Another post today! I'm like a blogging machine. Anyway, on to the Stanley Cup.
If you have read my first post, you will know that I support Tampa Bay Lightning. Because Steve Stamkos is a beast. Anyway, the Eastern Conference has pitted them against Boston Bruins (who have the best jerseys in the NHL), who have the same Play-Off results as Lightning - a 4-3 win in the opening series and then a sweep in the semis. With both teams having the same records, you might be thinking this series is going to go to the wire. And you might be right. But I think you would be wrong. Against Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round, Lightning fell behind 3-1 after losing their first two home games. Going in to game 5 needing a win, they did so much more than that; blowing out Pittsburgh 8-2 in front of the Penguins' home fans. This gave them the momentum they needed to carry on and win the series in 7 and qualify to the next round where they would face 1st-seed Washington Capitals. Boston on the other hand had a fairly routine series win. I know that sounds like an odd thing to write when the series went to 7, but they never seemed in trouble. They won all their home games and lost all their away games, which booked them their place in the semis vs Philidelphia Flyers. Both teams. of course, swept their respective opponents, and never really looked in any doubt of doing so. However I think it is far more impressive of 5th-seed Lightning to beat 4th-seed Penguins and 1st-seed Capitals, than 3rd-seed Bruins beating 6th-seed Canadiens and 2nd-seed Flyers. For this reason, I'm predicting a 4-1 series victory in favour of Lightning. (I'm completely aware this seems biased, which it kind of is haha, but that's not the point. Also I'm aware I've only included recent form and not players' ability etc.).
On to the West, which has been far more exciting in my opinion. Both teams in the Conference Final have nearly thrown it away once this post-season. Vancouver Canucks almost did in the opening round when they were 3-0 up against Chicago Blackhawks and seemed to be cruising. But Blackhawks rallied back to force game 7, which Canucks scraped through in OT. Canucks then went on to routinely beat Nashville Predators in 6, winning 3 of their games at Nashville. San Jose Sharks meanwhile had a routine series in the opening series, beating Los Angeles Kings 4-, and like Canucks, struggled to win at home and won 3 games on the road. In the next round against Detroit Red Wings, 2 OT victories helped them take a 3-0 series lead. They subsequently lost the next 3 games but they could and maybe should have won games 4 and 5. They lost game 4 after a Darren Helm goal for Red Wings with 1:27 left in the game put Detriot up 4-3, and they lost game 5 after blowing a 2 goal lead. So it came to game 7. Could Detroit do the impossible and win 4 games in a row? No. They could not. But they came close,narrowly losing 3-2. So Sharks vs Canucks in the Western Final. Despite home games seeming not to favour either side, I'm going to go with a 4-2 Canucks victory.
As for the Stanley Cup Final, well I'll wait and see who gets there, and do another post then.
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