NHL Play-offs – 2nd Round Predictions

Let’s recap the first round…

Buffalo vs NY Islanders, I picked Buffalo and Buffalo won.
New Jersey vs Tampa Bay, I picked New Jersey and New Jersey won.
Atlanta vs NY Rangers, I picked Atlanta and the sucked out loud.
Ottawa vs Pittsburgh, I picked Pittsburgh and Ottawa won.
Detroit vs Calgary, I picked Calgary and they decided they’d rather get
                              suspended than win.
Anaheim vs Minnesota, I picked Anaheim and Anaheim won.
Vancouver vs Dallas, I picked Vancouver and Vancouver won… despite getting
                                 shut out three times.
Nashville vs San Jose, I picked San Jose and of course they won.

That’s five correct picks and three incorrect picks in the first round.

Now we proceed to the second round (where last year every team I picked lost.)

Buffalo vs NY Rangers.  Buffalo gets to play the other NY team and the results will be the same.  I don’t care how good the Rangers looked against Atlanta, Buffalo is going to dismantle them.  Buffalo will win this series.

New Jersey vs Ottawa.  Ottawa looked real good beating the high flying Penguins (did you know that Sidney Crosby had a broken foot for the whole series?  Would the outcome have changed if the leagues leading scorer had two feet?  Probably not.)  However, I stand by what I said in the first round.  You have to be a total idiot to pick against Martin Brodeur.  Both teams are excellent, but Brodeur will be the difference.  New Jersey will win this series.

Detroit vs San Jose.  I predicted the Red Wings choke in the first round and it didn’t happen.  The reason it didn’t happen was they were saving it for round two.  Thornton… Cheechoo… Marleau… Guerin… Welcome to the third round kids.  They’re going to go through the Wings like shit through a goose.  San Jose will win this series.

Anaheim vs Vancouver.  I like the Canucks a lot.  I think Roberto Luongo is the MVP this year.  The man can play goal.  Unfortunately, the team has no offense.  The franchise formerly known as the Mighty Ducks (urgh) are going to put them away with very little effort.  Anaheim will win this series.

There you go, Rob’s second round picks.  If history shows us anything, all of the teams I picked to lose will be playing into round three.

Go Sharks!