The first round of the NHL playoffs featured three game 7's and only one sweep, so it is hard to argue with the competitiveness and drama of that round, but with only two mild upsets (5th seeded Nashville and Tampa) the second round is left with more chalk than Hubert Davis' NCAA tourney bracket. Hopefully that leads to high quality hockey and long compelling series' since there is not much value on the board.
Vancouver Canucks (-240) vs. Nashville Predators (+180): When the Canucks jumped out to a 3-0 lead over the Blackhawks it looked like the best team in hockey was ready to shed their label as playoff underachievers and get a week of rest before round 2. After two ugly losses Veniza trophy nominee Roberto Luongo was benched for Game 6 due to his poor play and general lack of mental toughness and it looked like Vancouver was headed for an epic collapse. The plane ride from Chicago back to Vancouver for Game 7 had to be quieter than a mid week afternoon home Pirate game and GM Mike Gillis attacked the officiating to take heat off his players. Remarkably the Canucks steadied the ship at home and grinded out an OT victory behind Luongo's steady play and the Kesler/Burrows duo. A half glass full approach would lead you to believe the character building 7 game series victory over Chicago will give the President's Trophy winners a renewed confidence as they make their way to the Stanley Cup finals. On the other hand, the near collapse, poor play by the Sedin twins (combined -7 for the series), lingering questions about Luongo's state of mind and play, and overall poor defensive play in round 1 could also lead to believe that the Canucks are ripe for an upset in round 2.
Even though the Nashville/Anaheim series only went 6 games it was one of the most exciting, the games were a little high scoring for Nashville's style of play, but they showed they can contend and beat a powerful offense team in the Ducks. Never underestimate the power of Carrie Underwood at all the home games, as Mike Fisher was the best forward of the series for the offensively challenged Preds. It was a little concerning that the Pred's treated their franchises first ever playoff series win like the Stanley Cup since the series' get tougher as you win and the Canucks are more powerful from A to Z than the Ducks. Once again this series the pressure will be on D' men Shea Weber, Ryan Sutter and goaltender Pekka Rinne, and if those three can be the best players in the series Nashville can advance.
Vancouver's round 1 play and playoff history makes laying almost 2/1 very unappealing and Nashville at less than 2/1 isn't great value either, but in a chalk filled second round Nashville has a punchers chance at +180.
San Jose Sharks (-115) vs. Detroit Red Wings (-115): The most evenly matched series and the favorite on the board to be the most compelling second round series. These two teams met in the same round last year as San Jose jumped out to a 3-0 series lead and won it in 5 games for easily the most significant series win in Sharks history. San Jose finished the regular season strong and passed Detroit in the standings for home ice, but unlike last season when Detroit was coming off a 7 game first round series they are fresh from a first round sweep and should have Zetterberg back for this series.
San Jose needed 6 games (3 in OT) to dispatch the pesky Kings minus Kopitar, and showed some flaws in that series beginning with goaltender Niemi who was pulled from 2 games and posted an ugly .863 save percentage. The Sharks defense was also vulnerable to the LA forecheck that got the puck deep and was a physical mismatch for the Sharks defense in the corners and in front of net. The Sharks do have as much depth up front as any team in the league, so much so that Joe Pavelski is the third line center; the Sharks also bring the regular seasons best power play to this series. Until last year the Sharks were the definition of a good regular season team that continually underachieved in the playoffs, but if they can beat the Wings two years in a row they will be making a Sean Penn like transformation from Jeff Spicoli to serious Oscar winner.
Detroit was the most impressive team in their round one sweep of Phoenix and Pavel Datsyuk was the best player in round one with 6 points and a +6 rating. The return of Zetterburg this series will allow Flippula and Helm to go back to their more comfortable 3rd line roles and will allow the Wings to test the Sharks defense with their rolling lines of puck possession forwards. The one concern in round 1 for Detroit was their penalty killing unit and they will need to stay out of the box against the lethal Sharks PP. There will always be questions about goaltender Jimmy Howard until he wins a Stanley Cup, but 4-0 with 2.15 GAA and .915 save percentage in round 1 is an impressive start to this year's campaign.
Detroit might not have home ice and lost in the same round to the same team last season, but at their current form and at even money they are a solid play even if it takes 7 games.
Washington Capitals (-190) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (+150): This postseason has been about redemption and exercising demons and no team has more storylines on those fronts than the Caps. They dispatched the Rangers in five workmanlike games, but the Rangers were easily the worst team of the 16 playoff participants and were also missing Ryan Callahan. Ovechkin and Semin continued their yo-yo like play throughout the first round, but in general the team did stick to their defensive game plan, though that might be more of a reflection on the Rangers lack of offense. The Caps should get Mike Green back this series and he will immediately help on the power play and with breakout passes out of the defensive zone. If goaltender Michael Neuvirth continues his first round play (1.38 GAA, .946 save percentage) against the more capable Lightning offense than the Caps will cruise into the conference finals.
Tampa erased a 3-1 series deficit to Pittsburgh in the first round by outscoring the Pens 13-4 in the final three and winning game seven 1-0 on the road, but like the Rangers, Pittsburgh was as offensively challenged as a Rex Grossman quarterbacked offense. Game 7 could have gone 13 periods and I still don't think the Pens had a hope of scoring thanks to an offense with leading scorer Asham and a power play that was 1-34. Unlike in that series the Capitals will generate more pressure and scoring chances and the heat will be on the Ning defensive corps and 41 year old Dwayne Roloson. Tampa has a potent power play and will need to capitalize on the chances they get when the Caps take their usual stick penalties during the series.
These division rivals know each other well and have similar styles of play, but unless Roloson dominates the battle of goaltenders I don't see the Caps losing or enough value to make the Ning a play.
Philadelphia Flyers (-160) vs. Boston Bruins (+115): The favorite on the board to be the series with the most suspensions for illegal hits. For the Flyers both Richards and Briere could have been suspended for questionable at best hits in round 1 and Bruins Lucic and Ference should have also been suspended for their head shots during round 1. Boston blew a 3-0 series lead and then a 3-0 lead in game 7 last year in the conference finals to Philly, and both teams enter round 2 lucky to be here after uneven play in round 1. The Flyers have a ton of offensive depth and led the league in 5 on 5 goals, but the questions in net remain as 3 goalies played vs. the Sabres. Pronger returned in game 6, but continues to be less than 100% due to a hand injury and the loss of Jeff Carter will make matching up against their offensive lines easier.
Boston staged their own comeback in round 1 after losing their first two games at home to Montreal and winning game 7 in OT. The Bruins winning the series without a power play goal was remarkable, but it might be more of an indication of Montreal's lack of depth and the Canadiens over reliance on 5 players and Carey Price. Tim Thomas is a major advantage in net vs. the Flyers and with a healthy Chara the Bruins, unlike the Flyers have their big defenseman who isn't afraid to play over the edge healthy.
Not enough value on either side to make this worth taking, but I like over in penalty minutes and suspensions for illegal hits in every game and the series.
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