Sports Betting Blog

Predictions for the Eastern Conference, First Round

The NHL’s playoff season has finally arrived, with the First Round of playoffs beginning Wednesday, April 15. The matchups this season have been extraordinary, and some promise grueling matches—and rematches—between rivaling teams.

We at Instant Action Sports want to help hockey fans gain insight into the ins and outs of the games this season, so we’ve done our research and compiled the picks from top-notch hockey experts and bloggers, including those from ESPN, NBC, The New York Times, Bleacher Report, the Daily Gazette, and our own staff here at Instant Action.

#1 Boston vs. #8 Montreal

Boston and Montreal face off again in the First Round of the Eastern Conference. The teams were matched last year but their roles were reversed; the Canadiens in the first seed and ultimately won 7 games.

But Boston’s fortunes have changed. Now in the first seed, the Bruins have enjoyed a winning streak this season—with an 8-2 run, they almost claimed the President’s Cup. Tim Thomas’ .933 save percentage is no small boon, nor is Zdeno Chara, who, at 6’9,” is a monster of a defenseman. With an outstanding offensive and defensive team, the Bruins prospects are good.

Montreal, in contrast, was unable to live up to its success last year. A combination of high expectations and a coaching controversy—Guy Carbonneau was fired after coaching for three seasons—brought down its game. The team dropped 8 seeds and barely made it into the playoffs; with only 93 points, the Canadiens only made it because of a tiebreaker with Florida. On the other hand, the team has won 24 of 31 playoff series.

The overwhelming consensus, however, goes to Boston.

#2 Washington vs. #7 NY Rangers

The Capitals and the Rangers played their first game Wednesday night, with the Rangers ahead 4-3. The win must have come as a surprise to the experts, because the consensus went with Washington. The power of a strong goalie can never be underestimated, and in the person of Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers have got one. Lundqvist made an astonishing 32 saves last night, with only a few sliding by him.

One win, however, doesn’t spell victory. Although the Rangers recouped in the second period, they had a rather shaky first. The Capitals boast strong talent, with Alex Ovechkin, who leads the league in goals for the second consecutive season and takes second for overall scoring, and Mike Green, a defenseman who enjoys some 31 goals already this season.

Rangers coach John Tortorella seemed to aim for penalty kills and power plays. “Our power play is going to have to score for us to stay in there,” he said. Washington came out successful on that round. After intermission, the Rangers were able to get in “some lucky shots,” Green explains.

How lucky will they be next time?

#3New Jersey vs. #6 Carolina

Opening Wednesday night, the game between the New Jersey Devils and the Carolina Canes continues a long playoff rivalry. It is the fourth time that New Jersey and Carolina have met in the post season in the past 8 years. The overall outcome is yet uncertain, but the Devils dominated the Canes in a 4-1 victory.

The easy win may come as a surprise. New Jersey had a slow season this year, winning only four of their eleven games—although it entered the playoffs on a winning streak. The Devils relied on goalie Mark Brodeur, who performed well in the playoff game though he was out much of the season due to elbow surgery. They also have a strong top line, and in the first period outshot the Canes 15-7—though their efforts didn’t meet with success until Carolina goalie Cam Ward began making mistakes.

The Hurricanes entered the playoffs as one of the Eastern Conference’s hottest teams. Ward has a .931 save percentage, and Eric Staal led Carolina in a 9-game winning streak. But the team just lacked energy in this first game. Matt Cullen, Carolina’s center, remains hopeful. “We know we have to have a better effort, and fortunately, there is better hockey in this room.”

If the Hurricanes regain their energy, this playoff series may be a close call between New Jersey and Carolina.

#4 Pittsburgh vs. #5 Philidelphia

The Pittsburgh Penguins enjoyed a one-sided victory over the Philidelphia Flyers in the opening game. The game ended 4-1, almost a reenactment of last year’s playoff game.

The Penguins have done well for themselves this season, clawing their way to the 4th seed in the playoffs. They have a strong top line, anchored by Jordan Staal, Evgeni Malkin, and of course, Sidney Crosby, as well as a top goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury. They’ve also won 18 games in 24 since February 15, when Dan Bylsma took over as coach.

The Flyers have six players that have made 25 plus goals—tops in the NHL—but have won only 3 of their last eight games. They suffered in their first playoff game from mistakes—the first of which was losing to the Rangers Sunday and so losing a chance to have Wednesday’s game at home. They made some carelesspenalties, and were unable to gain the momentum they needed to fight the Penguins’ pressure.

Though the Flyers enjoy some support from the critics, the majority point to the Penguins as the winners this season.

Check out the IAS NHL Betting Lines and NHL Futures

Predictions for the Western Conference

Wednesday sparked the beginning of the NHL’s First Round of playoffs for the 2009 Stanley Cup. The Western Conference boasts last year’s Stanley Cup winners, the Detroit Red Wings. But beyond that, the West will play some of the top players in the league, point to some incredible reversals of fortune, and pit youthful talent against aging experience.

At Instant Action Sports, we brought you analyses and predictions for the Stanley Cup’s Eastern Conference. Now, we’ve assembled the predictions and picks from the hockey experts at ESPN, FOX Sports, Bleacher Report, Sports.net, and of course, Instant Action, to take a look at this year’s Western Conference.

#1 SAN JOSE vs. #8 ANAHEIM

The game between San Jose and Anaheim pits a hot team with elite players against a more experienced and overall solid team. The game will depend on whether the Ducks can intimidate San Jose. Either way, it won’t be an easy series.

The Sharks have been vying for a chance at the Stanley Cup for five seasons. They have a nasty habit of enjoying good regular seasons then bowing out early during the postseason. This year, however, they come to the playoffs having tucked away the President’s Cup and having the best record in their franchise’s history. The Sharks may lack superstars, but they have a respectable goalie – Evgenie Nabokov has experience and a .917 save percentage in 59 games – and a strong top line – Joe Thornptom, Patrick Marleau, and Devin Setoguchi. Their second and bluelines are deep and solid. They also brag 3rd place in the NHL’s overall power play and 5th in penalty kill. But they will need to keep an eye on players returning from injuries this season – playoffs just ain’t the place to get back in shape.

Although the Ducks may have had a weak start this year, they were able to strengthen up by the late season to make eighth seed. They have retained some of the most important players since their last Stanley Cup win two years ago, an experienced group of players that won’t flag under playoff pressure. And Anaheim’s top line has been scorching lately, relying on Ryan Getzlaf centering Bobby Ryan and Corey Perry. Getzlaf, by the way, has had an astounding 14 points in his last eight games. Although the team is ranked low for penalty kill – only 23rd in the NHL—they have a strong power play at 4th in the league. And while the Ducks’ goalie, Jonas Hiller, has no playoff experience, his performance this season has nonetheless earned him a starting spot.

Anaheim will have to avoid unnecessary penalties to beat the Sharks; they will also have to overwhelm the Sharks’ brittle confidence. The Ducks will put up a fight, but most of the experts point to the Sharks as the winners in a close series—between 5 and 7 games.

#2 DETROIT vs. #7 COLUMBUS

Last year, Detroit won the Stanley Cup; this year, Detroit is going for it again. It is a rare thing for a team to win two consecutive years in a row, but the team is hot. The Wings lay claim to three of the NHL’s top forwards, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Marian Hossa. And with players like Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom, they also have depth in the front. They hold onto two of the league’s most talented defenders with Nicklas Lindstrom and Brian Rafalski. Their downfall, though, is at the net. Neither of the goalies – Chris Osgood and Ty Conklin – has had a stellar season this year. Osgood has had some electric games, with last year’s three shutouts and a 1.55GA, and Conklin has made some spectacular saves while with the Penguins, but neither has proven stable.

Columbus, on the other hand, lays claim to a rookie superstar, Steve Mason, who has led the team to win after win. With a 2.29 GAA and a .916 save percentage, he finished the season second only to Tim Thomas. As we saw in Capitals-Rangers opening game Wednesday, a strong goalie can save a game – and, in the case of the Blue Jackets, maybe even a series. If the Jackets have a chance against the Wings, it lies in Steve Mason.

The consensus goes with Detroit, but it may be close.

#3 VANCOUVER vs. #6 ST. LOUIS

The game between the Canucks and Blues brings a surprise twist: Vancouver has been banging on the door for years while St. Louis stumbled forward from mediocrity last year to the playoffs in this one. The series opened on Wednesday, and the Canucks claimed the first game 2-1.

The season changed for the Canucks when superstar goaltender Roberto Luongo returned from his injury. Since March 4, the team went 12-5-2 with a revived offense, defense, and of course, goalie. Luongo set a record for the franchise with 9 shutouts, even though he missed 24 games. On Wednesday night, Luongo managed some 25 saves, and will be a key player in the next games in the series. But Luongo isn’t the only star on the team. With Alexandre Burrows, Daniel Sedin, and Henrik Sedin on the top line, and Ryan Kesler, Mats Sundin, and Pavol Demitra on the second, the Canucks gained a scoring attack on two lines.

St. Louis was a shocker; the experts thought little of the Blues, but they rocketed forward with Chris Mason, a starting goalie who has had an amazing 6 shutouts in only 57 games and a .916 save percentage. Mason managed to finish Wednesday’s game with 29 saves. The lineup, though, lacks dazzle, especially with Paul Kariya out since November 4 for two hip surgeries. (He may be cleared for play within the week.) But with Keith Tkachuck, Brad Boyes, David Backes, Andy McDonald, and David Perron, St. Louis has a solid offense.

In the top ten in both penalty killing and power plays – 3rd and 8th, respectively – St. Louis appears to have an edge on Vancouver. But that didn’t play out Wednesday night. The Canucks, ranking far below St. Louis in special teams, were able to stop six of St. Louis’s seven power plays. Though the Blues have talent, the Canucks have a little more—and Luongo. The consensus goes to Vancouver, though the series will be a tough one for them.

#4 CHICAGO vs. #5 CALGARY

The game will set the Blackhawks against a deeper, more experienced team in the Flames. The matchup may be in the Blackhawks’ favor; the team outscored Calgary overall and in a couple of games at the United Center. Calgary, however, has far more playoff experience, attending the last 5 consecutive postseason events. In order to win, the Blackhawks will need to keep their heads.

Chicago has in its grasp one of the top lines in the NHL, with Patrick Sharp, Jonathan Teows, and, of course, Patrick Kane. Martin Havlat, one of the strongest on Chicago’s offense, boasted career highs this season with 48 assists and 77 points. Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who may have given a very underwhelming performance in his first three seasons, is now giving the Blackhawks an elite performance, with a 2.33 GAA and a .919 save percentage.

The Flames are armed with talent, toughness, and experience that will make them a challenge for the Blackhawks. Their ranking as 4th best in the league for penalty killing pushed them into the playoffs. Several important players have been missing this season, though, including Dion Phaneuf, Mark Giordano, Cory Sarich, and Robyn Regehr, and may also miss the playoffs. Many hope that Mikka Kiprusoff will save Calgary, but he has failed to stun this season. Calgary’s major bonus is its playoff experience; the team will have to overwhelm Chicago to make it through the series. Most critics, however, think the Blackhawks will win out.