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Playoff Hockey :: Western Conference Matchups

From: Mike Ginnitti | April 14, 2010 | Comments(0) | Print | Share |

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The second installment of our NHL Playoff preview continues with a look into the somewhat surprising Western Conference matchups. With the majority of the attention focusing on the superstars of the east, look for a few of the scrappy, hard-working teams in the west to make some noise in the coming weeks.


(8) Colorado at (1) San Jose
Colorado may have stumbled into the playoffs, but much like their hometown baseball counterparts, they possess a scrappy, dedicated roster. The bottom line here is that San Jose is a superior team from top to bottom. They've been able to breeze through their recent first round opponents, and all signs point to much of the same here. Look for Colorado to steal one game, but only one.
Spotrac Picks: San Jose in 5


(7) Nashville at (2) Chicago
This matchup brings two young, unproven Finnish goaltenders to the forefront. Pekka Rinne and the Predators will have a fighting chance in this series if they can control the mid-ice game of Chicago. The youth, speed, and ripeness of this Blackhawks squad can score at will with open ice. With a year of playoff experience under their belts, they should be able to adjust to and withstand any Nashville strategy.
Spotrac Picks: Chicago in 6


(6) Los Angeles at (3) Vancouver
The Kings may be the Chicago Blackhawks of last year. They've built a speedy, strong foundation of youth in L.A., and have a solid regular season to show for it. If Jonathan Quick can regain early season form, he may single-handedly steal a game from the wily Cancuks. Vancouver boasts one of the most underrated offenses in the NHL. Combined with a proven world-class netminder in Luongo, this series looks lopsided on paper. The Kings have shown enough durability through this season to string along a few must-have wins though.
Spotrac Picks: Los Angeles in 7


(5) Detroit at (4) Phoenix
Many experts have Detroit as the hottest team entering the playoffs. They've certainly held up to expectations in postseasons past, and there's no reason to believe that a veteran defense, a top-tier goalie, and the ambiance of Hockeytown shouldn't come through yet again. Phoenix has had a miraculous season considering their patched together roster, and coaching/administrative changes just weeks before the drop of the first puck.
Spotrac Picks: Detroit in 7