Habster:

Just some quick predictions and thoughts:

Montreal Canadiens(#1) vs Boston Bruins(#8)

The games should be closer than expected with no blowout (?)……..I’m taking the Habs in 5. They’ll clinch it at the Bell Centre next week.

See A Look Ahead To The Playoffs: Bruins vs Canadiens for further details on this series.

Pittsburgh Penguins(#2) vs Ottawa Senators(#7)

The Senators have a winning record (3-1) during the regular season against the Penguins but that was with a healthy Alfredsson, Fisher and Kelly in their lineup. The Penguins also didn’t have Sidney Crosby in the lineup for two of those games and didn’t have Marian Hossa, Pascal Dupuis (played 1 game against the Sens) or Hal Gill for any games as well.

These are two completely different teams now who are also at very different playing levels. The Senators backed into the playoffs and struggled after the All-Star break while the Penguins are playing very good hockey right now.

Offense: Penguins

Defense: Slight edge to the Penguins

Goaltending: Penguins, if Marc-Andre Fleury remains hot going into the playoffs……still a big question mark. Emery/Gerber are horrible.

Coaching: Penguins…….Michel Therrien did a good job throughout the season without Mr. Crosby in the lineup at times.

Prediction: The Penguins should dispose of the Senators in 5 games.

Washington Capitals(#3) vs Philadephia Flyers(#6)

This will be an intriguing series to watch as it will be interesting to see how the Capitals will cope with the physical, in your face Flyers (especially Alex Ovechkin). The Capitals are playing really well since the trade deadline moves and should handle the Flyers in this series if they can handle the physical beating the Flyers will try to inflict on them.

Offense: Capitals: Washington is firing on all cylinders and have two solid scoring lines while the Flyers have a decent offensive team as well but I have to give the Caps the edge with AO in their lineup

Defense: Capitals: the Caps have some solid, young defensemen anchored by Shultz, Green, Poti and Morrisonn while the Flyers have some slower defensemen who can be beaten by the Caps speedy forwards.

Goaltending: Capitals: Cristobal Huet is in a groove, going 11-2 since his trade deadline acquisition while Martin Biron has been only average of late.

Coaching: Capitals: Bruce Boudreau is a candidate for the Jack Adams award…..enough said!!!

Prediction: Capitals win this series in 6 games.

New Jersey Devils(#4) vs New York Rangers(#5)

It’s anyone’s series here…….flip a coin!!! These teams are pretty evenly matched with the exception of their head to head regular season games where the Rangers won 7 out of 8 games with most of the games being close.

The additions of proven playoff performers like Chris Drury and Scott Gomez should make a big difference to the NY Rangers playoff chances this year and there shouldn’t be a repeat of last year’s playoff failure (2nd round exit against the Sabres).

The Devils have such a hard time scoring goals they’ll have to rely heavily on future Hall of Famer, Martin Brodeur to keep them in games.

Offense: Rangers, hands down winner in this category. They have too many weapons: Jagr, Drury, Gomez, Shanahan, Straka and Dubinsky……you get my point.

Defense: Rangers only get a slight edge in defense because of their ability to create offense from the back end and their size…..other than that, there isn’t much of a difference between the two.

Goaltending: Devils have the more playoff proven goaltending with Martin Brodeur having another great season. Henrik Lundqvist did prove in last year’s playoff that he could supply solid goaltending but he’s no Brodeur.

Coaching: Even……yes, I realize Brent Sutter is a playoff freshman coach but he is a very good coach who brought a so-so roster into the playoffs and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. Tom Renney is no slouch as well and deserve a lot of credit as well……..it’s a toss up.

Prediction: This is one one of the toughest playoff series to predict because they are so evenly matched……….Rangers win this series in 7 games.

Here are my Western Conference playoff predictions:

Detroit Red Wings(#1) vs Nashville Predators(#8)

Detroit shouldn’t have too much trouble with Nashville and should win the series in 5 games. The Red Wings have too much fire power and a quick transition game. The only question mark will be the goaltending of Hasek/Osgood while the Predator have a very good yet inexperienced goaltender in Dan Ellis.

Prediction: Red Wings in 5

San Jose Sharks(#2) vs Calgary Flames(#7)

This series will be an incredibly physical and who ever wins this contest will come out of it worst for wear. Many hockey pundits believe the Sharks will beat the Flames easily but I’m not a so called “hockey pundit” and truly think the “Jekyll and Hyde” Flames will give the Sharks a run for their money if the right team shows up to play……..big if!!!

The Sharks have a definite advantage on the offensive side of the rink while the Flames are the more physical team on defense. If big Joe Thornton shows up and plays like he does during the regular season then the Flames will be extinguished.

Prediction: Sharks will win a hard fought battle in 7 games but will they have anything left in their tank for the next series??

Minnesota Wild(#3) vs Colorado Avalanche(#6)

Minnesota is hurting on defense with Kurtis Foster out with that terrible into the end boards injury while they have just lost defenseman Nick Schultz for this series with appendicitis. Two huge elements of their defense gone.

Prediction: Colorado takes this series in 6 games if Theodore can give them solid goaltending.

Anaheim Ducks(#4) vs Dallas Stars(#5)

The Dallas Stars went 6-8-2 after the trade deadline acquisition of Brad Richards and have not played terribly well. On the other hand, the Anaheim Ducks have missed Corey Perry’s offense in the lineup and have only scored 34 goals in 16 games (2.13 per game) since the trade deadline. They are playing well defensively and are 11-4-1 in that time.

The biggest difference maker might be the return of Chris Pronger to the Ducks lineup after an eight game suspension.

Prediction: The Ducks have too many savvy playoff performers in their lineup and have a more physical, prototypical playoff team………Ducks win this series in 6.