NHL Eastern Confrence

I may not know much about hockey, but I know a good rivalry when I see it. Whether it's a team or a pair of individuals, the NHL has brought us more excitement than a bull getting the matador by the cajones. With that said, let's hit the ice, knuckleheads!

#10) St. Louis Blues-Columbus Blue Jackets

#9) New York Rangers-New York Islanders (Liberty Slugfest)

#8) Minnesota Wild-Colorado Avalanche

#7) Detroit Red Wings-Toronto Maple Leafs

#6) Pittsburgh Penguins-Philadelphia Flyers

#5) New York Rangers-New Jersey Devils

Everyone gets whacked during this rivalry. The Rangers and Devils are either battling for playoff spots, wins, or the bridge that separates the Sopranos from Seinfeld. Either way, fans on the east coast love when these teams battle.

The only thing that can be said about this battle is that the Rangers and Devils have all the tools to leave us begging for a fourth period. As long as these two are still in the NHL, they will still find ways to drop the sticks and gloves. The names have changed, but the battles are still fierce.

To this point, the Rangers hold the cards, advancing to the conference semifinals by dismantling the almighty Martin Brodeur and the Devils.

#4 Montreal Canadiens-Boston Bruins

The Garden (also known as the Bruin Shrine) has played host to the intensity that is the Canadiens and the Bruins. The Habs have had some crazy things happen since their last Stanley Cup run, but in the long run, it all comes back to the these two teams.

During the season, the Canadiens straight up owned the Bruins, winning all their meetings, and leaving us breathless during their playoff series. Through seven games, the Bruins and Habs kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

Though there isn't many fights between the two, the rivalry is still as intense thanks to the die hard hockey fans who seem to have an orgasm during every game.

#3 Alexander Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby

This season was filled with individual efforts. But there were two men who had every hockey fan talking smack at the water cooler. So why the hype between these two?

Washington's Alex Ovechkin snagged 112 points through 82 games and led the team to the postseason. During the season, though, he had an enemy. But before all the anarchy that came with being a phenom in the NHL, Ovechkin started his career with Dynamo Moscow back in 2001. After several seasons with Dynamo, Ovechkin came to Washington stacked, jacked, and packed with unbelievable talent.

Ovechkin's adversary during the season was already being called a phenom. Sidney Crosby was already being called "the next Mario Lemieux." Crosby didn't take long to make an impact with the team as even the legend himself was impressed with his top pick from the 2005 Draft. During the season, he got 72 points through 53 games.

Despite all that, and even though one team is still playing while the other is watching TIVO, these two have started something big on the ice. And it will only continue throughout next season.

#2 Detroit Red Wings-Colorado Avalanche

I may not have lived in Colorado long enough to know this rivalry completely, but I did live here long enough to know the viciousness of the rivalry. Every year, I walked down the 16th Street Mall in Denver, and everytime someone walked down there with a Red Wings jersey, they weren't seen with the same look after that.

That's what makes this rivalry so good. Even if both teams flat out suck (which they seem to never do lately), the games are still dangerous and intense as the years when they met for the Western Conference. You want blood? You want animosity? You want a bonefied deathmatch? Look no further than this rivalry...if you're looking for one in the states. (hint hint)

Unfortunately, the Avs left their game in Minnesota because they not only lost their series against Detroit, they got swept in Denver. Still, this rivalry is one of the best, and people are still talking about it even after this series is officially over. But this rivalry was not the top best. That title goes to...

#1 Ottawa Senators-Toronto Maple Leafs (Ontario Street Fight)

Words cannot describe the animosity between these two teams. They've met in the regular season. They've met in the postseason. They've even met on the golf courses in the offseason. 

So anything I say about these two teams would do it no justice whatsover. Lord Stanley started this rivalry and fueled it in 1892 when he donated the first Championship cup to duke it out between "Canadia's" finest. From the brash brawls of Radek Bonk and Tie Domi to the postseason showdowns between Ontario's Bad Boys, nothing is better than watching the Sens and Leafs tear each other apart.

So with that being said, I will not try to disgrace the time honored tradition of the Ontario Street Fight. But I will say that since Canadia started the insanity known as hockey, they deserve the top spot.

Now hit the ice, and remember: NO STINKIN' TOE PICKS! Goodnight, Canada. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins won Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal Series against the New York Rangers in stunning fashion.  The goaltender battle that was the biggest hype by media members and fellow bleacher writers surprisingly fell by the wayside.  Neither goaltender mimicked his first round performance tonight, but it was King Henry who gave up the final tally of the game: a Sidney Crosby slapshot that deflected into the net off of the shin pad of Evgeni Malkin.

Recap

Early in the game, all indications were that King Henry would silence the Penguins' potent offensive attack, as Lundqvist stopped 8 of 8 early shots from the Pens. On the back side of the halfway mark of the first period, Ryan Whitney headed to the box for high sticking. On the ensuing power play, former Penguin Marty Straka got the puck below the goal line, wristed it toward the front of the net, and a fortuitous bounce off the skate blade of Sergei Gonchar made it 1-0 Rangers. The first period would end 1-0, with Lundqvist looking very solid between the pipes.

Early in the second, things began to look gloomier for Pens' fans. Chris Drury deflected a Marc Staal slap shot from the point past Marc-Andre Fleury. Official Ron Koharski got on the horn with the War Room in Toronto to review the goal. The replay was inconclusive, and the goal counted. 2-0 Rangers.

Sean GAYvery added his fourth goal of the playoffs, about a minute and a half later, making it 3-0 Rangers. Avery streaked down the right wing, used Brooks Orpik as a screen on Fleury, and buried a wrist shot into the back of the cage. Before celebrating with his teammates, Avery paused near the far boards to give the VOGUE photographers in the front row a good shot of his stunning physique.

Then, something happened. VERSUS broadcaster Joe Beninati gave the Penguins their first glimpse of hope.

J.B: "The Penguins have never come back from a 3 goal deficit to win a game this season."

Somewhere, Gary Thorne falls out of his lazyboy and endures four consecutive seizures.

The Pens responded, as Jarkko Ruutu shuffled a puck toward the front of the net, off of Michael Rozsival's skate, and behind Lundqvist. 3-1 Rangers.

The Penguins have had a reputation of scoring consecutive goals very quickly throughout the season, and tonight was no different. Just 14 seconds removed from Ruutu's tally, Sidney Crosby whipped a wicked backhand pass to the front of the net, onto the stick of Pascal Dupuis. Dupuis put it where grandma keeps the peanut butter: top shelf. 3-2 Rangers.

Both goaltenders stood their ground, and the second frame ended 3-2 in favor of the Blueshirts.

Early in the third period, Pascal Dupuis found himself more alone in front of the Rangers' net than Sean Avery at a heterosexual affairs meeting in downtown NYC. Dupuis fumbled the puck under his feet, and Lundqvist was able to make the save. (Colby Armstrong buries that puck.)

The Pens kept coming, and were rewarded when Marian Hossa threw a puck toward the net that went through the skates of Gomez and beat Lundqvist to tie the game at 3.The Pens once again acted quickly on their new found momentum, scoring just 20 seconds later as Evgeni Malkin setup an easy tap-in for Petr Sykora. 4-3 Pens.

Not to be outdone by his former team, Jaromir Jagr remembers that he is still a professional hockey player, beats Gonchar to a loose puck behind the Penguins' cage, taps it in front to Scott Gomez, who buries the puck top shelf past Fleury to tie the game once again. 4-4.

Almost 8 minutes passed, and the teams remained deadlocked. Fans of both teams were mentally preparing themselves for a triple OT letdown, when Martin Straka decides to take the worst penalty of his career when he wraps up Sidney Crosby in open ice to give the Penguins a late power play.

Crosby, "acting like the kid he truly is" (P.Sullivan) took charge on the ensuing power play. With just over 20 seconds left on the man advantage, Sid takes a pass from Ryan Whitney, and slaps a shot towards the net. Somehow, the puck finds its' way past Lundqvist, as the Igloo explodes a-la the final scenes of Sudden Death. After review, the shot was shown to have been deflected off of the leg of Evgeni Malkin in front of the net. Malkin gets credited with the goal. 5-4 Pens.

The Rangers pull Lundqvist in a last ditch effort to send the game into OT, but no dice. Pens win Game 1, 5-4.

Notes: This win marked the Penguins' first win when trailing by three goals in a playoff game since the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. Just ask Dominik Hasek about that game, he will have plenty of time to reminisce while he’s riding pine for the Wings.

Bring on the "Crosby dove on the Straka call" accusations. Straka looked like Michael Strahan wrapping up Ben Jokelisberger for a sack on that play.

The Pens put Sean Avery on his back more times than the editor of VOGUE. (His goal was sweet though.)

Eight goalies remain in the 2008 playoffs (nine if you count Dominik Hasek). If history repeats itself, one of the eight will be pivotal in getting their team to the Stanley Cup, while at least two will have a major chance to hoist the Conn Smythe.

But, who is the cream of the crop?

8. Chris Osgood/Dominik Hasek – Detroit Red Wings

The Wings don’t allow very many shots on goal per game, however Nashville still managed to points on the board, even in games where they managed fewer than 25 shots.

Throughout the series,Hasek was average at best until he was pulled in favor of Osgood.

Remember in 2006 when Cam Ward came in to salvage the Hurricanes playoff hopes? Well don’t rule Osgood out. However, don’t be surprised if Hasek earns the starting job again if Osgood is shaky. 

 
7. Martin Biron – Philadelphia Flyers

Biron played strong as the Flyers took care of Washington. However, Biron was not stellar. He will need to be exactly that if Philadelphia hopes to get by Montreal.

Despite having a very consistent season, Biron has a history of losing his poise when it is needed most. If he gets shaken by the high powered Montreal offense it could be a quick series for the Flyers.

 
6. Carey Price – Montreal Canadiens

Sure Price had two shutouts in the first round, and maybe his cool and calm demeanor made some draw comparisons to a young Patrick Roy.

However, when he got rattled by the Bruins he performed poorly—poorly enough to allow the series to reach seven games.

He is going to need to get his feet settled as the Flyers will provide a much tougher test for the rookie.

 
5. Marc-Andre Fluery – Pittsburgh Penguins

Fluery could most likely be placed at number six because he was not tested the way the remaining goalies were in the first round. He took goals off the Senators sticks but was not a difference maker in a series that was over before it began.

However, Fluery’s play since returning from injury has been outstanding and if he continues the Penguins will be a difficult team to beat.

 
4. Marty Turco – Dallas Stars

A first round defeat of the defending Cup champions, coupled with last year’s three-shutout performance against Vancouver has quieted the naysayers about Turco’s playoff potential—Turco even out-dueled a former Conn Smythe winner and was impressive in doing so.

Even when the series turned and the Turco of the past would have folded, the 'new-and-improved' Marty did not. His play will be a major reason Dallas gives San Jose a run in round two.

3. Jose Theodore – Colorado Avalanche

Jose Theodore went from Hart Trophy winner to cast-off in Montreal in a very short period of time, and when he was traded to Colorado he arrived as a back-up to Peter Budaj.

Now, Theodore has regained his past MVP form and has led the rejuvenated Avalanche to a second round match-up with their biggest rivals.

Theodore’s play against Minnesota is the reason the Avs are in the second round, and with some more defensive help, Theodore could very well ead his team to the Western Finals.

 
2. Henrik Lundqvist – New York Rangers

'King Henrik' helped the Rangers sweep Atlanta last year and let them hang around for six games against Buffalo.

This year he beat one of the greatest to play the game and may have saved the series with his save on John Madden’s penalty shot attempt in game five.

If the Penguins can't take advantage of his sometimes-slow hands, he will be leading the Blue Shirts to face either Montreal or Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference Final.

 
1. Evgeni Nabokov – San Jose Sharks

It is safe to say the only reason the San Jose Sharks survived the Calgary Flames was that Nabokov was better than Miikka Kiprusoff.

Unlike Martin Brodeur (who again showed signs of fatigued after playing well over 70 games), Nabokov appears to be a true iron man. He made save after save against the Flames and let his team hang around to find their scoring touch as they managed to move on to the second round.

However, the question that now looms is how long until the long season begins to wear on the Russian net minder? He has played 84 games to date, so the Sharks may want to do him a favor and win this one quickly.

The Conference Quarterfinals were quite the spectacle to watch this year, with three different series going to seven games.  Not only that, but there were some veritable "upsets", like Philadelphia removing the League's MVP (or at least I think so) Alexander Ovechkin from the playoff race by eliminating the Capitals. 

However, there are some subtle differences between the Quarters and the Semis that will pose new challenges to teams like New York and Colorado.  There gap of talent between the first round and the second round is tremendous, and it looks as if more intensive thought must go into each series before picking a winner:

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers fans rejoice!  Jump for joy!  You've made it into the Semifinals!  Okay...did you celebrate yet?  Good.  Savor it.  Because the difference between Washington and Montreal is substantial.  I hope I didn't break your spirits.

The fact is, Philadelphia was facing a team that hadn't made the playoffs since 2001, when they lost to Pittsburgh in the first round in six games.  While the next few years they rode Jaromir Jagr's back through the NHL, they continued to decline.  It seems that Washington doesn't really excel when there is only one star on the rise in the America's capital.

Now, I'm not saying that Washington isn't a fluid team with great offensive abilities.  However, I am saying that history does repeat itself, and Ovechkin just happened to be in the playoffs for the first time, reaching uncharted waters, so to speak.  They will be back next year, just like Crosby and the Penguins returned this year from last year's heartbreak to Ottawa.

What we can learn from this Washington fact is that Philadelphia did outplay the Capitals in game seven this year.  Joffrey Lupul's goal did catch Christobal Huet off guard (and let me just say that Olaf Kolzig should have played game seven, due to his ability of being extremely clutch).  Nevertheless, the Capitals came back in game six while on the ropes to beat Philadelphia in their own building.  Now the question becomes whether or not the unsure Flyers squad will be able to handle a quicker, more cohesive Canadiens team.

Then we have to look at the other side of the card towards Montreal.  They too were winners in seven, but they were only one game away from being eliminated by the stagnant regular season Boston Bruins, who did not impress with their play this off-season.  Another question that arises is whether or not Montreal will be able to harness their abilities in time to control a surging Daniel Briere and the rest of the Flyers.

Look for this series to be a hard hitting one, as well as the true test will come from which team's defense will be solid enough to stop one another's star players.  I believe that Montreal's special teams play will be too much for the constantly penalized Flyers to handle, especially if the Flyers plan to play Martin Biron as much as they did against the Caps.  Finally, it looks like the NHL overlooked Carey Price for the Vezina Trophy, because he is looking like the best goaltender in the postseason right now.

Max's Prediction: Montreal in Five Games

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) New York Rangers

As of right now (yes, right now), the world is watching Martin Brodeur's career begin to decline.  People have been wondering when Brodeur will begin to lose his luster that he's been able to keep for so long.  As this past round has proved, this will be the beginning of the end for Brodeur. 

When the Rangers would play the Devils this season, it seemed that one man, Sean Avery, was the only man with skates on who could deliberately piss Martin Brodeur off to the point where it affected his play.  I have never seen Brodeur so emphatically pissed off about something until I saw the regular season game where Avery, after making a great individual play, skated in and (maybe accidentally, maybe not) ran into Brodeur.  Brodeur was so angry, he pushed Avery, expecting nothing to happen in response.  Clearly, Brodeur had temporary Alzheimer's because he forgot that Sean Avery is going to mess you up if you try to mess with him first.  Brodeur went flying backwards as if he was being tugged from behind by a rope that was attached to his waist. 

Then, Avery pulled his childish taunting routine in the Quarters.  Brodeur, as a result, became affected by after Avery left, because Avery would skate into the zone less than a minute later and beat Brodeur short side to the left.  While I am not advocating Avery's conduct, I am advocating that Brodeur is suddenly become less and less of the classy player that he has been known to be. 

And it showed when Avery was not on the ice.  The Rangers pelted Brodeur with shots and Brodeur, trying to be the savior as always, would tend to be out of position and lackadaisical at times, proving fatal for the Devils squad. 

However, do not take this section as an "I hate Brodeur" shopping list.  The Devils skaters really did not do anything to help out their goaltender.  They did not produce on the power play, they could not shut down Jagr, Gomez, Drury, and Avery, and they all around became a shell of the team that they used to be.  It is a tough time today to be a Devils fan.

Focusing the attention towards the Semifinals, the New York Rangers need to prove that their victory over the Devils was not a lucky break, as the Pittsburgh Penguins are on  tear, shutting out the Ottawa Senators in four games during the Quarterfinals.  The second-best team in the Eastern Conference, led by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, have been offensive waterfalls, as they have flooded their stat sheets with goals and assists for not just the stars, but also for long-time veterans like Gary Roberts and Petr Sykora, as well as younger stars Ryan Malone and Marian Hossa. 

The way the Semifinal match sets up is that the Rangers must be able to have their defense shut down the setup abilities of Crosby and finishing abilities of Malkin, as well as penetrating through the defensive prowess of Sergei Gonchar on the blue line.  All Pittsburgh needs to do is keep bursting through the neutral zone while skating the puck, and the line chemistry will do the rest. 

Finally, the true defensive test for both teams will rest on the net-minders, Pittsburgh's Marc Andre Fleury and New York's Henrik Lundqvist.  Both goaltenders did amazing jobs in their Quarters, and it will be a true test of sheer will power to see which goalie will be the savior in net, assuming that there will be overtime games played (which there probably will be, and count on impressive goaltending from both ends). 

Max's Prediction: Pittsburgh in Six Games

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Colorado Avalanche

It's just ironic how certain things come back to haunt us.  And I mean haunt in a good way.  The Avalanche/Red Wing series has been played five times between 1996-2002 (Avalanche with a 3-2 rivalry lead).  This one will be the sixth, and will be one to remember in the rivalry for a while. 

Whenever these two teams play, you can expect the game of hockey to be played at a heightened sense from all team personnel on the ice at all times.  The series has always been chronicled by hard hitting and incredible goaltending, scratching the surface with names like Roy and Hasek.  It seems that this series will feature the same goaltending battles, as Dominik Hasek still dons the red and white, while Jose Theodore in Colorado continues to defy pucks from entering his net, something he did well in Montreal, and continues to get better at in the Mile High City.

The Red Wings seem to have a handle on their team play, as their domination over the Nashville Predators was sound and, while they did lose to the Preds twice, they were close games that could have went either way.  The Wings' special teams continues to be a top five force in the NHL, and Nicklas Lidstrom keeps the blue line tighter than ever, as he is sure to win the Norris Trophy (yes, again) this year.  As if Lidstrom wasn't reason enough, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Tomas Holmstrom are keeping the highlight reels covered whenever their blades touch the ice, and it will be hard for the Colorado defensive corps to handle. 

Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic are familiar with the Wings/Avalanche rivalry, having participated in each a number of them (Sakic in all of them).  Just as long as the Colorado offense (Sakic, Forsberg, Wolski, Hejduk, Smyth, and Svatos...namely) keeps scoring goals, the Avalanche should have a good even surface to play on against the Wings.  However, it will come down to the abilities of the Colorado defense, mainly in the arms of Ruslan Salei and Adam Foote, to shut down the powerful Detroit offensive line-up. 

This series will be a tough one, as there are sure to be plenty of bone crunching hits, as well as very close scoring situations, the majority turning into stalemates for overtime to decide (more so than the Rangers/Penguins series).  Whichever team that decides to respond the strongest from their Quarterfinals series, and address the rivalry the most seriously, will be the victor in the end.

Max's Prediction: Detroit in Seven Games

(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Dallas Stars

Well, I'm proud to say that I was right about the Sharks, although it took one more game than I thought for them to prove me right.  However, I don't believe that the Sharks did as much as they could have during the earlier part of their series with the Calgary Flames, which clearly looked to be the better team during play. 

If the Sharks intend to win their series against the Stars, they will need their veterans to step up big time.  The main issue that was prevalent with the Sharks was that their defense did not seem to be in the playoff mindset, mainly in the play of Brian Campbell.  He looked shaky and unsure during his ice time, and made bad decisions with the puck, especially on the power play, once resulting in a shorthanded tally for the Flames.  Also, the Sharks defense needs to start out-letting the puck quicker and more accurately, as Calgary is a speedy team and intercepted many mid-ice passes from behind the San Jose blue line.  Plus, the entire team needs to take more shots on the power play, as it looked like they were trying to make the fancy play, which doesn't have a necessary place in playoff hockey (Washington did the same thing, and it got them nowhere).

The Dallas Stars did what some people were skeptical about: eliminating the defending Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks.  They did it with such effectiveness and force, and Mike Modano came out of his shell from the regular season and turned it on this postseason, scoring two goals and four assists.  Also, players like Loui Eriksson and Stephane Robidas, virtually low key players for the stars, netted eleven points between them, as well as Mike Ribeiro and Brendan Morrow lighting the lamp for the Stars offense.

What the Sharks need to address is the explosiveness of the Stars offense in Modano and Ribeiro, as well as making sure that they do not take too many penalties, as the Stars special teams are highly effective when given a chance to fire away.  For the Stars, Marty Turco needs to outshine Vezina Trophy candidate Evgeni Nabokov in goal if the Stars expect to continue on to the next round.  As long as that happens, the Stars skaters will take care of the rest.

Max's Prediction: Sharks in Seven Games

The Penguins dispatched the Ottawa Senators with such ease in their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series that the team is in the midst of a week-plus of vacation time. After dominating the Senators and holding the lead for all but four minutes in the entire series, the Penguins had some time to ponder.

Jordan Staal: “If we play the Rangers, maybe I can get Georges Laraque to rub out my brother, Marc. Just don’t tell Mom, Eric.”

Georges Laraque: “The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout...”

Rob Scuderi: “Twenty bucks to the first person who recognizes me on the street... Anybody?”

Max Talbot: “I wonder if my agent has me in any more commercials after my show-stopping performance in this car commercial.”

Evgeni Malkin: “Ya ne gavareeu na angliyskom.”

Gary Roberts: “I’m the only man in the league who can walk off a broken leg.”

Sergei Gonchar: “Geno said, ‘I don’t speak English.’”

Ty Conklin: “So what if I’m not starting? I’m marketing my new clothing line: Rock Out With Your Conk Out.”

Erik Christensen and Colby Armstrong: “We’re jealous that we were sent to Atlanta while the boys were making a run for the Cup. Fore!”

Ryan Malone: “I have a Facebook group called ‘Ryan Malone Makes Me Moan?’ Well, I am one sexy mother.”

Marian Hossa: “Maybe if I shoot the puck 20 times a game, I can break out of this slump. Those 10 shots per game just aren’t cutting it.”

Jarkko Ruutu: “Did you see my goal in Game 4? How about you, did you see my goal in Game 4? Excuse me, sir. Did you see my goal in Game 4?”

Ed Olczyk: “Michel Therrien’s a lucky bastard. Who wouldn’t win with this talent?”

Sidney Crosby: “Forget about being the best player in the world. Hopefully, after all this time off, I will actually look like I’m trying to grow a playoff beard.”

What on earth is happening in the Boston-Montreal series?

The Boston Bruins were supposed to have been gone already, as many—including myself here on Bleacher Report—had written them off right from the start.

The Bruins drew the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs, and the Habs had won 11 straight heading into the series.

Many, including myself, had the Habs winning in a four-game romp.

And after the opening game, in which the Canadiens totally outclassed the B's 4-1, it seemed everything was happening just as we all scripted.

Game Two's third-period-comeback-turned-overtime-loss was yet another reminder that the hockey gods always smiled on the Canadiens. The Bruins made a valiant effort rallying for two goals in the final 20 minutes, but fell in extra time on Alexei Kovalev's power-play goal.

In Game Three, the B's ensured there would be no sweep, as Marc Savard returned the favor with his first career playoff goal, potting home the winner in overtime.

Then the Game Four 1-0 loss, in which Montreal rookie goaltender Carey Price brought back memories of the Ken Drydens, Steve Penneys, and Patrick Roys. The Habs were up three games to one.

But Boston came back Thursday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal, teasing Bruins fans one more time with a big 5-1 victory to stave off elimination. Five unanswered goals by the B's.

Incredibly, the Bruins were still alive, and now trail the series three games to two with Game Six coming up Saturday in Beantown.

So this begs the question: What if?

What if the Bruins hadn't been assessed all those penalties in Game Two? What if Game Four had turned out differently?

I still don't see Boston pulling it off—and I'll get lots of hate mail from Bruins fans, no doubt—but, could this be a repeat of 2004?

The series this year and the series four years ago have been strikingly similar.

In 2004, the Bruins were led by rookie netminder Andrew Raycroft (oh, whatever has happened to him?) and were heavily favored, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference taking on the No. 7 Canadiens.

The favored team won Game One by three goals, Game Two in dramatic fashion in overtime, lost Game Three on the road by a single goal, and won Game Four in another thriller by one goal. 

Then the underdog won Game Five on the road, 5-1.

That was in 2004.

And if you've followed the 2008 battle—and I know some sports fans in Boston such as Bleacher Report's own Sean Crowe, http://bleacherreport.com/users/3609-Sean_Crowe, a senior writer here, probably still haven't bought in to the Bruins; who could blame you?—you will notice the series has followed almost the same script.

And on Thursday night, the 2008 Bruins also won, 5-1.

History will show that the 2004 Canadiens overcame both the 2-0 and 3-1 series deficits by shocking the Bruins in seven games.

How will the current Bruins-Canadiens series turn out?

I'm sure the Bruins writers here on BR (namely Matt Baker http://bleacherreport.com/users/10370-Matt_Baker and Matt Bernier http://bleacherreport.com/users/9336-Matt_Bernier) are stoked about the turn of events.

We'll see what unfolds in Boston on Saturday.

Perhaps the Canadiens will come out and play to their capabilities and just end this once and for all. You know Montreal head coach Guy Carbonneau will not let his team slip and be forced to go to a seventh game.

* * * * *

(Note: This photograph was taken from various articles seen on Bleacher Report, which I originally saw on "NHL Playoffs: Canadiens, Bruins To Battle in Eastern Conference", by Daniel Arouchian, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/16436-NHL-Playoffs-Canadiens-Bruins-To-Battle-in-Eastern-Conference-060408. Nice picture!)

Like it or not, the Pittsburgh Penguins have arrived.  You have heard over the last couple of years this was a dynasty in the making, a team with as much young talent as there has been in recent memory.

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs underway, the Penguins are the team to beat.

Look at what the Penguins have been able to do this year, while missing the game's most dynamic player for over a month.  They came within one win of having home ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Give them The Kid for the games he missed with a bum ankle, and would have likely contended for the President's Trophy.

Many experts put such a high value on experience when it comes to the playoffs.  These same experts knock teams for being too old.  Pittsburgh has a nice mix of both, which will lead them to the Cup this season.

When you see the Penguins, obviously Crosby, Malkin, and Staal immediately stick out.  This is the kind of youth that will be depended on to chase down Lord Stanley this season.

The Penguins couple that youth with just enough veteran experience to aide them along the way.

Gary Roberts and his nearly two decades of NHL service are just what this Pittsburgh team needs.  He has been there before, and he can keep the locker room loose on game day.  Instead of counting on a bunch of veterans to carry the work load the Penguins are in a unique situation where the vets won't be who the pressure is on.

In my opinion, the youth in North America is an incredibly dumb bunch of people, myself included.  With so many people saying the Penguins are too young to win this year and not experienced enough to win, I go in the complete opposite direction.

These are kids playing in the NHL.  They understand what it would mean to win a Stanley Cup.  They have the talent and also age going in their favor.  Go ahead, call them a year away or anything along those lines.

The fact they are a young team for the most part will only help them this playoff season as they will taking the drink from Lord Stanley's Cup in June. 

The playoffs begin tonight with 2 games in each of the Eastern and Western conferences. Here is how I see the playoffs going down in Round 1.

Eastern Conference:

• #1 Montreal Canadiens vs #8 Boston Bruins- Montreal won all 8 games against Boston this year and I can't see much of a change during the playoffs. The defence and the goaltending is pretty close but Montreal has a superior offence. Take Montreal in a sweep.
• #2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs #7 Ottawa Senators- The Penguins proved they could win games even without Sidney Crosby. This team is more than Sid the Kid but they are even better with him. Ottawa has had problems since the New Year and were in a free fall to end the season. Both teams have suspect goaltending but that is where the similarities end. The Senators start without Daniel Alfredsson and #2 centre Mike Fisher. This is not last year's Senators. Take Pittsburgh in 5.
• #3 Washington Capitals vs #6 Philadelphia Flyers- The Capitals are one of the hottest teams coming into the playoffs. Alexander Ovechkin is the complete player and has taken this team upon his shoulders and carried them into the playoffs. They are getting good goaltending from Cristobal Huet and Alex has a great supporting cast. The Flyers were the last team in the league last year and have turned it around in a hurry but they aren't in the same league as the Capitals. Take the Capitals in 5.
• #4 New Jersey Devils vs #5 New York Rangers - This is going to be a good series. Marty Brodeur and the Devils defence against the higher scoring but equally defensive Rangers. This series will depend on which goaltender is hottest and which offense can score. I would always find it hard to pick against Marty Brodeur but I think I have to this year. Take the Rangers in 6.

Western Conference

• #1 Detroit Red Wings vs #8 Nashville Predators- Detroit was the best team in the NHL again this year. Nashville struggled with the new style they were forced to play this year. Detroit has 2 good goaltenders. If Hasek is injured (like he was half the season), Chris Osgoode is a more than capable replacement. Dan Ellis and Chris Mason have no playoff experience and this will show. Take the Red Wings in 5.
• #2 San Jose Sharks vs #7 Calgary Flames- San Jose has is one of the top teams in the league. They are a solid all around team and if they are playing on all cylinders, they are tough. Besides, any team with Joe Thornton has already got a leg up on the opposition. The Flames on the other hand have had huge problems winning away from the Saddledome. The team is also one that can be league killers one game and stinkers the next. Unfortunately Iginla, Phaneuf and Kiprusoff will not be able to match the Sharks. Take San Jose in 5.
• #3 Minnesota Wild vs #6 Colorado Avalanche- This could be a good series. The high powered Avalanche offense vs the awesome Wild defence. Unfortunately for the Avalanche, the old glory years are gone and Forsberg and Foote won't be able bring back the Stanley Cup days. The Wild defence will continue to dominate. Take the Wild in 5.
• #4 Anaheim Ducks vs #5 Dallas Stars - This series could be a bloodbath. Both teams play a tough brand of hockey. The Stars come into the playoffs struggling and with some injuries. Marty Turco proved last year he could win a playoff series but this is a different season and they simply aren't good enough to dethrone the defending champions. Take the Ducks in 7.

Everyone does their conference picks at the beginning of the playoffs so here are mine. In the west I am going to take the San Jose Sharks and from the east I am going out on a limb and I am picking the Washington Capitals with the Sharks sipping from Lord Stanley's mug at the end.

Here are the combined predictions for all first round series. I have included names under the predictions; if I missed your article with your predictions just add them to the comments or edit the article and add your name (I’m sure I missed many.)

I am only including predictions from articles published.

Eastern Conference:

Montreal (1) - Boston (8)

Montreal: 5 (Navin Vaswani, Mark Keilty, Steve Jankowski, Ian Zymarakis, Myles Lu)

Boston: 1 (Matt Baker)

Winner: Boston

Pittsburgh (2) - Ottawa (7)

Pittsburgh: 6 (Navin Vaswani, Mark Keilty, Jared Crozier, Steve Jankowski, Guiseppie Conte, Ian Zymarakis)

Ottawa: 0

Winner: Pittsburgh

Washington (3) - Philadelphia (6):

Washington: 5 (Navin Vaswani, Mark Keilty, Steve Jankowski, Ian Zymarakis, Myles Lu)

Philadelphia: 1 (Timothy Webber)

Winner: Washington

New Jersey (4) - New York (5):

New Jersey: 3 (Navin Vaswani, Mark Keilty, David Utnick,)

New York: 4 (Steve Jankowski, Christopher Caiazzo, Ian Zymarakis, Myles Lu)

Winner: New York

Western Conference

Detroit (1) vs Nashville (8)

Detroit: 5 (Navin Vaswani, Steve Jankowski, Matthew Di Nicolantonio, Mark Keilty, Myles Lu)

Nashville: 0

Winner: Detroit

San Jose (2) - Calgary (7)

San Jose: 6 (Navin Vaswani, Steve Jankowski, Vincent Bergado, MJ Kasprzak, Matthew Di Nicolantonio, Mark Keilty)

Calgary: 1 (Myles Lu)

Winner: San Jose

Minnesota (3) - Colorado (6)

Minnesota: 5 (Navin Vaswani, Douglas Paulsen, Steve Jankowski, Mark Keilty, Myles Lu)

Colorado: 2, (Austin Snow, Matthew Di Nicolantonio)

Winner: Minnesota

Anaheim (4) vs Dallas (5)

Anaheim: 4 (Navin Vaswani, Steve Jankowski, Matthew Di Nicolantonio, Mark Keilty)

Dallas: 3 (Ian Robinett, Chris Bouthillier, Myles Lu)

Winner: Anaheim

Since I have examined the Western Conference here are my predictions for the Eastern Conference side of the playoffs.

1st Round

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (8) Boston Bruins: Montreal Wins Series 4-1 

In a battle of original six teams, and also bitter rivals, the Canadiens dominated the Bruins this entire season; I don't think this series will be much different.  The series will be physical, but Boston doesn't have the players right now to get past Montreal and their solid offense and defense.

Carey Price should be able to get accustomed to being in the playoffs by playing solid  hockey and not allowing Boston to get many goals in on him. 

The return of Bergeron does mean Boston will get at least one win in this series to make up for their 0-8-0 record against Montreal this past season.

Montreal advances to the next round in five games. 

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (7) Ottawa Senators: Pittsburgh Wins Series 4-2 

In a rematch of last season's playoff series that saw Ottawa eliminate Pittsburgh, I see the opposite happening this year as Pittsburgh is more mature this season.

Crosby will guide the Pens past a Senators team that isn't too sure how their captain, Daniel Alfredsson, will fair due to a knee injury he suffered not too long ago. 

Pittsburgh and their young studs will guide the Pens to the next round of the playoffs even with a shaky goaltender in Marc-Andre Fleury. 

Pens advance in six games. 

(3) Washington Capitals vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers: Washington Wins Series 4-2 

The NHL has their version of Cinderella in this postseason in Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. Although they are a No. 3 seed, many see them as an underdog vs. a Flyers team that jumped from eighth to sixth on the last day of the season.

I see Ovechkin shining in his first ever playoffs as he will guide the Caps past the Flyers in this series.

Goalie Cristobal Huet has been playing well since his trade from Montreal to Washington, and I see that continuing in this series. 

Washington shows why they shouldn't be overlooked as they advance in six games. 

(4) New Jersey Devils vs. (5) New York Rangers: New York Wins Series 4-2 

In what should be the most physical series of all the first round playoff games, bitter Atlantic Division foes will be put up against one another.

The Rangers got the upper hand in the regular season series taking seven out of the eight games. The one loss came on the last day of the season in a shootout. 

Questions facing New York are: Will Henrik Lundqvist be as sharp as possible in these playoffs? Will Jaromir Jagr wake up from his season-long slumber for the playoffs? 

If Jagr is able to play at the level he is known to play at the Rangers will go far. They do have a tough time defeating Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, but I see them getting past him in this round.

Rangers advance in six games.

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (5) New York Rangers: New York Wins Series 4-3 

In another battle between original six teams that also feature great young goaltending, this will definitely be an exciting series. 

Carey Price will play some great goalie in these playoffs, but I see Lundqvist getting the upper hand on him. I still see Price as being one season away from becoming the Patrick Roy replica that Montreal fans believe he could turn into.

The Rangers are a lot tougher this time around compared to last season and will show that against Montreal. Their defense will shutdown Kovalev and will break down the Canadiens defense.

Montreal must avoid committing penalties if they don't want to have their backs against the wall because the Rangers have a pretty solid power play. 

The Rangers shock the hockey world and defeat Montreal at the Bell Centre in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3) Washington Capitals: Pittsburgh Wins Series 4-1

In a matchup that the NHL could only dream of, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin go head to head against one another in this series.

Crosby has had the upper hand in previous games, and I don't see much change in this series. Pittsburgh has too much fire power for Washington to contain them. 

Ovechkin is going to need from more players than just Nicklas Backstrom if he wants to guide this team on. I don't see that happening.  

Cinderella ends here as Sid the kid gets his Penguins to the Eastern Conference Finals by winning the series in five games. 

Eastern Conference Finals

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) New York Rangers: New York Wins Series 4-2 

In a matchup between Atlantic Division rivals, this will be a very entertaining series.

By this point, the Rangers will be on a magic ride through the playoffs that won't end here.

If the Rangers don't let anybody other then Crosby take over they should be in good shape. As good as Sidney is, I don't think he can win this series on his own. 

Henrik Lundqvist continues to prove why he should be placed in the top five goalies in the NHL today.

The Rangers and their newly inspired captain, Jaromir Jagr, win this series in six games and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals where they will meet the defending champs, the Anaheim Ducks.

Eastern Conference Playoff MVP:

Henrik Lundqvist, Goalie, New York Rangers

Recap

1st Round:

(1) Montreal Canadiens 

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins

(3) Washington Capitals 

(5) New York Rangers

Semi-Finals:

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins 

(5) New York Rangers

Conference Finals:

(5) New York Rangers