2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs: First Round Picks

#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 New York Rangers

This recent group of Washington Capitals, despite how successful they typically are during the regular season, consistently struggles in the playoffs.  Maintaining defensive intensity has always been the Caps' Achilles heel and will likely be their undoing again this postseason.  The other issue I'd like to bring up though is Alexander Ovechkin.  When a team is built around one player, like the Caps are with Ovechkin, they become much easier to stop over a seven game series—when a defense can gameplan and really focus on shutting down that one player—than in the regular season when they are just one game on the schedule.  Now, even though I'm not high on the Capitals' chances the rest of these Stanley Cup Playoffs, I don't think the Rangers have enough firepower to pull off the upset just yet.

Prediction: Capitals in 5

#2 Philadelphia Flyers vs. #7 Buffalo Sabres

The Flyers are probably my pick for Eastern Conference champions, so I say they get the train rolling here with a quick sweep.

Prediction: Flyers in 4

#3 Boston Bruins vs. #6 Montreal Canadiens

Goals should be tough to come by in this series as both teams are top-10 in the NHL in goals against.  I give the edge to Boston who has a better group of goal scorers than does Montreal.  Plus, Tim Thomas led all goalies this season in both goals against average and save percentage.

Prediction: Bruins in 6

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Tampa Bay Lightning

Even though they will be without Sidney Crosby this series, I'm going to go with playoff experience and pick the Penguins to beat the Lightning. 

Prediction: Penguins in 7

#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Chicago Blackhawks

This is the same Canucks team that lost to the Blackhawks in each of the past two postseasons, but these aren't the same Blackhawks that won the Stanley Cup last year and went to the Western Conference Finals the year before that.  If the Canucks do choke again this year, it won't be in the first round.

Prediction: Canucks in 6

#2 San Jose Sharks vs. #7 Los Angeles Kings

Speaking of choke artists...

Prediction: Kings in 6

#3 Detroit Red Wings vs. #6 Phoenix Coyotes

This is a rematch of the most exciting matchup from last year's first round, which the Red Wings won in seven.  I expect good hockey once more, but I don't think the results will be much different.

Prediction: Red Wings in 6

#4 Anaheim Ducks vs. #5 Nashville Predators

If that last matchup was the most exciting, this one might be the least.  Only in the Capitals-Rangers matchup did two opposing playoff teams score fewer goals this season.  (The Capitals and Rangers combined for 457 while the Ducks and Predators combined for 458.)  I have no idea who'll win, but I gotta pick somebody.

Prediction: Predators in 7

--from Eric