Bruins Win 12 in a Row Thanks to Number 12, Jarome Iginla

In the middle of the biggest basketball weekend of the year, your Boston Bruins were the 5th story on SportsCenter Sunday morning. That's because they won their 12th straight Saturday night, coming from behind in the 3rd period to beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-2.

The streak is the longest in franchise history since the 1970-71 season when the B's won 13 in a row. The franchise record is 14 straight from the 1929-30 season. Also over the weekend, the Bruins clinched a playoff berth. That's 7 consecutive years of playoff hockey in Boston.

I came up with a theory to explain this winning streak. Maybe when the Bruins didn't do much at the NHL trade deadline, the team felt that management had confidence in them. Maybe this motivated the players. Maybe it lit a spark, sparked a fire, fired them up. Name your cliche.

That'd be a nice story, but I think this streak is a result of mathematics, not psychology.

K + I + L = 17

That's Krejci (3 goals) plus Iginla (11 goals) plus Lucic (3 goals) equals 17 goals. That's how many the top line have scored in the past 12 games. Iginla scored twice in the win over Phoenix.

I'm going to start calling this line The Killers, because their initials are KIL. Think it will catch on?

The story of the streak has been offense: the first line has scored 17 goals, Patrice Bergeron has scored 5, Carl Soderberg 4, Gregory Campbell 3, Zdeno Chara and Dougie Hamilton each have 6 assists in the streak. The offense is coming from all 4 lines and from all the defensemen, including the newly acquired Andrej Meszaros, who has a goal and 3 assists in his 7 games with the Bruins.

And while the team's been scoring, they haven't allowed their opponents to come from behind. Mainly due to this next equation:

31/34 = 91.2%

The Bruins have killed 31 of 34 penalties during this stretch. Earlier this month the Bruins killed 5 penalties against Phoenix and won 2-1. The B's killed 4 against Florida on March 9th and won 5-2. They haven't allowed their opponents to get back into games with power play goals.

Hopefully the B's have finally figured out how to kill penalties without Dennis Seidenberg.

The Bruins hope to extend their streak with a win over Montreal tonight at the Garden.

The Bruins currently stand with 103 points, tied with the St. Louis Blues for the best record in the NHL. They're also 6 points ahead of Pittsburgh in the East and 17 ahead of Tampa Bay in the Atlantic. That's a 17 point lead with 11 games left. The Bruins are 6 points away from clinching the division and could claim that title as early as Thursday.

Photo Credit:
Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Can Anyone Beat the LA Kings?

The Kings are 11-1 in the playoffs after beating Phoenix 2-1 last night. That'd be a remarkable run for any team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It's an even more astounding achievement for an 8 seed.

This is, however, no ordinary 8 seed.

The Kings allowed the 2nd fewest goals in the NHL. But unlike the team that allowed the fewest goals (St. Louis), the Kings did so using primarily one goalie. Jonathan Quick. Quick is the top Conn Smythe candidate by a significant margin. We all saw last year what a great goalie can do for a team on a Stanley Cup run.

The Kings don't score many goals. They scored the second fewest in the NHL, and were one of only two teams to score fewer than 200 goals. Only three Kings scored 20+, none scored more than 25, and only five scored 10+. They don't have marquee names, but they have some tough playoff style players. Dustin Brown, for instance. He has 15 points in these playoffs. Jeff Carter and Mike Richards have contributed. Dwight King, a 22 year old from Saskatchewan has scored 5 times in the playoffs. That matches his career regular season total (in 33 games).

The Kings have the formula. Epic goaltending, mistake-free defense, physical play, strong penalty killing, don't do anything to lose, timely scoring.

How do you beat them? So long as Quick, Brown, and Drew Doughty continue to play as well as they're playing, I don't think anyone can.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Day 21*

LA is already in the Conference Finals, and up in the NHL offices in Toronto, they're sacrificing live animals to get New York to the Stanley Cup Finals to face them.

COYOTES 1, PREDATORS 0 - (Coyotes lead series 3-1)

Mike Smith is the second best goalie in the playoffs so far. The skaters in front of him are doing the little things, executing along the boards, not making mistakes. Nashville can still win, but they need their skaters to all do their job, each and every shift. Phoenix isn't making it easy for them to win.

Game 5 tonight in Arizona.

CAPITALS 3, RANGERS 2 - (Series tied 2-2)

A Mike Green power play goal was the difference in these game. Each team has scored only twice with a man advantage in the series. Whoever can get their power play to score more often could win the series.

Game 5 tonight in New York.

KINGS 3, BLUES 1 - (Kings win series 4-0)

It's not very unusual for an 8 seed to do well in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But it is unusual for an 8 seed to eliminate a 1 seed, then a 2 seed, and to do so in only 9 games. Dustin Brown has 6 goals in those 9 games. But the main reason LA is waiting for their next victim is the play of UMass alum Jonathan Quick. Only 14 goals allowed in those 9 games, a 1.55 GAA, and a .949 SV%. He's the best goalie in the playoffs right now.

DEVILS 4, FLYERS 2 - (Devils lead series 3-1)

Philly blew a 2-0 lead. The Flyers have a lot of talent, but they're inconsistent. They also depend heavily on Danny Briere scoring. Briere didn't even get a shot on goal in this game. The Flyers only got 20 pucks on Brodeur.

Game 5 Tuesday night in Philly.

Tonight's games:
7:30pm - Capitals @ Rangers - NBC Sports - Series tied 2-2
10:00pm - Predators @ Coyotes - NBC Sports - Coyotes lead 3-1

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Day 17*

The Rangers/Caps game started 90 minutes before the Coyotes/Predators game. And it ended about an hour after the Coyotes/Predators game ended.

PREDATORS 2, COYOTES 0 - (Coyotes lead series 2-1)

Pekka Rinne was huge in this game. It was close to a must-win for Nashville. The Preds were also without Alex Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn. The team suspended them for a violation of team rules over the weekend. Rumor has it they broke curfew with a night out on the town. The disciplining seemed to work. I wouldn't be stunned if one or both of these guys didn't dress for Game 4.

Game 4 is Friday night in Nashville.

RANGERS 2, CAPITALS 1 (3OT) - (Rangers lead series 2-1)

Rangers' defenseman Ryan McDonagh had 53:17 of ice-time. There were 95 total shots on goal. There were 81 blocked shots. Marc Staal played 63 shifts. This was a grind of a grind. Neither goalie gave an inch. Gaborik scored the game-winner thanks to some excellent play along the boards. Anyone who watched this game understands why the Stanley Cup Playoffs are the best postseason in all of sports. Even Boomer Esiason tweeted: "One of the greatest hockey games I've ever witnessed. #NYR and #Caps show why hockey playoffs are the absolute best."

Game 4 Saturday in D.C.

Tonight's games:
7:30pm - Flyers @ Devils - NBC Sports - Series tied 1-1
10:00pm - Blues @ Kings - NBC Sports - Kings lead series 2-0

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Day 14*

The second round is underway. The NHL is probably pleased with the mix of big market teams (New York, New Jersey, Philly, Los Angeles) and southern teams (Nashville, Washington, St. Louis, Phoenix).

RANGERS 3, CAPITALS 1 - (Rangers lead series 1-0)

BC alum Chris Kreider, who hasn't even played in a regular season game, scored a goal and added an assist. Braden Holtby only made 11 saves. And Lundqvist only saw 18 shots. Yup, those numbers are correct. Brad Richards also scored his 3rd of the playoffs. Unlike the Bruins, the Rangers' best forwards are producing goals.

Game 2 tonight at MSG.

KINGS 3, BLUES 1 - (Kings lead series 1-0)

Vezina nominee Jonathan Quick stopped 28 of 29 shots. LA's Matt Greene scored a shorthanded goal that turned out to be the game-winner. The Blues were also 0 for 3 on the Power Play, which was a major weapon for them against San Jose. Now that Power Play is at -1. Jonathan Quick might be able to carry this LA team very far.

Game 2 tonight in St. Louis.

FLYERS 4, DEVILS 3 (OT) - (Flyers lead series 1-0)

Danny Briere might be one of the best postseason performers in Stanley Cup history. He scored twice (has 7 already this postseason) in this game. In his 105 playoff games, he has 49 goals and 57 assists (106 points). He has an absurd 20.2% shooting percentage in the playoffs. Giroux also scored his 7th of the playoffs, on the Power Play. The Devils' relied heavily on their PK in the regular season. They've already allowed 10 PP goals in the postseason.

Game 2 Tuesday night in Philly.

COYOTES 5, PREDATORS 3 - (Coyotes lead series 2-0)

With Mike Smith facing Pekka Rinne, everyone thought this would be a low scoring series. That was 15 goals ago. Mike Smith was solid in this game, but Shane Doan was outstanding. This is his first taste of the 2nd round and he's making the most of it. He had a goal and an assist in this game. The Coyotes are simply making the plays, big and small, and Nashville needs to turn things around at home.

Game 3 Wednesday night in Tennessee.

Tonight's games:
7:30pm - Capitals @ Rangers - NBC Sports - NYR lead series 1-0
9:00pm - Kings @ Blues - CNBC - LAK lead series 1-0

Stanley Cup Preview: Predators vs. Coyotes*

Some NHL people are probably happy about this meeting. Two warm weather cities get to experience a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I'm not pleased. While fans in Nashville have taken to their Predators, the fans in Phoenix are only now showing up to fill their rink. There might be a future for hockey in Tennessee. But in Arizona? I hope not.

Anyway, both these teams advanced thanks to their goalies. Mike Smith was a wall for the Coyotes. Pekka Rinne was Pekka Rinne for the Preds. So who is going to be the difference maker on offense that will separate these two teams?

His name is Shea Weber, or Zdeno Jr. as I call him. Big strong defenseman, powerful shot, he scored 19 goals this year. He's excellent on the Power Play and that is where the difference will be made. Nashville's Power Play is a weapon. Phoenix's did well in the first round, but it's not very consistent.

With the goaltending as good as it will be in this series, every little edge counts. The Predators have their Power Play, and they have Shea Weber.

Nashville in 6.

Series schedule:
1: Friday 4/27 - 9:00pm - NSH @ PHX - NBC Sports
2: Sunday 4/29 - 9:00pm - NSH @ PHX - NBC Sports
3: Wednesday 5/2 - 9:00pm - PHX @ NSH - CNBC
4: Friday 5/4 - 7:30pm - PHX @ NSH - NBC Sports
5: Monday 5/7 - 10:00pm - NSH @ PHX - NBC Sports
6: Wednesday 5/9 - tba - PHX @ NSH - tba
7: Friday 5/11 - tba - NSH @ PHX - tba

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Day 9*

The Western Conference quarterfinals are complete and the semifinals are set. But the East is still very much up in the air. The 1 and 8 seeds will be going to Game 7. As will the 2 and 7. And maybe even the 3 and 6.

RANGERS 3, SENATORS 2 - (Series tied 3-3)

Daniel Alfredsson returned but the Senators couldn't stop New York's Power Play. The refs called a very soft game, though. Ottawa scored after a weak roughing call. New York scored after a weak goalie interference call. I hate seeing games won and lost on Power Plays. Chris Kreider did score an even strength goal for the Rangers in his 4th game as a pro. He was playing for Boston College in the NCAA Championship just 16 days ago. Now he already has an NHL playoff goal.

Game 7 Thursday night in New York.

COYOTES 4, BLACKHAWKS 0 - (Coyotes win series 4-2)

Chicago started this game on fire, backed by a very vocal home crowd. They ran into a wall, though. And that wall was named Mike Smith. The Phoenix goalie stopped 16 shots in the 1st period, and 39 overall. Eventually, the Coyotes scored some Power Play goals and won their first playoff series since moving to Phoenix.

They'll face Nashville in the semis. And LA will face St. Louis. So that's Mike Smith vs. Pekka Rinne and Jonathan Quick vs. Eliot/Halak. Don't expect many high scoring games in the next round.

Tonight's game:
7:30pm - Panthers @ Devils - NBC Sports - Panthers lead 3-2

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Day 12*

Some series came to an end, others were extended. The violence has subsided a bit, so now we can enjoy actual hockey.

PANTHERS 3, DEVILS 0 - (Panthers lead series 3-2)

Jose Theodore is back in net for Florida, and it worked out pretty well for the Panthers. He stopped all 30 shots he faced. The Panthers are on the verge of making everyone who was clamoring for changes in the playoff system look like fools.

Game 6 Tuesday night in Jersey.

SENATORS 2, RANGERS 0 - (Senators lead series 3-2)
Jason Spezza is the latest Senator to pick up the slack left by the absence of Daniel Alfredsson. He scored his first and second goals of the series in this game. Oh, and Craig Anderson stopped 41 shots. The Rangers were a favorite to win The Cup, and now they're facing elimination.

Game 6 tonight in Ottawa.

BLUES 3, SHARKS 1 - (Blues win series 4-1)

The Sharks were a sexy upset pick by the experts. The experts forgot that they have Joe Thornton along with goaltending issues. The Blues scored three goals in the 3rd and fully demonstrated how and why they finished the regular season with 109 points.

BLACKHAWKS 2, COYOTES 1 (OT) - (Coyotes lead series 3-2)

All five games in this series have gone into Overtime. That's ridiculous.

Game 6 tonight in Chicago.

FLYERS 5, PENGUINS 1 - (Flyers win series 4-2)

Thank God Pittsburgh is eliminated. The craniums of the remaining playoff teams are much safer thanks to their elimination. And thank God I can stop rooting for the Flyers. Danny Briere and Claude Giroux ran this series. Briere scored 5 times, Giroux scored 6 times. Sidney "Canada's Golden Boy" Crosby had 8 points in this series. And was -3 in this game. Fuck off, Penguins.

KINGS 2, CANUCKS 1 (OT) - (Kings win series 4-2)

Give Vancouver another excuse to tear apart their own city. The Canucks once again choked in the playoffs. This is a common theme with them. They can't just blame their goalie anymore, as Schneider did pretty well for himself. Maybe having a first line consisting of soft Swedes that fold faster than Ikea furniture is the problem. Maybe having guys like Burrows and Lapierre is the problem. Maybe defensemen should play defense. I don't know. I don't care. Goodbye, Vancouver.

A #8 seed beats a #1 seed in 5 games.

Tonight's games:
7:00pm - Rangers @ Senators - NBC Sports - Senators lead 3-2
9:00pm - Coyotes @ Blackhawks - CNBC - Coyotes lead series 3-2

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Day 7*

More overtimes, more injuries, more suspensions. I can't decide if these playoffs are the best I've ever seen or the worst.

PANTHERS 4, DEVILS 3 - (Panthers lead series 2-1)

What makes the NHL Playoffs so compelling to watch is their unpredictability. Everyone figured New Jersey had the easiest draw in the playoffs. They'd roll over the 94 point Panthers. People were even pointing to this matchup as a reason to change the playoff system. But the game isn't played in theory, or by "experts." It's played by players on ice.

The Panthers were down in 3-0 less than 7 minutes into this game. They came back thanks to 3 Power Play goals. The Panthers are 6 for 10 on the PP. 6 Power Play goals against the best PK in the regular season (89.6%). The Devils only allowed 27 PP goals all season long, or about 1 every 3 games. Now they've allowed 6 in 3 games.

Game 4 Thursday night in Jersey.

PREDATORS 3, RED WINGS 1 - (Predators lead series 3-1)

Another example of how regular season trends mean nothing in the playoffs. Detroit had the best home record in the NHL, with 31 wins. They've lost to Nashville twice on their home ice.

All the scoring occurred in the 3rd. The Predators have preyed on Detroit's defensive lapses. The Red Wings are all chasing the puck carrier, not protecting the area in front of the net or covering other players. The Wings outshot Nashville 41-17, but Pekka Rinne did his job, stopped 40 shots, and gave the Predators a chance to win.

Game 5 Friday night in Nashville.

COYOTES 3, BLACKHAWKS 2 (OT) - (Coyotes lead series 2-1)

All three games of this series have gone into overtime but the big story of this series have been the hits to the head and the suspensions. In this game, Chicago's Marian Hossa was wheeled off the ice on a stretcher after Raffi Torres checked him in the skull. Here's the hit:

He targeted the head, he launched himself, and it could be argued that it was a late hit and a charge. Torres has an extensive history of dirty play. Exactly one year ago to the day, he did this:

Torres was suspended once already this season. Last year he was suspended for 5 games at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. Given the nature of this hit combined with his history, he should be banned for the remainder of the playoffs.

Honestly, I don't think players like Raffi Torres belong in the National Hockey League. I don't think the League should tolerate them, merely slapping them on the wrist as they repeatedly misbehave.

Game 4 Thursday night in Chicago.

Tonight's games:
7:30pm - Rangers @ Senators - CNBC - Rangers lead 2-1
7:30pm - Penguins @ Flyers - NBC Sports - Flyers lead series 3-0
10:00pm - Canucks @ Kings - NBC Sports - Kings lead series 3-0

Stanley Cup Preview: Blackhawks vs. Coyotes*

The Coyotes won the Pacific Division, but finished dead last in the NHL in attendance. When will the NHL take this prospering team and move it to a city where people actually give a damn about hockey?

Chicago led the League in attendance, by the way.

The Blackhawks should get Jonathan Toews back from a concussion, but who knows how long it will take him to play to form. He's going from rehab to playoff hockey, so he's going from 0 to 100 in half a second.

The Coyotes have a slight edge in goaltending, as well. The generically named Mike Smith had a breakout year with a 2.21 GAA and a .930 SV%.

Chicago gives up a lot of goals (2nd most goals allowed by a playoff team), so if Smith can slow down the Blackhawks' prolific offense just a little, the Coyotes could take advantage of Chicago's inability to prevent goals, and edge out a few games.

Both these teams have struggling PP units, but Phoenix is adept at killing penalties, and Chicago's PK was 27th in the League. That might be bad enough for Phoenix to score a few man-advantage goals.

I can see Phoenix winning this series in several ways. And the only way I see Chicago winning it is if goalie Corey Crawford plays like he did in last year's playoffs. But he hasn't been able to do that since, well, last year's playoffs.

Coyotes in 6.

Series schedule:
1: Thursday 4/12 - 10:00pm - CHI @ PHX - NBC Sports
2: Saturday 4/14 - 10:00pm - CHI @ PHX - NBC Sports
3: Tuesday 4/17 - 9:00pm - PHX @ CHI - CNBC
4: Thursday 4/19 - 8:00pm - PHX @ CHI - CNBC
5: Saturday 4/21 - 10:00pm - CHI @ PHX - NBC Sports
6: Monday 4/23 - tba - PHX @ CHI - tba
7: Wednesday 4/25 - tba - CHI @ PHX - tba

Bruins Win Duel in the Desert

It was a goaltender's duel, but the Bruins emerged victorious thanks to some good old fashioned grinding. They were sloppy at times, and for most of the 2nd period they seemed to listlessly drift around the slushy ice. But they picked it up in the 3rd, then ended it in OT. The Bruins outshot the Coyotes 12-4 in the 3rd period and overtime.

Krejci's goal to start the game was a heads-up play as the Bruins took advantage of the Coyotes paying too much attention to Brad Marchand. Then the Bruins hibernated for a period and a half, then woke up.

The only goal Tuukka Rask allowed was a piece of craftsmanship from Ray Whitney. There's a reason that guy has nearly 1,000 points.

The highlight of the game was Adam McQuaid's thrashing of Raffi Torres. Torres had just checked Ference underneath the jaw, and McQuaid made him pay for it.

Check out the girl in the front row at 0:55. Warm desert temperatures may cause poor ice conditions, but they also allow girls to wear stuff like that.

Anyway, Torres only deserved a minor penalty for the hit, and McQuaid dished out the rest of the punishment. McQuaid is as insane as Mark Stuart, only taller, and a more sound defenseman.

Last night he was more like the Road Runner, nearly killing a Coyote.

It's nice to see that the Bruins can win an 8-0 game, then come back and grind out a 2-1 victory. They play in Dallas Saturday night.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: WEST PREVIEW*

We don't get to see the Western Conference teams very often in Boston. It's a shame that we play Florida and Atlanta far more often than Detroit, Chicago, Vancouver, or even San Jose.

#1 VANCOUVER CANUCKS vs. #8 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
The defending champion Hawks were victimized by the salary cap in the off-season, which I think will do the NHL more long-term harm than good, and that's why they barely made it in as an 8 seed. Vancouver have been electric all year. #1 in goals scored, goals against, power play, and #3 in penalty kill. The Sedin-Samuellson line totaled 78 goals. Then Ryan Kesler added 41 more from the 2nd line. Luongo had a brilliant year, and on paper, the Canucks have to be favorites to win it all. The Hawks also boast plenty of weapons, but their goaltending is untried, and their defense is suspect. Vancouver wins in 6 high scoring games.

#2 SAN JOSE SHARKS vs. #7 LOS ANGELES KINGS
The Pacific Division sent 4 teams to the postseason and these are two of them. They split the season series 3-3. And while San Jose has dangerous scorers like Marleau, Thornton, Pavelski, Heatley, and 22 year old Logan Couture (who scored 32 goals), I have my doubts. The Sharks are perennial postseason failures. Their offense depends a great deal on the power play, and LA has an excellent penalty kill. The Kings also have Jonathan Quick. I don't think LA has the offense to go very far, but they do have enough defense to stop San Jose. Kings in 7.

#3 DETROIT RED WINGS vs. #6 PHOENIX COYOTES
Detroit made the playoffs for the 18th straight season. They can score, but their defense and goaltending is shaky. Zetterberg's health is a question mark, but the Wings can deploy plenty of other weapons. Not to mention a roll call of strong, experienced forwards. Datsyuk, Franzen, Cleary, Bertuzzi, Draper. And it's the same on defense. Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, Stuart. Phoenix doesn't have many recognizable skaters. Even goalie Ilya Bryzgalov had an off year. Phoenix are solid 5-on-5, but have an anemic power play and a gaping penalty kill. That will be their undoing. Detroit wins in 5.

#4 ANAHEIM DUCKS vs. #5 NASHVILLE PREDATORS
The Predators were 3rd in goals against, and 21st in attendance. The Ducks had the 3rd best power play, and were 26th in attendance. Two of the best players in the NHL will duel each other in this series. And they'll finally be able to do it in front of full houses. Anaheim's Corey Perry scored 50 goals, with 48 assists. Nashville's Pekka Rinne had a 2.12 GAA and a .930 SV%. The Ducks have some weapons beside Perry, including George Parros' bristling black mustache.

But Anaheim's offensive output depends too much on getting power play points. The Predators also have Shea Weber, a burly defenseman who also scored 16 times this year. I'm picking Rinne and the Preds in 6.

It's difficult to not pick Detroit to win the West. But they're old. They don't have the goaltending. I think this is finally the year for Vancouver to shine and go all the way to the finals.

Tonight's games:
7:00 PM - Red Wings @ Coyotes - Versus
7:00 PM - Lightning @ Penguins
7:30 PM - Rangers @ Capitals
10:00 PM - Blackhawks @ Canucks - Versus
10:30 PM - Predators @ Ducks

NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: WESTERN CONFERENCE*

The West is the best, it's also the deepest. 88 points got Philly and Montreal playoff spots in the East. Out West, it gets you tied for 11th with Dallas.

#1 SAN JOSE SHARKS vs. #8 COLORADO AVALANCHE
The Sharks won the Western Conference's regular season again, and hope to have better results than last year. And they will. Colorado has been slipping - like a slow avalanche - since the Olympic break. They were 8-10-3 down that stretch. They were 35-20-6 before the stretch. They're young and exuberant, but also inexperienced and rough around the edges. They score a lot of goals, but they allow a lot. And San Jose has some scorers in Marleau (44 goals), Heatly (39 goals), and Thornton (69 assists).

Sharks in 5.



#2 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS vs. #7 NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Yes, Nashville has a team, and they've made the playoffs for the 5th time in franchise history. But they've never advanced beyond the 1st round. Philosophical question: if a city has a hockey team, and nobody in the city goes to the games, does the team exist? The Preds may have finished 7th in the Western Conference, but they were 26th in the NHL in attendance.

The Blackahwsk are a fun team to watch. They gained some experience in last year's playoffs, and they also gained Marian Hossa. They scored the 3rd most goals, and allowed the 5th fewest. They beat Nashville 4 out of 6. They have multiple threats in guys like Patrck Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Hossa, Kris Versteeg, and an arsenal of active defensemen. Nashville has 30 goal scorer Patric Hornqvist. That's about it.

Chicago in 4.



#3 VANCOUVER CANUCKS vs. #6 LOS ANGELES KINGS
Don't look past the Kings, an all-around steady team. Not too strong, but few glaring weaknesses. 7th in goals for, 10th in goals against. The playoffs are more about exposing an opponents' weakness, as opposed to implementing your own strengths. And the Kings just don't have many holes.

The Canucks have the NHL's points leader in Henrik Sedin (29 goals, 83 assists), his twin Daniel (29-56), Alex Burrows (35 goals), Mikael Samuelsson (30 goals) and then some. But goalie Roberto Luongo has seen better days. As much as I want to pick Vancouver, I have to pick the steady tortoise to defeat the hare.

Kings in 7.



#4 PHOENIX COYOTES vs. #5 DETROIT RED WINGS
Phoenix is another city unworthy of a hockey team. 3rd best record in the West, 4th best record in the League, and dead last 30th in attendance at 11,989. It's just a travesty that there's an NHL team in Arizona. But thankfully, they'll be eliminated by the surging Red Wings.

Detroit was 16-3-2 after the Olympic break, soaring to the 5th seed. It's as if the Hockey Gods are punishing the city of Phoenix for daring to posses the 4th seeded team in the Western Conference.

The Coyotes do have Ilya Bryzgalov, while the Red Wings have rookie Jimmy Howard. Bryzgalov has 16 career playoff starts under his belt (9-5, 1.68 GAA), Howard has 0. And that might turn this series on its head. We all know how far a hot goalie can take a team.

But I have difficulty removing my anti-Phoenix bias. I also have difficulty picking against a team that has Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Holmstrom, Cleary, Draper, and Johan Franzen, whose return just so happened to coincide with Detroit's 16-3-2 run.

I'm picking Detroit in 7.