Update on Breaking News...Ron Hextall just took the microphone and announced he is not ready to make a decision yet on Craig Berube...
On Montreal vs Ottawa….
I did my preview for this series on Monday, and I stated what I still believe, the Montreal Canadiens will win this series, but it won't be easy. Pacioretty will miss game 1, but he did skate and I fully expect he will be back in this series sooner than later. These teams are very similar. Both depend on goaltending. One team has a hot story in Hammond, the other has an experienced goalie coming off his finest season, maybe the finest season we've seen from a goalie in a decade, in Carey Price. Much will be dictated by the first two games of the series. I believe Ottawa has to win one, if not both of the first two games in Montreal to win the series. And for young team trying to do that in Montréal is a hell of a thing. Ottawa is a great story and if they win this series it would be a blast to see that story continue. I just feel Montréal has too much experience and too much Carey Price to lose. I am going with Montréal in six. Five if they win the first two.
On Nashville vs. Chicago…
One thing you can say about the Nashville Predators and the playoffs is no one ever does them any favors when it comes to match ups. Their reward for being on top of the NHL for much of the season is they get to play a team in the opening-round who has won two of the last five Stanley Cups. This series will be an out-and-out war. Has there ever been a series with better defensemen than this one? The fear on the Nashville side is that Peter Laviolette’s “all out all the time… System has left the Predators a tired team. I am not so sure. Whenever one of the other top teams slumped this year it was noted that the team was going through a dry spell, or they were bored with nothing to play for. I don't believe the Predators were any different. I believe this series Will be won by the hungrier team. Chicago has been very good again, but Nashville has looked hungrier to me. Preds in 7 (could be more like 9 when you add up all the possible overtime minutes….)
On Washington and the Islanders….
I don't know how many people realize how good the Washington Capitals have been lately. Barry Trotz has really gotten his team to peak at the right point. It wasn't too long ago however that Jaroslav Halak took down a Capitals team who was probably even better in the playoffs. Halak is going to have to be as good if not better to win this series. This series is star driven for sure. Tavares vs. Ovechkin. Two players who will finish in the top five MVP vote getters this year. This is not a great match up for the Islander, however. Game one will be vital in their attempt to put behind a bad ending to the regular-season and welcome the Caps to a new season. Capitals teams in the past flew much more on emotion than this group. It’s almost a coin toss, but I like the Caps to win this series in 7 and have a very long playoff run.
On Calgary vs. Vancouver…
So you wanna talk war? We are all better hockey fans for having these two teams meet again in the playoffs. This season has been remarkable for both. Both have exceeded expectations, and both just out-right hate each other. This series is really anyone's guess, mainly because both of these teams have a knack for finding ways to win . That is both of their strengths. The Canucks definitely have the experience going into this series, with some key players left over from the team who came a game from winning the Stanley Cup. Some of them may see this is their last shot. But there's just something about this Calgary Flames team... So really I have no idea. I am left to go with the Flames in seven in honor of Johnny hockey who grew up a few miles from me and shares a Patrick Kane quality coming up huge in big games.
We will discuss all this and more on the Buzzcast at 3pm ET