So here we go with the second round choices....
Eastern Conference
New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals
The Call: Rangers in 6
Don't let the fact that the Rangers were brought to 7 games versus the Ottawa Senators in the 1st round fool you, New York is still one of the strongest teams in the East. The first round was simply a case of a seemingly weaker team matching up very well against a team who finished higher in the standings. The Ottawa Senators had been a thorn in the side of the Rangers all season long, and almost pulled off the upset. Almost.
The Washington Capitals come into this series having knocked off last year's Stanley Cup champions, which of course is no small task. They did it mostly based on the very strong goaltending of relative unknown Braden Holtby, the maturation of Alexander Ovechkin, and the leadership provided by head coach Dale Hunter. "Play hard, whistle to whistle" was the mantra for the Caps against the Bruins in the opening round, which turned out to be a very smart approach as they refused to get into a war against Boston, a war that they inevitably would have lost.
With the Ottawa Senators behind them, the Rangers will be heading into the second round with renewed confidence, a result of beating a team which no doubt had many of them worried from the outset. Holtby's heroic's aside, the Rangers match up favourably against the Capitals in nets. Henrik Lundqvist's 3rd period performance in game 7 will go a long way in boosting his confidence going into the second round.
The goal in New York is to win the Stanley Cup. The goal in Washington, at least from the outside looking in, was don't get embarrassed in the first round. The Rangers have yet to reach their goal, the Caps have.
The only way the Caps win this series is if Braden Holtby turns in a goaltending performance for the ages.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. New Jersey Devils
The Call: Flyers in 5
The Philadelphia Flyers started the playoffs with an impressive win over their arch-rival Pittsburgh Penguins in a series that saw them dominate their cross-state nemesis on every level. Laviolette outcoached Bylsma, Bryzgalov outplayed Fleury, Giroux outplayed Crosby, and they won the physical battles.
On the other hand, the Devils were taken to the absolute limit by the Florida Panthers, winning game 7 in the second overtime period. While their win was laudable, the Flyers are not the Panthers, and this series should mark the end of the road for the Devils' season.
The Flyers have better scoring, more depth, and are riding sky-high confidence into this round. Could be a very short series.
Western Conference
Nashville Predators vs. Phoenix Coyotes
The Call: Predators in 5
The big question facing the Nashville Predators as they headed into this years playoffs was, "Yes, they have one of the best teams in the NHL, but can they knock off the Detroit Red Wings, their longtime Achilles' Heel?" The Preds answered that question with an impressive 5 game domination of what looked like an aging Detroit squad.
With the first round hurdle cleanly jumped, look for the Predators to continue on their roll against the Phoenix Coyotes, a team against which they match up very well on every level.
The Coyotes, for their part, are in the second round based on the performance of the NHL's first round MVP, goaltender Mike Smith, whom Don Cherry recently called "the best goalie on the planet right now."
Smith notwithstanding, the Predators are simply too much for the Coyotes to handle. Better goaltending, better defence, better scoring, and better coaching than the Chicago Blackhawks who took them to 6 games.
A Nashville sweep wouldn't be a shocker.
St-Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings
The Call: Blues in 6
It seems like ages since these two teams last played. The Blues and Kings each won their first rounds in short order, the Blues sending the San Jose Sharks packing in 5 games, while the Kings knocked off last year's Stanley Cup finalist Vancouver Canucks, also in 5 games.
The Blues have been pretty much the best team in the NHL from the moment that Ken Hitchcock was brought in as their coach in early November. They are playing strong hockey throughout their lineup and their goaltending has been solid. They are not a flashy club, but they play a smart, defensively sound game, a style that is tailor-made for the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Kings are also a team that is collecting the dividends of an in-season coaching change. They were an underachieving group until Duane Sutter was brought in late into the season. The addition of Jeff Carter, whom they acquired from Columbus, has also had a positive effect on the team, most notably on former Flyers' teammate Mike Richards.
Of the four series picks, this is the one in which I have the least confidence, as it may just boil down to who has the hottest goaltender.
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