2011 Stanley Cup First Round play-off predictions (Part 1)
The regular season 2010-11 season has finally ended and now come the play-offs. Defending champions Chicago Blackhawks managed to make their way into the play-off cut and they did it with some help from Minnesota Wild.
The first round games are as follows:
Western Conference
1. Vancouver Canucks versus Chicago Blackhawks
2. San Jose Sharks versus Los Angeles Kings
3. Detroit Red Wings versus Phoenix Coyotes
4. Anaheim Ducks versus Nashville Predators
Eastern Conference
1. Washington Capitals versus New York Rangers
2. Philadelphia Flyers versus Buffalo Sabres
3. Boston Bruins versus Montreal Canadiens
4. Pittsburgh Penguins versus Tampa Bay Lightning
Vancouver Canucks versus Chicago Blackhawks:
The first seeded and the Presidents’ Trophy winners Canucks will face last year’s Stanley Cup champions Hawks in the Western Conference. This is the third consecutive time that these teams will face each other in the first round.
However, this time the winds have changed direction and the Canucks are favourites. They not only finished top of the league but did so in style bagging one of the most impressive regular season in the history of the National Hockey League. The Hawks looked
down and out of the play-offs when they lost a crucial game against Detroit Red Wings. Fortunately for them, the Wild defeated the Stars to keep the latter out of the play-off with a difference of just one point.
Neither of the two teams has shown any propensity to physical violence during the course of the season and it is expected to remain the same; promising therefore a very entertaining contest of skills.
The prediction ahead of the first round tie is that the Canucks will take the series after six games as the Hawks haven’t been able to regain form.
San Jose Sharks versus Los Angeles Kings:
Los Angeles Kings is one team that was in top form during the course of the regular season but they failed to carry it towards the latter part of the season. Their spot in the play-offs was in doubt until the very last game of the season.
The Kings were hurt a great deal with injuries to their key players resulting in a steep downward graph for the team that had won eight consecutive games in the season. They are without the services of the William brothers and a key player in Anze Kopitar.
This might well be the loss that will hurt them in the play-offs. The Sharks on the other hand are in no better shape as they haven’t been able to find the right combination at the back. The giving away of goals will be crucial during the play-offs and the
Sharks aren’t in a good position to stop this from happening.
Regardless of the injuries to the players in the Kings squad, they are expected to come out as winners of the series with players like Dustin Brown and Drew Doughty shining. It will be nothing less than a veritable upset for the second seeded team.
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