2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs

[mellongraig]

It's that time of the year again where the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin. Here is the first round matchup:

East:
Tampa Bay vs. New Jersey
Boston vs. Toronto
Washington vs. Columbus
Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia

West:
Nashville vs. Colorado
Winnipeg vs. Minnesota
Vegas vs. Los Angeles
Anaheim vs. San Jose

Hopefully the referees will be more consistent for the playoffs this year than last year. Place your first round picks on which teams will win.

[geniusinmath]

East
Tampa Bay Lightning
Boston Bruins
Washington
Philadelphia
West
Nashville
Minnesota
Vegas
Anaheim
Call me old fashioned if you want to about the Vegas pick. My dad when he was living always wanted the underdogs to win sometimes.

[CheckGameMeBob]

The Flyers got a really tough draw with Pittsburgh (I can't stand Crosby and the Pens).

But if there's one thing about playoff hockey, it's wildly unpredictable and that's a part of what makes it so engrossing to watch. 

Go Flyers! beat the Pens, and turn this into a 2010 style run!

Also, there ought to be an investigation if Claude Giroux doesn't win the Hart trophy this year.

[wink87]

Eastern Conference:
New Jersey
Toronto
Washington
Pittsburgh

Western:
Nashville
Minnesota
Vegas
Anaheim

[someguy23475]

Is it just me, or does Vegas look so wrong? Why be ashamed of the Las? It is the city’s name.

[therealcu2010]

Because nobody actually uses "Las". It's simply "Vegas".

Plus, "Las Vegas Golden Knights" would be a mouthful.

[JayC]

Call me old fashioned if you want to about the Vegas pick. My dad when he was living always wanted the underdogs to win sometimes.

Can't exactly call a #1 seeded team an underdog even if they are an expansion franchise.

Also, there ought to be an investigation if Claude Giroux doesn't win the Hart trophy this year.

I have to say Taylor Hall personally, and not just as a Devils fan.

My picks for round 1: East- New Jersey, Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh
West- Nashville, Minnesota, Los Angeles, Anaheim

[pannoni1]

Because nobody actually uses "Las". It's simply "Vegas".

Plus, "Las Vegas Golden Knights" would be a mouthful.

I'm surprised "L.V." hasn't caught on, since its akin to saying "Angeles" for their opponent. To think of it, "L.A. vs. L.V." does sound better than "Angeles vs. Vegas". But Kings are a higher rank than Knights, and look for them to pull it out in seven given the later part of the season hasn't been as good for VGK compared to the first half. Elsewhere, an easy four or five for Nashville, the Jets in six, and the prospect of an all-SoCal second round series has me picking the Ducks in seven.

And in the east, I expect another game seven defeat by my Caps to those Pens in the second round, following 4-2 first-round wins by each team.  Tampa Bay is pretty much a gimme and shouldn't take more than five, while I'll go with Maple Leafs for a welcome series win in seven. 

[Teddy]

OT: Will the Raiders have Las dropped from their city name when they relocate there in 2019?

My picks are: Tampa Bay, Toronto, Washington and Pittsburgh for East; and Nashville, Minnesota, Vegas and Anaheim for West.

[bigblue999]

Let's go Tampa Bay Rangers Lightening! (they got 4 former Rangers on the team).

[UltraPrice]

Tampa Bay in 5
Boston in 7
Washington in 6
Philly in 7

West:
Nashville in 5
Minnesota in 7
LA in 7

[UltraPrice]

Anaheim in 7 (which I forgot to mention in my previous post)

[TPIR_rules]

Here are my first round & Stanley Cup Final predictions:


Tampa Bay over New Jersey in 5
Columbus over Washington in 6
Boston over Toronto in 6
Pittsburgh over Philadelphia in 7
Nashville over Colorado in 5
Los Angeles over Vegas in 6
Winnipeg over Minnesota in 6
San Jose over Anaheim in 7


Stanley Cup Final:   Boston over Winnipeg 

[mellongraig]

Winners for game 1 on Wednesday night went to the Jets, Penguins, and Golden Knights. Let's see how the rest of the teams fare out as they all play Game 1 tonight.

[bigblue999]

Same old Capitals.