NHL: Playoffs Round 2

Heading into the second round of the playoffs, the teams look very familiar…as in a blast from the past.  The East has the Rangers and Flyers are underdogs to the Penguins and Canadiens, respectively.  In the West, old rivals face off in the Red Wings and Avalanche series as the Sharks and Stars will do battle.  Both of the top two teams in each conference are alive, as are the number 5 and 6 teams.

Who’s going to win?

The Flyers may go old school and make the series a tough, physical one but goalie Carey Price can win games on his own if he has to.  This may go seven but I can see the Flyers pulling the upset in six.

The Rangers/Penguins matchup makes the league salivate as the face of the new NHL – Sidney Crosby – faces off against one of the leagues top draws.  Does Sid the Kid have enough to get his team to his first conference finals?  A Ranger fan says no and sees the Blueshirts winning in five games.

The Red WIngs and Avalanche face off in an old time rivalry and some faces are very familiar.  Names like Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic and Adam Foote are very familiar to Wings like Kris Draper, Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom.  The Red Wings have slipped in the playoffs the last few years but behind Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood they can’t lose.  Detroit in six.

The Sharks and Stars will face off with San Jose being the favorite but Stars goalie Marty Turco is looking to shake the “can’t win in the playoffs” moniker.  He played great in the opener against the defending champs but can he keep it up against the potent combination of Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo?  Stars in seven.