I have something to get off my mind before I start my column about the NHL playoffs: I hate being an English major! I get it, Chaucer was good but I do not need to take four classes on British Literature to understand that.
Commercial break over, I return now to your regularly scheduled column on the NHL playoffs.
The New York Islanders are very lucky. First in a do-or-die game against the Martain Brodeur's of Jersey to get into the playoffs, the Islanders escaped. New Jersey decided to rest their one above average player this season, Brodeur, and the Islanders still needed a shoot out to win.
Trust me though, I'm not complaining, the Sabres could put Greg Goldberg in net and beat the Islanders in five.
BREAKING NEWS FROM RICK JEANNERET: The Sabres have seven forwards with at least 20 goals, and are the only team with four players who have recorded 30 goals. These guys are "scary" good.
One of the best first round playoff series that I can remember is this years four vs. five seed in the Eastern Conference: Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Though the Senators have home ice advantage, I can't see them overcoming their playoff demons from past seasons (enter ghosts of Jason Pominville, Dominik Hasek, Derek Plante, et al).
In this case the Sidney Crosby led Penguins and their almost non-existent playoff experience is better off then the Danny Heatley-led Senators and their jinxed playoff experience. Pens in seven.
Thank you Ted Nolan, it was your stupidity in putting goalie Rick Dipietro back in net though he was experiencing signs of post concussion syndrome, that eliminated the one strand of hope you had in winning a playoff series. Now your goalie for life is out until who-knows-when.
Held at gunpoint, and maybe with a machete being leveled at me, I guess I'd have to say the Rangers over Atlanta in seven. Jaromir Jagr found whatever magic pixie dust he was using last season when he scored over 50 goals, and just in time, as he has 11 points in the last ten games. Jagr along with goalie Henrik Lundqvist should be enough to win there fist round match up, but that's about as far as New York will go.
The Martain Brodeur's of New Jersey will have no problem in getting rid of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa has spotty defense and zero goaltending, two big things that are kind of important to win in the playoffs.
More breaking news: Defense wins hockey games in the playoffs.
And now...the rest of the story.
While the Sabres should have little trouble in the East, I see there being a four-way royal rumble in the Western Conference with the team having outlasted everyone having no energy left for the high-octane Sabres.
The Predators have been slipping as of late, going just 5-3-2 and in their last ten games, and they will most likely have a lot of trouble with Joe Thorton, Patrick Marleau and the San Jose Sharks. If Peter Foresberg is not 100 percent, the Thrashers will be gone in the first round.
The Redwings are too old, especially at goaltending in Dominick Hasek. I see the Calgary Flames riding Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff into the conference finals, much like they did in 2004.
But none of this matters because the Western Conference champion is going to be the Vancouver Canucks. Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Marcus Naslund, and half of Sweden will be riding the coattails of Roberto Luongo all the way to the Cup finals, where I can't see them beating the Sabres. Yes, hot goaltending can win a series or two, maybe even get you to the cup, but the Sabres are the deepest, and most skilled team in the NHL.
The Sabres will win the cup, but hey if they don't I'll take solace in the fact that neither will the Rangers, Maple leafs, or Canadians.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
