The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

[areobee401]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

Vancouver in 7.

I think the Nucks just like to make life difficult for themselves and will make everyone sweat bullets.

I have the same outlook as a Bruins fan. You just never know what your going to get from them game to game. We should be in a for a unpredictable series.

[SqueakyD]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

I'll say Vancouver in 6. This'll be fun to watch either way!

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

Malhotra comes back in game seven and scores the winner.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

#3 Boston vs #5 Tampa Bay

I really want the Bruins to win this series. The B's haven't won since before I was born (and that's saying something), and the atmosphere/storylines surrounding a BOS/VAN or BOS/SJ Stanley Cup Final would be fantastic.

That said, the Lightning appear to be in an awfully sweet position. Good mix of young and veteran talent, championship experience, sharp coaching, goaltending and special teams both clicking. Best of all, no expectations, no baggage, no external pressure. The very things that make them an uncompelling story (to me) give them a big advantage.

The Bruins, on the other hand, are missing one of the best 2-way forwards in hockey and have a millstone wearing #12 on their blueline. In order to win, the B's need to play very physical, achieve a draw in the PP/PK department, and hopefully crack Roloson. All possible. But I don't see it.

Lightning over Bruins in 5

Ummm, yeah. Obviously, Bergeron's absence was short-lived. Even though Boston (badly) lost the special teams battle, it didn't seem to affect them much. Tampa seemed physically spent in Game 7. I don't remember even seeing Lecavalier out there. Kudos to the Bruins for not wilting under the pressure.

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#1 Vancouver vs #2 San Jose

Should be an entertaining series, but no outcome here would surprise me. Canucks sweep, Sharks sweep, blown leads galore, OT in Game 7. Will the Sharks run out of gas? Will the Sedins step up? Will Heatley & Marleau? Who'll win the Kesler/Thornton battle? Which Jekyll-or-Hyde version of Luongo and Niemi shows up each game? Who knows?

I like the Canucks' D a bit more, but I think the Sharks have more offensive depth, especially at centre. Malhotra's absence will be felt in this series. The Sedins AND Luongo have to significantly raise their level of play to win. Wouldn't surprise me, though. Hmmm. It's a coinflip, but I'm predicting the Canucks to accomplish something they never have before: lose in a Conference Final.

Sharks over Canucks in 6

What a weird, choppy series. The Sharks could've won any of the 5 games (just like last year's sweep at the hands (talons?) of the Hawks), yet something always seemed to go wrong. The hockey fan in me feels a bit cheated that we never got the back-and-forth excitement of that 5-4 VAN shootout win in March. The Canucks fan in me, not so much. Also, Dany Heatley sucks.

3rd round record: 0-2
Playoffs: 9-5
Long-winded Stanley Cup Final prediction: Mon or Tues in the SCF thread

[mkharsh33]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

This layoff helps the Bruins, IMO. Boston in 6. Both teams will split their home games. Boston steals game 5 in Vancouver in OT. Boston then comes back home and seals it in game 6 with a late goal breaking a 2-2 tie for a 3-2 win.

(What the heck...let's see how this plays out. Take a risk here.)

[RealmK]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

Pains me to say it but Vancouver in 6

C'mon boys, have a little faith. This isn't the same Bruins team from last year. Just look at Peverly. His effort tonight was great, hell, most of the team stepped it up a gear imo.

Darth Quader however looked a lil shaky.

[Psyblast]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

Also, Dany Heatley sucks.

That's who they need to try to move. Thornton and Marleau are what they are, and they showed flashes of toughness in this postseason, but Heatley is just not a playoff performer. He reminds me of Hossa, in a sense. They're both big, physical guys who can dominate the puck and can be elite goal scorers...but both of them seem to rely on the fancy stuff too much, if that makes sense. They always seem to want the "highlight" goal, whether it's off some fancy dekes or a laser-guided snipe. They don't seem to have the toughness required to get the dirty goals that everyone needs in the playoffs. Even in 2007 when he had 22 points in 20 games with the Senators, Heatley was completely smothered by the Ducks. And now he has five goals in 32 playoff games with the Sharks. FIVE. That's something you expect from a 3rd/4th line grinder, not a first line player making 7.5 million dollars.

[BlueNGold]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

That's who they need to try to move. Thornton and Marleau are what they are, and they showed flashes of toughness in this postseason, but Heatley is just not a playoff performer. He reminds me of Hossa, in a sense. They're both big, physical guys who can dominate the puck and can be elite goal scorers...but both of them seem to rely on the fancy stuff too much, if that makes sense. They always seem to want the "highlight" goal, whether it's off some fancy dekes or a laser-guided snipe. They don't seem to have the toughness required to get the dirty goals that everyone needs in the playoffs. Even in 2007 when he had 22 points in 20 games with the Senators, Heatley was completely smothered by the Ducks. And now he has five goals in 32 playoff games with the Sharks. FIVE. That's something you expect from a 3rd/4th line grinder, not a first line player making 7.5 million dollars.

Heatley still has that no-movement clause though, no?

Thornton IMO has shaken his past labels and Marleau is still iffy to me, but Heatley is most definitely the worst offender of not showing up when it matters.

Anyways, prediction for the Cup is Vancouver in 6. Vancouver had their near-collapse in the Chicago series, but since then they've been pretty consistent. Boston on the other hand has been a bit of an enigma and eventually I feel like their inept special teams has to come back to bite them in the ***.

Oh, and past round predictions were:

Conference Finals Predictions:

Vancouver in 6
Tampa in 5 - surprise!

Obviously the Tampa pick didn't fare so well.

Overall: 10-4

[Scottdau]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

Heatley had a broken hand and last year had a torn goin. So I going to give him a pass.

[TSOLEliot]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

That was a great series between the B's and the Lightning...a lot of talent on both sides and both Thomas and Rollie put on a show last night. I didn't want that series to end.

I've been going against the B's all playoffs and they've been proving me wrong...so I'll say 'Nucks in 7.

[slickdtc]

Re: The Official 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk Thread

Nathan Horton has scored some huge goals for Boston this postseason. Hell of an offseason acquisition.