Scotty breaks it down for David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail:
Scotty Bowman knows where the defensive style that is killing the entertainment value of the NHL playoffs comes from but he doesn’t know if it can be stamped out.
The senior adviser to the Chicago Blackhawks can trace it back to the 1979 playoffs when he was coaching the powerful Montreal Canadiens. Roger Neilson, the innovative head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, saw his team swept by the Habs in the previous year and wanted to avoid a repeat.
As another Maple Leafs season retreats into ruin, the black-and-white memories of a distant championship, a distant time, become a little more golden.
Toronto fans — now seven seasons without even a playoff appearance — have virtually mythologized the 21 players who stare back from the team’s 1967 Stanley Cup portrait.
They were men of sterner stuff. They brought the city pride while staying humble. They had grace. They had dignity. They won.
What a twisted thing the last round was. Pens, Canucks, Detroit and Chicago gone. We shall have some new kings. As long as it isn’t St. Louis. Hitchcock is a fun killer. He’s never seen a game he didn’t want to slow down.
Los Angeles vs St. Louis
Blake. LA in 6.
Joseph. For the love of offense someone has to stop Hitchcock. LA in 7.
Nashville vs Phoenix
Blake. Nashville in 7.
Joseph. The path is clear for the Preds. Preds in 6.
Bye, bye Boston. Bye, bye Tea Party Tim. At one time, say last years’ final, one could cheer for Boston. They were the underdog and Vancouver where a bunch of chippy, diving whiners. But then Thomas blew off the American President. Great, another disgruntled white millionaire. Then one started to observe what a little butthead Marchand is and the Stanley Cup sheen started to wear off.
It took 7 games to decide this one, including 4 in overtime and all of them decided by 1 goal. Washington wanted it more and it showed. What also showed was the unpleasant side of the Bruin fan base. After Wards’ goal, twitter lit up with vile, racist filth. For Joel Ward is a black man and the traditional lunch-pail Bruin faithful, perhaps taking their cue from Thomas’s disregard of Obama, found that fact hard to take.
Once again the NHL disciplinary system shows itself to be a joke. Predator defenceman Shea Weber grabbed Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg by the back of the neck and smashed his face into the glass at the near the end of game one of their first round playoff series and didn’t receive a suspension. This wasn’t hockey, it was MMA. If this isn’t a suspendable action, what is?
Shanahan was supposed to bring in a new era of accountability and an emphasis on player safety. Instead it is just the status quo. Hey, it’s the playoffs and Weber is a prominent player. Don’t ya get it? What a disgrace.
Ottawa vs New York
Blake W. — NYR in 5
Joseph D. — NYR in 5
Boston vs Washington
Blake W. — Boston in 6
Joseph D. — Boston in 5
New Jersey vs Florida
Blake W. — NJ in 6.
Joseph D. — Florida is happy to make the playoffs but can’t be pleased with who they drew as opponents. New Jersey is more a experienced team looking to go deep into the playoffs. Florida won’t stop them. New Jersey in 4.
Philadelphia vs Pittsburg
Blake W. — Pittsburg in 6.
Joseph D. — Easily the most anticipated series of the first round. Expect it to seven games but give the edge to Philly because of goaltending and scoring depth. Philadelphia in 7.
Vancouver vs LA
Blake W. — Vancouver in 5.
Joseph D. — Vancouver in 5.
San Jose vs St. Louis
Blake W. — St. Louis in 4.
Joseph D. — San Jose has been here many times before and the team is healthy and ready to go. St. Louis had a great regular season but this is their first playoff series as a group. San Jose in 7.
Chicago vs Phoenix
Blake W. — Chicago in 7.
Joseph D. — Chicago in 6.
Detroit vs Nashville
Blake W. — Nashville in 7.
Joseph W. – Detroit is showing their age and just don’t have the depth to get past a strong Nashville team that has has great goaltending, strong defence and a forward corp bolstered by a KHL superstar. Nashville in 6.
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