LCS Game of the Week

Playoff Prognosticatin': Round Two
By Brian Wishnow, Prognosticator Guy

Last week your prognosticator started the postseason on a solid note, making 75% of the calls. Getting six of eight series correct is pretty solid, and more so is that three of them were called with the correct games won/lost by each team. The incorrect predictions both came in the East, with the Flyers beating the Penguins and the Rangers defeating the Panthers. Postseason record: 6-2
Series                             Prognosticator Said  Actual Result
(8) Montreal at (1) New Jersey     New Jersey, 4-1      Same
(7) Ottawa at (2) Buffalo          Buffalo, 4-2         Buffalo, 4-3
(6) Pittsburgh at (3) Philadelphia Pittsburgh, 4-3      Phil., 4-1
(5) N.Y. Rangers at (4) Florida    Florida, 4-1         Rangers, 4-1
(8) Chicago at (1) Colorado        Colorado, 4-0        Colorado, 4-2
(7) Edmonton at (2) Dallas         Edmonton, 4-3        Same
(6) St. Louis at (3) Detroit       Detroit, 4-2         Same
(5) Phoenix at (4) Anaheim         Anaheim, 4-2         Anaheim, 4-3
Eastern Conference

(5) New York Rangers at (1) New Jersey Devils
Regular season results: 10/30/96 - Rangers 6, DEVILS 1; 1/12/97 - RANGERS 3, Devils 0; 2/17/97 - Devils 2, RANGERS 2; 2/19/97 - DEVILS 1, Rangers 1; 3/27/97 - DEVILS 4, Rangers 0. Edge: N.Y. Rangers (2-1-2)
The last time these two teams met in the playoffs was during the Conference Finals in 1994. Stephane Matteau scored on Martin Brodeur in overtime to propel the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Finals where they eventually defeated the Vancouver Canucks to win it all. The next year the Rangers were eliminated by Philadelphia before they would have played New Jersey, and the Devils went on to win the Cup. Last season the Devils didn't even make the playoffs, while the Rangers lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round. Don't look for history to repeat itself. Edge: New Jersey
The goaltending match up is Martin Brodeur versus Mike Richter. In front of him, Brodeur has the one of the best defenses in the league, playing Jacques Lemaire's system. Richter has a much more offensively-minded club in front of him, including Brian Leetch. Edge: New Jersey
Just like the Montreal-New Jersey series, the biggest contrast is New York's offense vs. New Jersey's defense. Defense always beats offense. Edge: New Jersey
Series Prediction - Prognosticator says: New Jersey 4, N.Y. Rangers 2

(3) Philadelphia Flyers at (2) Buffalo Sabres
Regular season results: 11/7/96 - Flyers 5, SABRES 2; 2/4/97 - FLYERS 1, Sabres 1; 3/15/97 - Sabres 7, FLYERS 5; 3/16/97 - SABRES 3, Flyers 2. Edge: Sabres (2-1-1)
These two teams met in the first round of the 1995 playoffs, where Philadelphia came away with a 4-1 series victory. Buffalo's win in the first round was its first advance past the opening round since 1993, and only its second since 1983. Edge: Philadelphia
Goaltending is key in this series. Almost everyone on the planet would concede the advantage to Buffalo with Dominik Hasek over either Garth Snow or Ron Hextall. However, Hasek was suspended by the league for three games after his confrontation with a Buffalo sportswriter. Will Hasek return for Game Four, or will his head games continue to force Ted Nolan to play Steve Shields? Shields, holder of many NCAA records while he played for the University of Michigan, had no previous playoff experience, but has filled in quite well. Snow also has no previous experience, but also got the job done in the first round. The Flyers better stock up on wins early, because the Dominator may enter the latter part of the series. Edge: Buffalo
It will be interesting to see how Philadelphia's size fares against Buffalo's toughness. This very well may be the most physical series of the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While Philadelphia supposedly has more skill and will hit, Buffalo will pound the Flyers right back. These Sabres don't back away from anyone, and are more than willing to fight and get extremely physical. Edge: Push
Series Prediction - Prognosticator says: Buffalo 4, Philadelphia 3

Western Conference

(7) Edmonton Oilers at (1) Colorado Avalanche
Regular season results: 10/15/96 - AVALANCHE 7, Oilers 2; 10/26/96 - Avalanche 4, OILERS 2; 12/4/96 - AVALANCHE 2, Oilers 0; 12/18/96 - Avalanche 4, OILERS 4; 2/21/97 - Avalanche 4, OILERS 3. Edge: Colorado (4-0-1)
Colorado won it all last season, while Edmonton is now in the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Edge: Colorado
Colorado has arguably the best offense and best power play in the NHL. Edmonton has a very young and talented squad, with tons of speed, as evidenced by Todd Marchant's rush past the entire Dallas team to win Game Seven in overtime. Edge: Push
Colorado has Patrick Roy in net, and Edmonton has Curtis Joseph. While Roy has proved to me Mr. Playoff goalie, the red-hot Joseph won three games against Dallas by himself and gives the Oilers a chance to win against any team. Edge: Push
Series Prediction - Prognosticator says: Edmonton 4, Colorado 3

(4) Anaheim at (3) Detroit
Regular season results: 11/24/96 - MIGHTY DUCKS 3, Red Wings 1; 3/2/97 - Mighty Ducks 1, RED WINGS 1; 3/12/97 - MIGHTY DUCKS 2, Red Wings 1; 3/30/97 - Mighty Ducks 1, Red Wings 0. Edge: Anaheim (3-0-1)
Anaheim's offense is a two-manned affair: Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. Detroit has more than two people to provide points, with players such as Brendan Shanahan, Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Igor Larionov, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Larry Murphy. Scotty Bowman's defensive system should also be able to put a hold on Anaheim's offensive duo. Edge: Detroit
In goal, Anaheim pits Guy Hebert against Detroit's Mike Vernon. Neither have the tendency to steal games on their own like Edmonton's Curtis Joseph or Buffalo's Dominik Hasek, but both have consistently gotten the job done for their respective teams this year. Edge: Push
Detroit has plenty of postseason experience. Mike Vernon won a Stanley Cup with Calgary in 1989, Larry Murphy with the Penguins twice this decade, and the ultimate experience in coach Scotty Bowman. Anaheim is one of the NHL's newer teams, and this is its first postseason ever. Edge: Detroit
Series Prediction - Prognosticator says: Detroit 4, Anaheim 1