Okay everyone, sing along:
"Its the most wonderful time of the year"
No, I have not lost my mind. I know its not Christmas and I'm not talking about the increasingly beautiful weather. I'm talking about the NHL Playoffs.
The hockey playoffs have it all: drama, intrigue, anger, joy, skill and strategy. There is nothing in sports that has the same intensity as an overtime game come playoff time in the NHL playoffs. One small mistake or great play can result in a major shift in a series. The playoffs are also great for the fans. Your team plays the same team in the best-of-seven series, where you get to learn about the enemy (and trust me, the other team quickly becomes the enemy). Every goal is more important than the last, which makes each one that more exciting.
This year's version of the playoffs has been extremely entertaining. The most entertaining series has been between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals. I am not a fan of either team, but it has been great hockey on display in the entire series. The first two games went to overtime, with each team getting a win. Game three had a little over a minute remaining before the deciding goal went into the net giving the Bruins a 2-1 advantage.
My favorite team is the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings are currently down 2-1 in their series against the Nashville Predators, but each game has been tightly contested and the final score in each game was 3-2. The enemy was established in the first game of the series, when Predators star defenseman, Shea Weber slammed Henrik Zetterberg's head into the boards at the end of the game. Weber somehow avoided suspension, but the Red Wings got revenge early in game two with Todd Bertuzzi taking care of business with Weber. Unfortunately, I don't believe the Red Wings can get past the Predators, but it has been a good series, so far.
The series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Phoenix Coyotes is tied at one game a piece. Both games were decided in overtime, because the Blackhawks scored a goal with less the ten seconds left in regulation in both games.
A major upset is brewing in the west, with the Vancouver Canucks down 0-3 to the Los Angeles Kings. The Canucks had the most points in the NHL heading into the playoffs and were the overall top seed. The Kings have benefited from an extremely hot goalie, Jonathan Quick, who has two shutouts so far.
The east also has a possible upset. In what is easily the ugliest series, the Philadelphia Flyers lead the heavily favored Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0. In three games the Flyers have scored 20 goals, showing that there is little defense being played in Pittsburgh. Flyers really aren't too much better defensively allowing 12 goals. The series turned very ugly in game three, with the teams combining for over 150 penalty minutes. Pittsburgh is likely going to have three players receive suspensions due to their actions in the game. Who would've ever thought the Flyers would be the more composed team in this series? The NHL's sweetheart, Sidney Crosby, has lost all of his composure and has been involved in as many altercations as he has goals in the series.
The craziest thing is that neither team that is down 0-3 is out of it yet. The Flyers overcame the same deficit just a few seasons ago.
The New York Rangers versus the Ottawa Senators and the St. Louis Blues versus the San Jose Sharks series have had their fair share of ugliness, but the Rangers and Blues have dominated the series even though both only lead 2-1.
The only other series is the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers who each have a win in the series and it is too early to judge where it is headed.
This is the NHL playoffs and anything can happen, which is what makes it so much fun.
~Brad
