NHL Conference Finals Predictions

     I've been saying it all along, the NHL playoffs are superior to the NBA playoffs. It's just a fact. All the games are competitive, intense and exhilarating. It gets even better with the conference finals set to get underway.


Eastern Conference Finals 
Boston Bruins v.s. Tampa Bay Lightning

     What a series we have here. We have the gritty and tough Boston Bruins versus the flashy, skilled Tampa Bay Lightning. Both teams are hot; the Bruins have won 7 out of 8 since being in a 2-0 hole against the Canadiens and the Lightning have won 7 in a row after being down 3-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in round 1. Staying on that note, both goaltenders are hot as well. Tim Thomas has been hot all season, which is why he should win the Vezina and Dwayne Roloson has been playing his best hockey at just the right time. A major factor in this series is the health of Patrice Bergeron, who is one of the major offensive threats for the Bruins. If he cannot play at all this series, then the Lightning have a huge advantage if they were to get up a goal or two.
Key for Boston: Stay out of the penalty box
     The Lightning are deadly on the power play (I'm sure Washington knows this), so the Bruins obviously need to stay out of the penalty box. This hasn't been so easy for the Bruins, as we have seen them take penalties at crucial moments this postseason, exemplified in Game 7 when Montreal scored with under two minutes to go on the power play.
Key for Tampa: Solve the riddle that is Tim Thomas
     Tampa can score, but Tim Thomas has been the best goalie this year. He is also the best goaltender Tampa has seen this postseason. Tampa has the edge offensively, but it remains to be seen whether they can have the same offensive output as they did against Pittsburgh and Washington.
Prediction: The Lightning have stellar players in Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos, but I have the feeling that the Bruins are too good defensively and will find just enough goals to keep the Lightning at bay.
Bruins in Six 
(1 BOS 2 BOS 3 TB 4 TB 5 BOS 6 bos)






Western Conference Finals 
Vancouver Canucks v.s. San Jose Sharks 

     It's the first conference finals that consists of two west coasts teams. The Vancouver Canucks, the west's top seed, is considered by many to be the best team in the NHL. They have everything, goaltending, goal scoring, you name it. The Sharks, a perennial underachiever in the playoffs, are appearing in their second consecutive Western Conference Finals. The Sharks have a lot of things going for them, like the fact that Antti Niemi, an experienced postseason goalie, is allowing only 2-3 goals per game and with the Sharks scoring goals at a high rate, that should be enough on most nights.
Key for Vancouver: The Sedin's must get going
     Vancouver has been winning without Henrik and Daniel Sedin. You know they will not continue to have pointless nights in this series.
Key for San Jose: Antti Niemi
     Roberto Luongo is stop everything lately, so I wouldn't be surprised if goals were hard to come by in this series. That means that Anti Niemi needs to match Luongo's performance if the Sharks are going to outlast the Canucks.
Prediction: All signs point towards the Canucks. But you know what, the Sharks have payed their dues and I think that it is their time. The Sharks have the offense with Patrick Marleau, Joe Thortnon and Danny Heatley and I think Dan Boyle and the Sharks defense will withstand the Sedin twins and Ryan Kesler to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Sharks in Seven 
(1 VAN 2 sj 3 SJ 4 van 5 VAN 6 SJ 7 sj)








     So I think the Bruins and Sharks will advance, although I also believe the signs point towards a Lightning-Canucks final. But anything happens in hockey which means that any of the four possible match-ups could happen. But my prediction at the beginning of the playoffs was Bruins over Sharks, and I am going to stick with that, saying the Bruins will defeat the Sharks in six games.