[NHL] HOCKEY'S BACK!!!!

[checkeredhat]

Alright, so matchups are all but locked up. We can't start the playoff pool until Sunday night officially because there is still a bit of wiggle room, but since the playoffs start Tuesday, I'm officially announcing it now. Predictions can begin Sunday following the Boston Ottawa game, and need to be made by, I will say, noon Tuesday.
Unless anyone has objections we will go with HCGLNS suggestion on the breakdown, I've added my own scoring onto it. Decided to add bonus points in for getting a combo:
1st round- winning team (2 pts)
2nd round- winning team (2 pts) and number of games (1 pt) [BONUS 1 pt for getting both right]
3rd round- winning team (2 pts) and number of games (1 pt) and number of OT (1 pt) [BONUS 2 pts for getting all three right]
4th round- winning team(2 pts) and number of games (1 pt) and number of OT(1 pt) and the Conn Smythe winner (2 pts) (BONUS 3 pts for getting all 4 right]
And a playlist of all the NHL "Because it's the Cup" commercials from this year:

 

[Piotyr]

Minnesota needs just one win to clinch a playoff spot, and playing the Oilers at home they give up 6 goals in the first two periods.

 

[Sparhawk]

Stars decided to make the Western race easier on Thursday night, never mind that they just needed to win two at home, just lose the 1st game and get the whole angst thing done and over. Couple of good fights in the game though, and like half of the arena missed the first Columbus goal just 19 second into the game.

 

[BErt]

*exhales

 

[Piotyr]

So in the west it looks like Detroit-Anaheim, Vancouver-SJ/LA loser, St. Louis-SJ/LA winner, and Chicago-Minnesota unless Colorado scores in the next four minutes. I'm assuming St. Louis wins, because I'm not sure I've ever heard of half of the players in Blackhawks sweaters today.

In the East, if Boston wins tomorrow it's Pittsburgh-Ottawa, Boston-NY Islanders, Washington-NY Rangers, and Montreal-Toronto, and if Ottawa wins tomorrow it's Pittsburgh-NY Islanders, Montreal-Ottawa, Washington-NY Rangers, and Boston-Toronto.

 

[Sparhawk]

The Stars are getting a new GM, the assistant GM from the Dead Things Red Wings (gotta be nicer since we absolutely blew a chance to screw with their playoff race...). Plus we get an entirely new travel schedule next year, half the travel mileage that we've had in a normal year. I'm pulling for the Blackhawks for the Cup. This is from waaaaaay back in the day when Dallas had a farm team for Chicago and all the players lived in the same neighborhood that we lived in. Kinda hoping that we'll have the Penguins to match up in the finals, just to have the two best from the regular season settle it all.

 

[DarkAudit]

Poor Ron...

 

[checkeredhat]

Whether it's against Boston or Montreal doesn't even matter; Toronto plays like that in the playoffs and our first post season in 9 years is a real short one.

 

[jwhouk]

Welp. Glad that mess is over.

Now, time to pray the ping pong balls fall in our favor.

 

[Vrii]

Ottawa-Montreal in round one!

 

[jwhouk]

Okay, are we doing an all-at-once thing, or a series-by-series thing?

1st round-

• Chicago over Minnesota in four
• Detroit over Anaheim in six
• San Jose over Vancouver in five
• Kings over Saint Louis in four
• Pens over Isles in four
• Montreal over Ottawa in seven
• Rangers over Washington in six
• Boston over Toronto in six

 

[HCGLNS]

Chicago over Minnesota
Anaheim over Detroit
San Jose over Vancouver
Kings over St Louis
Pens over Isles
Ottawa over Montreal
Washington over Rangers
Toronto over Boston

 

[Vrii]

West:
Chicago beats Minnesota.
Detroit beats Anaheim.
Vancouver beats San Jose.
Los Angeles beats St. Louis.

East:
Pittsburgh beats NYI.
Ottawa beats Montreal.
Washington beats NYR.
Boston beats Toronto.

 

[BErt]

Chicago
Detroit
Vancouver
Los Angeles
Pittsburgh
Montreal
NY Rangers
Toronto

 

[Sparhawk]

Chicago over Minnesota
Anaheim over Detroit
San Jose over Vancouver
St Louis over Los Angeles
Pittsburgh over NY Islanders
Ottawa over Montreal
Washington over NY Rangers
Toronto over Boston

 

[Timmus]

Pittsburgh wins
Montreal wins
New York wins
Boston wins

Chicago wins
Anaheim wins
Vancouver wins
St. Louis wins

 

[checkeredhat]

Yeah, series by series. Can't really predict the following rounds.

I haven't done the graphic yet, it's been an insanely busy couple weeks, and work is getting especially stressful. And I have to get my taxes done by tomorrow. I'll try and whip it up before bed tomorrow night, but I may not get to do it until sometime next week.
My predictions:

East:
Pittsburgh
Montreal
Washington
Boston ( I'd definitely be okay with being wrong here)

West:
Chicago
Anaheim
San Jose
Los Angeles

 

[Piotyr]

East:
Pittsburgh in 6
Montreal in 6
Washington in 6
Boston in 6

West:
Chicago in 5
Detroit in 6
Vancouver in 6
St. Louis in 6

 

[Timmus]

so many six game series. I'd say the hawks sweep though.

 

[checkeredhat]

Can't seem to tag from my phone. DarkAudit, Jay, Covar, blotsfan? Anybody else missing?

 

[blotsfan]

Chicago 4
Anaheim 5
Vancouver 6
La 5

Penguins 5
Montreal 6
Boston 7
Capitals 6

 

[DarkAudit]

I haven't been able to keep up enough thanks to my sleep schedule. Most east coast games are well into the 3rd period before I ever get out of bed. So I'd either be pulling picks out of my ass or parroting whatever the USA Today predictions are.

 

[checkeredhat]

Alright, I guess we're locked in then. Atleast for round 1.

 

[jwhouk]

I am happy. NBC is putting games on the entire family of NBC networks, not just NBC Sports Network - which I can't get on my basic tier, because I have Charter and they don't like NBC-Comcast.

 

[checkeredhat]

Still have some refinement to do here; some of the rows are taller than others and some of the columns wider, logos aren't centred properly (For some stupid reason it appears I've deleted the psds from last year). But I'm done with it for now.

Part of me really wants Minnesota and the Islanders to take their series now.
Oh, the ranking is taken from the final results of last year's pool

 

[BErt]

Oh, Quick...

 

[DarkAudit]

Oh, Quick...

indeed.

 

[Sparhawk]

Oh, Quick...

 

[blotsfan]

For the one chance I have to relevantly talk about the Sabres these playoffs. Happy May Day.

 

[Timmus]

Oh teh drama. Luongo's starting.

 

[Jay]

Leafs in playoffs for first time since 2004. My guess is nobody told them Game One was tonight?

 

[jwhouk]

No, it's just they finally realized it was May.

 

[checkeredhat]

What, playoff games aren't supposed to be played on only one half of the ice?

 

[Sparhawk]

Leafs in playoffs for first time since 2004. My guess is nobody told them Game One was tonight?

No, no. They're Leafs fans, making the playoffs is the same as an automatic berth into the finals. They'll show up at the end of the month, on the golf course.

 

[HCGLNS]

That game went about as I expected.