By Jessy Dhillon
After a condensed forty eight game schedule the Vancouver Canucks are heading into the playoffs as the Western Conference’s third seed. The Canucks clinched their fifth straight Northwest Division Championship by finishing off the season on a hot streak. (Minus the Edmonton Oilers game). The Canucks first round opponent in the playoffs are the San Jose Sharks. Vancouver has had some recent playoff history against the Sharks by beating them in five games in the 2011 Western Conference Finals Stanley Cup playoffs. The Sharks are looking for some revenge after that series. The two teams have a similar identity to them. Both teams championship “window” is closing due to their aging core. Both teams have been regular playoff teams but either has gone over the hump and finally got a chance to lift the cup.
The Sharks are led by emerging superstar center Logan Couture who scored 21 goals in the shortened season while adding 16 assists. The Sharks also feature veterans; Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau have had a lot of success in regular season but fail to show up in the playoffs. I have a feeling the same thing will happen in this series. On defense the Sharks are led by another veteran in puck moving defenseman Dan Boyle. Even though Boyle is near the end of his career as he still is a great skating defenseman that can quarterback the power play. The Sharks defense is one of the team’s weaknesses. In net the Sharks will start Antti Niemi who the Canucks are familiar with by having to face him in two playoff series (Chicago in 2010 and San Jose 2011). Niemi can be an X factor in the series if he heats up.
I feel the Canucks need to use their depth at center (Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler and Derek Roy) and spread out their forwards on three lines. This would spread out the Sharks already weak defense. I feel the third line of Mason Raymond-Derek Roy and Jannik Hansen will have the biggest impact on the series because the Sharks top four D-men will be too focused on shutting down the Canucks top two lines. The Canucks defense needs to play tight and limit mistakes. The Sharks had three players score 15+ goals in the regular season (Marleau,Pavelski and Couture).
Playoff predictions!
Western Conference:
I like Vancouver to beat the Sharks in six games. Vancouver has too much depth on their forward lines for the San Jose defensemen to stop. The power play will be a big factor in this series. The Canucks have looked like they have solved their power play problems from earlier in the season.
In a battle of two big physical teams I got St. Louis will win in 7 games over the Los Angeles Kings. This series will be low scoring and full of physical play. The rest of the Western Conference is glad that these two teams had to face off in the first round and beat each other up.
Chicago will beat the Minnesota Wild in five games. The NHL’s best team in the regular season will be too much for an injured Wild team that struggled into the playoffs.
I like Detroit to win in seven games over Anaheim. I feel the Red Wings veteran stars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg will find a way to get it done. Jimmy Howard will have to steal a game or two for the Wings.
Eastern Conference:
The Pittsburgh Penguins will have to start their series with New York Islanders without Sidney Crosby. The Pens’ roster is way too stacked for them to lose to the Islanders with or without Crosby. I like the Penguins in five games.
For the first time in nearly 10 years, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in the playoffs. Too bad for them that it will be short lived as they will lose to the Boston Bruins in 6 games. I feel Boston will play their trademark physical type of hockey and have their way with the Leafs.
In the all-Canadian matchup I like Ottawa to upset the Montreal Canadians in seven games. The Sens have star defensemen Erik Karlsson back in the lineup and he will be the X-factor in this series.
Alex Ovechkin is back to his elite level of the past, but I feel that the Rangers are the “dark horse” team in these playoffs. They have big names players such as Rick Nash, Ryan Callahan and Micheal Del Zotto and that will step up in the playoffs. I like the Rangers in seven games.
There you have it. So sit back and enjoy the playoffs. Hopefully it’s going to be a long ride for the Canucks!
