Meet the panel:
Mike Damante ( Hockey Stop blogger, music journalist, rec league player)
Mike McColgan ( lead singer of Street Dogs, Bruins fanatic)
Greg Okuhara ( Houston Chronicle copy editor, rec league player, Blackhawks fan)
Scott Gonzalez ( Bruins fan, webmaster for sevensixtyeight.com )
James O’Neil ( StarSkaters president, former rec league ref)
The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs offered some compelling drama, first-round best TV ratings and some of the best quality of hockey for a first round in a longtime. With the second round underway later tonight, the Hockey Stop panel makes its predictions:
Eastern Conference: New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals
Defenseman Ryan McDonagh (left) will have the tough task to shut down Alex Ovechkin (right). ( Nick Laham/Getty)
Mike Damante: The Capitals upset the Bruins in dramatic fashion in the first round, while the Rangers, the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed, took seven games to oust the Ottawa Senators. In playoff past, young Capitals goalies have given the Rangers problems, and this year Braden Holtby looks like the real deal for the Caps. The Rangers do have Vezina and Hart Trophy nominee Henrik Lundqvist to counter with in net. The Rangers grinding style and physical play will have to be the difference.
Rangers in six
Mike McColgan: New York has more overall depth and Henrik Lundqvist has more overall goaltending experience.
Rangers in six
Greg Okuhara: Bottom line, Lundqvist > Holtby.
Rangers in six
Scott Gonzalez: At least the Bruins exposed the Cap’s plans and figured out Holtby can be rattled, which New York loves to do.
Rangers in five.
James O’Neil: Rangers in five
Eastern Conference: Philadelphia Flyers vs. New Jersey Devils
Patrik Elias (26) is a former All-Star. ( Jim McIssas/getty)
Mike Damante: Philly looked scary good versus the Penguins. Claude Giroux was a beast and New Jersey’s best players Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise and Martin Broduer will just have to be that; their best players if the Devils have a chance.
Flyers in six.
Mike McColgan: Philly just basically pulverized Pittsburgh, who many picked to win it all. Philly has overwhelming skill with Giroux, Danny Briere and Jaromir Jagr and they all can elevate their game in playoffs.
Flyers in five
Greg Okuhara: Philly is just too strong for New Jersey here.
Flyers in five.
Scott Gonzalez: This will likely be the best series to watch.
Flyers in seven.
James O’Neil: Flyers in six
Western Conference: St. Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings got Jeff Carter to score and they will need him against goalie Brian Elliot. (AP /Mark J. Terrill)
Mike Damante: The Kings will reign supreme over the Western Conference and make the Stanley Cup finals. Captain Dustin Brown scored, hit and led the way a captain should in teh first round. Mike Richards showed his playoff experience and was nasty in helping the Kings eliminate the No.1 seed Vancouver Canucks. Oh, and don’t forget the Kings have Jonathan Quick in net, who just may be Team USA’s goalie of the future.
Kings in six.
Mike McColgan: The Blues offense will overwhelm Jonathan Quick and the Kings. The Kings Cinderella story ends here.
Blues in five
Greg Okuhara: St. Louis series presents the toughest challenge for prognosticators. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are all about matchups. Toss out regular-season records (ask the Vancouver Canucks how well that’s turned out for them), because Davids are knocking off Goliaths with regularity in the past few years. In this series, you have a red-hot team (Kings) going up against one of the best squads during the regular season (Blues). Pope Benedict is considering canonization for Ken Hitchcock after the miracle he’s worked in St. Louis, while the Kings look like legitimate Stanley Cup contenders despite being the eighth seed.
Kings in seven
Scott Gonzalez: Los Angeles is hot right now, plus they are great in net.
Kings in six.
James O’Neil: Kings in six
Western Conference: Nashville Predators vs. Phoenix Coyotes
The Coyotes will have to crash the net to try to score on Pekka Rinne. (AP)
Mike Damante: In a battle of hockey hotbed ( sarcasm) , the team with Carrie Underwood’s husband on it will prevail. The Preds are for real.
Predators in five.
Mike McColgan: Nashville is the better overall team. They have competency in all phases of the game and great goaltending. This could be the dark horse favorite for the Cup.
Greg Okuhara:Goalie Mike Smith can’t carry Phoenix all the way.
Predators in six.
Scott Gonzalez: Predators in five.
James O’Neil: Predators in six