Hockey is a funny game …
Just clear the track and ask Eddie Shack !
The first two rounds ended in surprising results.
- The Flyers and Pens scored more goals in one series than any two teams in the history of the NHL ( not counting the late 80’s and early 90’s Oilers – combined with their one – ice goals and all the scoring they did off the ice ). By the time the Flyers did not get to Phoenix, the Philadelphia bunch were simply too exhausted to take on the Devils of Jersey. Add the ‘ Bill Clement curse ‘; the Flyers are home and the Devils are about to attempt a spell- casting on their cross – river rivals.
- The Caps did everyone in Montreal a favour and eliminated the Big, the bad and the ugly Bruins. The momentum from that series carried the team to a seven game defeat against the Rangers. A series decided by one goal in another game seven for both squads. A series that could have bounced either way. The New York team was surprised by the surging Senators and stuck to their game plan which now has allowed the team to ‘ squeak by’ two rounds.
- Le west is wild! No doubt about it as the eight seeded Kings have now upset the number one and two seeds. St.Louis was bit by the inexperience bug as well as the injury bug. Not having Halak to bail out Elliot – a blow to to the Blues chances. On the other side of the western coin, the Coyotes are doing their part to sell the team in Phoenix. Dumping the Hawks , then the Predators – a ‘Roadrunner’ feather in the Coyotes’ caps.
Rick’s picks after two rounds … Two wins – ten losses – zero ties ( wink, wink). On the bright side – I did not bet any money …
Round Three Picks
Devils – Rangers
Tough one. Boring but tough. Two teams – same system. A Caps – Rangers repeat. The exception? Goaltending. Will Brodeur’s age 
catch up to him or will his age help him. This should be the deciding factor along with the Rangers ability to corral Kovalchuk. The Devils have a better offence than people think and the Rangers have Lundqvist. Devils in Seven
Kings – Coyotes
Quick and Smith… Sounds like a type of gun eh? These teams are both in surprise mode and surprise mode is relentless.
No time to think as the two improbable teams are on a roll. The Kings are more rounded and if a goalie was to be chosen from the two … Quick is the pick. Shane Doan is on overdrive for the Coyotes. Problem is everyone is on overdrive for the Kings. The Montreal Canadiens of 1986 were on a roll and they won. Coyotes in six.
P.S Kid Mercury put the hex on the Rangers !
Related articles
- Puck Daddy’s 2012 Stanley Cup Playoff Conference Final Staff Prognostications (sports.yahoo.com)
- Why the New York Rangers will not Win the Cup and Rick’s Picks (laforumdemontreal.wordpress.com)
- 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs: PHT’s conference finals picks – in five words (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
- Todd Cordell: 2012 NHL Playoff Predictions: Eastern and Western Conference Finals (hockeybuzz.com)
- You: NHL Playoffs 2012: Coyotes vs. Kings, Rangers vs. Devils in Conference Finals (bleacherreport.com)
- Winning Cup a tough road ahead for scoring-challenged Rangers (cbssports.com)
- Devils-Rangers’ rivalry enters its next chapter (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
- NHL Playoff Capsules: Rangers hold off Caps 2-1 in Game 7 (brownsvilleherald.com)
- Conference Semi-Finals Preview (gongshowgear.com)
- 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Conference Semi-Finals Team Analysis and Predictions (bleacherreport.com)
Rick Keene ' s Le Forum de Montreal 
philippe ouimet
/ May 13, 2012Rick,
I tend to go with your picks… arrogant Tortorella and his bueshirts will bite the dust and Brodeur and his teamates will most probably face the Coyotes at the big show. If that becomes the scenario…well Shane Doan and his sidekicks will have their hands full with a super hot Brodeur….combined with a well oiled offense plus a very motivated Kovalchuck!!!!! the Stanley Cup ends up with the Devils in five games !!!!!! Something that I never thought possible back last fall.
Rick Keene
/ May 13, 2012I just think, Tortorella aside, the Devils will win because of Brodeur`s experience.. 🙂
Lance Townend
/ May 13, 2012You know what amazes me? Fans picking teams hockey teams to win the Stanley Cup based on the regular season. The reason I say this … because the playoffs are not officiated in the same way as the regular season !!! Things that are called in the regular season with regularity don’t even get a serious look by refs in the playoffs… holding, slashing, late hits, cross checking, etc, etc… Therefore it becomes a different game, one where finess is somewhat diminished and raw strength and power are commodities of winning teams, just ask the Canucks, the Penguins, the Blackhawks, etc…. In addition, lets face it, the playoffs are like another season all on their own. The stakes are higher, one bad shift can cost a game, which can shift a series… and the game is played with so much more intensity, younger and healthier teams have a better chance… just ask Detroit… So all in all, it is much different than the regular season. I would almost equate the regular season to tryouts for the playoffs… then come the playoffs, you see who really wants to keep playing the most, who sacrifices the most and which new born stars are born … ala Holtby and Smith snd who is shoved aside- ala Luongo. Every game is determined by inches, calls and non calls not to mention the momentum of the fans every game which does electrify players … Do these factors happen in the regular season, yes but if a team goes thru a losing streak in November, and then comes back in January, no harm… in April, its golf season early boys !!! So picking playoff winners based on the regular season is like picking the winning team for water polo when you watched golf all year, one’s got absolutely nothing to do with the other and tells you squat in the end !!! But one thing is for sure, you gotta love the playoffs. I don’t think I have seen a better hockey game than Caps and Rangers triple overtime !!!! One of the best games ever, even Hunter admitted that he hated to see either team win or lose that night. It was the game and the intensity and the all out effort of both teams that made that game truly amazing…
Rick Keene
/ May 14, 2012Well said Mr.Townshend …
Rick Keene
/ May 14, 2012Townend – sorry spellcheck 😉