Thursday, April 29, 2010

Round 1 Round-up! 2 begins today!

AS IT ENDS, IT ALSO BEGINS...

Yesterdays amazing upset of the Montreal Canadiens ending the Washington Capitals season, was the dramatic ending of what I think could be one of the craziest first rounds in NHL's recent post season history. Within the first two games of this round, all but one series were split, a few went into OT (some back to back), and of course the upsets. Here were my picks and here are the results:

[Western Conference]

I would end up being 2 - 4 on my series picks. We will start with the ones I got:

#2 Chicago Blackhawks V #7 Nashville Predators:
CHI 4 - 2 NAS
I would be right on this pick! The Hawks and Preds would end up going to 6 games in this series with the Hawks moving onto the next round.

#3 Vancouver Canucks V #6 Los Angeles Kings:
VAN 4 - 2 LAK
It would seem as though the Kings' PP was going to be too much for the Nucks to handle. Where as Vancouvers PK and PP seemed to be falling apart, they were able to get their special teams sorted out and were able to end LA's season in 6 games. I had picked 4. Nucks still prevailed.

Now my wrong picks:

#4 Phoenix Coyotes V #5 Detroit Red Wings:
PHO 3 - 4 DET
It looked as though I could have been right with this one. The Yotes destroyed Detroit in a must win game 6 and looked to carry the momentum in game 7 at home in Glendale, AZ buuuuuut Detroit played a game of "Anything you can do..." in the last game of the Yotes season. Wings move ahead to play tonight, will they be rested enough or will the fire go gone for this one?

#1 San Jose Sharks V #8 Colorado Avalanche
SJS 4 - 2 COL
I felt that the Avs were going to pull an upset here. It seemed that way when Dan Boyle tried to move the puck around the boards and instead found it's way to a unaware, unfocused Nabokov and into the back of the net during overtime in game 3. But the play of Pavelski would overshadow any of Colorado's chances. San Jose move on but will it be their only series to win this year?

On with the EC in which I was 1 for 3 on picks...

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins V #5 Ottawa Senators
PIT 4 - 2 OTT
This would be the only series which I would be right on picking. Pittsburgh would win the last game of the this series in Ottawa.

#2 New Jersey Devils V #7 Philadelphia Flyers
NJD 1 - 4 PHI
This happened to be the first upset of this years post season. Flyers dominated the series against the Devils. Maybe it was that last surge for Philly towards the end of the season that carried on over to the post? But even with the addition of Kovalchuk and the veteran status of Brodeur, besides the other number of great players, I thought NJ were going to easily take this series... oh how I was wrong.

#3 Buffalo Sabres V # 6 Boston Bruins
BUF 2 - 4 BOS
This would end up being another upset in the EC because many, including myself, had picked the Sabres to dominate the post and end up in the SCF. We thought that because of the man who would be between the pipes, Ryan Miller. It was a showdown between Miller and Bostons own Tuukka Rask, their man in net. Twas a very entertaining series, I must say. The B's move on and send the Sabres heading out to book tee times at the golf course.

#1 Washington Capitals V Montreal Canadiens
WAS 3 - 4 MTL
The biggest upset in the entire 1st Round! Everyone wrote the Habs off. The Caps won the Presidents Trophy being the destructive offensive team in the regular season. We all thought they were going to completely dismantle Montreal and it looked that way when they were up in the series 3 games to 1. However, after being pulled in game 3 and not starting in game 4, Habs netminder Jaroslav Halak, showed up big time in games 5, 6, 7 and made me believe that he was either possessed by Big Man Upstairs himself, or that the Red Guy With The Pitchfork offered him an amazing deal for his soul. When Montreal looked to be done for the season, it was Halak that saved the series as well as the Habs' PK (31 for 32) and the ability to shut down Ovechkin. Once again proving that winning the PT isn't always the best thing if you want to win the Cup.


* * * * *

Round 2 beings tonight...

The Red Wings and the Sharks will faceoff in game 1 at the Shark Tank in just a few hours thus starting the second round of the post season. Here are my picks:

[#1 San Jose Sharks V #5 Detroit Red Wings]
Besides the Ducks, the Red Wings are the team that no one wants to face in the post. As far as experience, they are it. In this series, being a Ducks fan, I want both teams to lose. However, I know that can never happen so I will be root for TEAMS TO LOSE. I hope this series, the Sharks will be sent packing. My pick: Red Wings in 6

[#2 Chicago Blackhawks V #3 Vancouver Canucks]
This will be a rematch of last seasons WC Semi-Finals and it should be nasty yet hopefully damn entertaining. With the return of Hawks dman, Brian Campbell, Dustin Byfuglien moves back from defense to forward and will be expected to get in those dirty areas in front of the net. Think of our very own Corey Perry. Both teams are pretty much evenly matched however Nucks prima donna, Luongo, could be the deciding factor because the Hawks are a little weaker in goal than Vancouver. Even though that is the case: Hawks in 7

For the EC:

[#4 Pittsburgh Penguins V #8 Montreal Canadiens]
Well it's not the rematch that everyone hoped for with the Pens and Caps, but I think it should be an interesting series. The one thing that the Caps couldn't do against the Habs was having the ability to finish and that is exactly what the Pens can do. The Habs are gonna have to play the same as what they did with Washington but they're gonna have to limit the number of shots from Pittsburgh because the Caps had way too many of them on net. If they can't manage to do that: Pens in 6

[#6 Boston Bruins V #7 Philadelphia Flyers]
Tuukka Rask was a big factor in the upset with Buffalo and Marc Savard has been cleared & will return to hopefully boost Bostons offense. I expect this to be an amazing, brutal series. Physically, defensively, offensively and in goal they are even but Rask could be the deciding factor yet again and if not, don't forget that Tim Thomas is the back-up, although he hasn't had a great season, he could be called in and the fire could ignite. Who will come out of this one for the ECF? I say: Boston in 6

So thems my picks for the Western and Eastern Conference Semis! But before I end this blog installment, I recorded and uploaded the latest episode of Ducks Vlogstrosity yesterday right before the Habs/Caps game. It's a short one but have a look anyways:



Feel free to watch as many times as you want and even leave a comment or two.

As always:

Go Ducks!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Round 1 goodness!

We're in the thick of round 1 and so far this has been one crazy post season. At one time, all but 1 series were at 1 - 1! And there have been a good number of overtime play for example, the SJ/COL series has gone to OT in 3 consecutive games! So far some teams are going to try to close this 1st round, Philly and Pittsburgh hope to do this. I know that I was supposed to do RD 1 EC picks so I will go through and quickly get it out of the way:

#4 Pens V #5 Sens:
Pens.

#7 Flyers V #2 Devils:
Devils.

#1 Caps V #8 Habs:
Caps.

#3 Sabres V #6 Bruins:
Sabres.

OK! There you go, my picks with no explanation whatsoever!
And eve though they're out playing golf...

Go Ducks!

PS: Its not in this weeks Ducks Vlogstrosity but Ducks forwards, Corey Perry and Ryan Carter have been pick to represent their respected nations for this years World Championships in Germany! Perry for Canada and Carter for USA. Well done and please don't get hurt-ed.

This weeks Ducks Vlogstrosity features a little statement to a few select Kings fans who know how to represent their entire fan-base:

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

PLAYOFFS! sans the Anaheim Ducks... *sigh*

Today marks the beginning of the NHL Post Season aka Second Season aka Playoffs and although the Ducks will not be taking part in this years second half of the season, I still will be paying attention. I am however not just a die hard Ducks fan but I am also a die hard fan of hockey.

So I have done my picks for the WC and EC in this first part of the playoffs and they are as follows:

WC:
[#1 San Jose Sharks V #8 Colorado Avalanche] SERIES START TONIGHT!
Everyone's saying that SJ will take this series, that the Avs are still young and that the Sharks are just too strong of a team. Be that as it may, I feel in my loins that the Avs will come out on top of this series and it will be an upset. Towards the end, SJ have been rather inconsistent and started up their usual playoff choking right before the season ended. So that could be the down fall of the Sharks. The Avs' downfall could be that they are just too inexperienced. We will see.

[#2 Chicago Blackhawks V #7 Nashville Predators] SERIES BEGINS ON FRIDAY
CHICAGO in 4. Yes, the Hawks' goal tending is very questionable and their defense took a turn for the worse when Ovi *accidentally* took out Brian Campbell with a broken clavicle, the Preds won't be able to compete with the grit and amazing offensive still packed in Chicago's barrels. Blackhawks in 4, maybe 5.

[#3 Vancouver Canucks V #6 Los Angeles Kings] SERIES BEGINS TOMORROW
Although they were my top prediction for "team that will surprise all in 2009/2010" they won't be going pass the 1st round. The Canucks just have too much fire power in offense, defense, and goal. LA are still very young and despite having a couple of players with experience, they won't be able to top Vancouver. Canucks in 4.

[#4 Phoenix Coyotes V #5 Detroit Red Wings] SERIES BEGINS TONIGHT
Detroit came out of the Olympic break like gang busters! They were the hottest team in the NHL and dominated however, Phoenix have been consistently amazing all season long. A perfect Cinderella story in Glendale. Bryz has been a wall and is my pick for the Vezina. He has experience in tight, high pressure situations. Then you have Doan, who has a lot to prove. This team are too hungry for the Wings where as Detroit has had an not so great season til the Olympic break due to injuries and Osgood not doing so well. But they are healthy now and Howard has been spectacular. This will be the best and most evenly matched series in the WC possibly the entire 1st round. Coyotes in 7.

There you have it, those are my picks for the WC. I will have my picks for the EC tomorrow. Until then, I bring you this weeks Ducks Vlogstrosity! Watch and enjoy!!




And as always:

Go Ducks!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

it's "OFFICIAL" no 2nd season...

What an amazing week I had! Going back home made me realize how much I missed SoCal! So much to do. I haven't been outside that much since ere moving to Olympia, WA. I will have a special announcement next week on my vlog which I am calling "Ducks Vlogstrosity" Anywho, here is this weeks episode where I talk about my trip and the fact that Anaheim will not be in the playoffs for the first time in 4 seasons (sorry but it's a tad long):



I mention that I have a couple of photos from my trip and here they are:















"Oh my precious Pond, how I've missed you..."

















Warm-ups before the Ducks/Stars match













Ducks V Stars: 03:29:2010













Ducks V Canucks: 04:02:2010

















My friend of 4 years, Jackie and I!





Got Selanne to sign my sweater!





Also met Scotty for the first time, had him sign my Official SCF Game Puck! Selannes on the other side!

Like I said, it was amazing being back home, seeing family, old friends and meeting new ones! Had a blast and I can't wait to return!

Go Ducks!