The Vancouver Canucks didn’t exactly win the West but, thanks to a 4-1 victory last night, they’ve advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs. So, now that the match ups are set, it’s time for my expert advice on who’s going to come out victorious in the conference semi-finals.
Anaheim vs. Vancouver: Well, now that game 7’s out of the way against Dallas, the Canucks are given the unenviable task of taking on the Ducks; a team that everyone and their mothers have going to the finals. Since I did take the Ducks to move on through, it wouldn’t look very good on me to turn my back on them. Also, the only person that could possibly keep Van-city in this series is Roberto Luongo; watch for him to steal a game, probably at home.
Pick: Anaheim in 5.
Detroit vs. San Jose: The Red Wings are just about due for their annual playoff collapse and the Sharks look like a team that can knock them down and out. Jonathon Cheechoo is expected to be back by game 1 but it’s still estimated that his knee’s only at around 60%. How much of an impact he’ll have is questionable. It’s foreseeable that this will be a physical series and the winner may just be banged up enough for the Ducks to coast through.
Pick: San Jose in 7.