Eastern Conference
Pittsburgh Penguins v. Ottawa Senators - Result: Pittsburgh in 7; Prediction: Pittsburgh in 5.
The Penguins were the clear favorite coming into this series but, as I've said before, Ottawa has seemingly being succeeding with smoke and mirrors all season long. After the Senators picked up an overtime winner in Game 1 against a tired Penguins team coming off their Game 7 win against Washington, followed by the Senators 5-1 drubbing in another flat effort from the Penguins in Game 3, it looked like Ottawa may have been in the driver's seat. But the Penguins won a tight, hard-fought Game 4 on a late goal by Phil Kessel to even the series at 2. The Senators responded with a totally flat game of their own, losing 7-0 in Pittsburgh and it looked like the series was over. Game 6 was again largely dominated by the Penguins but Craig Anderson was spectacular and Ottawa's almost rope-a-dope strategy allowed them to rally from the early deficit and hold on for a 2-1 win, forcing Game 7.
And it was a classic. I think there was just one whistle in the first 10 or 11 minutes of the game, as the teams went up and down the ice. But, by the end of the first, the Penguins started to dominate, spending long stretches controlling the puck in the Senators zone but the Sens' defense mostly kept them to the outside, limiting any great chances. And when Kunitz put the Penguins up 1-0 in the second, it looked like lights out. For about 20 seconds, until Erik Karlsson took one of his patented end-to-end rushes and set up Mark Stone with a delicate and delightful pass who beat Murray top-shelf, short side to tie it. In the third, the pattern repeated itself with the Senators seemingly hanging on for dear life and Anderson bailing them out when they did give up good scoring opportunities. When the refs made a horrendous interference call on Phaneuf, helped by an Olympic-worthy dive by Phil Kessel, on what was on icing call anyway and the Penguins scored on the power play with just 8 minutes left, again it looked all over for the Senators. It didn't help when Phil Kessel was hit by a deflected pass and went down with the Senators controlling the puck in the Pittsburgh slot and the refs blew the play dead because they though Kessel was seriously hurt. But nothing daunts this year's Senators and another blast from the point from Karlsson rang off the post, then the back of Murray, and was deposited in the net by Ryan Dzingel to tie the game with just over 5 minutes left.
The first overtime basically repeated the start of the game, with both teams not holding back and going up and down the ice, trading chances and really going for the win. Pittsburgh, though continued to dominate and it seemed only a matter of time before they would win it. And sure enough, they did when Crosby set up Kunitz in the high slot and he put the puck over the stick side shoulder of a screened Anderson to send Pittsburgh to the finals.
It was a classic series but you always had the feeling that Pittsburgh was somehow in control. But Anderson was spectacular, registering, I believe, over 40 saves in each of the last two games. And Karlsson was again magnificent despite being noticeably limited by the two stress fractures in his ankle. Every time the Senators fell behind, in this series and series before, he put the team on his shoulders and got them back in the game. The Penguins were the Penguins. Dominant and, for the most part relentless, just throwing wave after wave at the Senators. As I've said, it always felt like it was only a matter of time before they won. It's a credit to the Senators that it took until the second overtime of Game 7 for that to happen.
Western Conference
Anaheim Ducks v. Nashville Predators - Result: Nashville in 6; Prediction: Anaheim in 6.
Like the Penguins coming off their Game 7 win against the Capitals, the Ducks were also coming off their Game 7 win against the Oilers and it showed in a pretty lackluster effort in Game 1. Even so, they were able to force overtime with a third period goal before James Neal won it for the Predators in overtime. The Ducks easily leveled the series in Game 2 as Pekka Rinne had his worst game of the playoffs by far. And the Ducks again looked in good shape in Game 3 taking a 1-0 lead into the third which they immediately gave up a few minutes into the final period. Roman Josi then scored late for the Preds and the Ducks began to look very vulnerable. They may have generated lots of zone time but could not get the puck past Pekka Rinne. In a must win Game 4, the Ducks again took a lead into the third period, this time 2-0, and again blew it, giving up two goals in the last seven minutes, including Forsberg's tying goal with just 35 seconds left. But Corey Perry bailed the Ducks out with his overtime winner.
With the series tied 2-2, the goaltenders took over and it was not a pretty match up. Pekka Rinne was more than spectacular in Game 6, single handedly stealing that game for the Predators 3-1. And in the must-win Game 6 for Anaheim, James Reimer, filling in for the injured John Gibson, gave up four goals on 16 shots at one point in the game, while Rinne was barring the door at the other end as the Preds closed out the series 6-3.
The Ducks were let down by their young defense and poor goaltending. And while Reimer, who came in for Gibson after the first period in Game 5, was not solely to blame for all the goals as there were two empty-netters and some glaring defensive breakdowns, an .864 save percentage in the time he played will just not cut it, especially in the playoffs. Just ask the Washington Capitals. In addition, the inability to hold on to third period leads and the lack of scoring from Kessler and Cogliano really hurt them. Of course, that lack of scoring was largely due to the superb play of Rinne who was simply unbeatable throughout most of the series and whose puck-handling behind the net kept the Ducks from being able to wear out the Predator defense. In addition, the Predators defense were always an offensive factor and Filip Forsberg came up huge in the series, scoring five goals, with three points in the deciding Games 5 and 6.
To my mind, regardless of what happens in the finals, there are only two players in the running for playoff MVP and they are Rinne and Karlsson. Both men were clearly the best player on the ice, not only for their own team but often among both teams. Rinne was impeccable (sorry, I couldn't resist again) and Karlsson just carried his team whenever they were down.
The Finals start on Monday and I will be back with my predictions (which have not been worth much in the last two rounds) later in the weekend.
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