With my Eastern Conference playoff predictions out of the way, it’s time to set my sights on the Western Conference. Parity is alive and well throughout the NHL, but nowhere is it more apparent in the Western Conference where the difference between fifth and tenth place was just five points. Looking at the four Western Conference matchups there is not much to choose between most of the teams, that said, a few favorites should emerge, with the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings garnering a lot of attention from poolies and fans alike. With all this in mind, let’s take a look at the first round matchups and how it should all pan out. (1) Vancouver Canucks Vs. (8) Chicago Blackhawks Given the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks have ended the Vancouver Canucks playoff drives in each of the past

(1) Washington Capitals Vs. (8) New York Rangers: Despite a very successful regular season in which the New York Rangers won three of four games against the Washington Capitals it is hard to believe that the Caps will be upset in the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The Caps are a very different team from last season, choosing to concentrate on an all-round game, which includes an emphasis on defense and balanced scoring. The Caps won 16 of their final 20 games this season. Needless to say, it’s tough to get any hotter than that down the stretch, which should serve the Caps well in the playoffs. Despite not being known as an offensive juggernaut, the Rangers actually scored more goals than the Caps this season (233-224). The Capitals gave up one less goal on the season, but nobody

All eyes on were a couple of key Eastern Conference matchups yesterday as both the New York Rangers/New Jersey Devils Match and the Carolina Hurricanes/Tampa Bay Lightning match had huge playoff implications. The Rangers kicked off Saturday by defeating the Devils by a final score of 5-2, giving them possession of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East—that is IF the Carolina Hurricanes did not pull off a win over the Lightning. Carolina went into their match with the Lightning on a 8-1-1 streak, but failed miserably against the Lightning, losing 6-2, including two empty net goals in the final minutes of the game. With the bottom end of the standings set, the focus was on the Philadelphia Flyers/New York Islanders game. The Islanders surprised us all by keeping it close for the first two periods, but the

With only a few more games to be played before the NHL starts it’s playoffs, there are a few teams that are emerging as the definitive favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Goaltending is often key to a teams playoffs success, that said, the Chicago Blackhawks took home Lord Stanley’s Cup last year—even with inconsistent goaltending from Antti Niemi. Power play and penalty kill success also comes into play, as does a teams ability to gel at the right time. With all this in mind, let’s take a look at the NHL’s eight most dangerous playoffs teams of 2010-11. Philadelphia Flyers: Key Stats: Current Record: 46-22-10 (102 points)—Second in Eastern Conference GF: 245 GA: 207 Diff: +38 PP: 16.4% (20th overall) PK: 83.8% (Ninth overall) Key Players: Mike Richards (F) Jeff Carter (F) Chris Pronger (D) Sergei Bobrovsky (G) The

The Globe and Mail is reporting that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke has given Maple Leafs’ head coach Ron Wilson a vote of confidence by stating that Wilson will be back behind the bench for the 2011-12 season. “I said back in the fall, we would not consider a change, even when all the hounds were baying,” Burke told The Globe. “I feel the same way now. Ron is coaching this team next year.” Burke’s comments did not come without its fair share of criticism from the Leafs Nation, many of whom feel that Wilson has overstayed his welcome with the Blue and White. The Leafs Nation’s main point of contention seems to be Wilson’s inability to elevate the Buds special teams to “respectable” as, under Wilson’s guidance, the Maple Leafs power play and penalty kill have been

The Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins will meet for the sixth and final time in what should be an entertaining tilt in Boston. The Canadiens currently sit three points behind the hated Bruins in the Eastern Conference’s Northeast Division standings where the “Big Bad Bruins” currently sit in first place. With Boston holding two games in hand, finishing first overall in the Northeast looks to be a bit of a pipe dream for the Canadiens, but you just know that the Canadiens are going to put as much heat as they possibly can on the Bruins, especially in light of what happened in the last meeting between these two clubs at Montreal’s Bell Centre. For those of you that do not remember (as if that’s really possible), coming off a previous game in which both teams had engaged in a