Question For All The Hockey Experts

[GOLDENGREEK]

I Seem To Recall That There Are A Ton Of Upsets In The First Round Of The Playoffs - Lower Seeded Teams Knocking Off Top Seeded Teams

Dont Remember If It Was Last Year Or 2 Years Ago, But I Believe All The 1-4 Seeds In One Of The Confrences Lost The Series

My Question :

Would You Reccomend Taking All The Lower Seeded Teams ( 5-8 ) To Win The Series?

It Seems To Me That If One Of The 4 Wins Your Guarenteed To Be Even , And If 2 Win You Are Up $$$$



.

[3ebRocks]

I think its real a good possibility that at least a couple of the dogs win. Oddly enough though in the Rangers series, they opened up as a small favorite even though they are the lower seed. Granted its the 4 vs. 5 matchup. But I can see Ottawa beating Pittsburgh. I can see Colorado beating Minnesota and I can even make a case for Boston beating Montreal with the stingy defense they play. The other series I think would be a bit more unlikely such as Nashville beating Detroit and Dallas beating Anaheim as examples but in a 7 game series if you run into a real hot goalie, anything can happen.

And I dont claim to be an expert of any kind, but I do watch and follow hockey pretty closely, it being one of my favorite sports to view and wager.

Hope this helps a little.

[3ebRocks]

And just to clarify, there are 8 opening round series. Four in each conference.

[GOLDENGREEK]

And just to clarify, there are 8 opening round series. Four in each conference.

YES -- AND MY FAULT FOR NOT CLARIFYING

THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 8 LOWER SEEDED TEAMS ( 5-8)

[GOLDENGREEK]

I think its real a good possibility that at least a couple of the dogs win. Oddly enough though in the Rangers series, they opened up as a small favorite even though they are the lower seed. Granted its the 4 vs. 5 matchup. But I can see Ottawa beating Pittsburgh. I can see Colorado beating Minnesota and I can even make a case for Boston beating Montreal with the stingy defense they play. The other series I think would be a bit more unlikely such as Nashville beating Detroit and Dallas beating Anaheim as examples but in a 7 game series if you run into a real hot goalie, anything can happen.

And I dont claim to be an expert of any kind, but I do watch and follow hockey pretty closely, it being one of my favorite sports to view and wager.

Hope this helps a little.

THANKS FOR THE INPUT

[3ebRocks]

I guess my main point that unlike pretty much any other sport, a hockey playoff series can be dictated by one player, the goalie. If he stands on his head for 4-5-6-7 games, even the most overmatched teams can and do pull off upsets. So, yea, take a shot with some dogs. I know I will.

Best of luck.

[mooshroma]

Where's Chado when you need him?

[drugstuntman]

I'm pretty sure I remember something about taking the dogs in the first game of the series - but not for the series itself. Maybe Chado will chime in soon to confirm.

[MR Pain]

greek hockey is hockey. this is not like any other sport especially when playoff time rolls around. I do know what you are referring too when edmonton beat detroit. Don't ask me why but detroit just flat out can't beat edmonton @ edmonton. they have the worst #s by far @ edmonton. that is just one of those freaky situations.

I'll just give you my opinion on the series and if you want to take a shot go for it.
NYR-NJ
ther really is no dog here, I will take the NYR considering they owned the season series and as good as broduer's #s are lundqvist has even better #s against NJ something like a 1.34 gaa.
OTT-PITT
the way OTT got into the playoffs to me is a joke and now there captain and best defensive forward are hurt and said to be out for "weeks" IMO PITT goaltending just kept getting better at the end of the year and they can both score like crazy. IF alfredsson and fischer are healthy they could take down pitt but I don't think so.
MON-BOS
The only thing I'm a little concerned with is the rookie goaltender for Mon but he should be fine. normally I would say don't waste your money, but you never know how a rookie goaltender will react. Mon is my pick to win east if that helps you any.
WASH-PHILLY
here is a good one for you. While I personally think that wash has the better goaltender, wash has success with teams that like to go back and forth not grind it out. Philly will gladly grind it out all day. I like wash strictly because of there goaltender and thats it ! so if your looking for a dog philly maybe a good one to go with.
S.J-CAL
don't waste your money, these 2 will grind and hit in every second of every game and S.J will come out on top like they almost always do.
COL-MINN
YOU'VE BEEN WARNED HOMER PICK but I really do like the AV's to beat minnesota. Av's are getting people back from injuries at the right time and the wild lost 2 starting defensemen in the last 3 weeks of the season. jose theadore posted his first shutout since 04 this year and since that shutout he's had 2 more. he looks as good as he's ever looked in his best days in montreal. oh yea they got a guy by the name of forsberg back, he seems to be pretty good.
DAL-ANA
this all depends on the health of giguere, these teams match up very well with each other and if there is any chance giguere is not 100 % then I would definitely take a shot at dallas. If giguere is healthy anaheim will have a huge mental edge, and they can continue to pound on you like s.j and by the third period you've got nothing left and they take advantage of mistakes.
NASH-DET
get ready to laugh, this might just be your best bet. det was 3-3-2 vs nashville this season, det was only 14-11-2 in central division, which isn't a good one. I have absolutely no confidence in dominik hasek, the guy is finished I don't care what anyone says I played the position, and you cannot be consistently effective at age 41. he has proved me right all year long, which is why I wouldn't be surprised if they used osgood. Dan Ellis is a great goaltender for nashville and he did have some great #s on the year. The only thing is he is a rookie just like the goalie in montreal and the playoffs are a whole different game literally. The red wings were on cruise control for the last month of the season, while nashville had to fight for every point right to the finish. IF ellis can play like he did all season they have a good shot to beat det.

I know you asked for dogs but I would go with s.j, and col to win the series.

[shorty3830]

greek

i think you are right, it is not like an nba series between boston and philly or dertroit and whatever crap is the 7th seed in the west, in hockey the teams always have a chance, you see more lower seeded teams getting to the finals than in any other sport by far

i am gonna take a shot at nashville, maybe boston, i will probably lose both, but still worth some small change

of course, i know far less about hockey than anyone else who posted here in response but i think my above statement is correct

congrats man on an insane college basketball season

b

[GOLDENGREEK]

Thanks Everyone For Their Input!!!!!

Appeciatte It

[MR Pain]

greek above are my opinions on who I like, I went through my notes and I have some better numbers for you. here you go bud........
NYR won all 7 games in the regular season against the devils except the last game of the season in which they pulled lundqvist in regulation to get a win for home ice advantage, well it didn't happen and they lost in a shootout so NYR were 7-1 vs N.J this season.

If you go back to last years playoffs ottawa has won 7 of the last 9 games vs pitt.

Montreal has played 8 games vs boston this year, guess how many they won.......8

Calgary to my surprise actually took 3 of the 4 meetings this year, they also knocked s.j out of the cup finals in 04.

[Dr. Winn]

Montreal has actually beaten the Bruins 11 straight if you go back to last season. And if you are worried about Price being a rookie you are in for a real treat because this kid has the composure of a star veteran goalie, the saves he makes are remarkable. Montreal may struggle in game 1 but once they get that 1st win under their young belts, watch out because they will ride a hot streak to the finals!!

[MtrCtyPimp]

i think you are right, it is not like an nba series between boston and philly or dertroit and whatever crap is the 7th seed in the west, in hockey the teams always have a chance, you see more lower seeded teams getting to the finals than in any other sport by far

i am gonna take a shot at nashville, maybe boston, i will probably lose both, but still worth some small change

of course, i know far less about hockey than anyone else who posted here in response but i think my above statement is correct

congrats man on an insane college basketball season

b

Crap 7 seed in the West is Dallas and they might be the NBA champs

PEACE

[MR Pain]

Montreal has actually beaten the Bruins 11 straight if you go back to last season. And if you are worried about Price being a rookie you are in for a real treat because this kid has the composure of a star veteran goalie, the saves he makes are remarkable. Montreal may struggle in game 1 but once they get that 1st win under their young belts, watch out because they will ride a hot streak to the finals!!

I don't think you read or understood my post very well. I first stated that I would normally tell you not to waste your money,meaning that I think boston has NO shot, I then went on to say that I have montreal winning the east.

I played the position, I know he's great, I was just letting greek know he is a rookie because I don't think he knows that much about hockey. Dr Winn are you chado because I really don't know of anyone else on here that would correct me on hockey..........especially MONTREAL if it's you chado no sweat brother.