NHL Jeff's take on the 3rd Round Match-Ups:
Eastern Conference Finals
(1) Buffalo Sabres vs. (4) Ottawa Senators
Regular Season Series: Ott 5-3
BUF Key Players: R. Miller (G), D. Briere, C. Drury, T. Vanek, B. Campbell, but really, with this team, each player plays an important role.
OTT Key Players: R. Emery (G), D. Alfredsson, D. Heatley, J. Spezza, W. Redden, A. Volchenkov
The Rangers gave the Sabres a run for their money, but by the end of the
series, the high-flying Sabres finally returned to their true form as the NHL's best offensive team. Their defense faltered at times, but when that happened, Ryan Miller was there to make the huge saves. Chris Drury came up big, especially with his game-tying goal with 7.7 seconds left in game 5. Had the Sabres lost that game, it would have been pretty tough to come back and win at MSG with the Rangers up. The Senators showed in their series that even one of the best defensive teams in the league can't stop their offense. Their defense was great too, holding back a New Jersey team that seemed to find an offensive touch in the first round. There's some bad blood between these teams after the brawl they had earlier in the season, and while I am sure this will be a rougher series than one would have originally expected between these two teams,, I don't think it will be as big of a factor as expected. Both teams' players know how important this series is and will likely leave personal vendettas behind. Look for the Buffalo offense to find ways to penetrate the Ottawa D and for this to be a pretty offensive series. That is not to say there will be a ton of goals as both teams are strong in net, the Sabres with Miller and the Sens with Ray Emery. Because I believe the defenses will be broken down, I think this series will come down to goaltending, and while Emery has been great thus far, I say Miller wins the battle.Prediction: Sabres in 6.
Western Conference Finals
(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (2) Anaheim Ducks
Regular Season Series: Tie 2-2
DET Key Players: P. Datsyuk, D. Hasek (G), N. Lidstrom, H. Zetterbeg, J. Franzen, C. Chelios
ANA Key Players: C. Pronger, S. Niedermayer, T. Selanne, J.S. Giguere (G), R. Getzlaf, F. Beauchemin, A. McDonald
This should be an interesting series. The Ducks have had a lot of rest, which can be seen as either a negative or positive. I don't think Coach Randy Carlyle will allow the rest between series to hurt them as much as it did last year. They may have to take a period to get the rust off, but expect them to be ready. The Wings, on the other hand, are probably pretty worn out. They do have an older team, but their biggest issue is their depleted blueline. They showed that they could handle themselves without Kronwall, Lebda, and Schneider, but how long can that last? Lebda should be back during this series, which will definitely be a boost. Nicklas Lidstrom continues to be extraordinary, and 45-year-old Chris Chelios is actually thriving with the increased ice-time. This series will feature the games 3 best defensemen, which is definitely something to look forward to. Expect a low-scoring series. The team with the ability to penetrate the other's D has the best chance of taking this series. The goaltenders will also be strong. J.S. Giguere has played impressively so far, and I think the Ducks will work to get under Dominik Hasek's skin and also capitalize on his mistakes. While Hasek has been great thus far in teh playoffs, I just can't see him making it past this series. The Ducks top line has started to produce again, while also getting consistent production from other lines. Anaheim's Sammy Pahlsson-led checking line is the best in the league and can go up against any offense. Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Holmstrom will have to work really hard to out-play the likes of Pronger, Niedermayer, and Beauchemin, and I just don't see that happening.
Prediction: Ducks in 6.
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