NHL Trade Deadline Options

[ThunderEvermore]

My predictions for the Quarterfinals:

Habs in 5
Pens in 7
Caps in 6
Rangers in 7

Wings in 5
Sharks in 6
Wild in 7
Stars in 7

[Teesa]

AHHHH, they start tonight!

i'm nervous! hahaa

[ThunderEvermore]

Wow, did not see the Pens crushing the Senators like that. Wowww.

Rangers picking it up, I like that.

Nabakov dropping a step. I mean, the Sharks were dominating in terms of the offensive, but Kiprusoff was just on top of his game.

And the Av's barely slide by Minny with (who else?) Sakic's OT goal.

So far:

East
Habs (0) - Bruins (0)
Pens (1) - Sens (0)
Caps (0) - Flyers (0)
Devils (0) - Rangers (1)

West
Wings (0) - Predators (0)
Sharks (0) - Flames (1)
Wild (0) - Avs (1)
Ducks (0) - Stars (0)

Tonight's games:
Boston @ Montreal
Nashville @ Detroit
Calgary @ San Jose
Dallas @ Anaheim

Look for: Nabakov to look to prove himself after a crushing defeat last night. For the goalie with the most wins of the regular season, he sure dropped the ball in Game 1.

Detroit to fall to Nashville. They'd been on a fair downward spiral towards the end of the season there, and they've always been a regular season team. It might take a loss to bring the Wings to their full potential.

Bruins to fall to the Habs. Bruins had been on an even worse downward spiral than the Wings, and the Canadiens have been nothing but great all season long. Especially with the naming of Carey Price as their #1 goalie.

Stars and Ducks. This will just be a plain fantastic hockey game. Ducks look to defend their title, but with Turco between the pipes anything's possible.

[JokeInsideJoke]

my sister is going tonight.
i am so pised but, hey, what am i going to do?

[Teesa]

the wings v. predators shouldbe good. gonna watch some of it in like 12 minutes

[JokeInsideJoke]

we won!!! we won!!!!!! yay!
3-1

[ThunderEvermore]

3/4 predictions come up correct.

Nabakov shuts down the Calgary offense, showing us again why he's a #1 goalie.

Turco proves he can handle himself in the big show against the former champs.

Montreal opens up on a slumping bear.

Wings bring their game to another level, but not without a strong fight from Nashville.

So far:

East
Habs (1) - Bruins (0)
Pens (1) - Sens (0)
Caps (0) - Flyers (0)
Devils (0) - Rangers (1)

West
Wings (1) - Predators (0)
Sharks (1) - Flames (1)
Wild (0) - Avs (1)
Ducks (0) - Stars (1)

Predicted series winner
Current series winner

Tonight's games:
Philadelphia @ Washington
Ottawa @ Pittsburgh
New York @ New Jersey
Colorado @ Minnesota

Look for: Washington and the Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophy winner to handle the Flyers. While they may try to contain Ovy, no one can stop the Russian Machine. Crushing defeat for the Flyers.

Ottawa raises their game, but for naught. Pittsburgh is on top of their game, and with the addition of Hossa to an already all star cast, the Senators will fall to their consistent disappointment in the playoffs.

Rangers keep their control over the Devils, Lundqvist gets better and better. This series is basically a battle of goalies, and with the Rangers firing the likes of Drury and Jagr at Brodeur, the Devils don't have a chance.

Wild comes back en force after Sakic's sweet OT goal. If the Avs keep getting penalties like last game the Wild will have all the ammo they need to bring in the goals. Let's just hope Theodore keeps his game up.

[ThunderEvermore]

Well well, another 4/4 prediction.

The Washington Capitals prove once again that they are not a one man team, as Ovechkin didn't even get a shot off until the third period. But that didn't stop the rest of the team, including a former Flyer in Donald Brashear, to step up to the crease. Kudos to the Broad Street Bullies for keeping the Russian Machine contained, but what they didn't expect is the league's number one defenseman to put two in the net within five minutes to tie the game up. And with Alex the Great there to swipe the puck and give the go-ahead goal, all it took was the Caps' already hungry defense, having held the Flyers to 3 shots in the third, to clamp down on the zone and keep that lead. It was as close a game as I've ever seen, and with over 70 hits between the two teams, as physical as one as well.

Regards to Philly left wing Patrick Thoreson who suffered a ruptured testicle at the hands of a Mike Green slap shot. Talk about taking one for the team. Good luck in surgery, if you need it.

Ottawa stepped up their game for their second shot at the Penguins. But the Pens just kept up the offense, dishing out 54 shots to the Sens' 30. Oddly enough it still gives Ottawa's Martin Gerber a better Save% than the Pens' Fleury. If this show were a movie, however, the highlighted names would be Malkin, Crosby, and Hossa, who combine put up 9 of the possible 15 points gathered by the Penguins. I guess when you've got 3 superstars instead of one it makes your team exempt from the monikers.

The Rangers continued their season long domination of the Devils. Earlier I predicted this to go to seven games, and with the King and Brodeur between the pipes, it still could. But it's looking an awful lot more like 5 now. And who else with the game winner than Jaromir Jagr?

Finally, Colorado and Minny bring out another nail biter, taking it into OT. This time, however, Sakic didn't get the chance to clinch it for the Avs again. Another incredibly even game from these two teams, this series will be a tough one to predict.

So far:
Predicted series winner
Current series winner

East
Habs (1) - Bruins (0)
Pens (2) - Sens (0)
Caps (1) - Flyers (0)
Devils (0) - Rangers (2)

West
Wings (1) - Predators (0)
Sharks (1) - Flames (1)
Wild (1) - Avs (1)
Ducks (0) - Stars (1)

Tonight's Games:
Nashville @ Detroit
Boston @ Montreal
Dallas @ Anaheim

Look for:
A possible upset in Hockeytown? The Preds' young team needs to step up in D if they're going to have a chance to stop the top line in the league. However, if there's going to be an upset, it won't be tonight.

A hibernating bear to awaken? The Bruins were slammed last game, and Tim Thomas can't be happy about that. But Price is a rookie goalie, heck the kid looks like he's 15. If the Bears want to take this game they're going to have to get to him, he's young, new to the league, and new to the playoffs. Too young to know better? Maybe. But if the Bruins can step up the physicality like I know they can, it could make for a far more interesting series. Habs will win tonight.

A shooting Star? Turco shut down the Anaheim offense last game with a ridiculous shut out. The Ducks will look for some revenge, and it won't be nearly as it was in game one. Ducks will rally, and probably win tonight. But the series won't be theres.

[JokeInsideJoke]

^you have to many predictions that come true.

have you seen the topic yet where people fear long posts. yeah. i deffinatly fear yours

nice sig.

[ThunderEvermore]

Haha I haven't seen that topic no.

Thanks about the sig.

I had an update earlier today but its on my Facebook, haha. I didn't bother adding it here, didn't think anyone was reading!

[Teesa]

what is wrong with the avs??????

i feel like i'm seeing a repeat of every single game. damn it.

[JokeInsideJoke]

the wings lost last night. i was screaming at the TV. we had 48 sec. left, and we take out Hasek (i dont know what Babcock was thinking!), and then, what do you know, they scored. i just knew it was going to happen. hasek definitely wasn't at his best last night. he better step it up tomorrow

[Teesa]

^they always pull the goalie when teams are down by one at the end.

[ThunderEvermore]

2/3 from yesterday's games.

Ottawa played a great game for 40 minutes. But what happened in the next 10 was what sealed their death in this series. Two goals, one a mere 12 seconds into the period, and about a minute later, crushed the 1-1 tie Ottawa had going into the 3rd. They couldn't rally back in the last period, giving up another goal before the night's end.

It looked like the end of the Predators. And then, much like the last game, they scored twice within 9 seconds, add another tally later in the period and the Music City boys rallied back from a possible sweep, and brought life back into this series. Now if they can bring that kind of offense to every period, rather than just the third, then they could have a chance of being a huge upset to the Red Wings.

That makes three 3-2 games in OT in a row for the Avalanche and the Wild. This time the Wild took it, despite some rough play and a boatload of penalties in the second period. Both Theodore and Backstrom played amazingly, stopping damn near everything that came at them. This series will only get hotter as the games press on.

So far:
Predicted series winner
Current series winner

East
Habs (2) - Bruins (1)
Pens (3) - Sens (0)
Caps (1) - Flyers (1)
Devils (1) - Rangers (2)

West
Wings (2) - Predators (1)
Sharks (1) - Flames (2)
Wild (2) - Avs (1)
Ducks (0) - Stars (2)

Tonight's Games:
Montreal @ Boston
Washington @ Philadelphia
Anaheim @ Dallas
San Jose @ Calgary
Minnesota @ Colorado

Look for:
Boston to pull another great rally against the Habs. Since a crushing defeat in game one the Bears have been playing better and better. And in game three they showed what they can really do, taking a 2-1 win over the hockey legends. Boston, especially being at home, could pull another win tonight. Don't expect the Habs to go down without a fight though, as last game's lost will only be fuel for their fire. It'll be as close a game as any, but I give it to the Bears.

Washington has yet to follow a whitewash without a win this season, and hasn't lost at the Wachovia Center in more than two years. Statistically that puts this game in our favor, but we all know in hockey stats don't mean shit. If the Caps can play desperate, live or die hockey like they had the last seven games of the regular season, like they did in the third period of game one, there's no chance for the Flyers. But if we falter once again, if we keep up this scaredy cat routine we've been pulling on the ice as of late, we will not last this series. We need to tighten defense, work on the forecheck, and SHOO THE GODDAMNED PUCK!! The Caps will rally, the Caps will win, and since they just got shut out, I'm gonna go out on a whim and say we will demolish the Fly Boys tonight.

Dallas looks to put another nail in the former Cup holder's coffin, and with home ice advantage, they certainly can. The Stars have been playing some excellent hockey, peppering Giguere with enough bullets to make Bonnie and Clyde cringe. And Turco has been unstoppable, with second place GAA (1) and third place SV% (.956). I thought this series would be a bit closer, but it seems that the tilt is in favor of Dallas, and a possible sweep.

San Jose swallowed a loss at home, but not without a HUGE first five minutes. But once the defeated Kiprusoff was pulled and Curtis Joseph put between the pipes, the Sharks couldn't put any in the net. Give credit to Nabakov, he made an excellent effort at the crease, but with the Sharks' power play going dead, even he couldn't pull a win out of it. Nabakov will keep up his excellent play, it will be interesting to see who Calgary puts in the crease. Look for another close game, but the Sharks will take the home ice advantage, and hopefully a bit more of the play they were having in the first five minutes of game three.

Minnesota. Colorado. Wild. Avs. It's basically a coin flip at this point. Both are playing great games, the Wild a bit rougher than the Avs. I'm doubting this one goes into overtime. Backstrom is on his game right now, and is holding the Avs destiny in his hands. My thoughts, Nick crushes it, Wild wins.

[JokeInsideJoke]

^they always pull the goalie when teams are down by one at the end.

oh, i know, i just find it stupid because only 1/3 of the time it ends in their favor

[Teesa]

true, but still, it's kind of fun to watch. well, maybe not so much..a few years ago, i went to see a red wings v. avs game and we (avs) were down by one and we had to pull the goalie...and it was seriously a nail-biter and the wings won anyway

ANYWAYS, go avs! that game was so ridiculous last night. 111 penalty minutes for the wild. both teams need to cool the freak down. seriously.

[JokeInsideJoke]

we lost. again.

we have to win our next one or i wont be able to sleep untill its over

[ThunderEvermore]

Preds showed some huge offensive ability. But the biggest part of that game was the obviously shaken Wings. Whats going on with your guys?

Caps start off with a huge first period. Great playing, tied 2-2.

[Teesa]

hopefully washington can get a win-they obviously do not want to be down 3-1.

i'm hoping for a much cleaner game tonight between colorado and minnesota. however, i hope for the same scoring result :) i expect both teams to come out really strong.

[ThunderEvermore]

Wow what a game, this is ridiculous. OT for the Caps Flyers game.

Boston massacres the Habs, wow.

Yeah a cleaner game would be nice for the Av Wild game. 25 penalties for Minny alone last time.

[Teesa]

ouch..double ot :/

YES. jose

[DoubleJ]

The Devils should have signed Gomez! Now look at the mess that they are in.

[ThunderEvermore]

Never have I seen so many bad/missed calls go against one team.

What a game though. Even though we lost we played an incredible game.

[JokeInsideJoke]

and the wings are off to round two!

[Teesa]

ughh, i think if san jose and dallas both win tonight, the avs are going to play detroit