2014 NHL Semifinal Predictions

The Kings won game seven! For the forth time in NHL history (and the fifth time in North American professional sports history) a team rallied back from a 3-0 series deficit in a best of seven to win the series. The Sharks CHOKED! It’s beautiful! Now the Bruins are not the most recent team to choke that epically! WOOHOO! Thanks Kings, but even more thanks go to the Sharks! Yes!

Now let’s recap my first round predictions, and let me just say… Nice!

Boston vs Detroit. I picked Boston (duh) and Boston won.
Tampa Bay vs Montreal. I picked Montreal and have yet to stop vomiting and Montreal won.
Pittsburgh vs Columbus. I picked Pittsburgh but hoped to be wrong and Pittsburgh won.
New York vs Philadelphia. I picked New York and have yet to stop vomiting and New York won.

Looks like I was perfect in the East.

Anaheim vs Dallas. I picked Anaheim and Anaheim won.
San Jose vs Los Angeles. I picked Los Angeles and Los Angeles won on San Jose’s epic choke.
St Louis vs Chicago. I picked Chicago and have yet to stop vomiting. Chicago won.
Let’s pause here to notice that out of seven series mentioned so far, I picked them all correctly.
Colorado vs Minnesota. I picked Colorado and……. Minnesota won. DAMN IT! Game seven even went to overtime. I was one series away from a perfect first round! DAMN IT!

That’s seven out of eight for 87.5%. Stupid Avs losing in overtime. Jerks.

Now on to round two!

Bruins vs Canadiens. A return of the greatest rivalry in NHL history! The Bruins and the Habs! This is THE series as far as I’m concerned. The biggest challenge Boston could have (given the way the Penguins have been falling apart) in their quest to win the East. Obviously I am picking the Bruins, but it’s going to be an ugly series and it is going to go seven. Go Bruins!

Penguins vs Rangers. I think the Penguins are by far the better team on paper, but they were given a huge scare by lowly Columbus. The Rangers needed seven games to advance, but I just feel they have their act together while the Pens are ripe for collapse. I am picking the Rangers in this series even though picking New York makes me physically ill.

Blackhawks vs Wild. Nice job blowing my perfect first round, Wild. You suck! I hate Chicago, but Chicago is going to win. Obviously I am rooting for Minnesota, but Chicago is going to win. Sorry.

Anaheim vs Los Angeles. The battle for California part two. I am obviously rooting for the Kings here, especially after the way they came through in the first round. My gut says Anaheim destroys them, but I am going with my heart over my head and picking LA.

So if my predictions work out we will have a Boston/New York and Chicago/Los Angeles conference finals.

Go Bruins!