Predators may be the best in the league bar none...
The key for the Blues will be the power play. Their power play was very good in the regular season from the midway point on it was among the best...But the Blues went 1 for 14 against the Preds in the regular season. That won't be hood enough...
The Preds and Blues are in some ways mirror images, but in other ways opposites...moving towards being mirror images...The Preds historically have had to rely on tough goals and hard work to create chances, while the Blues have tended to have more of a skilled attack...and yet in these playoffs we ares seeing some pretty skilled goals from the Preds and some hard work goals from the Blues...
This feels like a coin toss, but I do think the Preds may have the advantage in Laviolette....He has a great record in the playoffs as a coach...
Two players who will be difference makers:
There are two players who remind me a ton of one another, and both were important in round one...Kevin Fiala and Jaden Schwartz.
My Pick...
Preds in 7
On Anaheim vs. Edmonton...
I could copy and paste the preview from the San Jose/Edmonton series...
One team with experience and one team very new to how to win in the playoffs...
The difference is Edmonton is now playing Anaheim and not San Jose. And Anaheim is now playing Edmonton and NOT Calgary...Logic tells us that if Edmonton can get better goaltending than Calgary then they have a serious shot...And they do...but the Sharks defensive system is nothing like the Anaheim system.
The Ducks were surgical in their outlets and D-zone escapes. Not since another So-Cal team in LA have I seen a team better at getting out of their own zone. And the Ducks did that WITHOUT three of their top D-men...who are expected back..
The Oilers showed they are more than just a first time playoff participant...Knocking off the defending Conference Champions is a BIG deal. And they did so with a balanced attack that wasn't ALL about Connor McDavid.
In the end this is another toss up...These Ducks could be a team on a mission. A team that has been to not only the second round, but the third round on many occasions... The difference may be early in this series. The Ducks haven't played a tough playoff round yet...and they need to not relax and think that the returning players are going to make it all OK...The Oilers need to make a statement early or this series will belong to the Ducks.
I have gone back and forth so many times.
But here is my "official" pick:
Edmonton in 7
What say you?
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