Rite of Spring '14: Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?

[crashcarson15 2,027]

Bruins in 6

Canadiens in 6

Penguins in 5

Rangers in 7

Avalanche in 6

Blackhawks in 6

Ducks in 4

Kings in 7

Bruins in 5

Penguins in 6

Blackhawks in 5

Ducks in 7

Bruins in 6

Blackhawks in 6

Bruins in 7

[Sodboy13 4,638]

I've watched almost every Blues game this year and I really don't see how one can come to the conclusion that we're harder hitting than the majority of the NHL. Granted, we're a heavily penalized team. But I don't think it's right to say we're cheap or anything like that. Lapierre, sure, he had some questionable hits but all-around I think our roster is pretty focused on skating hard rather than hitting hard.

I realize that all of the injuries have required some major roster shuffling, but Hitch has been skating a line of Ott-Reaves-Lapierre as of late, which should activate just about any hockey fan's gag reflex.

Also, at least one Blues fan is (rightfully) pissed that St. Louis has seemingly already switched over to Cardinals Mode for the year, and basically pleads with Blues fans to show the hell up. Of course, it won't be like last season, when the Blues didn't sell out any of their postseason games. Instead, it will be thousands of red sweaters who realized that the trip down I-55 or the Amtrak and an overnight stay is cheaper than trying to snag tickets at United Center.

Oh, and the Ducks have the cheapest playoff tickets going, because Angels and traffic and didn't Teemu retire Sunday already and they should have put the arena in Scottsdale instead or something.

[monkeypower 2,003]

Oh, and the Ducks have the cheapest playoff tickets going, because Angels and traffic and didn't Teemu retire Sunday already and they should have put the arena in Scottsdale instead or something.

------------------

I feel good about the Ducks chances this year. I think it's going to be Andersen/Gibson for the playoffs as the Hiller ship has sailed and then sunk with him not playing at all in the last couple games.

Maybe Gibson comes in and we see Roy circa '86 again.

[FGM13 767]

1st round predictions: Colorado, Chicago, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Boston, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, New York

Teams I'm cheering for: Anaheim, Columbus

[Still MIGHTY 3,812]

Oh, and the Ducks have the cheapest playoff tickets going, because Angels and traffic and didn't Teemu retire Sunday already and they should have put the arena in Scottsdale instead or something.

What the hell does it matter how much the tickets cost?

As long as people buy them and show up (which it would seem they are), I don't necessarily give a damn.

[Brass 3,101]

A lot of people seem to be picking Boston out of the first round, and while I would tend to agree, I'm not 100% confident in their ability to do so. Detroit is a damn good team and this series is going to be an absolute dogfight. If there's one team that had Boston's number all season, it was the Red Wings.

[Kramerica Industries 1,495]

they did, to an extent.

Three of the four head-to-head meetings came in October and November. Two of them came in the first two weeks of the season. The only meeting in the last five months came in a game in Detroit where the Wings still had everything to play for and the Bruins were fresh off, what, a 16-1 stretch of play? Not that regular season meetings hold a whole ton of predicative value in most cases, but this is one of those cases where I truly couldn't care less what the regular season said.

IMO, the only times regular season meetings hold predicative value is when there is a clear and discernible bad matchup/great matchup (depending on your POV). For example, I would pick the Flyers over the Penguins in a playoff series because Philly has absolutely dominated Pittsburgh, especially at Consol, for the past several years. I would pick Los Angeles to beat St. Louis because LA has a 15-4 record against St. Louis since the 2011-12 season began. But these are the exceptions, not the norm.

[Rays 52]

 

Bruins in 6

Canadiens in 6

Penguins in 5

Rangers in 7

Avalanche in 6

Blackhawks in 6

Ducks in 4

Kings in 7

Bruins in 5

Penguins in 6

Blackhawks in 5

Ducks in 7

Bruins in 6

Blackhawks in 6

Bruins in 7

you belive hawks vs. bruins again !?

still can´t belive boston is the no.1 team in the reg season ! it rarely happens after losing in the previous years final

[CS85 8,010]

It's nice not having the damn Red Wings in the western conf playoffs anymore. Enjoy getting trolled by a scabby bunch of tryhards with all the personality of dehydrated prunes.

[STL FANATIC 145]

News today is much more promising for the Blues than that of the past couple of weeks.

It's absolutely impossible to get a grasp on who will or won't play, but it sounds like at least half of the injured Blues should return for game one, and even Oshie and Tarasenko could be back. And Hitch says everyone should be back at some point this series.

The slump was one thing. With so much time off and the motivation of the playoffs, I expect that to pass. But fielding a quality roster still matters. Now it's looking like the Blues will be able to, so that's a relief.

Expecting a heck of a series.

[Heitert 474]

News today is much more promising for the Blues than that of the past couple of weeks.

It's absolutely impossible to get a grasp on who will or won't play, but it sounds like at least half of the injured Blues should return for game one, and even Oshie and Tarasenko could be back. And Hitch says everyone should be back at some point this series.

The slump was one thing. With so much time off and the motivation of the playoffs, I expect that to pass. But fielding a quality roster still matters. Now it's looking like the Blues will be able to, so that's a relief.

Expecting a heck of a series.

Where are you getting this information? It's not that I'm doubting you, I'm genuinely curious.

It sounds like it's shaping up to be a helluva series. I think that the first round will actually be the Blues' biggest obstacle. If we beat the Blackhawks, I expect that momentum to carry throughout the rest of the playoffs.

[Bucfan56 9,042]

The Sharks are going to win the Stanley Cu....

Oh who am I kidding? No they aren't.

[CS85 8,010]

The Sharks are going to win the Stanley Cu....

Oh who am I kidding? No they aren't.

Moe = Sharks

[CubsFanBudMan 391]

News today is much more promising for the Blues than that of the past couple of weeks.

It's absolutely impossible to get a grasp on who will or won't play, but it sounds like at least half of the injured Blues should return for game one, and even Oshie and Tarasenko could be back. And Hitch says everyone should be back at some point this series.

The slump was one thing. With so much time off and the motivation of the playoffs, I expect that to pass. But fielding a quality roster still matters. Now it's looking like the Blues will be able to, so that's a relief.

Expecting a heck of a series.

Where are you getting this information? It's not that I'm doubting you, I'm genuinely curious.

Blues expect all injured players to return vs. Blackhawks:

http://m.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/professional/morning-skate/blues-expect-all-injured-players-to-return-vs-chicago/article_a39200ee-9183-5ec9-9e03-0bf43e79abab.html?mobile_touch=true

[ninersdd 529]

Less then 19 hours to go.....

[McCarthy 11,488]

[Kramerica Industries 1,495]

Haven't been this excited entering the postseason since 2004. Equal bits anxious and eager. Time to go to work.

[SuperLeafsFan 44]

1st round only for now:

Iginla's team in 6

Vanek's 3rd team this year in 5

Dah Beej in 7

NYR in 6

Green Team in 6

Team Black Alternates in playoffs in 6

The Space Cadet's team in 6

Dah Hawks in 7

To be continued........

[JQK 987]

COL vs MIN -- Colorado wins 4-1
STL vs CHI -- Chicago wins 4-1
ANA vs DAL -- Anaheim wins 4-0
SJS vs LAK -- Los Angeles wins 4-3

BOS vs DET -- Boston wins 4-1
TBL vs MTL -- Tampa Bay wins 4-2
PIT vs CBJ -- Pittsburgh wins 4-0
NYR vs PHI -- Philadelphia wins 4-3

[FGM13 767]

Bold Prediction: No sweeps. At all.