Playoff Predictions Chart: Round 2 Recap

- update: turns out Barry Melrose did make second round predictions, though they hid in a corner of the internet. Fret no longer, they have been found. Pierre and Milbury are still MIA.

If the second round the NHL playoffs have proven anything, it is this: the Philadelphia Flyers will not yield to the robot invasion. And for that matter, neither will the Dallas Stars. Perhaps you remember that following the first round of the playoffs we all looked on in awe as the NHL 08 simulation went a perfect 8 for 8. In the second round? Penguins over New York Rangers. Called it. Detroit Red Wings over Colorado Avalanche. Called it. But as for the other two series, the mighty machine has faltered. I have a hard time celebrating the Dallas one though, as no one else from our chart called for the Stars to move on. However, notching one in our column, Jes Golbez of Hockey Rants did correctly surmise the outcome of the Canadiens v. Flyers series. It still holds a lead on the rest of us, but one thing has be proven: The machine can be beaten. In the words of my comrades from The Pens Blog: do it.

Looking at the second round, I finished 2 for 4. After rambling on how I was too biased to make an accurate prediction for my Penguins series against the New York Rangers, I not only called it, but made the correct games prediction, and correctly predicted which games both teams would win. I have no problem taking credit where credit is due, and I was on my game with that one. I also got the Red Wings vs. Avalanche series right, although I don't think anyone was too thrown off by what went down in that one. The Wings are rolling. Does that mean I'm taking back my doubt about them struggling in the Conference Finals? Well I haven't put my predictions in pen yet, but they've made a strong case.

Minus Golbez's call as stated above, we all dropped the ball when it came to the Canadiens vs. Flyers and Sharks vs. Starks match-ups. Not taking anything away from Philadelphia, but I think if Carey Price plays like he can in that series, Montreal isn't breaking out their golf clubs yet. As for the Sharks elimination, I'm genuinely surprised we all missed that one. I'm sticking to the excuse that I was merely staying true to my preseason Cup picks. What's your guys excuse?

Before I end this post, and we say goodnight to the second round of the playoffs, let me just repeat one thing. Neither Barry Melrose, nor Pierre Milbury made second round predictions. These are supposed to be the ambassadors of our sport. Anyone who has caught some playoff games knows one thing when it comes to the league and their voes. It's not the product. But maybe it's the packaging.

10/27/07: Game 10: Penguins 3 - Candiens 4 SO

Carey Price got the call again for the Montreal Canadiens as they headed into Pittsburgh to take on the enigmatic Penguins. So far this season it's been impossible to get an accurate read on this team. One thins is for certain, they have the talent. But it seems as if a new line combination is taking the ice every minute, and Marc-Andre Fleury continues to baffle the Penguins faithful.

This game was truly a story of two games for me. I caught the first period and beginning of the second before heading out for holiday shenanigans, leaving the game in the trusty hands our the DVR. Already, by the time I left the game the Penguins had allowed 3 goals, and Fleury had been pulled in favor of backup Dany Sabourin. I was almost thankful to leave.

Later, when I returned, I battled if I even wanted to watch the rest of the game. I was tired, and the Penguins were down 3 goals early. Reluctantly I decided to give it a shot.

Only moments after the 3rd goal Alex Kovalev boarded Evegeni Malkin, on what appeared to be a dead play due to offsides. An infuriated Sidney Crosby tackeld Kovalev to the ice. He received 2 minutes for Roughing, as did Kovalev, along with 2 minutes for Boarding.

Energized by Crosby's play, the Penguins 2nd power play united scored on the break, Adam Hall to Evgeni Malkin, who found Petr Sykora who put it home.

Five minutes later Crosby picked up one of his own, rushing down the ice Crosby and Malkin preformed the give and go, who scored to put the Penguins within one.

It stayed at 3-2, due to the play of Sabourin and Price, until Evgeni Malkin drew a slashing penalty with less than 3 minutes in the game. On the power play, when working out of the corner Malkin found Ryan Whitney across ice, and Whitney beat Price to tie the game with only 1:52 left in regulation.

In overtime the Penguins found themselves killing a power play thanks to an extremely weak hooking call on Ryan Malone. Two minute 4-3 penalty kills are dangerous, but Sabourin made some big saves to keep the game alive.

The shootout arrived, and it became the Carey Price-Dany Sabourin show. Combined, they stopped the first 15 shooters, before Andrei Markov scored in his first shootout appearance, giving the Canadiens the 4-3 victory.

The most disappointing part of the Penguins shooters wasn't that they were stopped by Price, who was once again on his game, but instead how many players didn't even get a shot on goal. Erik Christensen, Petr Sykora, Jarko Ruutu, Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Whitney, and Mark Reechi missed the net. 6 of our 8 shooters didn't even put it on net.

Now, after such a superb performance by Dany Sabourin, it's time to see just how much confidence the Penguins have in Marc-Andre Fleury. Pittsburgh take on the Wild on Tuesday night in Minnesota, and I would not be surprised to see Sabourin between the pipes.

10/10/07: Game 3: Penguins 2 - Canadiens 3

It was a disappointing one in Pittsburgh tonight, as the Penguins had their chances, but failed to make good on them. Instead the story was Carey Price's NHL debut for the Canadiens, making 26 saves on 28 shots in the 3-2 victory.

Sidney Crosby's bruised foot kept him out of practice Tuesday, but it didn't seem to be a problem during the game. Crosby assisted on the Penguins first goal, which Ryan Malone scored over a sprawling Carey Price, who had been knocked to the ice.

The Canadiens answered back with two goals in the six minutes of the 2nd period, taking the 2-1 lead.

Andrei Markov increased the lead in the 3rd, scoring off a rebound from an opportunity created by a Penguins defense-zone face-off loss.

Work horse Maxime Talbot put the Penguins within one, putting a no-look backhanded Evgeni Malkin behind-the-net pass behind Price. Malkin destroys me with his no-look backhand passes. I'll give him this one, but for every one that works out, he makes 9 that turn the puck and start rushes down the ice.

The Penguins spent the rest of the 3rd in the Canadiens zone, but were unable to wear down Price, who played very positionally sound throughout the game.

Fleury stopped 35 of 38 shots tonight, but continued to give up big rebounds. If the Penguins want to thwart opposing offense, they are going to have to cut down the amount of shots allowed, and Fleury is going to have to settle down. I'm pulling out hair every time I see him needlessly out of the net playing the puck.

One thing that catches me off guard from time to time is just how much of a monster Gary Roberts is. Of course he's in incredible shape and skates hard up and down the ice, but he can really throw a mean check. And he does, almost at random. I never see it coming, and neither did Kastsitsyn tonight. The hit really fired up the crowd as the Pens were battling to tie it up in the 3rd.

With his 2 assists tonight, Mark Recchi moved past Mike Gartner to 25th in all-time points.

The Penguins play the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday at 7:00 pm.