We are down to the end of the road in the Stanely Cup playoffs as well as our last round of predictions. This has been a lot of fun and I appreciate everyone for taking part and hope we can make it an annual event with a rotating home. So with that let’s get down to business.
The Round Table
Ian Reid: RSEN / Teal Tinted Glasses Podcast
Twitter: @IanBlogsSharks, @TTGPodcast
Current Record: 12 / 14
First Round Picks: St. Louis, Chicago, Anaheim, Calgary, Montreal, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers, New York Islanders.
Second Round Picks: Chicago, Anaheim, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers.
Third Round Picks: Chicago, Tampa Bay.
Tyler Spence: RSEN / Sports Midweek Madness
Twitter: @TylerSpenceRSEN
Current Record: 8 / 14
First Round Picks: St. Louis, Chicago, Winnipeg, Calgary, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers, Washington.
Second Round Picks: Minnesota, Calgary, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers.
Third Round Picks: Anaheim, Tampa Bay.
Andrew Bensch: The Hockey Writers
Twitter: @ViewFromBensch
Current Record: 10 / 14
First Round Picks: St. Louis, Chicago, Anaheim, Vancouver, Montreal, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers, New York Islanders.
Second Round Picks: Chicago, Anaheim, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers.
Third Round Picks: Chicago, New York Rangers.
Patrick Gackle: The Gackle Report
Twitter: @PatrickGackle
Current Record: 12 / 14
First Round Picks: Minnestoa, Chicago, Anaheim, Calgary, Montreal, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers, Washington.
Second Round Picks: Minnesota, Anaheim, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers.
Third Round Picks: Chicago, New York Rangers.
Wendell McGowan: Teal Tinted Glasses Podcast
Twitter: @ComicNotGeek, @TTGPodcast
Current Record: 8 / 14
First Round Picks: St. Louis, Chicago, Anaheim, Vancouver, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers, New York Islanders.
Second Round Picks: Minnesota, Calgary, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers.
Third Round Picks: Chicago, Tampa Bay.
AJ Strong: Pucknology / Pucknology After Dark
Twitter: @aj_strong, @pucknology
Current Record: 10 / 14
First Round Picks: St. Louis, Chicago, Anaheim, Calgary, Montreal, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers, New York Islanders
Second Round Picks: Chicago, Anaheim, Montreal, New York Rangers.
Third Round Picks: Chicago, New York Rangers.
MJ Kasprzak: The Examiner/AXS
Current Record: 9 / 14
First Round Picks: St. Louis, Nashville, Anaheim, Vancouver, Montreal, Tampa Bay, New York Rangers, Washington
Second Round Picks: Chicago, Anaheim, Montreal, New York Rangers.
Third Round Picks: Chicago, New York Rangers.
On to the predictions!
Ian Reid Picks Chicago.
It’s not very often that I correctly call the Stanley Cup Final match up but I did before the playoff’s started. I had Chicago beating the Lightning then and I have them doing it now. Some of the things I like about Chicago is they have been there before and have come out on the right end though their leadership group and while Tampa Bay has players that have been there before they only have one guy to actually lift the cup himself in Fippula. It is often said that while offence wins games, defence wins championships. I give the edge in that department to Chicago. While Tampa Bay arguably has the better goaltender, I would argue that for the Lightning to win Bishop has had to be great while Crawford has only had to be OK. Chicago in six.
Tyler Spence Picks Chicago.
The Blackhawks are destined to win this year. It was evident when they had their back against the wall to Anaheim that they weren’t going to let their chances slip away. Toews and Kane will bring another Cup to the windy city.
Andrew Bensch Picks Chicago.
How can you not pick them?
Patrick Gackle Picks Tampa Bay.
I’m sure everyone and their Mom is probably taking the more experienced Blackhawks and the better Conference in the West as a whole. Like many thought would be a problem in the Anaheim series I think you’ll finally see the lack of depth on the back end for the Blackhawks show it self in this series. I think more then the physical play of the Ducks the pure speed of the lightning will be a totally different challenge for Keith and company. I’ll also take Bishop over Crawford. Should be a close and epic series, and quite possibly two teams we see play for the cup again in coming years. Sit back and enjoy.
Wendell McGowan Picks Tampa Bay.
I think because they line up so evenly with bishop being the difference maker. Chicago may be too beat up as well. Most importantly I want to be right while Ian Reid is wrong.
AJ Strong Picks Chicago.
Blackhawks in 6. Experience over youth, despite no home ice. And the Bishop gets beaten more often than not. 🙂
MJ Kasprzak Picks Chicago.
The Chicago Blackhawks will win the Stanley Cup in six games because while the Tampa Bay Lightning have been very impressive, they do not have the experience of a third finals in six years to draw from. Chicago’s one weakness is a lack of blue-line depth, but just as the extra day off allowed the top-four defensemen enough recovery before Game 7 vs. the Anaheim Ducks, the finals schedule helps them with two days off between games twice.
